SportIdent Information for Organisers

Orienteering Victoria uses SportIdent brand electonic timing hardware for all major events.  Information, instructions and hints on how to use these systems for your event can be found below.

Commercial event organisers (e.g. adventure race operators) who are interested in possibly using OV SportIdent hardware on a single event (lease) basis are invited to contact the State President for further details.

COURSE SETTERS

Please ensure you have checked availability of controls (and their numbering) before you print maps/condes.  Note that all Victorian controls were re-numbered prior to Easter 2013 so do not assume you know what is available.

ORGANISERS

Must book gear prior to your event to ensure availability.

Before you can use the SI gear on-the-day ensure you:

• charge the battery (overnight)
• check everything you expect is actually in the trailer
• check you have A4 paper and ink for the results printer (if you are using this printer)
  
• check you have enough paper rolls for the splits printers
• have a supply of cable ties to attach controls if necessary (DO NOT USE ANY VARIETY OF STICKY TAPE ON CONTROLS BOXES AND DO NOT RE-LABEL THEM WITHOUT PERMISSION)
  
• note that the beeping clocks are not kept with the SI gear (contact Ian Dodd to find out how to get one of them)

Available SportIdent hardware includes most of the items required to electronically record the results of all competitors in an event.  Together with appropriate computers (e.g. notebook PCs) to run event specific software (typically SportSoftware programs for orienteering events) it is possible to quickly confirm competitors correctly completed their assigned courses (code checking) and then produce detailed results and other reports.

Alternatively, for smaller events, the SIME system can be used which does not require a PC at the event.  Note that code-checking (if needed) must be done manually with the SIME system.

SportIdent hardware looks like this:

Like all high tech stuff it has its own language: Key terms used for common orienteering electronic timing systems (Word)

Before you set up your event, you will need to think about the type of event you are running and what you need the system to do.  You need to plan how, when and where the information needed by the software will be input.  Options abound! Overview of options for using SportIdent systems (Word)

As an example, let's say you are running a typical State Series event.  You have decided that:

Now you know how the event will be run, you just need to make the appropriate preparations!

Equipment

The unique SportIdent equipment principally comprises SI Cards ("SI Sticks" or "dibbers") and SI Stations (or controls).  Don't be fooled by the colours (or sizes) of SI sticks and control stations: these characteristics do not necessarily reflect which hardware or firmware version you are looking at!  Additional equipment will comprise one or more notebook PCs and probably two or more printers.  Up-to-date information on available OV owned SI gear can be found here.

Setting up your event on the computer

Using OE software to set up a new event

Using OS software to set up a new RELAY event

AustralianClubsNamesList_20080722.xls - no lobger needed as will import from Eventor with the entries

SIME step by step (use to process SIME results after the event BUT ensure you read it before you set the courses!)

On the day hints

Here's how to use OE software and a check control for Identifying dns Competitors (competitors who did-not-start).

Printing results using OE software

More information