Predictive Lap Times on Kart in real time

[scott mandel]

Hi guys – i’m new to karting. Just bought a used Haase with Rotax Max from Mike Doty. OVRP is my home track.
When I tracked my racecar, the AIM SOLO was my favorite tool because it gave me Predictive Lap Times in real time.
My kart has the michron4 but i don’t think it has that functionality. I did research and if I buy the GPS kit ($300?), it only gives you theoretical best after the session is over.
I’m looking for something that shows you in real time like the AIM SOLO did, or if the michron can function in that manner.
I am leaning towards buying an AIM SOLO and just putting it on the kart somewhere within easy viewing.

thoughts? suggestions?
Thank you,

[Timothy Strawkas]

In karting you will not have enough time to be looking at you tach that often. If you do you , you have bigger problems then just knowing your laptimes. Having something like that puts yourself and others on the track around you at risk In my opinion. Once you get on track on A sprint course with others around you, you wont need A function like that. Have fun

[Bernie Baldus]

You need to contact AIM.  I have a MyChron 4 with predictive laps.  All the way around the track it is telling me how this lap is going, compared to the best time of the session I think.

I don’t know why, I have others that do not have the function, but this one does and I am guessing it is just in the Firmware.

[scott mandel]

Bernie – so do you have the GPS kit? I presume so but just want to make sure.

[tony zambos]

The option to enable Predictive Lap Times can be found under MENU > CONFIGURATION > SYSTEM SETUP. Never used it.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Walt Gifford]

I don’t need a gauge to tell me when I’m screwing up.

FAA certified jet engine and aircraft technician,
Nicholson Speedway class champion 2001,
Yamaha KT100 Service Center,
41 years karting experience

[Matt Dixon]

Any good qualifier knows how to use their predictive laptimer

94y

[Matt Clark]

Had no idea about this, but it’s now enabled on my Mychron, we’ll see how it goes Saturday.

[tony zambos]

Matt C.,
Let me know what your thoughts on predictive lap times. tony

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Matt Dixon]

You must have gps for predictive lap times to work

94y

[Barry Hastings]

I LOVE the predictive lap time,  One issue with the predictive lap time GPS based predictive lap times has to deal with the margin of error of the GPS on a kart track.  Some of the tighter turns are nearer the limits of the window the GPS looks at.  Race car tracks MUCH more reliable as they have larger turns and is easier to be more accurate.

That said, the predictive with GPS is still a great tool for learning new tracks, and to try somethings out in different turns, or groups of turns.  Way back there is a story Senna would go on track with a stop watch to do segment times to figure out what was faster.  Sure we could down load and look at it after the session, but the predictive can give you real time plus, minus for a turn or group of turns.  Go into a turn half a second slower than the best lap, come out only a quarter second slower, you have made it thru that section better than the lap before….

Shawno, yeah you’ll probably crash, New Castle you would have more time to look at the dash.

[Dan Breuer]

I have a mychron 4, the only way I can get the predictive to work is if I am on the beacon (I do have GPS, but cannot get predictive with it). I have disconnected the GPS, run purely on the beacon and used the predictive. Any ideas as to why?

[tony zambos]

Dan,
update your gauge to the latest version of firmware. That should resolve your issue. If that doesn’t, call AIM.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Matt Clark]

Oh dang, didn’t realize you have to have GPS, but it makes sense now.  Oh well!

[Matt Dixon]

Dan the gps is always on, what you are referring to is the setting for how the Mychron knows where the S/F line is. If you have it on gps you will need to set the S/F line buy pressing a series on buttons, but you only have to do it once then its in the memory forever or you can download the trackmap from Map Manager with your datakey. The good thing about using the beacon is if you overlay data with another kart they both are in sycn.

94y

[Dan Breuer]

Tony, thanks- I thought I had the latest update but will give that a try. Matt C- you do not need to have GPS for the predictive-used it long before I bought the GPS. Look at the manual for the Mychron 4, it explains the setting needed to get it to work off the beacon. When I say I switched off the GPS, I mean I physically took the unit off the kart-not just switched a setting. Hopefully the firmware update will allow me to use the predictive with the GPS as our track tends to forget to keep the beacon working from time to time.

[Matt Dixon]

hmmm I stand corrected, although I have no idea how the Mychon head can have any idea where you are on the track without the GPS

94y

[Matt Dixon]

BTW this is the cheapest I have ever seen a gps sold, must mean the M5 is close to being released

https://store.windingroad.com/aim-sports-external-gps-antenna-p850.aspx

94y

[tony zambos]

Matt,
Guessing that if you have an axle sensor, the gauge could determine how far away from start/finish you were.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Dan Breuer]

I asked about this a few years ago, the way it was explained to me was that the predictive (when using just the beacon) compared the time difference from one lap to another by breaking down the ‘peaks’ (Example, best lap RPM peak before turn 1 is 4.8 seconds after start/finish line on “best lap”, you then peak at 4.6 seconds on a lap- mychron assumes you will run the remainder of the track the same as ‘best lap’ and predicts a .2 second gain for that lap. This goes on multiple times during a lap, so it continually updates the ‘prediction’.   Not sure if this is true but it made sense- but I have to believe using the GPS would be way more accurate.

[Jansen Cinco]

I hope someone sees this message on such an old thread but here it goes:

Is there an easy way to setup a Mychron 4 to display the current lap time and the delta to the previous lap?

[tony zambos]

From a guy who’s never used this function:

Start with your GPS unit attached to the M4.  Then, to enable Predictive Lap select MENU > CONFIGURATION (Wrench symbol) > SYSTEM SETUP (M4 gauge symbol). You will have three options to toggle thru: disabled/Diff Mode/Absolute.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Jansen Cinco]

Thanks for the reply Tony! I actually just bought a kart from a member at OVRP like the OP and I’m not sure if the kart has the GPS module. I will check in a couple weeks when I’m back at the track.

Do you need the GPS in order to show the lap deltas?

I’ve searched the interwebs and people don’t seem to really be into the delta times but it seems that it could be really useful for practice or qualifying sessions to see if you are going faster thru a section. i.e. quick look at the mychron for a +/- delta from the previous lap.

[tony zambos]

For a Mychron4, it will be obvious if you have or haven’t GPS.  While the Mychron5 has built in GPS, the Mychron4 uses a separate, external module.  https://cometkartsales.com/Mychron-4-GPS-System.html

FYI – I’m not a driver, but do not believe you will have enough time to study your gauge on a sprint track.  Learn to use Race Studio’s split reports to see gains and losses through certain parts of the track.

There are two ways to get lap details.  One is with the use of a GPS module and the second is with the use of an e-Box. The e-Box has accelerometers that are used to plot a track map but the e-Box is the older method of track mapping.  The use of GPS is more common today.

If you haven’t watched the AIM videos, click here for the link.

I am just mentioning this. I have both an e-Box and GPS05 module with a hub.  PM me if you’re interested.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Jansen Cinco]

Thanks for the reply and info Tony! I’ll be sure to try out the race studio program and check if I do have the gps module on the kart.

Thanks again!

[tony zambos]

You’re welcome.

A couple of tips. First, never let the battery voltage in your M4 drop below 7.0 volts.  To check, turn the gauge on and after the startup displays finish, press the ON button again.

Second, you’ll get good information from the Forum on Aim equipment, but better yet, use AIM’s support. Depending on how busy they are, it might take a couple of days for a response.  They are excellent.

http://aim-sportline.com/

 

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Jansen Cinco]

Ok I’ll be sure to keep that voltage up. I’ll also be sure to message AIM directly for support. Thanks Tony!

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