Z07coupe

I would like to hear from anyone using the Longacre Hot Lap system. Tell me if you are satisfied with it, is it reliable? Do they last? What would you change? I am on a budget and can't afford the high dollar systems out there.
Thanks.

Sidney004

Accurate, reliable and very useful feedback when driving. I mount my transponder outside the vehicle on the roof with duct tape. You may need to fabricate a mount if you place it inside the car so it can get an unobstructed view of the beacon thru the window.

Also, the tow hook fit great; thanks a lot.

Z07coupe

Great to hear from you, Sidney. I love all the good news. Keep in touch.

gkmccready

The Hot Laps work well... my biggest complaint was making sure there was only one transmitter and if it was mine remembering to pick it up at the end of the day... I sold mine with the last racecar and I really plan to spring for a GPS based one this time around.

Bimota Guy

If they are close together, multiple beacons are not a problem. The system ignores additional readings within 5 seconds of the first one. That is 440 feet at just 60 mph. If you do not put yours out and the other guy pulls his before you are done, then you have a problem. At my last race some putz put his beacon near the start of the front straight instead of at start/finish (the designated area) and I got double readings which I then had to add together.

I attach my receiver to the halo part of the rollcage (i.e., top of the side window opening - near the B pillar.) It came with a mount which screws onto the receiver and is designed for rollbars which you can attach with zip ties. Easy to remove and move to the other side.

Git Er Dun

I use this right now: http://www.aimsports.com/products/tg/index.html

I love it. It is very simple, cheap, and super easy to read in the car. I have the battery powered version. To attach it I simply zip tie the reciever to the roll bar and it picks up the transmitter just fine. I still have my lap times from MAM stored in it and plenty of more laps stored. It's also very easy to switch from car to car so if one of my buddies wants a few timed laps I can switch it into their car quickly and easily. For the transmitter my Dad used an old fish finder base and attached the transmitter to the plastic base with a wing nut. Then we just set it on the wall next to the track it we haven't ever had a problem with the car not registering when it went by.

For my new track car I am looking at either the IQ3 or the AIM MXL but for a simple, cheap, reliable, and easy to read simple timer I recommend the AIM light TG.

Here's the lap timer on my dash:


And here's the reciever mounted on the roll bar(it's the little thing on the left side):

mcar00

I've used it for years without any issues, except like the comment above, I've probably forgotten the transmitter at the track a few times.

Z07coupe

Thanks for the replies.
Good to hear from you Eric. When do you get back from Iraq? I see on your profile that you already have the 99 FRC. Did your dad find it when you were deployed? Will you be back in time this year for some fast Fridays at MAM?
Didn't you use the extended range transmitter with a motorcycle battery?
It sounds like your receiver has a good clean view out the hatch window? That should make things easy for the installation.
You be careful out there, Kid.

Git Er Dun

I should be back around the middle of July...possibly the end of July but it looks like somewhere in the middle. Can't wait! It will be so nice to be home again. The 99 popped up on Ebay for a buy it now of $10,000 and I talked to my Dad in the middle of the night and we bought it at like 3AM. Then we wired money to our LA Sheriff buddy and he met the seller. The car was in an impound lot and the guy really needed the money so he had to sell it quick so that's why he listed it at $10K. Haven't found anything wrong with it yet. My Dad flew out to CA last month and drove the car home. Car has been doing just fine since then. I will be building the car into an all out wheel to wheel car to compete in NASA Super Touring 1 or Super Unlimited and also the Cannonball Run:One Lap of America.

I really want to make it down to MAM in the fall with some of my Corvette buddies. I am looking at the 26 and 27 of September. Another alternative is the 19 and 20th of September. Both are Saturday and Sunday events. Can you do the Fast Friday's if you are not a member? Don't you have to attend the first friday of the month or something?

I don't know if it is the extended range transmitter but I think it is. Yes we put a small motorcycle battery in the base of the fish finder. It will run for many many hours without needing to be recharged. The reciever has a clear view out the window from my roll bar and I have never had a problem with it if it is properly zip tied onto the roll bar.

When I get home and figure out what track event I am going to do I will message you and see if you can make it. I think my buddy Ron Marks(blue C6Z06) and Andy Morley (blue C5Z06) want to make it down to MAM again. They were there in the spring when the Rippie white C6Z track car made it's debute and want to go back.

Talk to you later. -Eric

Z07coupe

Glad to hear that you are almost home. Since you have previous experience at MAM, I don't think you need to attend the school. I don't think you have to be a member, either. I would like to fit in a fast Friday soon. Keep me posted.

http://www.midamericamotorplex.com/2006/rc_friday.asp

Git Er Dun

Oh yeah it looks like I can do a fast friday then. I will probably be doing the 25th, 26th, and 27th of September then but not 100% sure yet. I will let you know.

Z07coupe

Eric,
If you run at MAM on Sept 25-26-27, since you may still be unemployed, hang around until Sept 30, and join the Heartland Park touring club (Topeka, Kansas). 3pm til dusk, for $60.00 (+ $20 membership). On your way home, you can stop back at MAM Sept 7 for 3 high speed autox with a NCCC club.

Warning - Heartland Park has a lot of concrete barriers.

Git Er Dun

Thanks for the heads up. I will be employed by then though. I probabably will take off about 2 weeks after deployment and then go back to work. Thanks though.

jiggyracing

i do not recommend the hot lap timer. i purchased one about 2 years ago and it did not work well. two others here in Arizona had the same problem.

perhaps it has improved since then. i suggest you call IOPort Racing - they are very helpful and will tell you if the product has improved.

i do not use mine as it was so unreliable.

are you active duty military?

if so, i will send you mine for free (if i can find it and i did not throw it away) as I most appreciate what you do for our Country.

Sidney004

Where did you mount the receiver on the car?

Z07coupe

Jiggyracing,
Thanks for the offer, but I have not been active military since 1971. But my friend Eric (Git Er Dun) is currently serving in Iraq. He and his dad are racing fanatics from Minnesota and fun to be around. Send him a PM now and then.
Z07coupe

dvandentop

a bunch of people from sioux falls SD 15-20 cars are going to mam this coming friday. if you have previous track experience then you dont need to take their class on the fast fridays.

i got a TON of track time on the find the line events down there a month ago

jiggyracing

i mounted the in car part on the roll cage pointing out the passenger window -no obstruction. the track part was mounted on a wall at a height of about 4 feet.


others here in AZ had problems with them. track related? weather related? in retrospect the track part was not in the shade - may be the heat effected the electronics. i don't know much about that stuff

i would like to do something for those friends serving in Iraq. I thought maybe a telephone calling card - $30 card if i win first place, $20 card for second and $10 card for 3rd place.

i'm not sure how to pm them. my e-mail address is jig4pedsurgery@aol.com.

thank you for the opportunity to help those that are serving our country.

Jiggyracing

Git Er Dun

Thanks for anyone that would like to support our troops. I have used a phone card from "Operation Uplink" (http://www.operationuplink.org/) before and it worked good. They have a phone over here called a DSN phone. It is able to call military bases around the world. I am able to call a Air Force base in St. Paul,MN that is about 10 minutes from my house and the operator at the base is able to connect me to area codes that are close to the base. It's really really nice!! I have been able to call home this whole time absolutely free. Really makes talking to family and friends nice. It is a very close range to the base though so my buddy that lives about 2-3 hours from the base is unable to call his house without a calling card. Those are the people that really appreciate free calling cards. Our company had a lot of cards donated to it by Operation Uplink so I know people have been using those. I brought one of those home with me when I went home for Christmas on vacations for 15 days and called home in Kuwait to let them know that I would be on schedule so they could meet me at my airport.

For Christmas this year my parents donated to the USO (http://www.uso.org/). It is another great organization. They have little centers all around the country set up in Airports so that while traveling military service members can have a place to sleep on long layovers or a place to go online for awhile. They are manned by volunteers that help serve food and drinks. Also on some military bases they have USO's. For my one training phase they had a USO that we could use on weekends and it had computers, food, games, and other fun stuff to pass the time. Really made a big difference.

I am so gratefull that we have people back home thinking about the troops and willing to help. -Eric

rbl

I made my own finally -- GPS based (no beacons) and it can store 10 tracks/configurations, split times, averages and play out 11 sessions with up to 32 laps in each session for review.

GPXT-2