A true Rally Computer

[Magpie]

The team at Magpie Motorsports invite you all to view our latest high tech product for the rally competitor.

Log onto www.magpiemotorsports.com

[Matt]

Now THAT is just awesome, both from a navigation and roadbook-creation point of view...

[Jme]

It looks good but I don't think it will lower stage times or such. Personally I think there is a lot of confidence to be gained in the 'old' paper process for co-drivers, especially experienced ones. It's common practise these days to repeat stages, and many crews actually "scribble" notes into the tulip on the first run to assist on the later runs. F= fast >=tightens <=opens etc. Maybe it's a lot simpler for novices- Targa style competitors where there are less calls, to just read a screen but I'd want to be able to evolve the instructions to suit. It would be great for recce while writing pacenotes.

I'm not sure how it would cater for the "add-on" instructions we get at nearly every control these days... most of which is unnecesssary in my experience.

The ACT version will need a bigger screen and the ability to add 20 or more instructions per kilometre... and maybe a spew bag. When co-driving in the ACT you forgot adding things on... you take things out by guessing what may or maynot be important and then look up every now and then to try avoid getting sick.

But yeah... it looks cool and no doubt the future is heading this way... electronic/GPS etc

[Spook!!!@PKB]

Looks good, how much and do you take phone orders and plastic payments.

[Magpie]

Thanks Matt, we're pretty happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for the feed back Jme, that sort of stuff is really important for the evolution of our product.
I can tell you that you can make additions to your notes as you go. The main instruction display box on the Navigate screen is editable and adding a letter or symbol here should be pretty straight forward. We haven't put the "Notes Button" panel in the Navigate screen but we could do if it was thought necessary.
Add-on instructions aren't a problem. You can edit a pre-entered road book really easily and insert or change instructions without a worry, it works just like a spreadsheet. Even better if the organisers have a RallyNav set up they can issue any changes via a new road book file that can be up loaded at the time control. Ultimately the hardware/ software system will have the ability to accept data over a radio or GPRS link so you'd not have to leave the air-con. Currently RallyNav can accept up to 600 individual instructions displayed 5 at a time on the Navigate screen and scrolling up as each waypoint is passed. That works out to 30klm if there are 20/k. A pace note is usually only one line (?) and you can get 3 lines in the info box so effectively you can have up to 1800 instructions in your road book file. As for spew ................... the Magpie FDRS screen is splash proof and comes with a neoprene carry case. Not sure how it reacts to carrot.

Yep Spook we will take plastic via PayPal once the units become available, we'll also have a direct credit setup. My marketing consultants tell me, in between double decaff half caff skinnycinos with a twist, that the "pricing structure" should be left for the "big reveal". I think that means we'll be announcing the price on the 3rd of November.

[Mike Cherry]

With something this advanced ( Will Terratrips etc ever become as valuable as a Halda?), would it be possible to run it with the event timing / book in to control (no clocks required!) / start line procedure (allocate start times based on your arrival time & that of the car in front then gives you a countdown to start the stage & tells the scorer if you left early etc) / end of stage timing / automatic uploadable scoring / & safety tracking?
Starts & finish of stages would only then require minimal supervision (the equivalent of a road closure), WTG!

[Magpie]

Spot on Mike!
We have structured the architecture of the software in such a way as to make that very idea possible. At the moment it just runs more or less manually in that you select what stage your about to do and enter your own start times etc BUT the obvious evolution of the system a Rally Management type setup. We need to do a LOT of talking with heads far wiser than mine to come up with a good system and we welcome everyones tuppence worth.
Like you say potentially we can massively reduce the required number of officials, that's part of our motivation for developing the gear. Possibly the first aspect would be the safety side. We can fairly easily integrate a periodic reporting of position system so in theory Rally HQ could have a display board that shows the current position and velocity of every car. Velocity = 0 = Drama. You'd know immediately who and where, just leaving what and why.

[Ric Cary]

You know what, if all the instructions are pre loaded and you could book in and out via bluetooth or something and the thing talked...........you could save lots of weight ...........................

just kidding didn't mean it, I mean how could you have slanderous discussions in stage with a machine

[Magpie]

we did look at having the thing talk. after about 5 minutes it had annoyed the hell out of us so much we switched it off. We also couldn't get it to respond to "What was that?" and things like that.
Now replacing the DRIVER with a computer, there's another story ........

[mickjfawcett]

have to say the system looks very good from the web site.

can you use the system though like a normal terratrip ect if notes are not supplied by organiser?

have you had any feedback from event organisers that that they may take up this technology to be able to be used if system is purchased?

[Magpie]

Hi Mick

There are three sometimes four options for the notes in RallyNav.

Ultimate and easiest is that the oprganisers have mapped the course using RallyNav and they just give you the road book files.

If your doing a recce you can make your own data files as you go.

You can enter the data from a printed road book yourself before the stage and save your own data files.

Or finally you can just enter the distances to the waypoints as you go. This data is also saved to a data file so if you end up doing the stage again you won't have to re-enter the distances. you can enter the information block as well during the stage. Best of luck trying to draw the tulips however.

You could of course just put in the distance to the end and use the gear like a traditional trip meter.

We've not had any specific interest from an organiser as yet but we are willing to help out clubs to get the system up and running for obvious reasons. We're also considering offering a road book data file creation service if it's needed.

[Magpie]

National 4x4 Show
As noted on the website Magpie Motorsports will be at the Melbourne 4x4 show starting on October 22nd. We have available 4 free passes for the first four members to send an email to scott@magpiemotorsports.com. Don’t forget to include your address.

[tamsey]

Can someone put details and pics up on here as work wont let me go to any sports pages.

Stupid Govt

[Magpie]

Here's some pictures from the website.

[tamsey]

Got any details on the unit, specs and functionality.

Is it used more as a Nav tool or to write roadbooks.