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Thread: Grid Calls / Announcer

  1. #1
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    Grid Calls / Announcer

    Dear BOD / CMRA Officials,

    The purpose of a PA announcement / radio broadcast system should be to deliver information to the members of this club who have chosen to race, and take very seriously the expense and commitment required to race each and every race. We don't each have the luxury of a mechanic or pit boss to monitor a radio or earpiece and call out to keep us on time. While I surely recognize that it is the responsibility of each racer to get to the grid on time, it is all of our duty to help ensure this happens every time someone has paid our club to participate.

    In my opinion, all other chatter coming across the PA system is for the benefit of a (nearly non-existent) fan base or casual observer and is too much fluff when combined with (often muddled) grid calls. We are not holding a monster jam, yet, lol. Having to listen through each and every PA announcement to discern if each and every call is possibly pertaining to your upcoming race is tiring, difficult, time consuming, and unnecessary. As was mentioned in other threads, this area need improvement.

    I would like to request we please have a distinctive chime, followed by race number and call number, repeated 3 times. Later the race name, other information, starting positions, etc...would be called without a chime.

    For Example:

    "Ding Dong. Race 16, 3rd Call. Ding Dong, Race 16, 3rd Call. Ding Dong, Race 16, 3rd Call" then "Race 16, Super Bike B Expert, sponsored by XYZ, first row, blah blah blah blah...."

    So unless a PA or radio announcement start with a ding dong, I know I as a racer don't have to yell at everyone to shut up so I can listen. The ding dong is a nice way to tell everyone who might be talking over announcements, "shut up, there is a grid call".

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9zV6XLZOBE

  2. #2
    Senior Member David Proler's Avatar
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    Great idea.
    David Proler, CMRA Expert #65
    Raceworx • Galfer • Vesrah • Sidi Boots • Incase
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Allan Campbell's Avatar
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    Excellent idea with the chime.

  4. #4
    Great idea. At work we have different tones for Fire...EMS...its pretty distinctive and will get your attention. After a while when you hear them you automatically start to listen.

  5. #5
    Senior Member David Proler's Avatar
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    Who has a Dixie horn?
    David Proler, CMRA Expert #65
    Raceworx • Galfer • Vesrah • Sidi Boots • Incase
    212 Decals • South Central Race Center • Pirelli

  6. #6
    Member Travis Cagle's Avatar
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    YES. A high-pitched chime will cut through the rumble of generators. If it's 15 minutes before my race and I hear DING DONG, I can count the calls myself.

    The grid marshalls probably laughed when I showed up 15 minutes early for the F4 sprint race, but that's my reaction when I can't hear the calls over the hum of generators.
    Tesseract Racing - Kawasaki Ninja 250R #74
    Yamaha WR250X #743

  7. #7
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    The special tone is a fun idea. I like special things.
    But being able to hear that noise might be dependent on each track's PA system??
    TipToes and TonkaTrucks #75
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  8. #8
    Administrator Walter Walker's Avatar
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    Scanners, scanners, scanners are your best bet for getting the calls to the grid. The track PA systems vary from ok to nonexistent. A scanner is the only way to go.
    Walter Walker
    Director of Competition
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    (NOT mean and unapproachable)

  9. #9
    Senior Member David Proler's Avatar
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    Can we look into having calls to the grid repeated in succession with some sort of unique sound prior to the announcement? When you're in you pit area next to people revving there engines all of the time and what not, it can be very difficult to not only understand the call, but to hear it as well.
    David Proler, CMRA Expert #65
    Raceworx • Galfer • Vesrah • Sidi Boots • Incase
    212 Decals • South Central Race Center • Pirelli

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Walter Walker View Post
    Scanners, scanners, scanners are your best bet for getting the calls to the grid. The track PA systems vary from ok to nonexistent. A scanner is the only way to go.
    Our scanner was spotty all weekend. FM worked better on Sunday.

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