RIDER BULLETIN 3.12

RULE CHANGE
ADDITION OF TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT:
RALLY COMP

Rule 3.12- Mandatory Rally Comp Device
An organization-provided Rally Comp unit must be properly installed and functional through scrutineering (technical inspection) and at the departure of each special stage. Riders will receive their Rally Comp devices, antenna and alert buzzers that will be loaned them for use during the 2015 BAJA RALLY. It is the rider’s/ team manager’s ultimate responsibility to make sure their Rally Comp unit stays fully powered at all times. Any power failure during a special stage may result in a substantial time penalty for the rider. Therefore, riders must fully accept the responsibility for their respective units being mounted and powered.

Mounting the Rally Comp is simple and easy and BAJA RALLY will assist riders, as needed at scrutineering. The Rally Comp unit shares the same footprint and connector cables as conventional navigation meters such as ICO and RNS. Riders are required to “make space” for the proper installation of Rally Comp. For example, riders must arrive at scrutineering prepared to allow BAJA RALLY officials to mount the RALLY COMP, using the same mounting method as conventional meters. BAJA RALLY will work with and assist riders, and team managers to insure the proper compliance with rule 3.12. Vibration isolation bushings (ie: rubber grommets), similar to those used in mounting standard odometers must be used in the installation of Rally Comp. Riders should arrive to scrutineering with 2 holes drilled (1.5” apart), exactly the same as standard odos with a pair of rubber grommets lining the 2 holes.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE:
For safety and compliance purposes BAJA RALLY has collaborated with Rally Comp, a groundbreaking new metering device that also doubles as a fully functioning GPS based odometer, speedometer, cap repeater and clock. Rally Comp is about the size of a Go-Pro camera and performs functions to time and score the BAJA RALLY similar to ERTF devices used in FIM world championship rallies.

Primarily, the properly installed and powered Rally Comp will measure the riders’ entire rally through all stages and account for masked “waypoints” (WPM), calculating gross and net “penalty-adjusted” times as the rider progresses through the event’s stages. At the arrival of each special stage, riders’ Rally Comp units will display the riders’ gross elapsed time, the number of compulsory “Masked Waypoints” (WPM) hit or missed and any speed zone violations. Penalties will accrue to the riders’ time as they are incurred for either speeding, missing a WPM or for having to manually “open” or expose a WPM.

For example, if a rider believes they have become misplaced from the course route (ie: lost) the rider may push a button to “open” the next waypoint (ie: exposing or opening the waypoint). Opening the waypoint causes the Rally Comp to display an arrow pointer, guiding the rider to the direction (with distance) of the next waypoint.

Secondarily, the Rally Comp device acts as a primary or backup odo/speedo/ cap repeater. There is NO requirement that riders must use Rally Comp as a primary or backup odo/ speedo/ cap repeater.
 
CONSIDERATIONS:
Many riders’ bikes make space for 2 odometers and some riders only use one odometer. Other riders use 2 mounted odometers, sometimes a cap repeater. In any case, all BAJA RALLY participants must “make space” for BAJA RALLY officials to install a loaned (BAJA RALLY provided) Rally Comp onto their navigation consoles. There is a small antenna connected to the top of the Rally Comp device that must also be secured properly.
 
POWER SPECIFICATION:
Riders need a bike with a good battery or a good 12V power source and a good quality, sealed power switch. Please note that a cheap or unsealed power switch will get dirty or wet and periodically lose contact, causing the unit reset.  Rally Comp will run on any power connection between 6.5 volts and 24 volts. Riders with bikes that do NOT meet this requirement will have to coordinate with the organizer to insure that Rally Comp will be powered properly. Because Rally Comp and BAJA RALLY are sponsoring this new technological advancement, BAJA RALLY will work with each rider to comply with Rule 3.12 for their safety and for the overall enjoyment of an accurately scored rally event.

SUMMARY:
Rally Comp and Rule 3.12 are mandatory and riders must “make space” in clear site for identical footprint and cable connectors (optional) as standard odometers such as ICO and RNS. Keeping the Rally Comp fully powered throughout the special stages is the sole responsibility of the rider. Any power failure or resetting of Rally Comp during a special carries a standard time penalty TBA plus any unlogged waypoints.
Rally Comp is a powerful device with a wide range of possible functions to make BAJA RALLY safer, more fun and much more fair than using different brands of GPS units to score compliance. We tested the product extensively with the manufacturer and we are confident riders and officials will have a more enjoyable experience at BAJA RALLY because of Rally Comp. Rider and team manager questions should be directed to bajarally@gmail.com.

COMMON ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS:
Q: I already have my ICO odometer and RNS cap repeater using 2 spaces above my roadbook reader. Do I have to remove one of those components to make space for Rally Comp?
A:Yes. Rally Comp can double as a cap repeater without any additional connections. Rally Comp’s cap repeater can display your cap heading while Rally Comp is performing waypoint and speed compliance functions.

Q: What if I am only set up with one space for an odo on my console and I don’t want to use Rally Comp’s GPS-based odo/cap repeater?
A: You need to modify your navigation console or fabricate a bracket to securely mount Rally Comp “in clear view” of your navigation components because you will likely need to see Rally Comp’s arrow pointer to make it though compulsory masked waypoints (WPM).

Q: Do I still need to bring a GPS and record my tracks for compliance.
A: Yes. It is still required that you carry a GPS and record your own tracks as a backup for:

1. Scoring backup in the event of a device failure not of riders causing.
2. Backup cap heading.
3. GPS locator and breadcrumb function if rider is lost.

 
RIDERS ARE REQUIRED TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE RULEBOOK
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EMAIL QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO 
bajarally@gmail.com