Cross Country

[ogtrack]

When timing a XC meet what is your setup? At the last meet we timed we used two Feibot mats & two side antennas. We are placing the wet inlay RFID tags on the back of the runners' bibs. Unfortunately, it was continually picking up any tags in the area, so a lot of red reads appeared thinking of using only mats. Also noticed that when two or more runners are close or bunched up the read order is incorrect, is this any adjustments that can be made within the system to help minimize

[Brandon Daniels]

I don't think it's much of a setup problem. RFID is great technology. But it isn't necessary an exact science in terms of race timing.  So it should never be treated as such.  Can't force a square peg into a round hole.

Radio waves are invisible and don't exactly emit in a straight line in perfect alignment with a finish line.  Position/location and speed of the target (and antennas) will determine when a tag is picked up. In most RFID setups, only 1 antenna port is active at a time, so there will almost always be a slight delay when tags are picked up by other antennas that are connected to other ports.   Most of these quirks are out of your control. 

When precise timing is necessary, you should really be using cameras with you RFID setup (as there is no perfect RFID setup that will eliminate your core issues for XC). I use Finish Lynx and Identilynx as do most timing companies who time high stakes XC meets where exact precision is required.  At the very least, you'll need a camcorder to watch for close finishes.

[Steve Hudson]

Hi, how do you overcome the potential problem of running spikes piercing the cabling between the mat segments ?

[Michael McLain]

Do you have a step by step guide available and willing to share for integrating ART with finishlynx camera?  Thank you!!! (mmp...@gmail.com)

[Joe Laughlin]

Hey Steve - 

Take a look at these rubber mats from Home Depot. I have been using them for several years. The only issue I have with them is if they get wet. They can absorb a lot of water and prevent rfid reads.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ottomanson-Heavy-Duty-24-in-x-36-in-Anti-Fatigue-Non-Slip-Commercial-Residential-Indoor-Outdoor-Rubber-Mat-w-Drainage-Holes-Black-RBR6002-24X36/335702751

[Brandon Daniels]

Hey Michael,

Here's the guide: http://www.ageeracetiming.com/resources/ART%20--%20FinishLynx%20Interface%20Instructions%20-%208%20step.pdf

Lemme know if you have any questions.

[Ted Finch]

We use rubber mats designed for workshops - they have regular holes rather then being solid. Plenty of space for radio waves to get through.

Peg down over the timing mats.

https://www.theworkplacedepot.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/7f340580bf335d73644b46633da3d7e5/h/o/honeycomb-rubber-mat-21.jpg

Swimming pool mats may also work.

Ted

[Michael Braun]

I pretty much only time cross country races.  I started with the side antennas and found that I had missed reads when groups of runners finished together.  The next year I purchased an overhead gantry to mount the antennas.  This pretty much eliminated the missed read issue however I had more finishers that needed to have finishing order adjusted.  Since I had 4 antennaes I felt like I needed to use them all so I mounted three overhead and one on the side.  This year I started only using three antennaes, two overhead and one on the side.  This resulted in more accurate finishing order and no additional missed reads.  The side mounted antenna was deliberately set up to read a little behind the overhead antennaes.  It is easier to get just two antennaes lined up than four.  I use a video camera for backup and to review close finishes.  I do not have the funds for the finishlynx system but I am not timing large championship meets.

My recommendation for the author would be to set up the side mount antennaes a little further back and to be sure to pull all of today's races into the timing screen.  Doing so will eliminate the red reads.  The system will just ignore them until you start the race that that runner is in.

-Mike