Champions League Round 4 at Oxford 4/3/12

Stupid controller? I think he means electronic? any resistor controller is electronic by its nature.

Maybe they should have set a rule about the price of a controller rather than say electronic which cost at least double or up to 9 or 10 times a parma plus.

I think electronics are interesting as they can measure currents and change their characteristics giving the mediocre driver skills he never knew he had!

I think we should outlaw the thumb being used!

nic

electric current: a movement or flow of electrically charged particles, typically measured in amperes.

Electronics is the branch of physics, engineering and technology dealing with electrical circuits that involve active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies.

Flange,

As ever your posts are most amusing and i always look forward to them.

The point of the controller and indeed using the club cars is to have a more level playing field where not just the person with the most money wins.

The same can be said for some clubs that still use the resistor type Parma etc.

This series has always been in my eyes about having some fun, sure it gets a bit heated at time and there has been the odd incident.

Always there seems to be rules set and instantly questioned.

Dave.

Flange - DrH is amused... not taking the Michael

With regard to the controllers (and other aspects of the hobby too), when newbies turn up and they suddenly find that their beloved Scalextric cars are no good for the sort of racing we do, they do bulk at the price of stuff.
As a committee member at Nascot Wood, I am always battling to save the average racer money and keep him competitive. This includes restricting the types of motors we're allowed and also even the manufacturers.
Fancy controllers DO give an advantage and as I'm not particularly well-off, it demoralises me when I go to an open meeting and find that my car is left gasping for punch on the main straight because the guy next to me has a sudden influx of power from the electronic capacitors and refined wiring that his wallet can afford.
Now okay, it's an open meeting and I don't have to turn up if I don't want to. But I do when time allows because I like to race and I will put up with the fact that the guy next to me has more money.
This series (The Champions League) is designed to be basic. New guys can come along and race. They might fall off every lap and often do. BUT it's to give them the thrill of racing on different tracks against people they wouldn't normally meet etc etc.
Personally, I don't feel like I'm living in the dark ages... I have an Apple Mac for a computer - most people have a PC, they're the ones living in the dark! (That's a joke by-the-way, but it's the same kind of argument).

We had two new guys start at Nascot Wood recently and I don't want to put them off by saying they'll need this and that just to have an outside chance of being competitive.

I used to race BRSCA-type cars (I couldn't afford that either), and that type of racing is FAST... I mean really fast, so I think I can control super-beasts with the rest of 'em. I still probably won't beat Matt Bryce, Trevor Fox, Keith Fishenden and others though

So basically, if you have the skill, you'll win,no matter what type of racing you do. I think the problem with not beating Johnny Foreigner is much deeper. I mean, when they have one of their Rally events in Portugal or Spain, the entire family turns up and the events get sponsorship... meanwhile here in cold dank Blighty, we're standing around in secluded huts drinking tea and arguing about who should be put on first when there's an "off"

Buy me an electronic controller for my birthday - I'll gladly use it at as many events as I can

Hope to see you come and race very soon

Marc

Electronic throttles are great, period! I've been lucky enough to have the use of one for some years now, as have the vast majority of other people at our club and unless the world runs out of electricity, it's unlikely that anyone will convince me to change back.
However, I think unless everyone in a body of racers, be it a club or a race series is in agreement that the use of such devices should be allowed, it just opens up a very angry can of worms.

When Truspeed controllers first appeared at Molesey, there was a lot of muttering and grumbling and accusations of cheating and buying success soon followed.
We went through various tests and after much deliberation concluded that there was no increase in straight line speed or "punch" out of bends. The real advantage in fact for the type of racing we do, is the ability to adjust the brakes. In certain classes this is worth around 3-4 tenths over a lap on our old track, which on a 7.5 second lap is the difference between night and day.

These throttles are now the norm at Molesey and in response to the cost argument most new members see owning an electronic throttle as something to aspire to rather than a financial non starter.

I have to agree that telling a prospective new racer they're going to have to spend £200+ is likely to scare the out of them, but there are other far more cost effective alternatives available at a fraction of the cost which will give you the same basic adjustments (brakes and ohmage) which will enhance the racing experience no end. Rather than, "oh boll**** the trigger wire on my throttle's worn through, again".

I can see Flange's argument in as much as I think the London racing scene might be a little "blinkered" to the advances that have been made in throttle technology, in the same way as captain caveman looked at his neighbours invention and said "round wheels? Don't be stupid!". But if things work fine the way they are then why change? But then, why not?

I still think that my Apple Mac is better, faster, crisper display, nice looking, trendy, 21st-Century, costs more and is leagues ahead of all the PC users on here too

ABBO

I'd love a Mac! But I spent too much on throttles.

One of our lads turned up last night with a extra box ?
2amp socket with a knob on it, whats that Alan ?
Its an adjustable brake box cost less than £10.00

Marc will try and borrow it and bring on Friday night to show you,
He has also modified a std parma controller as well for resistance for less than £10

Think electronic controllers is the way forward (if you cant bet them, join them)
I was lucky in that Wayne got a Tru-speed and his NSR one was surplus to requirements, so managed to buy from him
Am now thinking of upgrading this for something with more Knobs on
Most of us tune-up our cars possibly doubling the cost of said car but using a £20-£40 controller ?

Racing on both Plastic and Wood electronic is way forward for me, far more car control !

Assume Club cars on Friday will be the ones used for your C/L round ?

John

Club cars will be something old but very drivable... You know, a car that suits an old-fashioned controller.
(We have about 15 of them to choose from)

Look on our Facebook page:

Nascot Wood Facebook

M

QUOTE (abbo @ 7 Mar 2012, 12:30) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I still think that my Apple Mac is better, faster, crisper display, nice looking, trendy, 21st-Century, costs more and is leagues ahead of all the PC users on here too

ABBO

How come Abbo van afford an apple and not a pro controller?

Apples are just different in cost and technology to a pc.

Apples are not very good for number crunching but for imaging and artwork for the creative person they are.

anyway this is a slot car forum...

do you mean controllers???

QUOTE (zendragon @ 7 Mar 2012, 18:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> do you mean controllers???

no I mean motors. Abbo wants their members to save money and they insist on ninco which are really the most expensive for what they are. There are better motors that cost less than his club rules state!