----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard E. Buckingham, Jr." <rebjrmd@ix.netcom.com>
> Larry, not all clubs use electronic timing and scoring. VSCDA, CSRG,
Campbell Productions (Portland Vintage Race), and HMSA are
> still using timing lights. So if you just race with these organizations,
you haven't needed to buy either dBcom or AMB. Dick
Our club's (RMVR) experience that the move away from timing lights and
manual scoring was worth every penny of the expense! Member's have fully
embraced the inproved accuracy and timeliness of results. The expense of
the transponders was initially a bit of a shock to them, but the results are
worth it. Even those that don't run at the front have embraced it because
they now have very accurate results to judge their own progress. Plus,
regardless of where someone runs in the group, "best laps" of your "peer
group" are always the center of attention. Thus, there is actually more
races-within-a-race taking place.
>From the club's standpoint, the entire T&S function is now a simple one or
two person, non-brain-damage affair. Very, very easy to administer during
the race. Sit back and watch. No longer do we have to have 10-20 people
performing what could only be described and mind-numbing work ALL DAY LONG.
Plus the club no longer has to buy them meals, etc. So, I suspect that the
base station investment by the club has been offset to a large degree in
expenses for lunches, not to mention freeing up all that manpower for other
volunteer tasks.
For a new club considering AMB, if many of their members are already buying
AMB units for when they travel, maybe not that members will even have to buy
a unit. And, if schedules don't conflict (probably a slim chance), maybe
regional clubs could share a base station investment. Maybe Campbell
Productions who only has one non-conflicting event each year could buy it
and rent it to other clubs?
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