CTMX Announcement!!!

http://www.mylaps.com/en/products/mx-flex-subscriptions/599

Video tutorial
For a tutorial video on how to register your X2 Transponder and activate it, visit one of the links below:

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Other than the cost it all seems like a huge win. Props to Chillitown for sticking their neck out to give it a try. I would bet after they succeed with them, other OMA facilities will follow eventually. I also am assuming that Chillitown will have pencil scorers also just for good measure.

One thing I read that could be a headache for the track is if peeps are charging their transponders, but MX riders are never stupid so doubt anything like a rider have a dead transponder during a race will never happen... They have an option to plug it into your bikes battery directly, but I'll haven't found the battery on my bike yet... ;)
 
Bill480 said:
How is that hiding anything? Wrapping the fee into the sign up fee is technically 'hiding' it
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I agree.
Bill480 said:
I also think that the 'subscription' nonsense for them is bullshit (if you buy one)
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Think of it as maintenance cost. It's not like the transponder runs itself...however you bring up a good point and it may be in there somewhere, but what's the lifecycle of one of these transponders? Suppose both in just that it keeps working and in that the new technology doesn't work with it (talking future here)?

All in all though, it's a benefit. Sure it costs, but not near as much as them cool anodized hubs you just bought... ;) (general comment to whomever)
 
Lotts24 said:
Not sure I am a huge fan of this. I like the idea and understand it could be a huge help for the ladies in scoring but at red bud we paid $40 for a rental so that's another $80 for the weekend. I know this sport is expensive but the battle of ohio is a sweet series, don't make it as expensive as running LL stuff.
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OK, Im trying not to turn the topic but this has to be pointed out. You guys that just love Red Bud and or MX Sports, take a look at the this. Here we have ONE little track in nowhere Ohio that is charging $15 for the EXACT same product that you pay $30 for from MX Sports and even worst, $40 from Red Bud. The largest motocross promoting organization on the planet and a track that is part of the Professional tour. Both PRINTING money. Feel the need to charge you double or more. Now, how much of that $ is going in their pockets.
I think $15 is too cheap. OK, that was tongue-in-cheek but you know what im saying.
 
Trust me I don't love mxsports and when we go to the vet fest the fees will be half as much and no fee for transponders. Def not red bud on those fees its mx sports. The vet fest class fee is $30 and it was $50 at the regional, hence the reason this is the only regional we have ran it over 5 years and only one of us signed up to race. Totally don't have an issue of $15 for the transponder fee. Just trying to say I don't want things to get carried away with cost or less and less people will go. The battle of ohio series is a bigger race series feel at local pricing.
 
This is merely an educational post. So everyone understands transponder scoring manpower requirements. The promotor still needs someone to hand score, at least 1 person, and you need someone checking them to be sure theyre powered up down in staging. And the upfront admin becomes a little more critical as you must enter the transponder serial number to each of the signed up riders.

In my experience, we still paid a substantial amount of money at the ATV National last year, where they were rented for $25 a rider. My guess is that charging $30-$40, knocks down the fee they pay escore. So that being said, Chillitown will have to pay more to offer this service to the riders, because the rentals will be cheaper. Just keep that in mind. They are spending more to bring you this technology. They should be rewarded for taking the risk, not blasted by children.

Step #1 - Go to the transponder rental trailer, unless you have the card from the transponder you have purchased/subscription. If you have an older transponder and you arent sure if it still works or will work, go to the transponder trailer and ask.

Step #2 - Go to sign up on Saturday!!!!!! DONT WAIT!

Step #3 - Enjoy the Battle
 
you guys complain because we need them, then when we finally get them you complain about having to pay...... this isnt the Obama plan and not everything can be handed to you. But if you are that fortunate to have everything handed to you. CONGRATULATIONS and u prolly take it for granted and dont respect it.
 
What ever happened to the low cost inexpensive RFD or whatever it was called sticker under the visor? I remember someone talking about a track using them, and it worked great and had very low cost.
 
Lotts24 said:
Wasn't trying to blast them for their efforts. Like I said it won't deter us from going but others may not feel the same. I now remembered why I never post on here.
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LOL, wasnt thinking of you when I typed that Kelly. Funny though.

John250 said:
What ever happened to the low cost inexpensive RFD or whatever it was called sticker under the visor? I remember someone talking about a track using them, and it worked great and had very low cost.
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Im somewhat skeptical of that system. I question the reliability and i have heard of a few issues.
 
John250 said:
What ever happened to the low cost inexpensive RFD or whatever it was called sticker under the visor? I remember someone talking about a track using them, and it worked great and had very low cost.
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I talked to the company that makes them (Motosponder or something like that.) and it all sounds good. Watched a few demo's and read reviews. No one had anything negative to say. That I found. Since I was not technically in the market to buy the system, they just gave me the standard answers. The entire system was MUCH cheaper and the rfid tags are only $1 or $2 each. I think the biggest unknown is how reliable the receivers are in bad weather. The transponder are much more robust and widely used so I think tracks tend to stay with what works.

Either way is still going in the right direction.
 
Thanks CTown for working to raise the bar in Ohio MX.

Battle for Ohio is clearly the premier series in Ohio and doing things like this are good for the series. I know it's tough always adding additional expenses, but cut out two trips to Taco Bell between now and then and you have your transponder rental fee.
 
Yes, we still use the RF tag system. Now that we have been using it for a few years, nearly all the bugs have been worked out. The only issue we seem to run across is occasionally someone will have a helmet with a reflective surface or carbon fiber and the tag will not get read. We typically do a second test scan before you leave sign-up or have you run thru the scoring area prior to a harescramble. We seemed to overcome this by using duplicate tags. You can take the second one and put it behind your number plate or somewhere on the bike.

We have compiled a large database as these tags are used for MX, flat track and harescrambles, which in most cases speeds up sign up (you must bring your helmet to sign-up). If you are using the same helmet/tag as previous races we just read the tag with a barcode scanner which automatically brings up all of your pertinent info. The only thing we have to enter is what classes you want to run. If you have changed helmets/tag since last race, we would have to scan and add the new tag to your record, so about a minute longer. If you are a new racer we have to create the record for you and it should take no more than two minutes tops. The more races we use the system, the more riders are in the database, and the more efficient it gets.

Where the system really shines is in flat track where riders may all finish within a second or two of one another. The system has been right on the money. Of course we still have to have at least one manual back-up scorer, just in case we lost power, or the occasional racer who wants to dispute the computer scoring. The biggest problem we seem to have is people who show up five minutes before the race wanting to sign-up, drop-out or change classes. It wreaks havoc once the classes and running order has been set. Unfortunately the biggest offenders seem to be our own members.

We do not charge for using this system, but an RF tag is quite a bit cheaper than an actual transponder. We are not quite there yet as far as live scoring to smart phones, although one race we did hook up a public monitor to the system so the race results could be seen in real time during the race. Once the race is over we just make a pdf of the results and e-mail it to the CRA to post and can post it on our own website as well.

It is nice being able to see lap times for personal rider goals, comparison with other riders, and catching course-cutters in harescrambles (no, you didn't just find a new line that was four minutes quicker).
 
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Knox, to answer your questions regarding weather related reliability - we have used them in 30 degree weather for our winter harescrambles, 97 degree dusty days in summer for MX and flat track with no issues. If it is raining you can wrap the receiver/scanner in a big zip lock bag. We use a combination of four scanners, so all four would have to fail to not pick up a rider. The mud doesn't have any effect on the tag either, still reads. Fortunately we have a few members who work for a label company so our cost on tags has gotten down to about fifty cents.
 
Team MMR said:
you guys complain because we need them, then when we finally get them you complain about having to pay...... this isnt the Obama plan and not everything can be handed to you. But if you are that fortunate to have everything handed to you. CONGRATULATIONS and u prolly take it for granted and dont respect it.
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I was one of the biggest complainers and think its great that Chillitown is going to give this a try. So, lets take a step back, go to the race and see if this is a good idea or not. I know from the spring series my son came in 6th and they had him down for 28th, of course they corrected it but I am willing to give this a shot for $15, which is nothing in the whole sceme of what I spend per year to practice and race, its a drop in the bucket!!!!
 
John250 said:
What ever happened to the low cost inexpensive RFD or whatever it was called sticker under the visor? I remember someone talking about a track using them, and it worked great and had very low cost.
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We used these at Western Reserve last year and they worked great!!!
 
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