Track Boxes may be setup either at fixed points on course (most common) or on moving vehicles for tracking their location and the athletes nearby. Below are some tips for setup of both. 

Regarding the number of Track Boxes deployed and their placement, the more Track Boxes you deploy on course, the more accurate predictions can become. If Track Boxes are too close to one another and their detection ranges overlap, it can result in unreliable data which is also challenging for visualisation algorithms to make sense of the data.

Here are some recommendations for optimal placement of your active Track Boxes:

Fixed Point on Course

• Setup your Track Boxes at least 500 m apart. The Track Box will receive trackpings from transponders within a minimum radius of 50 m, but this can be much wider in optimal conditions.
• The wide range of Track Boxes may result in transponders being detected from multiple parts of the course. Track Boxes location on looping sections of course may detect at very different points from the anticipated read area. This may be advantageous if participants pass the same Track Box multiple times in different directions or different parts of the race. 
• For Active Track Boxes, ensure the 2.4 GHz antenna is securely fastened and is pointed vertically upwards. Try to mount the Track Boxes on elevated structures such as lamp posts or fences. Avoid having the line of sight between antenna and transponder blocked by large metal objects such as street signs. 
• Mounting Track Boxes higher will increase the range over which they can detect transponders, if transponders are detected too early then lowering the mounting point may help reduce the range which can help to improve accuracy of times.
• If your tracking software takes timing data from RACE RESULT Systems into account for the visualisation, you do not need to place any Track Box nearby a traditionnal timing system.
• Remember where you placed your Track Boxes.
• Caution: A Track Box close to start and finish may generate significant amounts of data. Especially if you do not deactivate tracking at the finish and collect transponders in reach of the Track Box.
• Before deploying your Track Boxes, you may want to label them with your company logo and phone number, and send a picture to the organiser for him to show his volunteers and the security staff of the event. Remember that most people have never seen a Track Box before and may take it for something else.

 

On Vehicles

• Track Boxes are supplied with plastic pads on the base which ensure optimum stability and avoid scratches on the vehicle.
• The magnets should be strong enough to hold on to the roof of a car even at high speed. You can use extra zip ties or duct tape to fasten the device.
• Place the Track Box away from any other device (e.g. radio antenna, etc.).
• If mounting on a car with sunroof, or other moving parts, make sure opening it will not push the Track Box away.
• Make sure the 2.4 GHz antenna is securely fastened and pointing vertically upwards.