Communications

[andy thompson]

Just used the Sat Nav as a speedo - not a route planner - that what a maps for. Sat Nav hasn't really happened in Oz to the same extent as UK - partly because there are less roads and our Postcode system is shite - I mostly navigate with the sun and stars -  8)

[Jason]

Sat Nav's are great, maps are great, the road book's great - it's just when you put then all together with crews that don't know how to use the (usually borrowed) sat nav, haven't read the road book and have either got a 1985 map or last used one when the earth was flat that you get 'issues'.
I really liked using the paper work and I'm a long term sat nav user - as long as you remember it's a driver aid, not an autopilot!

Dave sorted my out from the very first RBRR I did - no sat nav, no map and I don't think he ever looked at the roadbook once! We did have the V8 then so could afford indulgent fannying about as we had the power to make up time wasted.

[Roger Keys]

jcarruthers wrote:

John - you forget that spares are rather useful when the only source are the ones we are carrying with us or a stockist.

Back then there was a network of Triumph garages full of parts all over the country?

Errrrr, no! I started doing it 1990, not too many triumph garages about then, and the few "rover" ones were dwindling away by then.

i certainly didn't have a mobile back then either!

[James]

Roger- I was referring to the early days - seeing as it dates back to the late sixties there was a good few runs when Triumph existed.

[malcty]

The two "old farts" in car 20 did not have a sat nav. we both had mobiles but using them could have been worth watching. Good job we did not need them. Used the map book and route book. So basics still apply to some of us. Malc.

[Craig Gingell]

I put together the first few text message diaries for the 10CR, and since then technologies have moved on. Sure SMS is pretty standard on all mobile phones and will continue to remain so for years to come, but more and more mobile phones will come equipped with email. Email unlike SMS is free, so the logistics of setting up a truely interactive service that can keep everyone informed of what they need to know (and equally keep them uniformed of what they don't need or want to know) will become a cost effective reality.

[SteveJP]

Spitfire4 wrote:

I put together the first few text message diaries for the 10CR, and since then technologies have moved on. Sure SMS is pretty standard on all mobile phones and will continue to remain so for years to come, but more and more mobile phones will come equipped with email. Email unlike SMS is free, so the logistics of setting up a truely interactive service that can keep everyone informed of what they need to know (and equally keep them uniformed of what they don't need or want to know) will become a cost effective reality.

I agree more and more mobiles will have email, but isn't it the case that most of these are for those who have a contract phone - the new all singing dancing 3G enabled phones are very expensive for those of us on PAYG - unless you can find me an equivalent 3G/wireless cheapie on PAYG to my current 'old style' Nokia  ;)

In my opinion, it has to be one standard type of message for all for simplicities sake

[James]

Usually you can buy a monthly "bolt on" to allow cheap data access - usually under a tenner.

In a few years email and data will be something that is totally standard - whatever the resistive people say I cannot see how having email, web, maps etc on the phone is not something that is super convenient - especially when everyone else will.

[Jason]

I agree, it's coming and what's going to stop it? Having all this data at your fingertips is convenient and cheap. Whether we like it or not, it's happening :-)

That said, in a reflective moment, I do wonder what will happen to all this data and information should we ever have a catastrophe causing loss of electrical power - I mean a book is a thing you can read without plugging it in, it's self contained. Even in the middle of no where it "works". Whereas a CD or a memory stick or the interweb is no good without several other things to make it work.

I know what's in my nuclear bunker with the shotgun, tinned spam and bottled water and it ain't an iPhone  8)

[GT6 John]

As I say, I'm not against new technology, and I do embrace much of it in my day to day life.

I just think it's a shame to go away from the raw, hairy chested routes of the RBRR that make it still such a great event. I'm still amazed that in todays cosseted H&S mad age that the RBRR is allowed to run!

I don't doubt that 4 or 6 years down the road this technology will be the norm and this will probably be a moot discussion but I think the answer is old farts like me can continue to navigate by a road map and torch light while the more progressive young 'uns can get their phone, net book and sat nav to do it all for them.

I know who'll have the bigger sense of achievement at the end though! ;) ;D

[GT6boy]

This thread is drifting somewhat. I not aware anyone is advocating the mandatory use of SMS or e-mither etc? :-/  

In our 2 man car, I did the SMS/picture txt updates on the diary, as people who knew I was doing the run, asked me to keep them updated. Not being a 'yoof', my full use of grammer made this process, at times, a bind. But I choose to do it- nice for other people (sponsers) to see what we were up to.
I think the current arrangement seems a good balance between the potential for what could be used, and the reality of what the cross-section of technology literate entrants, are interested in using.
As a choice issue, i've no interest in adding more technology to the car :).

[Nick Jones]

Not on this last one, but previously on RBRR, HCR and even 10CR we have used sat nav as a speedo, for speed camera warnings and as an automatic co-driver advance warning of sharp bends etc.  We rarely actually take any notice of any navigational advice it tries to give.  Where we have tried using it, especially on the continent it has proved less than helpful.  It has no idea where Luxembourg is for example....
We work with maps - bought new before the event and carefully marked up from the road book beforehand.  The only times we've got lost is when we've gone sat-nav.....

I don't understand the problems people have - the navigation is not complex.  The tricky ones are the HCRs as you have to make that up as you go along!

Mobiles..... well they are comforting to have as a backstop.

Spares - well yes, you need to carry some parts as you can't easily get even the basics (coil, rotor-arm, points) these days and the AA/RAC or whomever don't carry them either.  Some idea of how to fix the thing can be a huge time-saver as well!

As a kid, we used to clatter round Africa, in some clapped out Ford or Peugeot usually, without mobiles, satnav or even an accurate map sometimes (there weren't any!).  We did carry basic tools and spares and did have to use them from time to time.  Amazing how useful old wire coat hangers are!

Nick