Chronit Transponders

[graeme]

Originally Posted by dtype38

Before we all get too hot under the collar this terrible injustice... maybe we should try and keep things a bit more in perspective here.

So we have to change transponders every few years... at what £130-150 a pop. And????

This year alone I'm expecting to spend something in the region of £2500 on entry fees. I'll blow £1000 on travel and camping costs, another £1000 on fuel, and if I'm luck only about £600 on rubber. I've just relegated a perfectly good helmet to the loft and forked out £450 on a new one just because the label is out of date. Oh, and don't forget the £200 plus its going to cost to join the relevent clubs and championships just so that I'm allowed to take part. Best not to mention wear, tear and repairs along the way

Like I say... change transponders every few years...

Pop £200 in an envelope to me then...

It was completely random when buying a transponder from MST whether you got a red or orange one - why couldn't they got for one system, rather than causing all the problems with two (I had problems over the last few years where timekeepers could pick up one of the two types). MST - bunch of donkeys...

[Lola]

so who is up for complaining at the
MSA at Autosport international..... i am

[Eddy V]

I don't know if I can help, but I can try. My company bought a huge stock of raceparts in Holland from a company that stopped it's activities. Among the parts there are 5 new AMB-IT transponders Typ TranX 260 DP, with battery cable. I'm willing to get these out. But as I suppose I'm not allowed to talk shop here, I'll wait and see what the replies are. But they are cheap! Something like changing the Pound sign with the Euro sign, and a bit less.

[grichie87]

Hi eddyv
Do you still have any of the transponders left? I am interested in buying one
Cheers grichie87

[Eddy V]

Oh no, here we go again: (private joke)

see PM

[grichie87]

Sorry I dont get the joke, ha ha

[Eddy V]

The joke is between me and a certain Mr. M

But have a look at your Private Messages (see top right hand corner of your screen, where it says: Welcome,grichie87).

[rijkthebike]

going back to some of the stuff said before.

i belive from what i was told that
basically

When AMB who make the decoders realised chronit had got in on there act they changed there decoders so they could not read a chronit transponder.

Subsiquently chronit went bust, handing the vast majority of the transponder market back to AMB.
amb decoders need updating to keep working, when the older decoders need updating it will prevent chronit transponders from being read completley therefore making them completley useless.

it looks like mst have to keep up with the changes to keep the timing systems working

[R59]

I bought mine from MST, so surely, under the Trading Standards laws in the UK, they are duty bound to support it for a period of something like 6 years, and if they can't support it, they should replace it with one that they can support.

I'm going to look into this from the UK law side of things.

And I'm going to look at my transponder again. It may be orange now, but it could have been red originally!!!

[NiG_21]

Originally Posted by rijkthebike

When AMB who make the decoders realised chronit had got in on there act they changed there decoders so they could not read a chronit transponder.

When we were first told we HAD to buy and use transponders (MGCC) I was concerned about the way they we were also given a order form from a single manufacturer (MST - AMB). Being the cinic that I am, I thought we were being ripped off like the rest of you did.

However, I decided to take the case to the European Monopolies Commission as it seemed to be bordering on a monopoly. The commission came back to me with the the comment that this did not breach any regulations because the system was capable of working with 'other' transponders and therefor we were not being forced to buy a single make.

If your statment above is now true then perhapse the commission would be interested?


BTW - £200 means I have to miss a race

[Walshy]

Originally Posted by NiG_21

When we were first told we HAD to buy and use transponders (MGCC) I was concerned about the way they we were also given a order form from a single manufacturer (MST - AMB). Being the cinic that I am, I thought we were being ripped off like the rest of you did.

However, I decided to take the case to the European Monopolies Commission as it seemed to be bordering on a monopoly. The commission came back to me with the the comment that this did not breach any regulations because the system was capable of working with 'other' transponders and therefor we were not being forced to buy a single make.

If your statment above is now true then perhapse the commission would be interested?


BTW - £200 means I have to miss a race

Can you chase this one up mate...........

[NiG_21]

rijkthebike needs to confirm that this case is actually true and needs 'evidence' in order fo us to take ot further.

[Al Weyman]

I was only just talking to a mate of mine who has the Chrontic Orange jobbie and he is well peeved he has to buy another, it is this sort of thing that is ruining the sport as it would not take much more for this guy to say enough is enough.

[R59]

Checked mine today. Not faded red. Chronit orange. HAD to buy it. BARC said so.
SO... should they not put pressure on MST to sort out the problem and continue support for the device.
After all, it is not a safety or performance issue, so it should have no bearing on the racing regulations.

One other option. We all refuse to buy the AMB ones, and if you already have one and support action - unplug yours. NOBODY runs with a transponder, and make MST do something about it.

Together we might get something done. Divided we fall.

Rob.

[R59]

I had a sniff around and found this.

http://www.consumer.gov.uk/ccp/topic...legoodsact.htm

Based on buying a Chronit transponder, badged up by MST, from MST, offered with a 3 year warranty, and that sale was less than 3 years ago, one would assume that under the Sale of Goods Act, MST are bound to replace the Chronit with an AMB.

Would need to be confirmed by a legal eagle.

Rob.

[diz]

Originally Posted by racing59

Would need to be confirmed by a legal eagle.Rob.

And amongst the many thousands of ten-tenthers, the law of averages means there must be quite a few of these esteemed gentlemen. Whether they would consider confirming this without grasping a large fee is another matter.
But taking aside all this now we've got them and need to replace them talk, let's get back to the main problems.
1. As MST use them solely for car identification and not timing, we don't need them. MST still do the human, manual identification as a fall back anyway.
2. If they were used to actually time the cars it would be better, but they say that the MSA [oh yes, that lot again] insist on light beam timing as transponders aren't accurate enough.
3. As mentioned in an earlier reply, how do they get the split / sector times for the prestige classes?
Clue : probably from the transponders that aren't accurate enough to time the cars.

Anyway, I could go on, but I'm bored now.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by diz

1. As MST use them solely for car identification and not timing, we don't need them. MST still do the human, manual identification as a fall back anyway.
2. If they were used to actually time the cars it would be better, but they say that the MSA [oh yes, that lot again] insist on light beam timing as transponders aren't accurate enough.
3. As mentioned in an earlier reply, how do they get the split / sector times for the prestige classes?
Clue : probably from the transponders that aren't accurate enough to time the cars.

Anyway, I could go on, but I'm bored now.

MST use them for timing and identification but they have to be confirmed by the light beam. I was in the timing room at Brands a few weeks ago and there were only a couple of people checking cars manually, this would account for two cars being classed as DNF's when they both crossed the finish line side by side.
The chief timing man said they can use the sensor in the track to identify and time the cars but the MSA won't allow them to (they think it's inaccurate) so they have to rely on the light beam which is open to mistakes.

[schomosport]

I am now in the unhappy position of having a transponder that is current but no car....come the turn of the year I should have a new car but by then my transponder will be obsolete!

Oh woe.....

Does anyone have any unique and interesting suggestions as to what I might do with the d*mn thing?

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by schomosport

I am now in the unhappy position of having a transponder that is current but no car....come the turn of the year I should have a new car but by then my transponder will be obsolete!

Oh woe.....

Does anyone have any unique and interesting suggestions as to what I might do with the d*mn thing?

Sell it to me very cheaply. 50P

[grichie87]

Its war, Make them eat them!!