Timing Systems

[Tagsrover]

So after getting my first taste of slalom i've become obsessed with improving my times. Only problem is yelling go and using cellphone timer isn't the most effective way of timing

So basically I was wondering what all you guys use for timing?? Are there different systems, or any way to make a ghetto one on the cheap??

Thanks for any help

[tedzepplin]

I need a timer too.

[revzack]

JBH and TVAR use a timer that attaches to his board. I am not sure of the name though. Sorry I am not of more help.

[Tagsrover]

Originally Posted by revzack

JBH and TVAR use a timer that attaches to his board. I am not sure of the name though. Sorry I am not of more help.

I think i know what you are talking about.
It it is what i think than unfortunently those are big money, because they require receivers at both start and finish that recognize the ID code. They use similar stuff in RC car racing, and i was hoping there'd be a cheaper solution.
If this isn't the case and it IS a cheap solution hopefully someone can inform me

[JBH]

Unfortunately, at the moment that IS the cheap(est) solution.

I use a Mychron Light timer with two beacons. Cost me $32.50 for the receiver/sensor and $37.50 each for two used beacons. So the total was $107.50 for the whole system. I wish I could tell you of a cheaper system, as I see that you're 20 years old and probably broke as sh!t, as I often was at that age. But that's about 1/3 of what you'd pay for anything else I'm aware of.

What makes the Mychron good is that it's just the three pieces mentioned above--no wires or cables needed, no tape strips needed. Just attach the receiver to your board with Velcro, set up your beacons and ride. Turn your board over after the run to view your times. The receiver weighs next to nothing and all three pieces combined take up the space of about half a six-pack.

The only downsides:
1) It's a *personal* timer. You can't really use it for a race, as it only records YOUR time.
2) It takes patience and perhaps a bit of luck to find one for what I paid (a new system costs $279.00 WITHOUT beacons).

But for getting a quick, accurate record of your times, it's the best thing available right now. If you really want to check your times, it's the way to go.

Not that you asked, but perhaps you could split the cost with a friend; if you watch carefully on eBay, you could end up with an excellent timer for about the same cost (each) of a set of Orangatangs with Reds bearings. Only you can decide whether that's worth it to you.

Hope that helps.

[Tagsrover]

Thats actually not as bad as I was expecting. But yes, I am 20 and broke as sh!t, lol.

It actually sounds like a really sweet set-up and definently what i would be looking for.

I know I wouldn't be able to recreate a system like that, but I thought it might be possible to make my own laser system possibly? Having never seen a real timing system I'm not 100%, but couldn't a set of photo-cells, or possibly those automatic garage door safety lasers be hooked to a simple electronic timer?? I realize this would require wires between everything and electricity but i feel like I could do it for maybe under 50 bucks?

If not where did you find your Mychron system and does it have a specific name???

Thanks again for the help

[JBH]

Mine is a "Mychron Light." I got it on eBay in two separate auctions. The beacons were $37.50 each on a "Buy It Now" and were (very lightly) used--and used is fine, as long as they work; all they do is send out an IR beam. The receiver/sensor was $32.50, which is cheaper than they usually go for, because the housing around the sensor was broken. I meant to make a little clear plastic housing for it later but never got around to it. But it still works.

Actually, come to think of it, I bought two of the sensors. The other one, which is the one I actually use, I found via a Web search for "Mychron Light." One link was a go-kart message board post advertising a unit for sale privately (not on eBay). I e-mailed the guy and worked out a deal for about 50 bucks. I bought that one in case the "broken" one didn't hold up.

Note: My units are older than the fancy-shmancy ones on the manufacturer's website (MyChron Light TG Lap Timer: On board racing lap counter and timer for motorcycles, race cars, automotive racers.), but they work for what I want them to--telling me what my times are. You can also use them to set up a speed trap for speedboarding that accurately tells you how fast you are going--as long as your beacons' batteries are working! (I've been victimized by dead batteries twice while trying that.)

As for your laser timer idea, I imagine it's not too difficult for someone with a tech background to assemble something like what you describe, but frankly, I think you'd consider the wires a hassle very quickly. Cheaper, perhaps--less convenient, definitely. For practice, wireless can't be beat.

[Tagsrover]

Yeah, your method just sounds amazing, it's so perfect. And i feel like between me and all my buddies we could get by with just two sensors to attach to the boards, so I guess I'll just kepp surfing the web and hopefully come up with one on the cheap. Thanks for the help and insight

[no66q]

The My chrono and 2 beacons sounds good. However, I remember I read somewre in the early 80's about making a home made slalomtimer. It comprised of 2 metal venetian blind* slats, thin metal stips, long length of speaker wire and a dismantled stopwatch. The slates were attched loosly on a thin board so the curve was above the thin metal strips. When one rolled over the slat, it would flatten out and make contact with the metal strip. This in turn closed the cicuit to the start/stop button on the stop watch, one more of these on the bottom of the hill to stop the watch.

Bet today you could go itn Radio shack/ ebay and buy 2 photocell triggers, a radio transmitter and a timer and get some electonics geek to make up a cheap wireless system.



*joke included: How do you make a Venetian blind???






Poke his eyes out !!!

[Tagsrover]

Yeah, i have wholesale access to pretty much any photocell and unlimited amounts of electronic. I was thinking of using a flashlight or a laser pointer into a photocell, and when that beam breaks it starts a timer, and when the beam breaks at the bottom it stops the timer. I feel like the electronic set-up would be relatively simple, although you would have to have wires running along the course, which i wouldn't mind if i could do it on the cheap

[JBH]

I hadn't heard about the Venetian-blind timer before. But I can see how it might have been a welcome idea in the '80s, as the Mychron or similar items may not have been as easily available then.

Personally, I know next to nothing about electronics. So I'm very happy that the Mychron is as simple as it is.

I can't help but think, though, that there might be an even cheaper method of building a wireless timer. For example--and please understand, this is just spitballing--maybe you could combine cheap homemade tape switches (such as the Venetian blind version) with a pair of modified walkie-talkies and a cheap digital stopwatch. The first tape switch is wired to the first walkie-talkie, which sends the signal to the second walkie-talkie, which starts the timer. The second tape switch is wired to the second walkie-talkie and stops the timer.

Maybe that wouldn't work. And even if it did, obviously it would take some dedicated work by someone who actually understands electronics.

Pat Chewning (an engineer for Hewlett-Packard) and others have discussed many of these issues at slalomskateboarder dot com (ISSA - International Skateboard Slalom Association :: View Forum - Timing System). There have been many interesting ideas (including using tape switches that are triggered by air pressure), but I still don't recall anyone being able to follow through 100% to come up with a truly cheap, reliable complete system, especially wireless. Tagsrover, perhaps you can find some ideas there. You sound like you have some electronics know-how (CERTAINLY more than I do), so if you combine that knowledge with your "golden ticket" wholesale access...

If/when you come up with something, either purchased or home-built, post it here (or there)!

[no66q]

Surly one could go to a school-university-electronics class and present this as a project. Bet they would whip up a system in no time.

Electronics are so cheap. One could probably build a optical trigger, bluetooth connected to a laptop to record all your runs easily. Getting way ahead of simple here!!!!!

Or a RFID sensor jobby. Just a RFID sticker on you board, different codes for your friends...... etc etc

[Tagsrover]

Ohhhh, i like the rfid idea, only problem i could see with those is that with cards for example, they have to be basically on top of the scanner. But if there was one that had like a 5 foot range that could definently be a solution

And i like the idea of jerry-rigging a pre-exising wireless transmitter like walkie talkies, becuase even if it did have a delay, it's not like i'd be running 100-cone slalom for a world record, so everyones times SHOULD be equally affected.

Hmmm, i'm going to have to think about this, and i just realized I'm in an electrical systems class next semester