SpeedWeek 2014 - the event per se

[cheeto racer]

I have seen those mentioned multiple times but every time I went into a store to try and buy one and described what I was looking for, the clerk looked at me like I was from Mars.
I also never could find a listing for them on the web. (that old if you don't know the right search key you get nada problem)

Some RV folks talk about "data cards" but if you search for them by that name you won't find anything.
Nice to know what they are really called, now at least I can see what is available.
A search on amazon for air card at least returns some hits (7 are listed).

That is why I bought the small tablet it allows both wifi and cellular data connections (same thing as an air card).


I wonder if they can be configured to use the same phone number and data plan I am already paying for on the tablet so I can use a real computer ?

Thanks!

Verizon sells them for 10.00 a month they call theirs a Mi-fi and it can testyer  up to 6 different devices ie
Laptops , tablets, any device that can use a wifi signal. They do require their own phone number however to keep the data separate. Along if there is cell survive it can provide a wifi signal.

[hotrod]

"SCTA might consider selling up a Twitter account"

I think I just heard some heads explode grin

They need to put a 12 year old in charge of digital notifications they would have it setup in about 2 hours.

Thanks Cheeto racer I probably need to drift by the AT&T store and talk to them now that I know what I am looking for since my account on the tablet uses AT&T digital service.

[revolutionary]

I was glad to catch the "unofficial" report from Facebook as I was finishing up packing and about to hit the road. I know, from previously owning a business and personally having to update the website, that it is about a hundred times easier and quicker to get the word out on FB than to update the website. I have no complaints about the FB early warning cancellation and have no probs that it took a little while longer for the website to be updated.

For those who use the internet - like the SCTA website - for updates on information, it just makes sense to monitor something like the FB page for quick updates. It is not the job of SCTA to hunt down every entrant personally using all known means (email, texting, phone call, snail mail, driving around to different hotel) to make sure everyone got the message the instant a decision was made. They made a decision and posted the official response as soon as reasonably possible on their website. Those of us who happen to monitor FB got the unofficial word a little quicker. No complaints here.

[fastesthonda_jim]

hotrod & cheeto,
They are NOT the mi-fi boxes, although those will work.  In fact I had a devil of a time NOT buying one of those at the Verizon store.  They must get $100 commission for selling mi-fi and $.02 commission for selling an air card.  I just prefer something smaller to cart around.  This is more what I have in mind:
http://shop.proxicast.com/shopping/verizon-novatel-760-3g-usb-modem-no-contract.html?gclid=CJH2-465i8ACFQOHaQodbkoASQ
Jim (faster than Kent) Knapp

[Bob Drury]

  Note to all:  It has been good to get up this morning and read all of the comments and discussion that all have offered. Also no death threats (so far!).
  One thing seems apparent, that it is hard to keep up in the ever changing World of communication and networking.
  I want to thank everyone who has responded and I am sure that by World of Speed or at least the W.F.'s things will be up to speed.
  I also want to urge all of us to donate what we can to our wonderful site.  Without it this discourse would not be possible.
                                                                                           Thanx again,          One Run........... out....................

[Freud]

Do you remember when we drove to the 12 mile post,

turned left and crossed the canal on an old wooden bridge?

FREUD

[Glen]

I do and the big Bonneville sign with Cobb's liner on it.   That was 1953.

[vette#128]

I don't use facebook, I can't see providing my personal information to a website so they can sell that info to the applicable target advertisers.... But I mentioned that once already.... But what we did do is have the teammates and friends that participate in that keep an eye on facebook and provide info as soon as they saw it.
We had not traveled very far from Denver when we started getting calls from friends and fellow racers about the cancellation. 
I was shown the fb page... and it had lots of stuff on the page from lots of people.... took a minute to figure out how to ID the official SCTA post, so I left that part to the fb-Er's. 
Yes the communication was way better than in 82-83... or 93-94 ... but it should be, there are a lot more options made available by technology.
What is the take away here...
They did a pretty good job of spreading the word.... hopefully someone can come up with a FOOL PROOF method.... God knows that is what it will take with those of us in this sport.... 

I signed up under a phony name...........

[Glen]

Jon, I still have the shot glasses in my truck.

[hotrod]

I just stopped at the AT&T store,  they have the usb style aircards.
They want $169 for the device if you buy it outright and the data plan runs $20 / month.
He said you could not put 2 devices on one phone number.

I will need to do a bit more investigation on this, but it is an option.

[jdincau]

Do you remember when we drove to the 12 mile post,

turned left and crossed the canal on an old wooden bridge?

FREUD

Same way in 62

[Stan Back]

I've seen many useful posts how us Luddites can take advantage of the new info age.  "Apps, texts, favorites, load, servers, tablets, cell phones, easily accessed . . .".  

See -- I'm so dumb I can't even remember what they're saying, let alone do what they suggest.

But I was out there Saturday morning.  And the water looked like it was breaking up the prepared courses.  There were pot holes forming all over the place.  Cook's course looked the best.  But getting the water off and the salt drying to a race course condition are two separate issues.

Bill Lattin took a bunch of us "old folks" out there to see what we thought.  My thought was, after about ten minutes, why even do this -- it's so apparent what the answer was, especially after Friday night's rain.  No one I talked to thought there was a chance of having any course by the end of the week.  Some thought by the end of the month.  Yes, the conditions are not predictable.  But no one that was out there was second-guessing the decision.  We all urged him to make it now, not later in the day, so some could start home and save a day's rent -- which is what he did in concert with the board. 

Even if the courses dry by Cook's event, the pot holes and such may be a real problem.  This hasn't been a good year for the SCTA, but not due to the officials not giving their best.

I'd "Like" them if I had a clue what that meant and how to do it.  (Please don't tell me -- It'll fall on deaf (and really dumb) ears.)

Stan

[Freud]

  (Please don't tell me -- It'll fall on deaf (and really dumb) ears.)

Stan



You can always trust Stan Back to tell the truut.

FREUD

[jdincau]

Stan is the man!

[wheelrdealer]

Stan

I agree. A great effort by our friends at SCTA. I imagine it is a big decision to call an event like Speed Week.

As far as FaceBook, I have it but I hate it. However, I did appreciate the updates from SCTA. I can imagine from the Salt FB is a quick and effective tool to communicate. I was never able to get a good enough signal at Montego Bay to upload any big files. I guess there was a day not too many years ago when the dial up telephone was the only communication. I am sure there are people in the '70's that drove all the way to Wendover only to find everyone packing up and leaving. The fact that we can find out through a variety of venues albeit some more instantaneous than others is a fairly new phenom.

Perhaps those of that had to stay at home can help by bringing the information over and posting it on the event thread. After all SLim is busy on the Salt as the Honey Bucket Zar! Next event I will try and update the thread with SCTA posts from facebook and if others follow then the folks that prefer this thread versus signing up for FB can come here for what they need.

My 2 cents

BR