RALLY

Have you imagined a system for rally timing that can record the start and finish of cars in real time and in electronic format with minimal user intervention. Have you been looking for a solution to vehicle tracking that alerts you when cars fail to finish a stage? Do you want a budget system for club level rally timing that can be upgraded to real-time in the future?

Stop dreaming, Rally Time is here!

Typical Scenario

TC IN
As cars arrive at the beginning of a stage, their car number and time is recorded at the TC-IN (Time control in). Using an ALGE Comet or Timy, the TC-IN  operator, freezes the time, inputs the car number and stores the data to memory. At the end of the stage the comet memory is transferred to a computer and imported into your results software.

Start Control
Cars leave the start at pre-determined intervals. Using the ALGE Start Clock and a photocell, the driver and starter are visually and audibly informed of the exact time to start. The ALGE Start Clock contains standard and custom programs for virtually any start interval. The large analogue clock face is easy to read by both the driver and starter, and includes a  ten second warning tone and 5 second countdown tone with separate start tone and an internal red/green traffic signal. The attached photocell records the exact time a car crosses the starting line, sounding a tone and displaying the magnitude (in 1/100 seconds) of any false/late start.

An ALGE Comet or Timy is used to record the time and car number of each start. This information is stored in the memory and can be uploaded to a computer at any time during or after the stage. The actual time of start or the interval time (0.000 or 30.000 seconds) can be used depending on the rules of your event. 

With our real-time system, start information is immediately transmitted to the finish stop point where live vehicle tracking and real-time results are controlled.

Flying Finish
An operator at the flying finish controls each car as they pass. Using a photocell with pushbutton over-ride multiple car finishes can be recorded with great accuracy. The flying finish operator is connected to the stop point via a single pair cable, along which the timing impulse is transmitted as well as voice communication using a SV4 speech amplifier and Q34 Headset. An ALGE Comet or Timy at the flying finish could be added for added security in the event of a cable breakage to the stop point.

 

Stop Point
The stop point is the heart of live vehicle tracking and real-time data acquisition. A computer collects data from the start and flying finish and calculates the elapsed time for each competitor as they cross the finish line. Car number and elapsed time are displayed on a pair of GAZ 4 615 display boards between the flying finish and the stop point. An additional Comet (using Terminal software) allows officials to query the database by car number and display the actual time of day from the flying finish so they can record information on each drivers control sheet.

Vehicle tracking is controlled at the stop point using smart software tracking cars as they pass each control point, alerting officials when cars fail to appear within a given time. A graphical user interface makes this previously difficult task a breeze.

TC-Out
As with the TC-IN, travel stage start times are recorded using a stand alone ALGE Comet or Timy and uploaded at the end of the stage.

Export Data Format
Our Real-time and Rally Terminal Software allow the export of data in three standard formats:

 

Budget Club Level System

A budget system for motor rally consists of a single ALGE Comet or Timy at each control point. The devices are synchronized at the beginning of the day and delivered to each timing control before the stage begins. At any point during or after the stage a sweep car can collect the devices, connect then to a laptop and upload all car numbers and times, where they can be delivered/transmitted to the results center or even imported directly into your results software in the car on the way to the next stage. Along with the purchase of ALGE Comet or Timy systems we can include at no extra charge a copy of our Rally Terminal Software, which allows you to specify the stage name and timing control to append to the car number and time of day data from the ALGE Comet or Timy. Results can be created virtually instantaneously without all the manual entry after the fact as with other systems.

 

The full Rally Time system with live vehicle tracking was demonstrated for the first time in Australia at the 2001 Targa Tasmania Rally on varying length stages over the six day event, in wet conditions and over mountainous terrain. For more information or to arrange a demonstration give us a call.