Discussion about the PA and announcers (from lessons)

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Dustin Fredrickson wrote:

An effort to make T&S less loud (and is something I mentioned at the event as well, but may be a non-issue):

Let's move the new (and awesome) pit speaker closer to the grid, then, except for the drivers meeting, pre and post event announcements, etc... let's turn the on-bus PA down. This may allow T&S a chance to concentrate a bit more, especially when the announcers get a little.... "windy".

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

robharvey wrote:

Dustin Fredrickson wrote:

An effort to make T&S less loud (and is something I mentioned at the event as well, but may be a non-issue):

Let's move the new (and awesome) pit speaker closer to the grid, then, except for the drivers meeting, pre and post event announcements, etc... let's turn the on-bus PA down. This may allow T&S a chance to concentrate a bit more, especially when the announcers get a little.... "windy".

Agreed.....I went to the bus on Sun and disconnected the audio signal to the amp and the people in the bus actually insisted that I leave the speakers operating normally so the drivers could hear the cone calls (my mouth fell wide open). We have the FM transmitter so drivers can hear the announcements, plus we have the wireless remote PA that can be moved anywhere on the site.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

robharvey wrote:

OK Mike here's my recommendation. Let's add the announcer feature for AXWare and put it on one of the Dell computers (since we are moving T&S to a new laptop). A simple wireless setup to allow the announcer laptop rcv data from the T&S laptop. Now, as soon as the driver crosses the finish line, the announcer can provide time and cone count accurately and consistantly (and even automated if you want to continue down that path)!!

It was very frustrating to get to the end of the run see your time and not know if you clipped a cone or not (so you weren't sure how conservative to be on the remaining runs).

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

jimpastorius wrote:

robharvey wrote:

Agreed.....I went to the bus on Sun and disconnected the audio signal to the amp and the people in the bus actually insisted that I leave the speakers operating normally so the drivers could hear the cone calls (my mouth fell wide open). We have the FM transmitter so drivers can hear the announcements, plus we have the wireless remote PA that can be moved anywhere on the site.

Yup, that was me. Sorry, it was never that hectic for me in the bus either Saturday or Sunday

Our first responsibility to is to put on a good show for the competitors. And the most important thing is fora driver to know if they have a time and any cones.

When the announcer did step on some radio calls, I asked him to quiet down for a minute and the course workers ccalled back in. No problem.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

scottjohnson wrote:

I agree with Jim, however a guide on how to announce may be in order. If the announcer sticks to cone calls and raw times it is 10000X better than the alternatives.

Scott

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:52 am

I think moving the speakers from the top of the bus to the top of the trailer would apease everyone. It is loud in the bus because the speakers are on top of our heads.

Can we do it (yes, I can help out now) without doing major damage to the trailer?

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:55 am

Let's tone down the harshness of the morning announcements. These have become harsh and brash. I do not think we need to be demanding of people so early in the morning

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:13 am

Keep in mind that not all cars have radios.

robharvey · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 2:06 pm

My recommendation:

- Don't move the speakers off of the bus simply because they are permanantly connected (reduce setup time at the event). Instead, let me add a seperate volume control for the speakers on top of the bus. There will be no cost and it will give us much better flexibility by being able to adjust volume on those speakers but not impact the signal being sent to the FM transmitter.

- Once cars are on course, let's keep announcements to the following:
* Driver, class, car #, time, cones count or DNF
* Special announcements (i.e., next group to grid, next workers head to there assigned station, etc). Let's minimize the talk so that we minimize the distraction for T&S in the bus.

BTW, I announced for the 4th heat. I grabbed a 2-way radio, clipboard and pin. I wrote down all of the calls that came in from the workers and used it so that I could announce cone calls. It wasn't the best approach, but I feel that announcing cone calls is that important.

Kevin Hassell · **Joined:** Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:50 pm **Posts:** 174

DickRasmussen wrote:

Keep in mind that not all cars have radios.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 2:16 pm

Mike's "Auto reader" still sounds like the best plan to me. Mike any update on this?

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Vincent Keene wrote:

Mike's "Auto reader" still sounds like the best plan to me. Mike any update on this?

Real work sucks... It'll happen eventually but I hope no one is in a hurry

Maybe I'll resurrect my old post and copy the current code up there.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

I'm going to add nothing to this thread except copy 2 comments I agree with:

robharvey wrote:

Don't move the speakers off of the bus simply because they are permanantly connected (reduce setup time at the event). Instead, let me add a seperate volume control for the speakers on top of the bus.

robharvey wrote:

I feel that announcing cone calls is that important.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:21 pm

Ok, I will have the sack to say what everyone is thinking. Dont let Randy back on the mic.

Is it funny? Yes, to some
Is it annoying? Yes, to some
Is it a distraction to T&S? YES, I was in the bus alot this weekend, it does throw you off

This is being handled.

Matthew_Thomson · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:28 pm

personally i thought randy was pretty funny..

but on topic.. i think the timing of the reading of the time is important as well. on i think 3/4 of my runs on sunday i stopped just outside the exit cones to listen to my time.. but it was either not read.. or it had already been read. it takes my radio more time to raise the antennae and start putting out the signal to attempt to use that to hear my time.. i think the announcer should wait at least to see if the driver is going to pay attention to the time before calling it (especially when they are in good view of the finish as they were on sunday).

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