I'm going to be building a lap counting rig, and was looking for
pictures of other systems in use. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
john g.

Hi gibson
lap counter is a great theme!
I have studied the problem and I have the solution.
Italians have good ideas but no money!
The concept is: gps systems are not responsive for pylon competitions; we need some "electronic judges" in the pylons that capture who cut the circuit.
You need 3 patch with a bar code in every plane, placed under wings and in the side of fuselage.
A bar code reader is on the finish line and above every pylon. Total 4 bar code readers.
3 fast refreshing clock cameras are setted under every pylon pointed to zenith.
The logic scheme is very simple: is an a if/then procedure.
If an airplane fly external the pylons nothing change: only the bar code readers give times on every pylon for each passages.
If an airplane compare inside the range of camera then:
1 barcode reader register the number of model that have cutted the circuit
2 camera shot a photo of model that cut the circuit
That's the way for true results in all competitions: where is an human judge there is a dispute!
Regards
[email protected]
[email protected]

393
Thanks for the input, but what I'm looking for are pictures of existing systems (manual) that are already in use.
Thanks
john g.

The one James has just uses pieces of ply wood with the lap number on them. The person counting the laps just flips the numbered piece out of the box (the numbered pieces are bolted on the top corner so they just wheel out. I can explain it to you on the phone if you like or you can contact James. The ones we used at Lowes last year were his.

John,

The PGRC guys have a nice flip card system. It uses some welded aluminum channel to hold the cards, and they have a stand to hold it. Contact Rick Moreland. Jim Katz knows how to get in touch with him. I have a couple of pictures I will try to find.

I have a program that will print 7 segment digits for making masks if you don't want to buy vinyl numbers. And at 40+ to 80+ numbers, they add up.

j.gibson;

Here is the device the Florida Club 40 guys use:

The number cards also have lap numbers written on the back of the NEXT card (facing the operator) so the operator can see which number is actually showing to the pilots without looking around or over the top of the rig. In other words, on the back of the next card in the deck (facing the operator) there is a smaller number showing the previous cards "front" number. The other set of cards are the "cut" cards.

I'm thinking of building something like this for our races in Nashville. I'd probably use an electrical conduit pipe (1-1/4" dia or so) for the horizontal pipe. Also, for the supports, rather than a frame, I'd probably use two (or three) sharpened pieces of 1/2" re-rod to be pushed or driven into the ground at both ends of the rig. Each of these supports would have a metal ring welded onto the top for support of the horizontal pipe. I would suggest making the cards bigger and the numbers bolder than you think would be necessary. I've always had trouble seeing the numbers in the heat of battle.

Doug Bebensee

John,

The system that was used a Mac Hodges was excellent. It used lights behind a board with the lap numbers cut out. Cut lights were on the top. It was very visible even at the required setbacks. Give Mac a call.

Trey

Stan Douglas already has a system that works, tracks laps, lap time, and if a cut is called by a judge. It really work well, and is pretty neat to watch being used. Stan is also the webmaster on the NMPRA site so he's easy to contact about it.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8018050/tm.htm

Start at post #14...

Thanks for all the input fellows. I have 3 systems drawn up ,
but they are pretty much what we've been doing for some
number of decades. All serve the purpose but I'd like to try
and improve on them.
I do appreciate all the suggestions and hope to incorparate
the best from every one.
Once again, many thanks and please post any pictures or prints............


john g.

John, are you ever going to post a picture of your Lap counting rig? Guys you got to see this. A nice piece of work! Come on John just one picture!!!

Bob Harris

Simple and cheap.

Ed S

"Simple and Cheap"

Just like you Ed

Thanks Dave.

Are going to the Nats? Don't bother. I am chief judge on pylon one!

Ed S

Sir Ed -

What will help us beat Norman...Santa Teresa 1796, Appleton Estate 21, or Cruzan Single Barrel? I'll run it out to you in my golf cart...

OK ,here are some pics of the" lap counting rig" that I designed and fabricated.
It really is pretty much the same old stuff with a couple of improvements.
I used vinyl to show high and low colors on the cards to duplicate the layout on
the light boxes at one.

Picture #1 This card is put out first so the callers can ident. their scorer.
#2 Cards 1-10..........high/low red & green.
#3 I included an eleventh card to make sure that lap was flown and scored.
#4 I only put a "cut out" card because we have cut lights at one.
#5 The back of each card shows the scorer the next lap, and high/low red
or green as a reminder.
#6 The stainless rings are held in a clamp block assy.
The rest are just shots of how it assembles etc,etc,etc..........
Everything is alum. and stainless with stainless and brass hardware.
The vinyl is (7) year stuff so I figure we will all be dead before this thing dies........
(that is unless somebody gets drunk and backs over the thing in the pits)

John Gibson

Hi Jim,

"Barrel" sounds good. I take it that is QUANTITY!

Ed S

Nice job John

Very nice job John, great welds.

Those sound very good Jim, not so good ED.

I guess I'll have to go so fast those old eyes won't be able to keep up. Or maybe I'll fly yellow airplanes

Thanks for the kind words ..........We'll see how everything
works this coming weekend at Mike's. Hopefully we will have
20 to 25 entries for the first race at the new Julian field.


John G.