Dry Lakes Racers Australia

As the members who attended the recent South Australian division meeting and others already know, we have purchased 6 Garmin eTrex H model hand held GPS units for use on the short course at 2010 SpeedWeek.



These units have a function that records maximum speed attained which can easily be read & recorded & then reset ready for the next vehicle to run and or qualify.
They are light & compact and I have tested one extensively and can verify that they will work when carried in your glovebox, under the seat or in your pocket.
Our plan is for the units to be set by the officials and then carried by the driver or placed in a safe position within the vehicle that is in line to make a pass down the short course.
We are considering the use of zip lock plastic bags and race tape to secure the units to bikes if it is found impractical for the rider to carry the unit within their leathers.
We were able to purchase the 6 units through the RAA here in Adelaide for only $120.00 each including GST.
Several of our SA members are looking to buy their own units which will assist in test & tune runs and can be permanently installed in the car and will be then read and reset after recoding the max speed of the pass.

Whilst it is possible to view the speed reading when running it would require the unit to be mounted in an appropriate position and in a suitable holder.


This particular one is the "Ducks Guts" model but requires that the rear cover be removed from the GPS and then screwed in place.

This sounds good Cookey .Will we have an official in the pits to
get the gps unit

Hi Stan,
We will need someone to handle the recording of the speeds and change over the club's GPS units between competitors plus monitoring of battery usage etc.

The idea is for the short course to enable competitors to make their licence passes up to and including 150MPH and then transfer to the long course for those running higher speeds. (Also should a driver be in a position to set a particular class record that falls within this speed range then the run must be made over the timed long course track).

We will run both tracks for licencing passes as the object is to give everyone the opportunity to get in as many runs as they want.

Of course the extra preparation, running and packing up afterwards will require more volunteers and officials.

I loaned my etrex to Stayty a cupple of years back when he was timed at 200 mph. The etrex maximum speed showed 204mph which showed that he was still accelerating when clocked at the speed trap. If I remember correctly we also calculated with gear ratio and revs. the rear wheel was traveling at 240 mph ie. 46mph of wheelspin. Then we tossed around many crazey theories of how to have an electronic speedo. on both front and rear wheels so the rider could seethe start of wheelspin and adjust the throttle to compensate. Maybe it would work? Maybe not? Just a thought.

The timing equipment we use currently , does not record the vehicles top speed, but the average speed between the traps. 204mph on the etrex would have been extremely accurate on a 200mph timed pass. Pete, DLRA #6

what spook said ,,, also on another pass the etrex said 201mph, timing slip said 197 something,, peak and average,,, these gps`s are a good thing, i have tested the one i now have and am very happy with it , thanks spook

I have done extensive testing with the eTrex and I have compared it to a number of sources:
- front wheel pick-up from a number of devices -
- Sigma bicycle computer (good for 240 km apparently).
- Other GPS's.
- Speed indicator on motorway
- Accurate car speedo (Audi)

As long as it is powered up and has a good GPS lock it reads perfectly. You also need to make sure it isn't blocked by the rider or something else.

Duct tape is good enough to hold it to a bike with a safety line as backup. Take care with sharp bits around the buttons because if the rubber is cut (say be a zip tie) you loose the button.

I can volunteer to help with them (oh and I might be moving to Adelaide too)

Thanks Paul,
We need to have equipment savvy members on board to streamline this concept.

so there is no problem with having our own GPS (same type) ???

Certainly no problem with competitors having their own units and mounting them.
As long as the race officials can read the maximum speed recorded and reset them or witness the owner doing so.

Please note that this timing method is principally being introduced to speed up the licensing runs and thereby give all competitors the opportunity to make as many passes as possible.

All record runs are to be made on the main course and timed by the existing equipment.

understood Cookey ----it certainly covers all bases ----cheap, accurate,quick, few people to opperate, means more runs for everyone,

A well thought out solution me thinks.

I can volunteer to help with them (oh and I might be moving to Adelaide too)

we all wondered, now we know , Paul ,you're insane!



The wisteria on the back verandah is still blooming
And all the great aunts are either insane or dead
Kensington Road runs straight for a while before turning
We lived on the bend it was there I was raised and fed
Counting and running as I go
Down past the hedges all in a row
In Adelaide, Adelaide

Dad's hands used to shake but I never knew he was dying
I was thirteen I never dreamed he could fall
And all the great aunts were red in the eyes from crying
I rang the bells I never felt nothing at all
All the king's horses all the king's men
Cannot bring him back again

Find me a bar or a girl or guitar where do you go on a Saturday night?
I own this town I spilled my wine at the bottom of the statue of Colonel Light
And the streets are so wide everybody's inside
Sitting in the same chairs they were sitting in last year
(This is my town!)
All the king's horses all the king's men
Wouldn't drag me back again
to Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide...
( Paul Kelly)


on a more serious note we used one of them GPS doodahs and it was spot on with the recorded time , seeings how some dill left our gearing charts at home and then couldn't even roughly approximate the revs we needed ........yeah OK it was..........me!

hey guys, six months to go......

we all wondered, now we know , Paul ,you're insane!

Not insane just special and therefore only a few places will hire me I won't know for a few weeks though and the job hunting is disrupting me getting the scooter ready.

... oh and the sheds are bigger in Adelaide, that is why everybody's inside.

Paul Kelly classic, he obviously spent a year there one long weekend too.
Chris

if members are bidding on garmin gps on ebay , leave a note on this forum with maybe details etc p**p,so as another member is not bidding against you. cheers paul