Timing Systems

Sportident

Orienteering Victoria uses Sportident electronic timing equipment for all major, and many low key events. Although some equipment (and most software) is not made by Sportident, we use the abbreviation SI (“ess eye”) to refer to all electronic timing equipment and systems at our events.

OV Timing Systems Coordinator, Ian Dodd, has bulk supplies of splits printer paper rolls available (both common sizes).

Find out more about using SI gear

SI Basics for Competitors

Sportident gear is fun and easy to use.  All you need is a card (we call them “sticks”) which are available to hire at every event, or you can buy your own to get the latest/fastest version (including SIAC) in your favourite colour.

Sticks are inserted into a control unit at the start, during, and at the end of your course.

Make sure you hear the beeps and/or see the lights flash at least once, to register your stick at that control.

Check the control number to ensure you are at the right control!  It doesn’t matter if you punch the odd incorrect control as long as you complete all your course controls in the correct order.

After you finish, make sure you visit the finish tent to download your course and get your splits printout.  This is very important for safety reasons, even if you haven’t got all the controls on your course.

Many events use contactless, or “swipe” punching, called SI Air.  At events where SI Air is enabled, you can use a SIAC stick for faster punching. Regular SI sticks can still be used, but you will need to insert them into the control units.

Note that SIAC sticks work at non-SI Air events, but must be inserted into the control units.  SIACs contain a battery; to preserve battery life, we recommend using a non SIAC stick at non-SI Air events.

SI Notes for Course Planners

Before you finalise your courses, make sure you have checked who is supplying your field control boxes, how many will be available, and what control numbering you should be using in Condes/OCAD.

If you are using the SIME system (no PC used at the event) you must have a different first control for every course.

Note that guidelines apply to the naming of courses; check that you have the named your courses exactly as per the naming standards.

Export your final courses and send the data file to the person setting up the Event files.  To do this from Condes, use menu item “Export event data (IOF XML)…”.

If part of your job is to get the controls and you plan to use OV gear, make sure you book the gear you need at least a month before your event.  The booking form is at the bottom of this page.

Field controls will need to be “time synced” a few days before the event.

When you are putting out controls, have a supply of long cable ties available to attach controls if necessary.

The numbers on all Victorian control units are designed to be permanent. Do not use any variety of sticky or duct tape on control boxes and do not write on or re-label the units without permission.

SI Advice for Event Organisers

Before you start planning the details of your event, decide which timing systems you will be using. Someone with SI knowledge will need to decide on gear required and where it will be sourced from.

EVENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

OV’s standard event software is OE (from SportSoftware).  OV is fully licenced for events of any size, and OE provides all functionality for events from low key club events up to major championships.  It can be run from a single laptop computer and operated by one person. It is fully compatible with Eventor, Winsplits and Live Results (online).

There are a number of relatively new alternatives, usually designed to run on tablets or smartphones. Some are free; others are subscription based.

PLEASE CHECK THE FUNCTIONALITY OF ANY ALTERNATIVE EVENT SOFTWARE.  At an absolute  minimum, OV requires that event software provides an ongoing report of missing competitors.  Accurate records must be kept of:

  • all starters and finishers, including any pre-entered competitors who Did Not Start
  • all borrowed/hired SI sticks, and their return
  • contact phone numbers of all participants

Note that some alternative event software does not allow the organiser to create an Entries database, and results data is not matched against pre-entered or archived competitor details such as name, club etc.  Instead, the software reads these details straight from the SI stick at Download.  Each stick must previously had the competitor data written to it, through a process called Personalisation. In Victoria, less than 50% of SI sticks are currently personalised.

Competitors with non-personalised sticks must have their data entered at Download, by a volunteer dedicated to the task (even if they pre-entered the event).  This often leads to queues, data error/mismatch, and incomplete results that are incompatible with some Eventor functions (eg connecting results to competitors, and creating series results); and reporting DNS’s (which also leads to financial misreporting and underpayment of levies). Such software should only be used for very small local events.

If part of your job is to get the controls and you plan to use OV gear, make sure you book the gear you need at least a month before your event.  The booking form is at the bottom of this page.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

When you get the gear, check everything is working and you have supplies of splits print paper.

Field controls will need to be “time synced” a few days before the event.  Start area controls (Clear, Check and Start) also need to have their memories cleared as part of the sync process.

Another important consideration is power supply.  Is 240v available or do you need a battery (NEV and BKV own batteries); or will you use only gear with built-in batteries (e.g. as done in the Bendigo series)?  All gear and batteries must be charged up the night before the event.

You will need to create the Event file (typically using OE software) if you are using PCs to download to on the day.

If you need “beeping” clocks (e.g. for preset start times), OV owns several which can be borrowed.  Contact Ian Dodd for more details.

RESULTS

If you wish to have internet results displayed live while your event is in progress, you will need to use Live Results, and link your event. Follow the instructions for organisers to set up the event. On the day, you will need constant internet access.  Once set up, results will auto refresh continually in the background during the event, and be available for anyone to view online.

If you wish to display results via large screen/s, you will need to provide the screens and power supply.  As Victoria no longer has an OLynx licence, results are displayed simply by connecting the screen/s to the event computer.  Set up a scrolling display of results from your OE event file.

RELAYS

If your event is a Relay, you MUST have an expert/experienced relay advisor available in the months prior to the event to help you with the complexity of this event format.  Jim Russell and Debbie Dodd are both available to assist.

Find SI Technical Guides

Time synchronising controls To set the Time Master control, use SI Config+ software on a PC with a correct system clock.

Use the Time Master control to set all the field and other controls (start, finish etc).

For preset start time events, also synchronise the start clocks to the Time Master. The Time Master control has a more accurate internal clock than standard units which will drift after about 4 days or so.

Identifying DNS competitors If an event is run on OE software then a “Missing Runners” report is easy to produce.  However, for events with pre-entry, some of the “missing” competitors may never have started and need to be set to DNS (Did Not Start) status.  This guide will help.

Using SI units in Beacon/Air mode.  Refer to Appendix 1 of the current OV covid safe measures

Ask an SI Expert

The following orienteers can help with questions about SI gear and systems-

  • Ian Dodd (Timing systems coordinator)
  • Jim Russell (Bendigo Orienteers)
  • Ian Chennell (Eureka Orienteers)
  • Experts in organising relays – Debbie Dodd, Jim Russell
  • Club SI coordinators – Greg Tamblyn (BKV), Kathy Liley (YVV), Ian Dodd (DRV), Rob Edmonds (NEV), Ian Chennell (EUV), Jim Russell (BGV)

Book Sportident hardware owned by OV

Orienteering Victoria owns the following Sportident equipment, which is available for loan to clubs:

OV hire policy – you lose it; you pay for it! Any damage or loss will be charged to the last borrower known to have had the gear.  This includes removal of duct tape residue; damage to labels; or cases or controls packed dirty or wet.

Hirers (other than OV employees) will be charged for all misuse and loss of gear, regardless of fault.  The equipment is not insured.

OV equipment is currently stored at Ian Dodd’s residence in Melbourne (eastern suburbs).  If borrowing, you will need to arrange collection and return.

Contact Ian Dodd by email to arrange loan of OV Sportident equipment.

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