Baja 1000 Relay and Status - Weatherman, PCI & RDC

[sweetdevil]

The 40th Annual SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 will run from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. At 1,296 miles, 450 entries and a LOT of checkpoints, there are a lot of 2 and 4 wheel vehicles to keep track of and a lot of ground to cover. The Weatherman will be in his usual post for the penninsula runs, an airplane and he will take care of covering as much ground (and air) as possible for race day communications. Without internet, keeping track of each vehicle through each checkpoint is becoming a near-impossible task with the amount of entries and miles.

To keep the Weatherman free for SCORE emergencies, business, relays and racer assistance, PCI Race Radios will be keeping track of everyone from Long Beach via the internet. Rhiannon Freiley, aka "Sweet Devil" will have communications with each checkpoint, IonEarth, RallyTrack and IRC. In addition to the satellite tracking systems, Race-Dezert.com will be setting up live broadcasts of the Weatherman channel from Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Mt. Diablo and a fourth Location TBD. These feeds will be monitored for noteworthy communications about vehicle and racer status. Lastly, Robert Thompson will be at the top of Mount Diablo (Weatherman's usual observatory spot for the Baja 500 and Baja 1000 loop race.) Race-Dezert.com will also be setting Robert up with internet so he can communicate with PCI in Long Beach.

All this data put together by PCI in Long Beach will serve as an instant locator for all vehicles. The Weatherman will be able to communicate with Sweet Devil from the plane via Iridium text messages for status of vehicles. Diablo relay will also have immediate access via email and phone communications.

What can you do???
Make my job easier by letting me know which, if any satellite tracking systems you are using. Go to www.weathermanspeaks.com and register with the Weatherman for the 2007 Baja 1000. When the Weatherman or your team needs to find you on Race day, it will help us get the information quickly from your satellite tracking provider. If you have registered in the past, please re-send with your satellite tracking information.

How can you access this information on race day?
For those at home, the best way to know what is going on with the race is to listen to the Weatherman feed on www.race-dezert.com. I will create and be monitoring a thread for non-urgent status requests from those at home, as well as posting periodic race updates. PCI customers who are racing in Baja are welcome to call the shop 562-427-8177 or email me 24/7 during the race for status on their vehicle. Please understand that calling on Iridium will reach a level of saturation and keep this to overdue vehicles only. A text message would be better! And as always, race business, SCORE and the Weatherman will come first to status, so please be patient if we have to get back to you!

Saturation???
Despite what some know-it-all's may think about saturation it is a real problem for Baja and the growing number of racers and communication devices in Baja. What started out as a VHF only problem is turning into a satellite problem. Iridium will be VERY saturated with data from race cars, satellite phone calls, text messages and internet data. Please keep your race day communications to important details only! No chit-chat or calls home to say "hi" if possible. If you're at home, don't call for updates every 5 minutes. You are restricting emergency communications when you do this. A text message will take up the smallest amount of data transfer and with noise, may be the best way to reach your teammates. Iridium satellite phone services come with unlimited text messages between phones and people with internet can even send you a message for free from www.Iridium.com.

Best of luck to everyone, be safe, have fun and make it the finish line! Email me or call me for more information or with any comments and suggestions. I have always wanted to help the Weatherman on race day, but I hate flying, so this is the next best thing! I'm really excited that I can help out with this aspect of race day. PCI not only brings you the Weatherman and this relay and status service on race day, but we will be in Ensenada for contingency and trackside service and support on Sunday and Monday before the race.

-Rhiannon "Sweetdevil" Freiley

[SPONSOR]

Membership in the largest desert racing community has its advantages - Participate in Forum Discussions - Send and Receive Private Messages - Maintain Public Photo Albums - Access to Groups - User Profile in our Social Network - Increased Access to more Sub Forums - Reduced Online Advertisements Join our community today

[fashionbiff]

I will just say Thank you.

[bajabird]

double dose of Thank you's to all at PCI for their help, service and support!!!!!

[pjc]

Rhianon,

Do you have enough bandwidth? Your website will be swamped! PM me if you need more. I can set a server up in our Vegas colo that has 2gb of Internet bandwidth.

[sweetdevil]

PJC - sent you a pm, thanks a bunch!

As far as registering via the website, I will obviously get a list from each tracking provider and be able to update my records here of who is using what, but any additional info you can provide on the registration will be really helpful for getting a hold of your team and the race car. (sat phone #'s, etc)

[Dern y Paulina]

Another Thank You, this one coming from someone who is going to be stuck in the states, wishing she were there.
My dad would never believe how much communications have changed in what seems like not too long ago when he was with IRRC, doing the job with a c.b. radio.

Paulina

[movindirt]

Big thanks to all making this happen!

[Vtr_Racing]

Rhianon,

Do you have enough bandwidth? Your website will be swamped! PM me if you need more. I can set a server up in our Vegas colo that has 2gb of Internet bandwidth.

Right on PJC!!!!! Thanks again to PCI and Race dez for making this happen.

[FlyHiFlyLo]

Rock and F'n Roll! Another sleepless night coming up...!

[Tipracer]

Thanks a bunch....I showed my GF your post and she seems to feel a little better about me heading out for 15 days...all I have to say is peace of mind is priceless in times of no communication...