What is GoChip
Race timing is like launching a rocket, once you have ignition there is no turning back, you cannot just wave a white flag and ask for a restart. The same goes with race timing. When the race starts, your equipment just has to work. Any failures are very public and in many cases catastrophic. GoChip was developed with the goal of having a completely failsafe timing system, making race timing as easy and reliable as possible. This is why GoChip was developed with built in data storage so that you never lose a time and can always deliver results.
Go Chip Facts
- Worn anywhere on an athlete (ankle, wrist, bike, backpack.)
- 1/100 (0.01) second accurate.
- Times are stored in the GoChip along with the loop id for each passing.
- Passing history is broadcast to nearby cell phones or can be transmitted later once the GoChip is in range, allowing for remote timing point data without remote connectivity.
- Low cost activators and on-chip storage allows high precision sector timing of specific course segments for training/racing performance data.
- Motion activated chip, so battery life is saved when not in use. Expected battery life is 3-5 years depending on how much the chip is in motion.
- GoChips are the most advanced timing chip in the world and one of only a few chip system approved by the ITU for televised triathlon world cup competitions.
Weighing only 1 kg our lightweight and water resistant activators are simple and easy to use. Simply plug in the wire loop and turn them on. Their lithium ion batteries last for 20 hrs.
The wire loop attached to the activator defines the timing point that racer will cross. Arrange the wire in a long rectangle with your finish line in the middle of the wire ‘loop’. The chip measures the field between the two wires and determines the exact time at the middle point of the two wires. For faster events such as cycling, place the wires 1.5m apart. For slower speeds, 1m is fine.
Ensure the loop wire is anchored. In dirt, gravel, grass, or snow, the preferred deployment is to bury the wire. The wire can be buried up to 25 cm deep. On dry pavement, use gorilla or gaffer tape on top of the wire. Do not use Duct tape as it gums up the wires and makes a mess. On wet pavement, use the provided wet weather clips and screws to fix the wire to pavement. The loop can be covered with rubber mats or carpet, but care must be taken to ensure the mats will not slip or present an obstacle which might impact the race results.
Loop spacing – ABSOLUTE MINIMUM 2 meters between adjacent loops to prevent loop interference. Sequential timing points must be spaced such that there is AT LEAST 2 seconds between timing events.
Reading Go Chips
Go Chips are activated at timing points as they cross over the wire loop of the Activator. At the peak of the field, the precise time is recorded in the chip. At any point after, these times are transmit to any listening android phone running the Zone4 app. The app then relays those times to Zone4 Timing for instant automatic online results display. If your race is offline, the cell phones can relay the times to your local zone4 server via wifi. Cell phones can hear chips within at least a 20m range.
GoChips are shipped in rolls of 100 chips. The rolls act as numbered racks to hold the chips in place. This makes organization and collection of chips after the race much easier as well as keeps the shipping weight and cost low. The rack can be clipped to a tent or wall to make distribution easier.
If you have any questions about GoChip by Zone4, or if you wish try it out with our free test kit rental program, please send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.org or call us during office hours at 1-888-444-0199.
The Zone4 Team