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SSSForumAdmin
07-22-2009, 09:26 AM
I've posted on the SSS web site a page for the 2009 LongPac that includes a link to the new transponder tracking page. http://sfbaysss.org/Longpac_2009.html

Most of the transponders are programmed to start transmitting Monday night after 10p.m. I will try testing a few transponders over the weekend to make sure the satellite account and map are setup and linked together properly.

Matt

BobJ
07-22-2009, 01:37 PM
Nice job, Matt!

Please note that Bandicoot and RedSky are also entered (any others?). Somebody needs to transcribe their entry information into Compete-At so they show up. Both have had their inspections and are finishing up their punch lists.

Critter
07-22-2009, 02:52 PM
Please note that Bandicoot and RedSky are also entered (any others?). Somebody needs to transcribe their entry information into Compete-At so they show up.

Done. At least the basic info.

Looks good, Matt!

glythcott
07-25-2009, 10:13 AM
Looks good. Great Job Mat.

George

tiger beetle
07-27-2009, 11:24 AM
Most of the transponders are programmed to start transmitting Monday night after 10p.m. I will try testing a few transponders over the weekend to make sure the satellite account and map are setup and linked together properly.
Hi Matt -

I've put the transponder on deck, tied down to the top of the life raft case, facing up.

Do we have any indication of how sensitive the transponders are to location on the boat? If I put the unit on the transom it is located below the metal surface of the solar panel; if I put it on the cockpit floor it gets stepped on; the safest place is on top of the life raft, which puts it beneath the boom (unless reaching).

Are you or RC in a position to let a boat know that a transponder is not working well? If so, and word gets back out to the fleet, the skipper could try moving the unit to another location on board.

And what's the delay between when the unit sends a signal and the signal appears on the chart? I'm trying to see if we can set up the transponders, look at the signal in the morning and if it does not appear, then move the transponder and then I'd need to know when to go back and check out the chart.

- rob

Matt
07-27-2009, 02:26 PM
Tomorrow morning, I'll know better if there are any problems. The transponders are programmed to transmit every 2 hours after tonight. The signal can be blocked by objects in the way and I'm not sure if this will be a problem or not.

Since the satellites are located over land, a slight inclination to the east might help but I think it shouldn't be a problem. If the signal is blocked temporarily, the transponders will make several attempts to tranmit at the 2 hour interval.

I work right next to Alameda and I'm willing to come out tomorrow and plug in a laptop to any transponders that aren't transmitting wherever they might me located in the bay area.

Matt
07-28-2009, 07:29 AM
I'm heading down to the marina with my laptop to see if I can figure out why the time delay on the transponders didn't work properly.

I'll give you all a call later today or post on the forum my results as I figure this out.

Matt
07-28-2009, 08:56 AM
The problem was that the global star account hadn't yet been changed over to the SSS. The program is running properly on the transponders. Now that the account is in our name the transponders are starting to report in properly this morning. If you click on the google map link on the transponder page you can see the latest transponder data.

Whew, I was afraid I'd have to drive all over the bay area today or hop on and off peoples boats before the race to get this working. It seems like all is well and in a couple hours, I'll have a better idea which transponders, if any are not reporting.

Matt

ajgoldman
07-28-2009, 05:40 PM
I hope everyone has a wonderful sail. Go fast, be safe, and most of all, have fun! Thanks to all who put this together, and thanks Alan for spending time on my boat and giving me good advice.

See you on the water.

AJ Goldman
Second Verse

ajgoldman
07-28-2009, 05:46 PM
The transponders are great and my family is so excited to follow the race. My students are also following, a little embarassing when I come DFL.

Oh well, all for fun!

Thanks again Matt.

AJ Goldman
Second Verse

Dazzler
07-29-2009, 01:07 PM
Matt,

This is very cool. How often are the updates?

When you have a chance it would be good to know if there are boats that didn't start (DNC). It looks like there are boats still in their berths?

Tom (Wishing I was out there!)
Dazzler

BobJ
07-29-2009, 03:51 PM
Okay I was a sceptic, but this IS cool!

Tom, the updates are every two hours (last was at about 1530). Looks like Rob tweaked his transponder - his updates are almost a half-hour later than the others (Rob would do that!).

The Google Earth overlay is amazing. Tricky though - the link is hiding under "Velocious" on the list and the Google Maps link is hiding under "Bandicoot" on the list - same for everyone else?

Whoever said that sportboats can't point should look at where Greg (Outsider) ended up. He's outpointing the whole fleet.

Dazzler
07-29-2009, 05:05 PM
Bob,

Yes, it was Rob's report times that were confusing. It see now that all the others are about the same time.

Does anyone know if Ergo, Bandicoot, Galaxsea and Constellation started or is it just a transponder issue?

Tom

BobJ
07-29-2009, 05:21 PM
Transponder issue.

Bandicoot's says 1500 on May 20, the other three show approx. 0900 this morning. So I guess that's four bad ones out of 25, about the same transponder failure rate as I've seen in other races.

Update - Now we have everybody but "Trunk Monkey," who didn't take a transponder. "Velocious" appears to be headed home. Tatia, just kidding about techie Rob - all in fun. I'm interested in hearing from Matt regarding the earlier missing signals, and whether he was able to fix them via laptop, got word to the boats to check/move the boxes, or what.

Travieso
07-29-2009, 06:08 PM
Thats a bummer, do we need to send boats with 2 transponders each?

Travieso
07-29-2009, 07:02 PM
I've done this race a few times and never exited north of the Farallones, they must be on a nice SW breeze. This might make it interesting for the way back. I assume at some point the NW will come in and the fleet will tack back to starboard. It will be likely that the rumbline for the return trip will put them right through the mid - north Farralone islands. Not necessarily where you want to be, especially at night....

Liking the transponders, nice job to the board.

Travieso
07-29-2009, 09:14 PM
Looks like all the transponders are working now...

Tatia
07-29-2009, 09:18 PM
Tiger Beetle's take on this was one had to definitely be out the Far Islands by midnight. Thanks Travesio for your assessment, please keep them coming.

I assure you Rob e did not adjust his transponder.
Now, stupid me am trying to track by lat/long and I can't figure it out with the fancy Google interface. Help?

Thanks

Travieso
07-29-2009, 09:27 PM
Hi Tatia,

If you click on the icon the lat/lon is available at the bottom left. If I understood your question correctly.

Tatia
07-30-2009, 07:41 AM
Thanks Dan!
Complete user err/ (duh) on my part. I do have to say after being RC and an avid follower for the past 3 LP's, for me the transponders sure beat the "waiting, waiting. staring at the PC monitor twice daily (waiting) for the check in email to arrive"
Thanks again

Matt
07-30-2009, 07:48 AM
I headed out yesterday to take some pictures of the LongPac fleet at the start. They are posted online here: http://picasaweb.google.com/SSS.Pictures.09/2009LongPacStartPictures#

The transponders were hastily programmed at the skippers meeting for the LongPac and I must have gotten a few wrong because there are about 5 transmitters that are not transmitting every 2 hours. These transponders are running either a 4x per day program or the default 1x per day program. The Global Star satellite account was changed over to the SSS on Tuesday morning which gave me less than 24 hours to verify if transponders were working and not enough time to fix ones that weren't programmed properly. We'll have more time to test next time.

I'm happy that we've got the majority working just in time and if you click on the google earth link at: http://onltr.magnatrax.net/no.php?fid=10349
with google earth installed you can get a lot of information about when the transponders are transmitting and zoom in on the tracks more easily. I've taken a screen shot of the google earth image this morning: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/x5WIgMAg_RQbSJuJ7meSWA?feat=directlink

You can see that some of the transponders are not keeping up with the majority of the fleet. These transponders are the ones that are running a program that is slower than 1x every 2hours. If you click on the link in Google Earth, you can see the last time the transponder transmitted.

Matt

BobJ
07-30-2009, 08:43 AM
Great job Matt - thanks! Seriously, a great effort with little time.

Paul Elliott
07-30-2009, 09:13 AM
Any info on what's going on with Rainbow or Second Verse? My apologies if it's not cool to discuss this here.

Dazzler
07-30-2009, 09:13 AM
Matt,

Just want you to know how much your work is appreciated. And, thanks for the explanation of the report times. Talk about the challenges of network administration! You've done a great job.

Being able to follow the tracks has been the next best thing to being there.

Tom

Thom
07-30-2009, 09:38 AM
Yeah, looks by his track that he's going to Bodega Bay. :)

Watching the race in very close to real time is way cool. Looks to be a waterline length race so far, that is, light wind and little seas. The posts from Steve (Coyote) indicate fog, wet and cold.

SSSForumAdmin
07-31-2009, 07:27 AM
This thread got closed accidentally. It's now open again.

Matt
07-31-2009, 07:33 AM
I was watching Greg on Outsider keeping up with Coyote and Ohana for the first part of the LongPac. It would surprise me if he isn't still somewhere close by them. The last reading on his transponder was 15:26:26 yesterday.

Travieso
07-31-2009, 09:03 AM
Would be good to see Outsider and see if he can start to catch up to the boats ahead after the turn.

Coyote is doing a great job staying with Ohana. Coyote is out there singlehanded and Ohana double, and Ohana owns them a few seconds. After my brief chat with the Ohana crew in HMB, maybe they are spending too much time below :D

Tiger Beetle and Alchera is still looking very close, particularly on corrected time.

Travieso
07-31-2009, 09:55 AM
Good to see Outsider back online... I'm assuming he already made the turn.

solosailor
08-02-2009, 06:45 PM
Would be good to see Outsider and see if he can start to catch up to the boats ahead after the turn.Not enough wind to start really moving so I was basically a 31ft boat doing 4-6 most of the trip back. Didn't break 10 until Pt Bonita....... 14-16 across the bay after the finish though!

Travieso
08-04-2009, 09:46 AM
I guess this year it was a case of the 'rich get richer'.

Coyote
08-04-2009, 09:13 PM
Yes, I had friends and family from SF to Washington to Panama sharing the LongPac link and watching the race progress. I am currently in the San Juan's in Washington, and at a party last night, there were 8 people who were watching the race! The transponders are wonderful, and for the 1st time out they worked terrific! Thanks Matt!!

abbarr
08-05-2009, 02:45 PM
After my brief chat with the Ohana crew in HMB, maybe they are spending too much time below :D



Very funny, Dan, but since I was crew and not his wife it's not quite as funny :eek:

Alan
s/v Voyager

abbarr
08-05-2009, 02:47 PM
Matt, I had many friends and family members glued to the tracking system. They were so excited to be able to follow the race. It was great to be able to share it with them. Big thanks to you for making it happen.

Alan

brianb
08-18-2009, 07:51 AM
Hi All,

Is it possible to retrieve the data base captured from the transponders ? I would like to stare at it for a few days and play spread sheet analyzer to see what could go better next time.

If there is a contact at the company I would be happy to retrieve the info. and post for all to view.

Thanks

Brian