the rules specifically dis-allow the use of any data acq. system. what is the reasoning? cost? what do the competitors feel about it?

 

not all of have any sponsors....i want to race but i don't want my assed kicked by some company willing to dump 50k into a car an lap me 9 times....like jack already does that to me on a daily driver!!

 

Data Acquisition does not automatically = Expensive.

There are a lot of very inexpensive D/A solutions available that will help a driver a ton.

 

If I remember previous discussions, the rule was mostly intended to ban real time telemetry. However, if you read the rule literally, memory tachs, camcorders, hotlap timers are all verbotten.

 

<-----------My data acquisition software

 

The ECHC was modeled after the SCCA IT rules so that the 2 series' could pull from each other. Data aquisition is not allowed in IT so it is not allowed here.

 

Sorry Drew... D/A is allowed in IT. I've been running a Stack system for two years. Under the IT rules it's considered instrumentation and therefore "open".

 

That is a grey area. Some don't consider that data aquisition.

 

Okay, I'll ask. What is the actual definition of data acquistion? I mean, when you think about it, isn't a tach data acquisition?


Matt

 

Or there could be a (relatively) inexpensive 'spec' data acquisition like what USTCC does. They use MaxQData http://www.maxqdata.com

 

What's grey about it? Matt brings up a good questions... what is data acquisition?
A camcorder certainly is. So is a Hot Lap timer or Memory Tach.

I've found that the people that are most opposed to any kind of D/A are the ones who understand the least about it. They hear the team and immediatly think F1 or something...

 

When I think of data aquisition I think of on-board real time telemetry that will allow you to reconstruct an entire session and see MULTIPLE aspects of the cars systems functioning simultaneously. Camcorders, memory tachs and things like that do not offer this capability. The tach only tells you max RPMs and the camcorder won't tell you anything about the motor beyond what the gauges will tell you.

 

A few IT cars in our region run with Stack... I agree it's expensive but allowed as far as I know...

What about radios? Do the ECHC rules allow for 2-way communication? I would think that would be an expensive "advantage" and outside the scope of a grassroots effort...although IT alows them.

 

FRS radios are allowed in the ECHC. You can pick up a complete setup with earpieces and everything else for around $100. That is within a grassroots budget.

High-dollar radio systems are not allowed (unless this rule was changed).

 

i would think the keyword is telementry - no real time tranmission of any data other than voice is allowed to the paddock. there are certainly tons of cheap data recorded. a memory tech is one.

data acq can be done as cheap as 200-300 bucks (even cheaper if u build your own). why disallow it? some of the systems are not expensive at all.

if ITA does allow data acq I think ECHC should open up too. so in car camera isn't allowed in ECHC??

 

Not that I have anything at stake for ECHC (unless there be a WCHC!), but I'll add that data acquisition is indeed free, in whatever form in IT. I think theres even a specific line saying so, but I'm no rules nerd. Any active engine/suspension adjustment is obviously illegal tho, especially outside of the ecu.

 

GCR 17.35 "Data collection devices are considered to be instrumentation and therefore allowed in all classes that permit the installation, replacement or addition of gauges, indicators or instrumentation."

Nothing grey about that. Obviously, that's SCCA. If the ECHC rules are different, I can live with it but as we've already mentioned, entry level D/A systems are very cheap and can be very helpful. Just because we're allowed to use them doesn't mean you'll start seeing $40K Pi Vids systems being installed.

Regardless of the system, I can assure you that the installation of a D/A system isn't going to suddenly transform anyone into a winner.

[QUOTE]High-dollar radio systems are not allowed[\QUOTE]

Reading the ECHC rules, I don't see where it says anything about radios. It certainly doesn't say that inexpensive equipment is allowed but expensive equipment isn't...

 

a.) I agree with Scott.

b.) Personally, I see that radios are as much a saftey device as any kind of "expensive" advantage and I see one-way radios and cheap radio solutions as less safe than using none at all - you'll have a hard time convincing me that a driver thinking "what the hell did he/she just say?" or continually yelling "what?" over the radio is a good thing. Personally, hearing "off in T12 stay outside, stay outside in 12" was the biggest advantage we got this weekend using radios and who knows, it might have been helpful to the guy "outside" of me as well ;-)