Data Acquisition

Application Chart

FAQ's

• Question

  Why should I buy a Racepak data recorder? Why not one of those other recorders I see advertised?

  Answer

  Great question, and one to which we could give you a whole list of reasons as answers. However, we feel that our best endorsements come from our customers. The people who have spent their hard earned dollars and put our equipment to the test. Try this…next time you are at any large race, start taking a close look inside the cars to see whose data recorder everyone is actually using. Pay special attention to those teams who can afford whatever equipment they want, so they only use those that will get the job done for them. If you get the opportunity, see if you can ask them a few questions. Ask them why they use Racepak (overwhelming, most do). Ask them if they have any problems with their recorder or software. Ask if it was difficult to install or learn how to use. Ask if they get the support they need whenever they might need it. Ask if they would buy from Racepak again. While you are at it, why don’t you also go ahead and ask those questions to anyone that may be using some other brand of data recorder. As you might suspect, as we enter the third decade of supplying customers with the finest data acquisition equipment available, we feel we have established a pretty solid reputation, and aren’t afraid of letting our customers speak for us.
• Question

  Who needs data acquisition?

  Answer

  Data acquisition is information. The more information you have, the better you can perform your job. If that job happens to involve something like motorsports, the better informed and prepared racers are the one’s who show up in the winner’s circle most often. Think of data acquisition as an extension of some functions that you are already monitoring, like engine RPM, water temperature, oil pressure, and even fuel level.
• Question

  What does a data recorder cost?

  Answer

  That question doesn’t have a quick and easy answer. It is somewhat like walking into a restaurant and asking, “How much is a meal?” Just as the restaurant has a menu full of items, so does data acquisition. To guide you toward an answer would start with deciding which data recorder is best suited to your needs and application. You can start that process yourself by visiting our Application Chart.
• Question

  I really don’t need to make my car any faster.

  Answer

  Ah-ha! Another shortsighted view of the value of data acquisition. True, data recorders were initially used in motorsports to make cars faster, but since then racers have discovered the joys of using data recorders to make their cars more consistent, heading off problems before it costs them a bundle of money, and resolving problems that caused their car to lose the speed it had.
• Question

  I don’t want a full-blown data recorder. I just want to monitor a couple of items.

  Answer

  You are very lucky. It hasn’t been that long ago that data recorders were designed with nothing but large capabilities in mind. Today, again thanks to new technology, we have systems that let you start as small as you would like, and then add from there as your needs or budget dictates. Check out our V-Net systems if you want to see how modular technology has come to data acquisition.
• Question

  What kind of things do most people monitor?

  Answer

  The answer to that can depend somewhat on what type of car the recorder is in. Almost everyone is going to want to see the engine RPM and the driveshaft RPM. Driveshaft speed is used to look at tire slippage and also to calculate a slippage ratio between the engine and the clutch or torque converter. After that the selection starts to spread out. Popular items include the exhaust gas temperatures (indicator of rich/lean fuel mixture), fuel pressure (fuel system efficiency), oil pressure (engine problem warning), pan vacuum (engine efficiency or warning signals), along with an accelerometer (G-meter) and battery voltage. From there it just depends on how hungry you are for information. You can start looking at nitrous bottle or fuel pressure, transmission pressure or temperature, brake pressure, manifold vacuum or boost, water/oil/cylinder head temperature, ignition timing, shock travel, event markers, throttle position, lap times, track segment times, track mapping…. well, you get the idea. If it involves pressure, vacuum, temperature, position, travel, event, or RPM, we can help you monitor it.
• Question

  What is the G2X Pro?

  Answer

  The G2X Pro is an evolution of our professional series GPS based data acquisition systems, utilized for years in various forms of motorsports. Thousands of on-track laps have allowed us to create an economical data logger that is both rugged and dependable, in a variety of environments.
• Question

  Why use GPS data?

  Answer

  Reduced Cost
  
  The G2X Pro utilizes a small GPS antenna to obtain and create data that would typically require an assortment of vehicle mounted sensors and trackside mounted transmitters. The use of GPS signals, combined with the G2X Pro software provides:
  
  • Lap Time
  • Segment Time
  • Track Mapping
  • Speed
  
  In addition, lateral and accel g forces are provided from internally mounted accelerometers, RPM and other inputs are available from externally connected sensors.
  
  Easy Installation
  
  Mount the data logger and dash, connect power and place the antenna on the top of the vehicle. Installation is complete. This simple design allows for quick install / removal in multiple vehicles, while the use of GPS data for lap / segment timing and track mapping allow for accurate comparison between multiple vehicles.
  
  Real Data
  
  The G2X Pro is a data system that installs like a performance meter, yet is a true data acquisition system, saving data to an SD memory card. Data may then be downloaded to the users PC for detailed review. Analysis is performed utilizing Racepak’s Datalink II software, our professional series software that is easy to learn and easy to utilize.
  
  Lap Times without the Necessity of Trackside Transmitters or Vehicle Mounted Receiver
  
  The G2X Pro Display Dash provides the ability to set the start / finish area while on the track, thus providing immediate access to lap time and lap number data, without the necessity of placing any trackside beacons or installing onboard beacon receivers. In addition, other monitored items such as lap difference, speed and various other inputs are available for display.
• Question

  How does the G2X Pro provide timing and track mapping data?

  Answer

  In essence, the GPS data from the G2X Pro allows the user to recreate a GPS plotted trackmap, within the Datalink II software. Following this, the user may then place the start / finish and segment markers at the desired location, around the GPS plotted trackmap. The start / finish and segment markers are GPS plotted points, providing accurate timing data.
  
  This “virtual reality” track is saved within the Datalink II software. Track maps may be recalled upon subsequent visits in order to compare lap and segments times between various test / race sessions.
  
  
• Question

  Is the G2X Pro proven?

  Answer

  While items such as the G2X Pro housing and Display Dash are new products, the internal hardware and software designs are based on our track proven professional series GPS data systems. With multimillion dollar sponsorships depending upon performance, if our professional series race teams rely on the information provided by our GPS data systems, so can you.
• Question

  What is the accuracy of the G2X Pro?

  Answer

  Relative Accuracy of GPS Data
  
  When working with GPS signals, it is difficult to quote absolute accuracy, due to a variety of factors. The number of satellites in view, the time of day, the location of the G2X Pro GPS antenna along with natural and man made obstacles can affect accuracy.
  
  However, when using GPS signals for track mapping, lap / segment timing and speed, the G2X Pro and Datalink II software provide exceptionally accurate data, which has been tested and verified in years of on track usage.
  
  Speed In typical usage, the speed accuracy is approximately .10 MPH / .16 KMH.
  
  Laptime In multi-year testing of G2X Pro vs. trackside beacon laptimes, a variance of .05 has been noted. GPS based laptimes are dependant only upon vehicle location, and can not be affected by sunlight, signal blockage from other vehicles, power loss to the transmitter, or other problems associated with trackside transmitters.
  
  Track mapping G2X Pro GPS track maps are created from plotted vehicle location, thus eliminating positional errors that are inherent to inertia based systems. G2X Pro GPS track mapping is capable of easily producing accurate track maps from courses that combine highly bank and extremely flat areas (such as the road course at Daytona), along with standard closed course race tracks. In addition, the G2X Pro can create open course track maps, such as would be used in auto cross, hill climbing and other events where the start and finish are located at two different locations.
• Question

  Isn’t data acquisition expensive?

  Answer

  That was true at one time, but not now. The cost of monitoring and recording data has been reduced drastically over the years. Remember the first pocket calculator you bought? It may have cost you over a hundred dollars. Today they give them away for filling your gas tank with fuel or opening a bank account, and the calculators will perform more functions than those that cost a lot. The same holds true with data recorders. Through technology, the prices have come down and the capabilities have gone up.
• Question

  Computers scare me.

  Answer

  Well, they can’t be too frightening to you because you are using one right now. The truth is that if you can get this far on a computer you have all the skills you need to use the software that is used with our data recorders. Both are Windows®-based systems that allow you to navigate around by pointing and clicking on icons. To the best of our knowledge no one has ever hit the ‘explode’ button by accident, so stop worrying and start enjoying.