Search found 40 matches

by dfscott
Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:04 pm
Forum: CO2 Powered
Topic: BlastCar race format??
Replies: 1
Views: 7900

BlastCar race format??

I've been tasked by my Troop Committee with putting together a BlastCar race. This is mainly a recruiting event, but they want to give out trophies for the first 3 places in each group (there are 3 different groups), so we need to have some kind of system. After running or participating in several d...
by dfscott
Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:13 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Concerns about the District Race
Replies: 14
Views: 21295

Concerns about the District Race - Outcome

Post-race update Well, it all came together at the end. We had someone from another district show up with a 4-lane super track w/ a SuperTimer II with all the bells and whistles. Racing was done by lane-rotation and ranking was some variant of elapsed time. One of our Scoutreach Packs had some cars ...
by dfscott
Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:42 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Concerns about the District Race
Replies: 14
Views: 21295

Re: Concerns about the District Race

If the software is registered to your pack, a representative of your pack would need to run the software to be in compliance with the license. The software cannot be lent/rented out in any form. I understand -- if they'd used it, I would've been the one running it, so it sounds like we would be in ...
by dfscott
Fri Mar 16, 2012 6:19 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Concerns about the District Race
Replies: 14
Views: 21295

Re: Concerns about the District Race

Randy- You're right, and I offered to let him use my laptop that I used for our race which has GPRM (hope that's not a licensing issue, but I felt this was extenuating circumstances). However, he said he already had something "worked out." (And I mentioned it in the other thread, but I've ...
by dfscott
Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:02 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Concerns about the District Race
Replies: 14
Views: 21295

Re: Concerns about the District Race

Thanks, all, for the replies. How many cars do you expect in each round? How many places are you presenting for each round? Are you familiar with Stan's quintuple elimination system? In talking with our District Commissioner, he says he's seen as few as 20 show up and as many as 100. We tried to pre...
by dfscott
Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:28 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Concerns about the District Race
Replies: 14
Views: 21295

Concerns about the District Race

I'm helping out our District Program Chair with this year's district derby. He's never done one before so with two whole years under my belt, I'm the "veteran". :nervous: My big concern is that the race is this Saturday and we just figured out that the track we were provided doesn't have a...
by dfscott
Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:17 am
Forum: Software
Topic: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?
Replies: 6
Views: 7665

Re: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?

Post-derby Follow-up Ran the derby this weekend and I have to say that GPRM worked flawlessly! Just to provide a bit of background, I'm a software developer myself and had previously used my own custom excel spreadsheet to run the race, but as this was to be my last year as PWD chair, I felt the ne...
by dfscott
Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:19 pm
Forum: Software
Topic: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?
Replies: 6
Views: 7665

Re: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?

The computer interface is an extra option. If they didn't pay for that option then the timer will not send any results to the computer. If you know the timer's serial# then you can call Micro Wizard to verify if the timer interface has been enabled or not. If not using the timer interface, just sel...
by dfscott
Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:27 am
Forum: Software
Topic: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?
Replies: 6
Views: 7665

Re: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?

When you start a Grand Finals round you will be able to select which race groups to include and which not to. Thanks! I haven't had a chance to go through an entire test run yet, so I didn't realize that. Is there a reason not to use the computer interface on the timer? Having a working interface r...
by dfscott
Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:23 am
Forum: Software
Topic: (GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?
Replies: 6
Views: 7665

(GPRM) Excluding a group from Grand Finals?

I've run several PWD's, but this is my first year using GPRM. Our format is Perfect-N, with points scoring via a Micro-Wizard timer (not directly connected to GPRM -- manual entry as I'm not sure I can figure all the hardware out :)). We race by Cub Year, then run a Grand Finals of the top 3 from ea...
by dfscott
Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:01 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Handling different den sizes
Replies: 5
Views: 12523

Re: Handling different den sizes

I was able to create a 4 lane, 24 racer schedule with two runs per lane via GrandPrix Race Manager. Not sure why the web version would not be able to. "Brackets" is a bit of a dirty word when referring to non-elimination methods. ;) Sorry, bad habits die hard. :paperbag: Yes, I meant &quo...
by dfscott
Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:52 pm
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Handling different den sizes
Replies: 5
Views: 12523

Handling different den sizes

So last year was my first year as PWD chair. Thanks in large part to help I got here (thanks, guys!) I convinced the Pack Committee to give me free rein. I used 2-round PPN charts on a 4-lane track, scoring points (our timer records place only, not times). Racing was done by rank, with trophies awar...
by dfscott
Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:06 am
Forum: Raingutter Regatta
Topic: PWD chair (reluctantly) takes over the Raingutter regatta
Replies: 2
Views: 10885

Re: PWD chair (reluctantly) takes over the Raingutter regatt

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely take a look at Excel Derby. I normally do the races with the computer right there, but I like that you can print out the sheets since our CM has decided to have this one outside (i.e., no power for computers) and I'm not sure how long my laptop battery will last....
by dfscott
Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:20 am
Forum: Raingutter Regatta
Topic: PWD chair (reluctantly) takes over the Raingutter regatta
Replies: 2
Views: 10885

PWD chair (reluctantly) takes over the Raingutter regatta

After several successful pinewood derbies, our CM has suckered our PWD to run the RGR this September (and guess who that is!). One of the challenges that I'm running into is that contrary to the PWD, I need to squeeze this race into a single 2-hour window. Further complicating matters is that we're ...
by dfscott
Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:12 am
Forum: Raingutter Regatta
Topic: Inflatable tracks
Replies: 2
Views: 11289

Re: Inflatable tracks

We just bought one but haven't tried it yet either. I'll report back and let you know.