THSCC Forums

I know there are some people running our events who are using dataloggers. I'd like to start doing that too. So I was wondering if folks would be willing to share their setups, any lessons learned, recommendations for hardware, etc.

I'll start. I haven't made any progress on my setup at all.

1. I have no camera yet. I'd probably buy a Go Pro white model, or maybe something used.

2. I have a copy of TrackAddict HD on my iPhone, which I bought last year, thinking I'd codrive with Steve a lot. I haven't used it very much.

3. In terms of using a phone as the GPS unit, I have an iPhone 4S currently, and am not interested in switching to Android at this time, even though my contract is up and I'm a "free agent," so to speak.

4. I own an iPad, but it's Wifi only, no cellular data, if that's important in any way.

5. No preference as to what platform the main software runs. I have a Mac laptop, and a Win7 gaming machine which basically goes unused these days. If I absolutely have to I could be coerced into running Linux on a VM.

6. I'd like to do this as cheaply as possible. Daycare is $Texas, so I have to think twice before buying something fancy like a DL-1 or a Racekeeper.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Karl, without spending any more money, try using the track Addict software with the iPhone camera. If you mount the camera, it will take video, Gforces and GPS-derived speed, and will track the course for you. For the small price it is pretty cool.

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

I know that the iPhone is picky, but find an external GPS that polls at 10Hz and you can get significantly more accurate data for under $100. For the track, I velcro my GPS to the windshield and it doesn't go anywhere.

e: Also check out RaceRender and see if the program(s) you're looking to use export out to the RaceRender format. You can also pick up an OBD2 port reader and add that to get something like throttle position in addition to speed, g-force, heading, etc.

RaceRender and TrackAddict are from the same company, so they are intended to work well together. Any datafile that exports as .csv can be imported to RR. I have had no problems with this setup until this weekend, but that is not the software. Probably user error

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

Yeah, both Scott Johnson and I went faster once we stopped f*cking with our phones/GPS/Cameras.

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

As a "retirement present to myself" (also known as an Alzheimer's prevention mental exercise project ) I spent the $$ for a RT DL1 and Video4 recorder with 2 cameras. Plus for the Mustang the OBDII adapter for rpm and throttle from OBDII. The FF has throttle position and rear wheel speed sensors plus a simple rpm pickup from the points ignition. I specifically chose RT in 2011 due to the ability to do a lot more with sensors and stuff in the FF than other similar price systems like Race-Keeper and ChaseCam.

For "at event review" I also have SoloStorm on a Droid Maxx phone. It uses DL1 data which includes all RT sensors in the race car and OBDII rpm from the Mustang.

I only use SoloStorm for "decision" related things like "how long was I on the rev limiter" and "how far below the likely cornering g's limit".

Since I have the time and interest I like being able to review data after events. RT's analysis program is extremely powerful but only runs on PC's.

The RT and SoloStorm setup I have was not "plug and play" (If curious I can show you what it took to have the flexibility, etc. I wanted in my Mustang). However, they have a newer product that seems closer to that. http://www.race-technology.com/content. ... &cat=31363

Depending on the datalogger and license chosen RT has various levels of GoPro synchronization and/or remote control capability. For anyone who is in the higher $$$ market the best thing to do is review the RT website and then call Al Seim directly. Email generally doesn't work. Or talk to one of the US resellers.

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Dick Rasmussen

FS 50 2018 Mustang GT

There's something to be said for that.

I don't really have a sense yet of if I'm driving this car well. I'd have won ES with my last place time in X, which is great, but even my best raw time is well down from the STX and STR cars. I haven't been in an ES car for long enough to know how I should stack up, or if I even should on such a course.

Taking NCCAR as an example, I became interested in peoples' terminal speeds approaching the pivot cone. The numbers other drivers were claiming seemed impossible to me...over 80mph? It made me wonder. Was I really full throttle through those sweepers? Or do I only think I was? I know from past experiences with datalogging, that very often, "I was flat through there" turns out to be untrue when you look at the data traces.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

If you have/get an Android phone or tablet SoloStorm using OBDII directly can log stuff like rpm and throttle position I think. Check with Mike (the owner) or review the user manual on the website.

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Dick Rasmussen

FS 50 2018 Mustang GT

What he said.

I'm using Harry's Laptimer on an iPhone 4S, an XGPS150 bluetooth GPS puck (5Hz) and a GoPoint BT1 bluetooth OBD reader to get extra data. Harry's is also triggering my GoPro (start and stop). Almost without fail, one or more of the bits and pieces will screw up moments before a run or during a run.

I dropped nearly 3 seconds when I put it all away and worried about driving. Of course, those are the runs where I really want to see the data

That said, I would probably have more success if I actually tried to figure it out sometime other than before I was in grid at an event.

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

The wifi iPads do not have a GPS chip/antenna. They aquire aproximate location data from network data. The cellular data versions do have GPS and it can be used without a data plan.

So, yes, it could be important depending on what you're trying to do.

As suggested, an external bluetooth GPS dongle will provide better data than even the built-in GPS assuming it works with iOS & your chosen apps.

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'07 MINI Cooper S
Borrowed '14 Crosstrek & Borrowed '12 BOSS .. for rallyx reasons
n+1 motorcycles

I generate data away from the events on car setup, sometimes during for certain things. I don't see how I would use data at an autox like I do at a roadrace. 6 runs of stuff just isn't useful to me, especially with no time to review and compare it. I do go through video later at length to keep my mind on technique.

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2006 Civic Si - #24 HS for 2015

2005 GMC Sierra
1991 318is Garage Ornament

For establishing trends. Like "I'm always on the brakes for too long," or "I'm good on pivot cones." That's the kind of thing I want to see, especially in a new car.

I also want video, and figure if I'm going to set that up,I might as well at least try capturing data to go along with.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Just my 2 cents worth on data...

Over the years we've used a variety of systems. In-car data is most helpful when you have a co-driver. It's even more helpful if your co-driver is fast or at least faster than you in 1+ sectors per event.

When I don't have a co-driver video is often more helpful...not always, but most of the time. Video makes it pretty easy for me to see whether I'm braking too late, too much, turning too late, or just being a hack behind the wheel. I haven't watched video between runs but some people do it nationally and I can see where it would help. Karl, my suggestion would be to start with video, then transition into data. As Scott and Ryan pointed out, it can be such a PITA or task intensive that it can be a distraction.

Personally, I've never looked at data between runs. My simple mind doesn't need to get too technical between runs. The sport happens so fast that I fear getting deliberate or mechanical in my thinking (i.e., starting to operate on one's conscious mind, rather than subconscious). In order to perform one's best things just need to happen. This is a core principle of sport psychology and successfully Olympians. When I see people looking at course maps or thinking in detail about what they are going to do just before their runs, there's a high probability things are not going to work out they way they want. We probably all had an experience cramming for a test up to the last second, closing the book, then having your brain lock up during the exam, even though you knew the answers - the same thing happens in autocross. Therefore, folks should be careful on if/how they use data between runs.

Hence, the approach that works best for me (which does not mean it's right b/c different things work for different folks) is to run the course through my head a few times, make those mental adjustments, then just STOP thinking about it. The only thing I think about from that point until I drop the clutch on my next run is maintaining my "level of activation" where it needs to be (i.e., making sure I'm not too flat or too jacked up and adjusting as necessary). This almost always involves breathing. Sometimes I need to calm myself down, other times I need to get pumped up because I feel lethargic, too relaxed, or being negatively influenced by the pressure of the situation. It's OK to BS with your friends and talk about anything else until you're ready to get into the zone before your next run.

My approach was developed by talking to dozens of top shelf autocrossers over the years, being lucky enough to have a friend who is one of the leading sports psychologists in the country (who's worked with hundreds of Olympians) coach/mentor me for two years, reading a ton, and severely screwing up so many times I cannot count that high. All of that has helped me tremendously over the years...as it helped me make the leap from being a basket case to highly mediocre.

We just got the Solo Storm app to add to the DL-1. The DL-1 is good but a PITA, so we only use it sporadically. Hopefully the new Solo Storm will make it easier to use. After talking to Sam Strano in Arkansas about using Solo Storm and having the tablet mounted in the car, sharing the points I discussed above, he basically said this...he looks at the line overlays between he and his co-drivers to make sure they are driving the correct line (i.e., is one person faster because they are driving tighter everywhere). Chris, Jennifer, and I are going to experiment with that to see if it helps later in June. That's a pretty simple and non-technical piece of info to me...."oh, I need to tighten my line up in the sweepers." Anything beyond that is dangerous and risks degrading the performance for most drivers.

Once again, just my 2 cents.

Eric

You might want to call Jeremy at http://www.fasttechlimited.com/FASTtech ... /Home.html

Jeremy is a full time engineer at Honda (I think) who races pretty seriously and also is a reseller for several DA systems. I bought my RT stuff from him after talking to him at length about which was best for what I wanted.

Also email Mike at SoloStorm. Assuming $$$ realities will keep you from the $2K or so data/video systems like RT and Race-Keeper SoloStorm seems to be a very popular setup for autocrossers. Mike is in Vancouver, BC and has a full time job but is very good about getting back to emails. I suspect that a low end Android tablet will do what is needed for SoloStorm if you get a low end GoPro for video.

FYI I will be at the Triad event Sunday with my RT setup and SS on a phone.

Dick

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Dick Rasmussen

FS 50 2018 Mustang GT