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Instruction: How to work the timer

To: ba-autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Instruction: How to work the timer
From: "Darren P. Madams" <darren@madams.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 08:53:37 -0700
Just to help people learn new jobs, here's instructions for working the timer:


There are plugs on the back for the start and stop triggers, as well as at 
least one for the display.  There is a power switch back there too.

There is an "INIT" toggle switch on the front near the middle on the right 
side.  When you first sit down it is a good idea to flip this switch to 
clear out everything.  Note, this will lose all the old finished times so 
make sure the old trailer crew doesn't need this info first.

If the timer is beeping continuously, one or both of the sensors is not in 
alignment or not connected.  Verify the connections, then verify the 
alignment by checking the lights on the boxes.  Have someone walk through 
the start then the finish to verify you get a time.

You will hear a single beep whenever somebody trips either the start or 
finish light.  That is OK.

There are 4 displays, and 4 possible cars can be on course at any given time:
o The most recent finish will be on display 3, the top right one.  This is 
what the announcer and scorer will read.
o The previous finish will be on display 4, lower right.  In case you 
forget to announce or record it, the time is not lost until another car 
finishes.
o The current active car on course (closest to the finish) is on 2, lower left.
o The other car on course (just beginning) is on 1, top left.  All others 
are not displayed but are recorded.

As soon as the first car crosses the start lights, the timer will beep and 
a running time will start to appear in box 2.  If it doesn't, your start 
trigger is probably broken.  Hold the starts and test it by having someone 
walk through the lights.

If somebody finishes the course, but the timer doesn't beep and the running 
clock doesn't stop then there is a problem with the finish lights.  Hold 
the starts and test it by having someone walk through the lights.

If somebody accidentally walks through the finish lights, you can "undo" 
this by pressing the "RESET FINISH" button.  This will allow you to get a 
clean time on the car about to finish without having to hold the 
start.  The false time that appeared in box 3 will return to the last car 
to finish until the next car finishes and then it will display in 3.  This 
will save giving reruns!!!!  Please reread this!!!!

If somebody walks through the start lights, you can "undo" this by pressing 
the "RESET START".  This will allow you to start the next car as normal 
without having to trigger a finish.  The display should not be affected.

If somebody misses the finish lights, either by spinning around them and 
just driving off DNF or by a mechanical being pushed off course, you can 
trigger a finish by hitting the "FINISH" button.  A time will appear in box 
3.  If there is another car on course, that has not been red flagged, his 
time will appear as normal.

If the lights ever fail we can theoretically run completely manually using 
the "START" and "FINISH" manual buttons, but I don't think we've ever had 
to do that yet.

==================
TIMER CHEAT SHEET:

Constant beeping means 1 or more sensors not connected or misaligned.
Single beep means a sensor was triggered OK.
"INIT" toggle clears all displays and starts fresh.
Most recent finish on display 3.  Previous finish on 4.  Current cars on 2 
or 1.
"RESET START" or "RESET FINISH" undoes somebody walking through lights.
"START" or "FINISH" manually triggers the lights if somebody misses them.
==================

Not complicated, but it can get confusing in the heat of battle.

Hope that helps!

        --Darren


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