This year the ISC have apps for iPhone, Android phones, Blackberries and Windows phones allowing boats entered in the RTIR to be tracked on the RTIR boat tracker. (Try entering 6X). We are encouraging all the club boats to set up tracking so that members can follow the excitement in real time. It was dead easy to set up.

ISC tried this last year but have introduced a raft of new features this year base on last year's learning. In particular more than one device can be set up for each boat allowing better power management across a number of devices and for varied network coverage around the Wight.
 

There is also

  • An improved live race viewer, offering better performance and allowing spectators to watch the progress of specific classes and types of boat.
  • A simplified registration process, making it easier for more people to sign-up to the tracking service.
     

If your boat is entered for the race and you have one of the supported mobile devices (see below), you can take part by downloading a small piece of software that will allow your mobile phone to become a real-time GPS tracking device. During the race, your position will be periodically transmitted to the official Race website over the internet, where a simple, easy-to-use race viewer will allow visitors to monitor the progress of your boat - and hundreds of others - throughout the day. After you’ve finished, you’ll also be able to use the viewer to replay your race and see how you did against fellow competitors.

What equipment do I need?

You will need one of the following devices that's dedicated to tracking:

  • iPhone 3G, 3GS or iPhone4 with active mobile data plan
  • Android smartphone with built-in GPS and active data plan (including HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, HTC Wildfire, LG Optimus 2X, Motorola Defy, Samsung Galaxy S, Sony Xperia X10 and many more)
  • BlackBerry with built-in GPS and active data plan (including 8800, 8820, Bold 9000, Bold 9700, Curve 8310, Curve 8900, Storm, Pearl 8110 etc)
  • Windows Mobile 6.5 phone with built-in GPS and active data plan (including HTC Touch 2, Acer bTouch E100, E101 or E200, Samsung Omnia II etc)

We recommend that you don't try and use your phone for anything else during the race. Running the tracking system for up to 12 hours will use most of your battery power (particularly on an iPhone 3G)! For this reason, we strongly recommend you do not use the same device to make your text declaration. If your battery runs out before the finish, you won’t be able to make your declaration. We also suggest you do not plan to make calls on the tracking phone during the race as they will use up valuable battery resources.

We also recommend you encourage other crew members to take part. With more tracking devices you have on board, you'll get a more accurate track of your course around the Island and also have some backup in case someone forgets to charge their phone before they set off from home!

I use an Android phone but the procedure is much the same for all the phone platforms. The basic sequence is a) get the app and install it, b) enter your tracking number (which is listed on your race entry online) and c) test the app by sending data to the race player. It's as simple as abc...and here you can see 6X serenely sailing on Prince of Wales Drive at 15.57 on Monday 6th June.

Here  and below are the detailed instructions for Android. For iPhone go here. For Blackberry go here. For Windows mobile go here. If you need help visit the support forum by clicking here. (You won't be the first - our august editor, the lovely Ms. Hedley, was first on the forum).

As you can see, it's a bundle of fun and incredidbly accurate. The tracking device already knows that by 1605 on Monday I had moved from my garden - where the first fix was taken to my office on the first floor - a distance of 20 feet. So don't forget to turn tracking off after you've finished testing or the whole Club will know where 6X has been every five minutes between now and the end of the race.

How to set up ngTrack on your Android device

Setting up tracking on your Android is very simple. Here are the steps to follow:

  • You'll need your tracking ID number to take part. If you're the entrant and you haven't already received your ID by email, you can log on to the Update your entry page to get it directly. If you're a crew member, just ask the person who made the entry to send it to you.
  • Make sure that your Android is compatible. You need a reasonably up-to-date model running v2.1 of the Android device software or later. The Android also needs to have built-in GPS and an active data connection to the internet.
  • Open the Android Market on your phone, search for "ngTrack" and install the app.
  • On your Android, start the ngTrack application. Enter your registration details when asked and press the "Register" button. Providing you're connected to the internet and have entered the registration code correctly, you'll see a message asking you to confirm the name of your boat. Hit "Yes" to complete registration, and then follow the steps in the "Running a test" section below to test your phone and try out the Race Player.
  • Read the "Important notes" section below for some important do's and don'ts on race day.
  • Read the Tracking Terms and Conditions of Use page and make sure you understand the restrictions and limitations of the service.
  • Remember also that your device needs to have a clear view of the sky to track you. Putting it down below on the boat probably isn't going to work; consider a waterproof pocket in your sailing gear for best results.
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How to operate the ngTrack app

Once you've set up and registered the application (see above), ngTrack will automatically start tracking each time you start it. As it does so, you'll see alternating messages in the STATUS box telling you what the application is currently doing.

The application runs in a loop. It will first try to get a GPS position. You need to make sure the device is situated where it gets a view of the sky and as many satellites as possible (for better accuracy). If it can't get a position, you'll see a message telling you so and when it will try again.

Once a position has been established, the application will transmit the position to our servers. If you happen to be in an area of weak or no signal, you'll see a message telling you so. Any unsent positions are saved and resent the next time the device can connect to the internet.

Assuming all is working ok, you'll get a message indicating that the position has been sent and received and telling you when the next position will be acquired. At that point the application will switch off the GPS radio (as long as no other applications are using it), but will continue to run. To save battery life you should lock the screen and the application will continue to run in the background.

Important notes

Conserving battery life is critical during the race. Running the app for 12-15 hours during the race may drain a full battery completely. Here are some must-do's for race day:

  • Turn off WiFi. You don't need it out on the water and having the WiFi continuously looking for available networks will quickly drain the battery.
  • Make sure you start with a full battery. If your battery isn't fully charged when you start the race, you may run out of juice before the finish (unless you have a record-breaking circumnavigation).
  • Try not to make or receive any calls as they will use up battery power.

In addition here are some other things to watch out for:

  • Do keep your phone with you on-deck at all times. The phone won't be able to 'see' the satellites below deck and tracking will stop.

 

Running a test

Make sure you test the application before the race. For a simple test, take the phone outside and let it acquire and send a few positions. Then load up the test Race Player and use the "Add tracked boat" button to add your boat to be tracked. You should then see a little boat appear on the map at your current position (which will look a little strange if you're in the middle of Manchester!)  Take the phone for a walk or for a drive, and when you come home, you should be able to see your route on the map. Don't forget that the application will only be logging your position every 5 minutes, so your route won't be mapped in exact detail.

You'll also want to try the phone out on your boat to find the best position for the phone to get reliable fixes from the GPS system. If the phone can't pick up the signal from enough satellites, it won't get a decent fix and the tracking won't work. Try putting it in a waterproof pocket in your sailing gear for best results.