Anyone used a laptop to write pacenotes?

[TX3 Rally]

Just wondering if anyone has tried using a laptop to write pacenotes on during recce? If it works it would make corrections easier during the second recce pass and save a lot of re-writing that night - just plug into a printer and print them off.

[raybak]

I think it would be quite awkward to try and use a laptop while doing recce.

Ray

[global]

'The Americans spend tens of thousands inventing a pen to write in space, the russians used a pencil.'

Be careful on how you make a simple job to complicated.

[Rally Angel]

Originally Posted by TX3 Rally

If it works it would make corrections easier during the second recce pass and save a lot of re-writing that night - just plug into a printer and print them off.

Out of curiosity, how many navs out there re-write their pace-notes and what are your views on this?

[tortfeaser]

I tried writing notes that were provided to crews to a pace noted event on a PC - it was pretty much impossible - you convey too much information with spacing between notes and it was too time consuming to stuff around with subscript and superscript to get a useful product.

My writing is shocking and I really struggled to get readable notes correcting the first pass. I rewrite everything. Takes ages. But I'm not that experienced so could probably improve with time.

The big bummer with rewriting is making transcription errors (would be the same with rewriting on a PC). Gotta double check you transcribed correctly.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Rally Angel

Out of curiosity, how many navs out there re-write their pace-notes and what are your views on this?

I never re write. Too dangerous. I have however convereted my notes to a word document after the event, for example I may sit and enter this years Rally Q notes into a document or at least some stages, over the next few months.

[DaveTrees]

Originally Posted by Rally Angel

Out of curiosity, how many navs out there re-write their pace-notes and what are your views on this?

I don't ...... takes up too much time better spent getting sleep the night before the event, plus the danger of transcription errors.

I write the notes in pencil - easy to correct on 2nd pass.

After recce, I just just tidy up any bits that have ended up messy (eg. rub them out & rewrite the individual call).

[Glen]

I try really hard not to re-write as you have to be so careful not to make a mistake during this.

I do go through and tidy up the notes and "rewrite" sections to make them more readable.

I write my notes with a pillow from the hotel resting on my lap. It takes out a lot of the little bumps and makes the notes a lot neater. Writing large helps also.

[Rally Angel]

Thanks for all your input everyone. I was taught never to "re-write" my notes and it is one rule I have severly stuck by. I do fix the occassional individual note but always make sure the right call is on the page still as I transcribe and then rub it out so I can tripple check myself.

Mmm... the pillow idea sounds good, Glen. I might have to give that one a go. Thankfully when I went pace-noting yesterday (our first SARC is next weekend), most of the roads were smooth and I could write almost neatly with minimal bumps.

I have so many friends down here who "re-write" their notes completely and it makes me cringe!!! They buy 2 books and half a dozen coloured pens and then sit down and re-do the lot in the new book. I have also seen them stuff up their transcribing as well, but, they still do it!!!

Just wanted to get some thoughts from a wider audience. Thanks all.

[Lyndall]

Originally Posted by Rally Angel

...half a dozen coloured pens...

Wow! I thought I was anal, but half a dozen colours sounds way more complicated than it needs to be! If they use pen(s), how do they make corrections the following year? Lots of correction fluid, or re-write the whole book? Would have thought colours might be hard to read in flickering sunlight, and may be faint to read when photocopied.

[Factor]

Young Iain Stewart is very particular about which staedler(sp?) pencil to use, and having followed his advice I would concurr. Buy a really expensive staedler and spare leads - I prefer HB or 1B. I also print my own pace note books on 130 gms paper as rubbing out etc is a lot easier.

[fro]

Originally Posted by Factor

Young Iain Stewart is very particular about which staedler(sp?) pencil to use, and having followed his advice I would concurr. Buy a really expensive staedler and spare leads - I prefer HB or 1B. I also print my own pace note books on 130 gms paper as rubbing out etc is a lot easier.

Rotring, all the way. Rotring 300, 2.0mm lead. Weapon of choice.

[Rally Angel]

Originally Posted by Lyndall

Wow! I thought I was anal, but half a dozen colours sounds way more complicated than it needs to be! If they use pen(s), how do they make corrections the following year? Lots of correction fluid, or re-write the whole book? Would have thought colours might be hard to read in flickering sunlight, and may be faint to read when photocopied.

Ok, not quite half a dozen pens (slight exageration)!

Basically, they go out and the notes get done in black pen. Anything which the co-driver needs to know (like a marker so he knows he is on the right notes) is in blue I think. When doing the second pass, changes are made in red pen. When back at home or wherever, it all gets re-written in black pen in a new book. This crew has only ever done 1 of each SA event so not sure what they will do when they start repeating events. If you ask me, thats a whole load of WTF???

I use a trusty pencil all the way!

I have usually done each event with a different driver so my notes are always different and started from scratch. Which, I don't mind. I would rather know mine are right and sure. Other drivers with consistent co-drivers use their same notes but use pencils for corrections.

[Factor]

I should also mention that I dont use a single book to store the notes, my pace note books are printed up and made into a pad (you know with the glue along the top) then I staple each stage into a preprepared yellow manilla folder with a copy of the stage map at the front. That way I only have the one stage in my hands at the one time and its a lot lighter to carry and if there is a rain or mud issue and the notes get dropped etc its only the one stage that gets damaged. During the stage I keep a red pen at hand to write extras into the notes if needed, that pen is a very fine felt tip.

Also as for what system - again I defer to Iain Stewart who basically says - they are the drivers notes , write what he wants.

[Rally Angel]

Originally Posted by Factor

Also as for what system - again I defer to Iain Stewart who basically says - they are the drivers notes , write what he wants.

I also work on that theory - I get in lots of cars and the drivers are all different and their systems are all different. I work with what they want.