We design, develop and supply computer software for
Club and Race Administration and
Race Timing
of R/C Cars & Boats.
We also sell AMB I-T Identification and Timing
Equipment.
New Decoder RC4
firmware, Transponder Trade In and 2018 price
adjustments.
In November 2017 Mylaps
announced an upgrade to the RC4 Decoder to support a new
type of transponder developed for Drone Timing. While not a
big market in Europe, Drone racing is big in the USA and
Australia. To accommodate the new transponder, support for
the RC2 transponder has been removed. RC2 transponders
include the first Personal Direct Powered Transponders
introduced in 2002 and replaced by the RC4 Hybrid (Harry) in
2009 and the Rechargeable Transponders introduced with the
launch of the RC decoder in 2000 and discontinued in 2010.
The MRT transponders are copies of the first Personal Direct
Powered Transponders. The impact of this change is that any
new RC4 Decoders, or RC4 Decoders that are returned for
repair or upgrade will no longer work with DP, Rechargeable
or MRT transponders. All Harry and Percy transponders will
continue to work.
When the Harry Transponder was
introduced in 2009 and the Percy Transponder was introduced
in 2013 there was a trade in offer for DP, Rechargeable and
MRT transponders for upgrade to Harry or Purcy
transponders. With this change to new RC4 Decoders we are
offering the following trade in allowances on purchase of
new Harry and Purcy Transponders.
AMB DP or Rechargeable
MRT
Harry
£33
£29
Purcy
£28
£25
If you would like to take
advantage of this Trade In please follow the instructions
here.
Finally this is the time of year
that Mylaps review their pricing. The fall in the value of
the pound against the Euro has continued and so transponder
and cable prices have risen by about 7%. 11th January 2018
2017 price
adjustments.
After the exchange rate dive
after the Brexit vote we now have the annual MyLaps 2017
price adjustments, plus a bit more reduction in the value of
the pound. We have held the prices for a couple of weeks as
we often have a spike in transponder sales in early January.
If there is any good news it is that the only rises are
personal transponders. We have managed to keep clips, coax,
decoder and other items at the previous prices. 18th January 2017
Brexit price
adjustments.
Due to the adverse exchange rate
since January and the sudden drop on the 24th June UK prices
on Mylaps products will have to rise. For the last few years
the gradual Mylaps price rises have been compensated by the
gradual rise in Sterling against the Euro. I absorbed the
drop in value of the Pound earlier in the year in the hope
that after the Referendum a remain vote would restore the
2015 exchange rate. I did not want to increase prices then
reduce them. Since the leave vote the value of the pound
seems to have stabilised at about 16% below its value at the
end of 2015. In the hope that the Pound will start to
recover a bit in the Autumn I will not be increasing prices
by 16%. It will be about 8% but that may mean another price
increase later in the year if things don't improve. I'll be
increasing the prices on August 1st so if you need anything
or know anyone who does make sure they don't leave it too
late. 25th July 2016
Office closed January
7th-26th 2016.
But mail order transponder sales
via Paypal will be unaffected. Other items will be available
from 27th January.
6th January 2016
A gentle reminder
regarding software licensing.
Every time you install our
software you have to agree to the terms of the license
agreement. Just in case you may not have read through the
agreement (which is quite short) can I point out one part of
it.
SOFTWARE PRODUCT LICENSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and
international copyright treaties, as well as other
intellectual property laws and treaties. The SOFTWARE
PRODUCT is licensed, not sold. You may not sell or otherwise
make this software available to any other individual or
single entity without the express written permission of bbk
Software.
The license is part of the software.
27th March 2015
Mylaps price
increases January 2015.
As they do every January, Mylaps have revised (aka
increased) their prices. This year it is around 3% but the
Harry is increased by 10%. The reason for the 10% increase
in the Harry is that after 4 years of generous incentives to
clubs to upgrade to the RC4 Decoder, the Harry is considered
'old technology'. Because the Euro has weakened
we can absorb these price increases with the exception of
the Harry which is now £85, an increase of 3.6%. The price
difference between the Harry and the Purcy is now £20. We
have also slightly reduced the price for Purcy Multi Packs.
1st February 2015
Fantastic Offer on
RC4 Decoder, New Systems and Trade Ins.
For a VERY limited time we can offer 5 Free Purcy
transponders with trade ins, a reduction in the price of
AMB20 for RC4 trade in and a reduction in the price of new
RC4 Decoder with 5 Free Purcy transponders.
New RC4 Decoder plus 5 Purcys
£1950!
£550 off the Decoder plus 5 Purcys.
AMB20, RC2 and first Generation RC3 Decoders upgrade to RC4
plus 5 Purcys
£1200!
£400 off the AMB20 trade in plus 5 Purcys.
Prices include VAT and UK
Shipping. Offer ends 17th
November 2014. That's
just 2 weeks so don't delay!.
3rd November 2014
Last chance to trade
in an old PT for a Harry.
At the end of this year the trade in for a Harry will come
to an end. We have been running this trade in since 2010 so
there are probably not a lot left that want to upgrade. If
you still have an old style AMB PT or an MRT then this is
your last chance to upgrade. Stocks are limited and when
they are gone they are gone. We will continue to offer a
trade in for a new Purcy in 2014. 11th November 2013
How to replace the
wires on the AMB rc DP Transponders (old style)
We are always happy to trade in transponders with broken
wires but with a little care you can replace the wires
yourself. One of our customers sent
this picture guide to doing a repair. 29th August 2013
Plenty of Harrys and
Purcys in stock for new sale and Upgrade.
We are back from the NEO and we have good stocks of Harrys
and Purcys for new sale and upgrade. 27th August 2013 Hello
China!
Since 26th June we have been experiencing a very large
bandwidth load from China, downloading the RC Boat software.
This month alone it has been downloaded 8000 times! The
download has now been disabled. If you want to download this
software please email us for the link
18th July 2013 Sorry about
the site outage last week
We had a long outage due to our service provider
experiencing "problems". Sorry about that. We use Demon
Internet and would strongly advise anyone looking for web
hosting to steer well clear of them. Despite the site being
out for a week they neglected to advise us we were down.
Over the years their service has gradually got worse and
they were recently taken over by Vodafone. We are planning
to move this site to our other service provider. They email
us with minutes of a site going down and generally have it
restored within an hour or so.
18th July 2013 Special UK pricing of
the Harry trade in is coming to an end.
In December last year the Harry new and trade in price
increased but we negotiated a "rebate" for the UK until
Easter 2013. That rebate has now come to an end so the UK
price for new and trade in Harry is set to increase as soon
as current stocks come to an end. Right now I have 90
available at the "old" price. Once these have been sold the
prices will be:
New Harry
£82
Trade in Harry
£62
Multi pack prices for Harry will
also increase. Purcy prices remain the same. Prices for
other items are also changing in line with Mylaps 2013 pricing
and reflect the current exchange rates. New decoders are up
by £100. If you are thinking
of trading in for a Harry or buying a new one don't delay.
Postal prices have also changed in line with Royal Mail
postal rate changes from 2nd April 2013.
2nd April 2013
Purcys in stock and
lots of trade ins!
We now have a very limited stock of Purcy transponders,
pictured on the left. Note the additional servo extension
lead so you can wire the transponder into the main battery
feed on an electric car to monitor voltage. It can also be
connected to the receiver as previous transponders. Lots
of people are trading
in older AMB transponders and MRT transponders for Harrys
and Purcys to future
proof themselves in anticipation of RC4 Decoders becoming
the norm. Middle picture is Trade Ins from EOS race in Germany
last weekend, right is Trade ins from Finland received today.
The Harry transponder works with ALL Decoders, the Purcy just works with the RC4
Decoder. The MRT transponder does not work with the RC4
Decoder. 9th
January 2013
RC4 Frequently
Asked Questions Here. 22nd
December 2012
RC4 Transponder
available from the Mylaps RC Webshop
The Pure RC4 Transponder (Purcy) is now available from the Mylaps
RC Webshop. You can also order Purcy with CarID based on
your existing Harry transponder number. In addition you can
also order Purcy with a 7 digit number of your choice,
provided that number has not previously been used for an RC
transponder. Click
here for the Mylaps RC Webshop. Early in January you
will be able to order Purcy transponders direct from us, but
initially we will not be able to offer the CarID
transponders or Custom Number Purcys. 22nd
December 2012
RC4 Decoder
testing at Rug Racers 2nd December 2012 Part 2
We did some testing at the Rug Racers event to check if the
AMB and Mylaps Transponders were behaving at a race as they
do in our bench tests. We compared the performance of the
transponders detected by the RC4 Decoder and the RC2 Decoder
used to time the event. Of particular interest were the
number of "hits" detected. In simple terms the more "hits"
the less likely a "missed count". The following table shows
the average ratio of "hits" detected by the RC4 Decoder
compared to the RC2 Decoder for the same transponder. the
number in () is the total number of transponders of each
type.
Decoder
AMB Handout (2)
AMB PT (15)
Mylaps Harry (4)
RC2
1
1
1
RC4
1.5
1.5
3
The absolute number of "hits" for a particular transponder
type varies from car to car, depending on the position of
the transponder and the components around it. To work
reliably the signal has to be detected as the car
approaches, crosses and leaves the loop and the time and
strength of each "hit" is used to calculate when the car
crosses the loop. The more "hits" the better the accuracy.
For each passing the number of hits will vary slightly. I
have seen instances of the decoder getting less that 10 hits
from some transponders and by moving the transponder to a
better position the number of "hits" increases. If there are
a low number of "hits" then sooner or later a lap will be
missed.
To get an accurate time of crossing the loop the car needs
to be moving quickly. That way the transponder is in one
place (centre of the loop) for less time. Putting the loop
in a slow part of the track was important when cars were
manually counted but we haven't done that for over 20 years.
The best place is on a fast part of the track where the cars
can safely go flat out. Racing to the loop in a slow part of
the track on the last lap of qualifying is dangerous for
marshals.
As cars get faster and carbon
fibre and to a lesser extend alloy is used in chassis
material we need a "better" transponder signal. Both carbon
fibre and alloy block the signal. More detail on this can be
found here Why do Transponders miss laps?
Increasing the signal strength doesn't help as it results in
transponder pickup over a wider area for cars with good
mounting positions. This just creates more problems with
cars being detected on other parts of the track. More "hits"
generated and detected per unit time improves accuracy and
reliability.
In addition to improvements in
transponder performance for new and old AMB/Mylaps
transponders RC4 includes the Pure RC4 transponder (Purcy).
Purcy allows several transponders with the same 7 digit
number but an extra unique ID number. In some types of RC
racing it is permitted to use more than one chassis during
an event, in others it is not. The extra ID number is there
so the Timing System can detect if more than one transponder
is used with the same 7 digit number. Without this it would
be possible to fake results by using more than one
transponder, one in the car and one placed near the loop. As
the RC2 and RC3 firmware cannot report the Car ID (it was
developed later), Car ID transponders only work with RC4
firmware. The RC4 decoder can be used with software that is
not RC4 "aware". In this circumstance the decoder will
ignore a second Purcy transponder with the same 7 number for
a timeout period. This timeout period can be controlled in
the RC4 Decoder by the timekeeper.
RC4 Decoder
testing at Rug Racers 2nd December 2012
We did some testing at the Rug Racers event to check if the
MRT transponders were behaving at a race as they do in our
bench tests. We connected an RC3 and RC4 Decoder to the loop
that was being used to time the event. The event was timed
using the older RC2 Decoder. The following table shows the %
of passes recorded.
Decoder
AMB Handout
AMB PT
Mylaps Harry
MRT PTX
MRT
RC2
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
RC3
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
RC4
100%
100%
100%
0-50%
0%
This demonstrates that all
AMB/Mylaps transponders work reliably with the RC4 Decoders
but MRT transponders do not, in fact only 1 in 5 PTX
transponders recorded any laps at all. We have offered a
trade in for MRT transponders in exchange for Harry
transponders since April 2010 and continue to do so.2nd
December 2012
RC4 Decoder update
- important information
I'm expecting the Firmware Upgrade and Decoder Upgrades to
be available before the end of November 2012. In
anticipation here is some important information. Firmware Upgrade
(RC3 v4 and RC3 v5 Decoders)
You should be aware that the firmware upgrade is non
revisable. Once the Decoder firmware is upgraded to RC4 you
can't go back to the RC3 Firmware. All Mylaps and AMB RC
transponders work equally well with the RC4 firmware and the
Harry transponders will work significantly better with a
doubling of the detected hits. This will be significant for
cars with Carbon Fibre or Alloy Chassis. Purcy transponders
will have the same performance advantage as Harrys but will
ONLY work with RC4 Firmware. MRT Transponders are not
compatible with RC4 firmware and missed laps will be
experienced. Decoder Upgrade
(RC2 and RC3 v3 Decoders)
The New Decoder can not be connected to the PC with a simple
USB lead. It has Serial and Network connectivity only. If
you want to use the serial connection most laptops will need
a USB to Serial Adapter. We can supply these for £25. The
new decoder is significantly more sensitive that the RC2
Decoder. All AMB RC transponders will work significantly
better with the new Decoder than the RC2 Decoder. Harry
transponders will work better again with a further doubling
of the detected hits. This will be significant for cars with
Carbon Fibre or Alloy Chassis. Purcy transponders will have
the same performance advantage as Harrys but will ONLY work
with the RC4 Decoder. MRT Transponders are not compatible
with the RC4 Decoder and missed laps will be experienced.
If you would like to reserve
a Decoder Upgrade please contact us with the Serial Number
of your RC2 or early RC3 Decoder and specify the number of
bundled Purcys (up to 5) that you require at the special
price of £45 each. We'll send you an order email to be
returned with payment for the RC4 Decoder Upgrade (£415)
plus Purcys (cheque or transfer). As soon as we get your
decoder we'll send it to you. Once you have the decoder
please send your old Decoder. You won't be without a decoder
while the upgrade takes place. Please note that the special
decoder upgrade price is advertised by Mylaps as being valid
until the end of December 2012. If you plan to upgrade your
decoder but are not ready to swop just yet you can send
payment before Christmas and we'll get the decoder in stock
ready for you to upgrade.
19th November 2012
Transponder
Upgrade offers
Since May 2010 we have been
offering trad ins of the older AMB Personal Transponders and
MRT Transponders for the Mylaps Harry Transponder. Details
here. We can also offer trade ins of the RC Rechargeable
Transponder for the Harry, contact us for details.
19th November 2012
Pure RC4 (Purcy)
UK Pricing
Prices from January 1st 2013 are
as follows:
Purcy without clip £65
Purcy x 3 with clips
£194
Purcy x 6 with clips
£378
Purcy x 10 with clips
£612
We expect to have the Purcy on sale by the end of November
from stock. Until the end of December prices will be
approximately 5% less than the above list. While Purcys without CarID will be
available from stock, if you require additional Purcys with
the same 7 digit number these will be available to order.
Purcy with Car ID 1-7 will be the same price as Purcy
without Car ID. Please note
that Purcy will ONLY work with RC4 firmware Decoders. When
we feature Purcy on the sales page there will be a link to a
list of Clubs who have RC4 firmware Decoders. Right now that
list is empty.
12th November 2012
RC4 Decoder
The RC4 Decoder uses the same physical decoder as the latest
RC3 Decoders with updated firmware. The Firmware update,
expected to be available by the end of November, is a free
download. To get the download you will have to register the
Mac address and you will receive a program to run on your PC
with the Decoder connected. This program updates the
decoder. Full details of this process will be available
soon.
If you have an older RC3 Decoder
(purchased in 2006 or early 2007) or the previous RC Decoder
you will have to upgrade the decoder. This will cost £415
including VAT and shipping in the UK. The updated Decoders
are expected to be available in early December. If you
upgrade your Decoder you will be able to purchase up to 5
Pure RC4 Transponders (Purcy) at £45 each.
If you have an RC3 Decoder purchased in 2006-2007 please
email the Mac address to us and we'll advise if you need to
update the Decoder. The Mac address is printed on the bottom
or the decoder and starts EA: 00-04-B7-xx-xx-xx. If you
can't read it you can display the Mac address of a powered
RC3 Decoder on the LCD screen by pressing the left hand
button twice.
1st November
2012
RC4 Firmware
The RC4 Hybrid Transponder (Harry) was release in December
2009. It has taken rather longer than was anticipated for
the corresponding RC4 Firmware to become available for the
Decoders but this is imminent.
The Harry transponder sends a mixture of RC2 and RC4 data
packets. The RC2 data packets are used in the AMB PT
and Rechargeable transponder. The RC4 packets, more numerous than the RC2
packets, include the voltage and temperature data. The Harry
transponder sends a mixture of RC2 and RC4 data packets. The
RC Decoder and RC3 Firmware only detect RC2 data packets.
The RC4 Firmware can detect both RC2 and RC4 data packets,
increasing the accuracy and reliability of the detection of
the transponder. More data packets means less chance of a
missed transponder and improved accuracy of the reported
passing time.
The day before the BRCA 2012 AGM we demonstrated a
comparison between the RC4 firmware and the previous RC3
firmware and older RC Decoders using a variety of
transponders. The demonstration showed that the RC3 Decoder
is significantly more sensitive that the older RC decoder
for both AMB PT, AMB Rechargeable and Harry transponders.
Comparing the RC3 and RC4 firmware the performance of the AMB PT
and Rechargeable transponder remained the same but the Harry
transponder performed significantly better with the RC4
firmware than the RC3 firmware because the RC4 firmware
detects more data during the passing.
As more electronics is
incorporated in race cars, both RC and full size, the
electrical noise in the area around the cars is increasing.
This presents a challenge for Mylaps to maintain and improve
the reliability of timing data. The decoders used in RC are
exactly the same as used in full size motorsport, only the
firmware (software) is different. Developments in noise
filtering and reduction has improved the reliability and
accuracy of timing in full size motorsport and these
developments have been incorporated in the RC4 firmware.
Whilst this filtering has no adverse effects on AMB/Mylaps
transponders the reliable use of non AMB/Mylaps timing
components can not be guaranteed.
To summarise:
RC3/4 Decoders are
significantly more sensitive that the earlier RC Decoder
AMB PT and Rechargeable transponders work
equally well with RC3 and RC4 firmware
Harry transponders perform
significantly better with RC4 firmware compared with RC3
firmware
As soon as RC4 firmware is available full instructions for
the updating of Decoders will be available on this site. 29th October
2012
A new RC
Transponder from Mylaps
Also demonstrated the day before the BRCA 2012 AGM was the
Mylaps Pure RC4 transponder, nickname Purcy. This
transponder builds on the functionality of the Harry
transponder in two ways. Firstly it replaces the RC2 data
packets with RC4 data packets, further improving reliability
and accuracy. It also incorporates a CarID signal. This
allows a driver to have a number of transponders with the
same 7 digit number but an additional number 0-7. Timing
software will be able to treat the transponders as being
associated with the same car but crucially will be able to
confirm that only a single transponder was used in a session
to be absolutely certain that no false times could have been
recorded by using an additional transponder outside the car.
It is important to be aware that
the Purcy transponder can ONLY be detected by the RC4
Firmware and so it will not replace the Harry.
If you have a Purcy it will NOT be detected by the RC
Decoder and RC3 Decoder Firmware. Exact price and
availability of the Purcy is to be confirmed but price is
anticipated to be approximately 10% cheaper than Harry. 29th October
2012
Olympic MyLaps and
bbkRC Timing Systems Sale
The 2012 London Olympics are here and the Paralympics are
following soon. Sport is all about how high, how long and
how fast and Electronic Timing is at the very heart many of
the events we'll be following for the next few weeks. To
celebrate we're having a sale on Transponders, Clips and
Decoders from now until the end of the Paralympics on 9th
September. Check out
Olympic Component Sale Prices and
Olympic System Sale Prices. We haven't forgotten of
timing software prices. For the same period we will halve
the prices on new unlimited period software licenses. That
means you can buy bbkRC Drivers Plus for the price of bbkRC
Pro. These discounts also apply to customers who have annual
licenses upgrading to unlimited period. Check out
Olympic Software Sale Prices.31st
July
2012
Free Astroturf!
McArdle Sport-Tecare
looking for recipients of free Astroturf. Here is the text
of an email I received today.
My name is Allen and I am contacting
you on behalf of McArdle Sport-Tec specialist sports surface
contractors.(Contact
Details via McArdle Sport-Tec web site, link above.)
Over the coming months we have multiple projects whereby we
are looking to dispose of many 1000s of square metres of
used Astroturf artificial grass. The offer goes that we give
you the turf free of charge as long as you load and collect
from site. Recommend you employ strong workforce or a
forklift teamed with a 40tf flatbed truck to transport. Up
to 900m square could be transported on one truck in this
manner.
Highest priority site as we are commencing lifting the turf
today;
Is a full size 3G rubber and sand filled football pitch
~45mm long pile carpet around Stirling, Scotland, available
in 4 x 10m sections weighing roughly 1.5 metric tonnes.
Other sites include a sand filled ~20mm pile, full size
hockey pitch, around Birmingham, UK. Available from 23rd
July, Sections still to be cut.
And full size water based hockey pitch, (no sand or rubber
infill) short curly pile ~24mm around Portsmouth. Available
from mid July sections still to be cut.
More sites to be announced over the coming months but please
act quickly as demand regularly outstrips supply.
Contact me for more details, any questions or to reserve a
portion of the turf.13th
June2012
Its NEO Time! All this week and over the
weekend we are at Harper Adams for the NEO12 Race.
bbkRClive will have live results on the iPhone App and at
http://mob.bbkrclive.com
for mobile devices and desktop Apple and PCs as well. We
will also be offering Transponder trade ins. Get a brand new
harry with a unique number for £42 when you trade in the
older AMB PT or Clone transponder, any condition! We
exhausted our 2011 allocation at last years NEO and there
were a few disappointed drivers. If you want to trade in
best catch me ASAP!3rd
April
2012. UPDATE
Back from the NEO and thanks to the nice man from UPS we
have Harrys in stock!10th
April
2012
Any old Iron?
A couple of weeks ago we were surprised when this was traded
in. Its an example of the very first AMB Decoder with the
System 20 upgrade. It even includes the legendary 40
transponder charge rack! Its been a good few years since we
last saw one of those. If you are still using and AMB20
System or AMB8800 or even AMB8300 and want to upgrade give
us a call.
Warranty
and Upgrades? We've got them covered. If you have a problem with
your AMB/MyLaps transponder or want to upgrade from AMBrc
Decoder or
the older AMB20 System or swap RC Rechargeable Transponders
for Harrys we have
got offers that will work for you. Warranty: If you have
the older RC Transponder (replaced by the Harry in late 2009) you
can Trade it in for a Harry for £42 plus postage. Any
condition! If you have a Harry transponder that has the
wires broken we can trade it in for a new Harry, also £42
plus postage. All Harrys are still under warranty so for any
other problems please get in touch. Upgrades: We can
upgrade AMB20 Systems, including offering Harry Transponders
as upgrades from the AMB20 Rechargeable transponders. We can
also offer Harrys as upgrades from the AMBrc Rechargeable
Transponders. Prices for these upgrades are £45 per
transponder. Charge racks get you 50 free Clips. If interested
get in touch for full details. Example: If you have
an AMB20 System with 20 Transponders you can upgrade to an
AMBrc System with 20 Harrys for £2855. The price of this
without upgrade is £4120. That's a saving of £1265. 2nd February 2012.
2012 Price changes
- bbkRC Pro Prices held for the 9th year running, MyLaps rises
expected to be less than 6%.
Despite Inflation running at a about 6% we are maintaining
prices on bbkRC Pro Software for the 9th Year running.
MyLaps equipment prices are expected to rise in January and
we estimate the RC4 Transponder single unit price to
increase from £72 to £76. Prices for Coax and Decoders will
rise by a similar percentage. If you are planning to buy in
the near future, this month will be better than next!. 5th December
2011.
MyLaps X2 Track
Monitoring and Control
Not RC related but we thought you might like to see some of
the MyLaps developments taking place at full size circuits.
Now that IS race control!
2nd December
2011.
Lots of Harrys in
stock, small number of trade ins available
We have large stocks of Harrys and a few available for trade
in of your old RC2 (Pete) or Clone transponders.
The limited edition White Harry has done what it said on the
tin and is now finished. Click
here
for the trade in.
14th November
2011.
Busy week timing
Greenpower races! Since
April this year we have been timing races for Greenpower at
tracks including Goodwood, Silverstone, Darley Moor, Bedford
Autodrome and Dunsfold Park (Top Gear test track).
Greenpower promotes construction and endurance racing of
electric powered cars build by teams of 8-25 year olds. This
week the races are at Croft, Rockingham and Ford Dunton plus
a return to Dunsfold Park next week ahead of the summer
break. Racing resumes in September with visits to Bedford,
Aintree, Castle Combe and the Finals at Goodwood in October.
The races last up to 4 hours with as many as 75 competitors
and the lead cars have covered well in excess of 100 miles. Click on the Greenpower Logo to visit their site and find out more.
4th July
2011.
Lets get
Japan back in the Race! Here comes White Harry! To
contribute to the reconstruction of Japan after the
earthquake and tsunami, MYLAPS decided to start a
fund-raising by offering limited edition White
Harry transponders that
include a donation for Japan. The additional amount that
will be charged by purchasing this transponder will be
tripled by MYLAPS and is donated to the MYLAPS Japan fund.
This fund will be used to help race tracks and event
organizations in Japan that have suffered from the
earthquake and tsunami and to get them back in the race! For
each "White Harry" Transponder purchased MyLaps will
contribute €15 to this
fund. Please note if you order clips with a White
Harrys one clip will be
red
for each White Harry
you order. 3rd
May
2011.
Harry Trade in
exhausted at the NEO!
If you haven't taken advantage of RC2 Transponder Trade In
for a Harry then I am afraid you have missed the boat. I
took my complete stock of Harrys to the NEO and what came
back has just satisfied the online orders. The offer has
been running for just over a year and we don't have any
plans to extend it. 26th
April
2011.
bbkRC 2011-1 is now
available.
Ready to download! If you want
to download here are links for
bbkRC2011-1 and
bbkRCNetScreen2011-1. More details will follow on
www.bbkRC.com
when the pre outdoor season rush settles down. 31st
March 2011.
The USB socket on
the front of the RC3/4 Decoder The
USB Socket on the front of the Decoder can be used to dump
passing data and support files to a USB Memory stick. For
information on how to do this click
here.
17th
February 2011.
bbkRClive mobile
website.
If you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch you can view the
bbkRClive results on a website optimised for mobile devices.
http://mob.bbkrclive.com
. It works on Android and Blackberry and should be OK on
most other mobile phones with an internet browser. If you
have an iPad it will give you the wide screen with the
index. If you have any problems with your mobile device let us know and we
will try to fix it.
11th January 2011.
bbkRClive on the
iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Now you can keep up to date with race results live on your
iPhone, iPod touch or iPad running IOS 4.0 or later. Download bbkRClive from the App
Store
here or by using the QR code to the left. This is a free App supported by iAds. Please check
out the iAds so we can keep if free. We are working on an
Android version and there may also be a Blackberry version
in the future.
10th January 2011.
32 bits good, 64
bits not so good.
This Winter's marketing push for PCs looks like being 64 bit
Windows 7. If you are using the AMBrc2 Decoder on USB you
should be aware that the USB driver is 32 bit only. There is
no 64 bit driver available. You can install and run bbkRC on
Windows 7 both 32 and 64 bit but there are a few things you
need to be aware of. Click
here to download Installing bbkRC on Windows 7.
For information about the USB driver and Windows 7 click
here. Windows XP remains our firm favourite for running
race control. If you have to run with 64 bit and the AMBrc2
Decoder then a USB to Serial adapter will help you out. You
can still power the Decoder from the USB port.
7thNovemer 2010.
Time to change the
clocks this weekend so it must be the BRCA AGM. Upgrades
are the message we will be taking to the AGM, plus the RC4
Decoder and Harry Transponder, plus some details of new
software. Coming early next year will be bbkRC Shotgun, a
simple backup timing utility that can run in a separate
computer and log all transponder activity. Also in the
pipeline is an iPhone App,
bbkRClive.
We will have early prototypes of these in action. We will also be talking about the MyLaps finish
line camera and what it can do to make the results of close
finishes beyond doubt. If you want to do an upgrade at the
AGM, just bring along what you have and cash or a cheque
book. I have one RC3/4 Decoder available for upgrade and
lots of Harrys and Clips. A summary of the available
upgrades is
here.28thOctober 2010.
Harry goes boating!
We are at Billing Aquadrome this weekend for the half hour
British Championship. Trade in
your PT for a brand new Harry at Billing Aquadrome (near
Northampton) this Sunday (26th September 2010). We will be
testing the RC4 Decoder at the
1/2hr
British Championship. We hope there won't be any incidents
like this but a camera at the ready is always a good idea
when there is any racing.23rdSeptember 2010.
Upgrade your PT to
a Harry! Example of a trade in We
get trade in PTs in a variety of conditions. Here is one of
the more extreme examples. "Thanks
for the quick response, the Harry arrived just in time. My
old pt got dislodged from its mounting point 1 lap from the
end of the A final, I was running in 3rd so I went for the
finish. I knew something was up as the car was handling
funny. The pt turned out to be wrapped round the drive shaft
and was rubbing on the wheel. Sorry it was in such bad
shape. I used to use Velcro to mount old pt as I run 2 cars
and needed to change it over often. The new clip system is
much better".
The clip system is the ideal way
to move Harrys between cars. the clip can be screwed to the
chassis and the Harrys will be safe. You can find a fact
sheet about the RC4 and Harry Transponder
here. To upgrade your AMB or Clone transponders to Harrys you
should click
here.
13th September 2010.
MyLaps Finish Line
Camera earns its keep At the
Offroad Euros
in Austria the MyLaps Finish line camera proved itself
invaluable in confirming the result of the 2wd F Final. It
also proved invaluable in confirming results where a
transponder stopped working during a race. The Finish line
camera can operate independently of the transponder, being
triggered by the car crossing the line. It takes a bit of
time to view the pictures, but it gives you an image and a
timeline that is 100% accurate. A fact sheet is
available
here. 9th
September 2010.
Upgrade your PT to
a Harry! Trade in stocks are getting low! We
have just received our last allocation of Harrys for the
trade in offer. If you are thinking about doing a trade in
don't delay. Last month we traded over 100 Harrys at the
Offroad Euros and we currently have only 150 Trade in units
in stock. You can find a fact sheet about the RC4 and Harry
Transponder
here. To upgrade your AMB or Clone transponders to Harrys you
should click
here.
Please do not send us transponders until you have completed
the Upgrade form, paid and been asked to send us your
transponders. Stocks of Harrys for new sales are high so no
worries there.
9th September 2010.
Goodbye
rechargeable transponder The
popularity of the RC4 Harry Transponder, combined with the
mounting clip, has prompted the retirement of the handout
rechargeable transponder. There is an exchange offer to
replace rechargeable transponders and charge racks with
Harrys and Clips. Contact us for details.
9th September 2010.
Looking for a used
Decoder? If
you are looking for a used AMB RC2 Decoder, we may be able
to help. Give us a call and we can put you in touch with
some clubs who have used decoders for sale.
13th July 2010.
Harry day out will
be back in July We will be
visiting races in July and August offering the trade in of AMB DP (£27.50) and Clone
Transponders (£32.50) for Harry Transponders. We will also
be selling Harrys at the special price of
£65. The next event will be EFRA Offroad Euros in Wien,
Austria August 23-28. You can
find a fact sheet about the RC4 and Harry Transponder
here. 1st June 2010.
MyLaps Finish Line
Camera
At the Euros Warm-up
in Austria MyLaps demonstrated their Finish line camera,
useful for very close finishes and investigation of other
timing irregularities. It is primarily aimed at full size
motor sports, but can be used with RC. A fact sheet is
available
here. 21st
May 2010.
We are off to the
Euros 2010 Offroad Warm-up On Thursday 13 May,
back Tuesday 18 May. We have good stocks of Harrys and any
order placed while we are away will be send on our return.
You can follow the race
here. 12th
May 2010.
New Harrys available
Worldwide from bbk We
now have large stocks of Harrys and we are able
to offer them to EEC and International customers again. All
International orders will be sent fully insured via Royal
Mail International Signed For with a claimed delivery time
from 5 working days.
4th
May 2010.
New Harrys and PT
and Clone Upgrades
are now available We
now have large stocks of New Harrys and we are able
to offer the Harry Transponder via the upgrade program.
This is only available to UK addresses. You can pay using PayPal or send a cheque. To upgrade your
AMB or Clone transponders to Harrys you
should click
here.
Please do not send us transponders until you have completed
the Upgrade form, paid and been asked to send us your
transponders.
15th
April 2010.
Decoder Upgrades Although the generous
Decoder upgrades are no longer available, we still have a
small number of units available at the pre 1st April price.
Please call for details. Upgrades are still be available but
not at such generous prices, AMBrc2->AMBrc3 is £1150, AMB20
->AMBrc3 is £1875. 7th
April 2010.
Easter Weekend is
Neo weekend. Over 1800 viewers joined us
online for the
NEO2010. You can see all results and the Video of all Finals
on replay
here.
Don't forget there are many pictures and Driver Interviews
available at
www.neobuggy.net
7th
April 2010.
Harry sees Red The
LED in the Harry transponder has been changed. It is now
always RED. One flash
per second means it is OK, 5 flashes per second means it's
temperature is less than 5c or the voltage is less than 3.5v
or more than 12v. The reason for the change was that some
people thought the green LED was yellow or orange. Be
assured that as long as it is flashing, it is working!
1st March 2010.
Cash in the attic?
- Offer
ended 31 March 2010 If
you have an old AMB20 system you can trade it in for a brand
new AMBrc 3 Decoder. Click on the Decoder picture for more
information.
25th January 2010.
AMBrc2 Decoder
Upgrade
- Offer
ends 31 March 2010 If
you have an AMBrc2 Decoder you can trade it in and get a MYLAPS
RC3
Decoder for just £500. You can download the free RC4 firmware when it is
available and you will have the latest Decoder technology with 3
years warranty for a fraction of the price of a new Decoder. Click on the Decoder picture for more information. 25th January 2010.
Please note that the
transponder LED colour changed to red only since this video
was recorded. Please read the instructions supplied with
your Harry .
31st
December 2009.
A Double and Three
Halves - Meet Harry! This
is Harry, full name MYLAPS RC4 Hybrid Direct Power
Transponder. Double the output signal, about half the size
and weight as the older RC2 transponder,
operates on a wider voltage range (2.8-16v), has PTFE power
cable, reports extra information back to race control and
much cheaper than its predecessor. Lots of good stuff
here.
I can confirm Harrys work with the older RC Decoders and the
previous Transponders and copies work with the RC4 Decoder.
This is evolution, not revolution. Harrys will be available
soon with a very special UK launch price. Click on the
image for details. Over the next few
weeks we will be taking Harry to some race meetings for you
to try and buy at an even better price. Don't delay, the
special price is only for a short time. We have 200 on order
and it will be first come first served. Oh, just in case you
wondered, there is a trade in offer on the "old" style
transponder, and the clones as well. I would tell you the
price, but you wouldn't believe me. 4th
December 2009.
bbk
and SLIPS We've been having a
lot of fun timing the races for SLIPS, the new MTV street
racing show where winner takes all and the looser walks home. It is
currently showing in the UK on
Viva and
will be screened in Europe soon. 10th
November 2009.
AMB now have a new name - Mylaps
Sports Timing AMB products, prices and contact details
remain the same. The new name recognises the merger in
November 2008 of AMB-it and Champion Chip. Both are
Dutch companies. Champion Chip originally developed passive
RFID technology for timing running events. 12th October 2009.
Look back to the summer Here is a clip from the BRCA TC R4 race
at Snetterton. More on Youtube and
bbkRClive.
12th October 2009.
Beware the rise in UK VAT at the
end of this year! The current rate of VAT (15%) is also due to rise at
the end of December, probably to 17.5% but who knows?. If you
are planning to buy any AMB equipment then I would suggest
you think about doing it sooner rather than later.
12th October 2009.
Blog I've given in and joined the ranks of
Bloggers. Click here
to find out what's on my mind.
Muchmore UK GP. Lots of Interviews and A Finals. Check out
bbkRClive
Live channel On Demand.
Check out the Interview with Chris Grainger from our
coverage of the Muchmore UK GP.
Buy AMB equipment and save 4% on
VAT!
UK VAT is 15%, less than most European
countries. If you are in the EEC and are planning to buy an
AMB system and are not VAT registered, you can save 4%
if you buy from us. The system will ship direct from AMB but
instead of paying 19% VAT you will only pay 15%. Contact us
by
phone,
email or
skype for more information.
bbkRClive We have now covered the
Players '09 and the Neo09 with live video, data and results.
During the Neo09 main final we peaked with 997 viewers or
two channels. We will be covering more races in the next few
weeks. Check
here for more details.
And Tweet! We are now Tweeting.
If you don't know what Twitter and Tweet is click on the
Logo above to visit our adventures. You can join twitter and
follow us, or just look from time to time. All the events we
time will be Tweeted by us and others, you can see the
results by clicking on the Twitter Logos in the Race Events
2009. You are welcome to Tweet with us by including the
hashtag in your Tweets. Come on, you know you want to!
New pricing on AMB
products
If you are in the EEC and
outside the UK you can take advantage of the UK VAT rate of
15%. Goods will be shipped direct from AMB. Please contact
us for a quote.
Race Events
2009
Our calendar is filling
up fast.We offer
Online Race Entry, Meeting Management and
Timing Services Worldwide as well as in the UK and Europe. We aim to
live webcast if at all possible. If you would like us to
help our with your meeting please contact us for details. Below are the
meetings we are confirmed to time. There are lots more still to be announced...............
March
7-8 2009 European Touring Series 2008/9 Warsaw, Poland Details and Entry
here.
hashtag #etsrace
May
29-31 2009 European Touring Series 2008/9 Apeldoorn,
Netherlands Details and Entry
here.
June 12-14 Much More
UK GP Details and entry
here.hashtag
#mmukgp
July 17-19 2009 European
Touring Series 2008/9 Andernach, Germany Details and Entry
here.
Online Race Entry
and Race Advertising with bbk - update
Since launching
rcRaceControl.com in September
2007 over
2000 RC racers have
registered and nearly 2500 entries have been made. When the
DHI Cup was opened for entry 66 drivers entered the meeting
in the first minute and the modified class was full within
the hour. If you want your meeting to be visible to the
widest number of RC Racers use
rcRaceControl.com. If you want to advertise your race
but not use online booking we can provide that service as
well. The
system is available for any Race Organisers to use,
regardless of whether you use our software or not. It will be
used for all race meetings we Time from now on. If you want
to use the system, please
contact us.
Setting up the AMBrc Loop and Mounting Transponders. A
PDF file that tells you everything you need to know is now
available as a download
here.
Review of
2008 We timed races in Denmark,
Netherlands, Scotland, England, Germany and the Hungary
during 2008.Click
here for the full story
Review of
2007 We timed races in Germany
and the UK during 2007 and launched our online race entry
system
www.rcRaceControl.com.Click
here for the full story
Review of
2006 We timed 16 meetings in 2006
in the UK and Europe, including 2 World Championships and a
European Championship.Click
here for the full story
Review of
2005 During 2005 we travelled around Europe timing electric
and nitro, car and boat races, visiting 6 countries. Click
here for the full story.
If you have a big meeting in 2006 and want it "timed to
perfection", give us a call.