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Aug 2018
2:55pm, 27 Aug 2018
29,115 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
So, Dv, I shall answer your questions serious, even if they were asked tongue-in-cheek?! 
Many clubs have indoor tracks, usually in a town hall or similar community building. These are usually for smaller scale cars e.g. 1/2. They run with slightly less powerful motors than the outdoor ones we run, to avoid smashing into walls etc. A carpet surface is put down (better grip for cars and protects the building's floor).
No, I won't be building such a thing. The only thing I'm looking at trying to get going is a grass, practice track, probably only usable when weather is OK.
There are outdoor tarmac tracks - these are for larger scales e.g. 1/10 and 1/8 and even 1/5 electric and nitro. The cars are stock cars, touring cars etc. These are usually in car parks, so don't have many undulations (unlike the big climbs and drops at Knockhill and Spa Francorchamps. More like Yas Marina at Abu Dhabi!)
The only class where you run behind your car, is the point to point style racing of RC Rally - where you have to run to keep up with your car. No mean feat when they do 50mph! G
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Aug 2018
3:51pm, 27 Aug 2018
29,116 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Oh and the grass and dirt tracks that we race on outdoors do have undulations - steeper and sharper than the likes of Knockhill, more like rally humpback bridge type jumps where we get some reasonable air. G
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Aug 2018
6:36pm, 27 Aug 2018
16,587 posts
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Dvorak
Thanks, G - all real questions as it is something I know naught of (although the run'n'race was a bit speculative). As was a cover for the lawn, although not something I was ruling out.
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Aug 2018
10:50am, 28 Aug 2018
29,119 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
No probs Dv!
Weekend dilemmas / challenges:
 will I have access to power to charge my batteries? (I have a 12V adapter that I can use to run rc battery charger from my car 12V but I don't know how accessible car will be from rc "pits". Other club mates will have generators with them, but I'm not sure if I can just share with them?)
 rain shelter might be important. Again, other club mates have gazebos. Hoping I can squeeze in. I don't even have a table of course!
 tyres (nothing to do with bikes, but we don't have a car icon!) My second hand car came pre-built with wheels and tyres. This is unusual. A kit comes with chassis only and you buy wheels and tyres separately. And you have to attach tyres to the wheels, which I haven't done before (not too hard, just need some foam inserts (like an inner tube), the tyre itself is just glued onto the wheel rim. Others will be bringing 3 or 4 different sets of tyres. Ones for wet conditions, different grip of the astro turf surface vs. the grass, which is all I've raced on etc. And newer tyres grip better than my slightly worn, older ones. Will this matter, vs. my rubbish driving? Apparently yes!
And it's all day. 8am to 8pm, probably! Hope weather's nice. G
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Aug 2018
10:54am, 31 Aug 2018
29,145 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Another impromptu practice session at the track last night. We didn't get there til 7 and it's properly dark by 9pm, so was quite a short one.
Good things - I learned to brake! I've been getting reasonably able to do consistent laps but wasn't sure how to improve. I know about a line, but I'd forgotten that quickest way to a hairpin after a straight is max speed, as long as poss, then hard brake. I've barely touched brakes yet! Still haven't got the hang of lines through S type corners.
Neutral things - I need new rear tyres. My car needs cleaned. I gave it a bit of a brush off last night, but things are going to start rusting / getting damaged if I don't strip it and properly lube / service things soon.
Bad things - I've had the car power drop by 50% a couple of times after a few mins of running. Could be lots of things - there are sensors on the motor and speed controller that auto cut out if either is overheating, or if battery voltage is too low etc. Weird thing is, it will come back to full power after a minute or 30s of slower running. That means it shouldn't be battery. Consistent with overheating (because it would then cool when running slower), but doesn't feel hot. Could be faulty sensor lead? It does have a wee split in it. Need to look at replacing that. Good news is it's cheap and easy to replace. Will prob do so anyway.
Sunday is going to be fun. 8am to 8pm and loads of racers and racing. G
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Aug 2018
2:59pm, 31 Aug 2018
31,344 posts
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Nick Cook
Yay! Go Happy!
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Sep 2018
1:50pm, 3 Sep 2018
29,151 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Well, indeed, it was fun! SORC - Scottish Off-road RC Championships or something! Round 6, but my first!
Executive summary. Started 4th from last, consistently paced 4th from last over 4 heats and finished... 4th from last! Consistent, at least!
Website said practice starting from 8am. Yeah, I though, sure, I'll rock up at 9 and it will all be fine. But of course, I hadn't realised that with 105 cars racing, 59 drivers and their friends, family and the host club, actually the practice was all booked times too. So I arrived at 9am, 45 min drive, found it quite easily, but to find that my practice heat had just finished. No matter. Practice is for wooses, one of my club mates said!
Second lesson - err, even though I have a "pit space" indoors (a container) at our club, on the road, you need a tent/gazebo and a table, at a minimum. Now the club has bought a couple of gazebo covers (bit hooha about that, but more on that later), no table meant I literally had my car on the grass. And my electrics - batteries etc. Not v. clever. And because my stuff is still in a Tesco bag and the car in the cardboard box it came in, I don't really even have any decent storage either!
I'd charged one battery in car as I drove, but the other two needed plugging in. Fortunately, borrowing generators is doable. But I didn't have a 4 way / extension lead either. So I shared chargers with club mates too. Was fine really. Final kit point - tyres. I knew I needed more, but while the club sells tyres, you need wheels specific to each car and the guy that supplies my car stuff hadn't got back to me. But they were great. I went across to where they were sitting and the guy actually made me up a set of wheels and tyres there and then. Tops!
So I was just fitting them when I found my heat was one of the first. The slowest go first and we had been "seeded" based on prev results. I was in exactly the right place, in the lowest heat, but 6th out of 9, as you will see!
Everyone was very helpful. I forgot I had to stick numbers on the car (3 of, front and sides). And wasn't even sure when and where to put my car for the start (was helpfully shown). Then the auto timing and announcement system is calling us to the rostrum. I was genuinely nervous! Shaking hands is not what you need when your only control of a 50mph little rocket is the 10mm movement of your thumbs right, left and up and down! Maybe 4 shots of espresso in the coffee mug in the car wasn't the best breakfast?!
Wasn't even sure whether to start on the beep, or as your number is called out immediately after. Settled for later is better, so as not to be accused of jump start. (Actually turns out it doesn't matter, as same as running it's chip timed, so lap time starts after you cross the line. The heats are effectively time trials - you're not racing for position in the race but for time rankings. 4 heat, your 2 best ranked times against everyone else in your class (2wd) and round are used to give you a score. This determines your position in final.)
Was tiptoeing around the track initially. Just trying to work out where to turn, what the grip was like, how my car was handling etc. This was a very different track to my home course. Astroturf (former five a side football pitch) with a lot of sand in it, and with big jumps (I mean big!) so I had a lot to learn. I had a few crashes, but mostly I was driving like a granddad, super slow and cautious. I started 6th and finished 6th!
And that's basically how it continued. I improved each round, my average time and my fastest lap, but so did everyone else. The track started wet and sandy so was very slippy. But as the sand was scrubbed off the racing line it got more and more grip. The sun came out and everything stayed dry, so it just kept improving. And I didn't really. Or not relative to my fellow racers.
So, those fellow racers. The 3 that I kept behind me were probably under 10 years old. And at least 4 under 14s were significantly ahead of me, in this and other heats. So I was effectively last of the adults. But I was probably the only first timer there, and someone has to be last! I didn't disgrace myself, and I was in the same ballpark as everyone else, not miles behind. A few seconds or 10ths even and I'd have been towards the back of the next level up. So plenty of improvement potential!
Overall, really enjoyed it. I got to my marshal points after each race fine (that's how it's run - after every race, you have to marshal the next one. Even the guy who is the #1 in Scotland who is sponsored by a car manufacturer etc. does his stint. Really nice guy actually. Very supportive.) I did a couple extra jobs helping out the organisers too. I only had one car, so had quite a lot of gaps through the day. Some folk had a car in each of the 3 classes - 4 wheel drive, 2 wheel drive and trucks. They were busy!
Helped pack the club tents up at the end and have taken one back to dry out at home from a wee shower of rain at the end. Helped another guy in club to pack his stuff in car. He's off to freshers' week at Uni. Wow, it might be a long time ago, but I remember how exciting and nerve wracking that was!
So, I'll be back for more. Next Scottish (regional) event is in 3 weeks in Dumfries. I'll sign up for that. Will def be getting a camping table, chair and a box for my stuff before that one. And I might turn up in time for practice this time too, because I rather think I need it! G
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Sep 2018
4:02pm, 3 Sep 2018
31,347 posts
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Nick Cook
Well done. Sounds great!
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Sep 2018
4:41pm, 3 Sep 2018
29,152 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Nah, I was rubbish Nick, but thanks anyway! I do feel I'm improving a bit, but so much still to go. And yes, it was lots of fun. G
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Sep 2018
1:51pm, 6 Sep 2018
29,166 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Just sold my first stuff - transmitter with case that I bought for £80, but added in receiver and servo, another 40 or 50 quids worth and I sold all together for £75. Hmmm, I don't think I'm very good at this lark! Must make sure not to buy what I don't need! G
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