Manual Eng

ORBITS5
Manual
MYLAPS Sports Timing www.mylaps.com

Disclaimer
This publication is to be used for Orbits5. This publication has been written with great care.
However, the manufacturer cannot be held responsible, either for any errors occurring in the
publication or for their consequences. Information in this document is subject to change
without notice.
Copyright © 2009 - 2021 by MYLAPS Sports Timing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
MYLAPS Sports Timing

Zuiderhoutlaan 4
2012 PJ Haarlem
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 23 7600 100

Fax: +31 23 529 0156
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.mylaps.com
Support: www.mylaps.com/en/contact-support
MYLAPS Sports Timing www.mylaps.com 2

Table of Contents
ORBITS5 MANUAL 1
DISCLAIMER 2
WELCOME 8
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT 8
X2 ONLY 8
WHO ARE WE? 8
BASIC CONCEPTS 9
ORBITS5 VERSIONS 10
MASTER/SLAVE FUNCTIONALITY 11
SYSTEM OVERVIEW 11
TRANSPONDER 13
DETECTION LOOP 13
DECODER 13
X2 LINK 13
X2 RACELINK 13
X2 BASELINK 13
TIMELINES 13
SECTION 14
TRACK SENSOR 14
HARDWARE PERFORMANCE TESTING 15
TESTING THE LOOP 16
SIGNAL, NOISE AND HITS 17
GETTING STARTED 18
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 19
ADMINISTRATOR 19
INSTALLATION 19
ACTIVATE 19
THE PROGRAM 19
Activate online 20
Activate with another computer 20
Firewalls 21
LANGUAGE SETUP 21
CHECK FOR UPDATES 21
HELP 21
OVERVIEW 22
STARTING ORBITS 23
ORBITS SERVER 23
ORBITS CONSOLE 23
REMOTE CONSOLE 23
REMOTE CONSOLE CONFIGURATION 24
DIAGNOSTICS 25
MANAGING DATA 26
UNICODE 26
Backups 26
After the sessions 27
ORBITS 4 SP5 COMPATIBLE BACKUPS 27
GENERAL SETTINGS 28
EVENT SETUP 30
Connection Screen 32
Decoder Connection Wizard 33
SYNCHRONIZATION 42
Time zone 42
GPS Status 44
Warnings and errors 44
Timing system status 44
Timeline status 46
Show passings 46
Noise 46
Track records 46
REGISTRATION 48
OVERVIEW 49
COMPETITOR DATABASE 49
Competitor classes 49
Competitor Details 51
MANAGING COMPETITORS 53
IMPORT COMPETITORS 53
EXPORT COMPETITORS 53
CLUB TRANSPONDERS 54
GROUPS 55
Create a group 55
Create a new run 57
General Tab 57
Timing Tab 58
Auto Finish Tab 59
Qualification requirements Tab 60
Adding competitors to groups 61
Remove competitors 61
Modifying competitors 61
Copy group(s) 61
Import groups and runs 62
Export groups and runs 62
View time schedule 62
TIMING 63
OVERVIEW 64
TIMING A RUN 64
Starting a run 64
Flag situations 64
Stop a run 66
TRACK CHART 66
Markers and colors 67
PASSINGS SCREEN 67
Indications in the passing screen 68
Delete passings 68
Invalidate passings 68
Moving flags and manual passings 69
LAP CHART 69
Lap chart colors 70
Corrections and penalties 72
UNRELATED TRANSPONDERS 73
TRANSPONDER SWITCH 73
MANUAL PASSINGS 74
DRIVER ID 75
CAMERA INTEGRATION (PLUG-IN REQUIRED) 75
SECTION TIMES 85

PROCESSING RESULTS 86
OVERVIEW 87
RESULT TASKS 87
Assign points 87
Use existing point scheme 88
New point schemes 88
Point schemes settings 88
CLEAR POINTS 89
MANAGE POINTS SCHEMES 89
STARTING GRID 89
Create a starting grid (Wizard) 90
MERGE RESULTS 93
CREATE A MERGED RESULT 93
GENERAL MERGE SETTINGS 93
SELECT RUNS 93
OPTIONS 94
Calculate merged result 94
SOLVE TIES 95
TEAM POINTS MERGE 95
PUBLISH TASKS 95
EXPORT RESULTS TO FILE 96
EXPORT LAP TIMES 96
EXPORT POINTS FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 96
LIVE POINTS 96
LIVE MERGE 98
DISTRIBUTING LIVE MERGES 98
DISTRIBUTING RESULTS 99
OVERVIEW 100
SCOREBOARD TASKS 100
Run on the scoreboard 102
MYLAPS.COM TASKS 102
Upload: Computer is connected to the internet 102
Upload: Computer 102
is not connected to the internet 102
WEB FEED (LIVETIMING) 103
ENABLING THE WEB FEED 103
STATUS 103
ACTIVATION 103
LOCAL APP FEED 103
SPEEDHIVE FEED 104
STATUS 104
ONBOARD FEED 104
ENABLING THE ONBOARD FEED 104
HOW DOES IT WORK 106
DIAGNOSTICS 106
CHAMPIONSHIP ADMINISTRATION 107
OVERVIEW 108
CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGEMENT 108
CREATE A CHAMPIONSHIP 108
EDIT OR DELETE A CHAMPIONSHIP 108
CHAMPIONSHIP SETTINGS 109
CHAMPIONSHIP DISPLAY OPTIONS 109
ADDING A RESULT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP 110
EDIT THE EVENT RESULT 111
CHAMPIONSHIP LAYOUT 112
SOLVE TIES MANUALLY 113
PRINT THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 113
EXPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS TO FILE 113
UPLOAD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS TO MYLAPS.COM 114
X2 LINK 115
RESULT MONITOR 120
OVERVIEW 121
MAIN PAGE 121
RUN SELECTION 121
SCREEN SAVER 121
CONTROL 122
MONITOR SELECTION 122
TEMPLATE 122
SELECT TEMPLATE 123
TEMPLATE EDITOR 124
GENERAL 124
TEMPLATE INFO 124
SCREEN SETTINGS 124
MONITOR 125
SCREENS 125
CREATE A NEW LAYOUT 125
TEMPLATE SETTINGS 125
THEME 126
NEW FONT 126
EDIT BACKGROUND 127
GRID SELECTOR 127
SCREEN TIMEOUT 127
EDITOR 127
TABLE EDITOR 127
VIEW TAB 128
COLUMNS TAB 129
STYLE TAB 129
POSITION TAB 130
TEXT EDITOR 130
PICTURE EDITOR 130
ANNOUNCER PAGE 132
OVERVIEW 133
RUN SELECTION 133
TEMPLATE 133
STYLE 133
CONTROL 134
TRACK TEMPERATURE 134
HOW TO 135
Decoders 136
Transponder 136
Runs 136
Competitors 136
Results 137
APPENDICES 138
APPENDIX A – PHOTOCELLS 139
Using photocells 139
Positioning photocells 139
APPENDIX B – FILE FORMATS 140
NOTES 147

Welcome
Thank you for choosing Orbits5 as your timing and scoring

solution! This manual is intended to familiarize you with the Orbits
software and to help you handle different race situations.
About this document This document explains the basics in using Orbits5 to perform
timing and scoring using single or multiple detection points. This
document can be used as a reference manual in your day-to-day
operations at the racetrack.
X2 only Orbits5 can only be used in conjunction with a MYLAPS X2 Pro or

Club server with firmware version 3.0 or higher.
Who are we? MYLAPS Sports Timing specializes in the development of timing
and scoring solutions for different kinds of racing sports. The
software is developed for use in combination with MYLAPS timing
hardware.
MYLAPS Sports Timing is staffed by the same group of engineers

who have developed programs like Timegear, ChronX, PractiX and
Orbits, the software supplied with MYLAPS timing and scoring
systems. MYLAPS software is distributed by MYLAPS offices in the
Netherlands, the USA, Japan, Australia and Malaysia.

Basic Concepts
This chapter describes the basic concepts of timing and scoring.

These concepts are essential for everyone involved in timing and
scoring.

Orbits5 versions Orbits 5 is available in three versions: Basic, Standard and Advanced.
The overview below describes which functions are available in which
versions.
Version Basic Standard Advanced

Feature
Max no. Timelines 1 5 15
Remote Consoles 1 4 10
Event Setup page √ √ √
Registration page √ √ √
Timing page √ √ √
Distribution page √ √ √
Track simulator √ √ √
Orbits remote √ √ √
App Feed (Live Timing app) √ √ √
Web Feed (Live Timing site)* √ √ √
Onboard Feed √ √ √
TrackSensor information √ √ √
Processing page X √ √
Championship page X √ √
Announcer Page X √ √
Printing features X √ √
A to B tracks X √ √
Team points merge X √ √
Live Points X √ √
Live Merges X √ √
Tie Breaker merged results X √ √
Tie Breaker Championship X √ √
nd
Starting grid 2 best lap tm X √ √
Oval Features X √ √
Driver ID X √ √
Results Monitor X X √
Diagnostics console X X √
Export competitors to X2
X X √
server
XML Export X X **
Multi Loop Feed X X **
* An additional subscription is required to use the live timing web site

** Contact MYLAPS for this option

Master/Slave To prevent that more than one Orbits changes settings in the X2 server
functionality at the same time, Orbits uses a master/slave mechanism.
The first Orbits that connects to an X2 server, and has enough rights on
the server, will become the Master Orbits. This Orbits will be able to
connect to Unlinked Decoders, set the sport setting and time
zone (see Time zone). Any other Orbits will become a Slave and doesn’t
have these rights.
When the Orbits Master disconnects from the X2 server another Orbits
with enough rights on the X2 server will automatically become the
master.
If Orbits is the master can be seen on the Setup page in the System
messages window:
To alert you about the changes Orbits could be making in the X2 server,
a warning message will be shown when Orbits connects to an X2 pro
server or a X2 server which has more than 5 loops configured.
This message is shown before Orbits becomes the ‘master’ so if you

choose to not make changes to the X2 server, Orbits will become a
‘slave’. If there’s no need to make changes to the X2 server and connect
as a slave automatically, use an X2 user account with read-only rights.
The warning message will not be shown then.
System overview MYLAPS timing systems are designed to time and score different kinds
of racing events. A transponder is mounted on, by example, a car or
motorcycle. The signal sent by a transponder is picked up by a
detection loop installed in the track surface. The detection loop is
connected to MYLAPS decoder. The decoder timestamps the received
transponder signals and sends this data to a connected computer.
The figure below shows the basic overview of a MYLAPS system, and the
following is a brief description for each of the system’s components.

Transponder MYLAPS transponders enable you to give each competitor a unique
identification. The transponder is fixed to the vehicle with a
transponder holder that is secured with bolts, screws, rivets or zip ties.
When passing over the detection loop in the track, the transponder
sends its signal to the loop.
Detection loop The detection loop is embedded into the track surface and picks up
each transponder passing. The unique signal of the transponder is
picked up by the loop and transferred to the MYLAPS decoder. Several
transponders can be picked up at exactly the same time. This ensures
no transponders will be missed, even if 7 or 8 vehicles pass the loop at
exactly the same time.
Decoder The MYLAPS X2 decoder is connected to the detection loop via a coax
cable and receives the transponder passing data from the detection
loop. It reads the unique transponder signal and gives the transponder
an exact passing time. When received, it sends the passing information
to the MYLAPS X2 Server to which the computer running the Orbits5
program is connected to.
X2 Link X2 Link wirelessly communicates with vehicles on the track over radio
frequency. Data flows both ways: the X2 Transponder installed in the
vehicle sends official race data to the system. The system immediately
converts this data into official race data such as lap time and position
and more. This data is then sent back to the vehicle through radio
frequency, and the onboard display in the vehicle will display all sorts
of vital race information – such as position in the race, gap between
vehicles in front and behind and number of laps.
X2 RaceLink Via the X2 RaceLink add-on, racers will be able to receive 2-way
communication into their vehicles. RaceLink works with MYLAPS X2
Transponders. Live race data can be displayed on a supported onboard
display.
X2 BaseLink The X2 BaseLink sends out radio frequency signals, which are picked up
by the X2 RaceLink mounted on each vehicle. The BaseLink is installed
at the start/finish line, on a position with a maximum line of sight, for
instance on top of a finish arch. This will ensure an optimized wireless
connection with the RaceLink installed on the vehicles. The BaseLink
connects to the X2 Server, which also powers the BaseLink.
Timelines The start/finish line plays a major role in timing a race. In a multi loop
environment there are more lines on the track where competitors are
timed.
Throughout this manual we will refer to these physical lines by the

term: Timelines.

The picture above shows an example track with 3 timelines.
- Start/Finish
- Start/Finish Pits
- Start/Finish speed trap
Section Let’s define a section “Start/Finish Speed” which will be from timeline
Start/Finish to timeline Start/Finish Speed in the track layout in above
picture. The description of this section will be ‘Start/Finish Speed’ and
the short description will be ‘SF Spd’. The entry decoder of this section
is decoder Start/Finish (Start/Finish speed trap).
Entry timeline – The timeline, a car will cross when entering this
section.
Exit timeline – The timeline, a car will cross when exiting this section.
Track Sensor A TrackSensor can be used to check the quality of the loop and the
temperature of the track. A TrackSensor sends this information once
every minute. When a TrackSensor is used Orbits automatically collects
the information of that TrackSensor. The information is then displayed
on the Setup page in the TrackSensor screen.
If the TrackSensor is installed at a loop that is linked to an Orbits

timeline, the information will also be displayed beneath the noise graph
of the timeline.
The track temperature can be displayed in the Announcer Page and

Result Monitor. It can also be send with the Speedhive Feed to the
Speedhive Website. Make sure the TrackSensor is linked to the Orbits
Start/Finish timeline for this to work.
The unit of the temperature can be changed via the menu Tools ->
Options.

Hardware Performance testing
Once the system has been installed, it should be tested to make sure
that it is functioning correctly. We also recommend repeating the
same procedure at the start of each race event. This chapter
describes the tests to perform to ensure your timing system is
functioning properly.

Testing the loop Step 1 > Connect the detection loop(s) to a decoder and computer
running Orbits. Check the background noise, which is updated
every 5 seconds in the Timing tab of Orbits. The background noise
level should be between 0 and 40. A higher value may indicate
interference by other electrical equipment in the area or a bad loop
installation (broken wiring, bad soldering connection, oxidized
connections, etc.). Try switching off any suspected equipment or
removing nearby objects and check for improvements. Especially
at night, short-wave radios may cause a slightly increased
background noise.
Step 2 > If no signal is received and the detection loop installation

seems to be correct, the coax to the connection box or BNC
connector may be faulty. Both can be easily checked. Take a multi
meter and set it to measure resistance. Connect or hold one probe
to the center pin of the coax cable and connect or hold the other
probe to the shielding of the BNC connector. This measurement
should read about 100 kOhm. When this value is measured it still
does not give any assurance that the connection box itself is OK,
however tells that the connection to the connection box is OK.
Step 3 > If a detection loop has been correctly installed, a

transponder should be picked up at the same distance from the
detection loop at all positions along the detection loop. To test
this, stand at one end of the detection loop about 8m (25ft) away
and hold a transponder approximately 60cm (2ft) off the ground.
Walk slowly towards the detection loop. You will hear a beep in the
headphones attached to the decoder when the transponder is
detected. Mark the spot where the transponder was detected.
Repeat the process for the middle and other end of the detection
loop and do the same coming from the other direction. The
detection distance from the loop should be approximately the
same for all positions.
Step 4 > Check the signal strengths of the transponders as they

are picked up by the system during a reality test. A good loop will
yield consistent transponder signal strengths of at least 100 with
a hit rate of at least 20. The hit rate may vary depending on the
speed of the transponder passings (slower passings will yield
higher hit counts) but the signal strength should be consistent
(<10 points variation) for the same car.

Signal, noise and hits The parameters signal strength; background noise and number of
hits describes the overall performance of transponders and
decoders.
During the crossing of transponders the signal is repeatedly

received by the decoder. The number of repeated contacts is the
number of hits. On each hit the transponder number and status is
received by the decoder. Since the number of hits may vary a lot
depending on the speed when passing the detection loop, a typical
value cannot be given. However normally values of 20 and higher
are seen.
The average background noise is sent by the decoder every 5
seconds. The background noise indicates the amount of
interference received in the MYLAPS frequency range. Since mobile
communications do not interfere with the MYLAPS system, a
person standing near the detection loop, using a mobile phone will
not result in an increase of background noise. Typical values are in
the range of 0 to 40.
If the noise level is higher, the received transponder signal strength

should be 60 above the noise level to ensure a perfect functioning
of the system.
The transponder signal strength normally is quite constant

between passings of the same transponder. For all MYLAPS
systems the received transponder signal strength always should
have a minimum of 100.

Getting started
This chapter guides you through the installation process of Orbits.

System requirements The minimum hardware specifications to run the Orbits program
are:
• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1024 MB Memory
• Approximately 200 MB of hard disk space
• A free USB port
• Network adapter
• Operating systems:
o Windows Vista
o Windows 7
o Windows 8
o Windows 10
Administrator You need to have administrator rights in order to install and run the
program.
Installation The Orbits program is supplied on a USB key. To install the Orbits
program:
• Put the USB key into a USB port on your PC
• Run the Orbits_5_2_Setup.exe program from the USB key
• Follow the instructions of the installation program
Shortcuts to Orbits are added under the Start menu and on your
desktop.
Activate When you start Orbits for the first time, you will see the Activation
the program wizard that will help you to activate and personalize your copy of
Orbits. To perform the activation, an Internet-connection is
required.
You can activate Orbits in two ways:

• Activate online > This will perform the activation on the
computer Orbits is installed on. This way of activating is
recommended.
• Activate with help of another computer > Use this
option only, when it is not possible to connect the main
computer – the one you installed Orbits on - to the Internet.

Activate online
To activate online, enter your unique serial number and click ‘Next’.
The serial number can be found on the back of the Orbits manual.
In the page that follows, you have to enter login-information from

an existing MYLAPS account. This can be one of the following
accounts:
• Account for the MYLAPS support website
• Organization account with MYLAPS Results website that you
have used for uploading results to the internet.
If you don’t have either of these accounts, you can also create a
new account here. On the next screen, you can enter your
registration information for Orbits.
Important: The organization name you enter, cannot be

changed afterwards, and will be visible on the bottom of your
print-outs.
Once you have entered the registration information, the wizard is

complete. You can start Orbits by clicking the ‘Finish’ button.
Activate with
another computer
To activate with another computer, choose ‘Activate with help of

another computer’ in the 2nd step of the wizard and click ‘Next’. The
wizard will provide you with a computer code that you will need
during the activation process. Write down that computer code, and
visit http://activate.amb-it.com/ on a computer with Internet
connectivity.
On the website enter your serial number and the generated

computer code. The file that contains your license information can
be saved on a USB storage device or a floppy disk. The website will
provide a small license file. With that file, return to the computer
with Orbits, and import the generated file into the wizard by clicking
the ‘Browse’ button.
If the file is OK, the ‘Next‘ button will be enabled. Click it to complete
the activation process. Orbits is now fully registered and will be
started as soon as you press the finish button
Firewalls You may experience problems if you have a firewall in place that
does not allow Orbits5 to pass through.
Open the following ports in your firewall:

• Port 443 TCP – to communicate with the X2 server
• Port 51738 TCP – to communicate with an Orbits Remote
• Port 80 TCP -- HTTP protocol (For uploading results to
MYLAPS.com)
Language setup The program supports multiple languages. The choice of language
can be changed before, or after the race. The language can be
changed by selecting Help – Change Language, followed by
selecting the required language from the drop-down list. If your
language is not listed, please contact MYLAPS for the availability.
Check for updates To check if a new version of Orbits is available select Help – Check
for updates from the menu.
A dialog will appear indicating that there’s a new version or that
you are running the latest version.
Help To open this manual from within Orbits, select Help – Orbits
Manual from the menu or pressing ‘F1’ in the program.

Overview
This chapter deals with the configuration and setup of Orbits.

Starting Orbits The Orbits program can be started by double-clicking the Orbits
shortcut icons on the Windows desktop or via the Windows Start
button. Orbits can be found under Programs –> MYLAPS Sports
Timing -> Orbits 5.
The Orbits software consists of two programs, the Orbits interface

and the Orbits server. The Orbits server is running in the
background and is started automatically when you start the Orbits
program.
Orbits Server The Orbits Server is a separate program running in the

background. It handles the communication with the MYLAPS
decoder, stores the passings and calculates the results. When the
Orbits server is running, the following icon will appear on the
Windows taskbar at the bottom right part of your screen. This
server should always be running when you use Orbits.
Note: The visible parts of the program, the Orbits user interface,
are separate from the Orbits Server. This means that if the Orbits
interface is accidentally shut down, the server is still running and
decoder records will continue to be stored and processed. After
restarting Orbits, the race can be continued without loss of data.
The server is started automatically when the Orbits program is
started. When the Orbits program is shut down, the Orbits server
will keep running. Shutting down the server is only possible by
clicking the right mouse button on the server icon and selecting
Exit Orbits Server.
Orbits Console The Interface consists of five sections:

• Setup > In this section you can schedule race events and
perform the system setup, monitor the system status and
connect to your decoder(s).
• Registration > In this section you can manage your time
schedule and enter competitor data. Orbits uses a database to
store all known competitors.
• Timing > The timing section gives access to functions that
are relevant during different stages of a timed run, e.g.
functions related to runs, competitors in a run and passing
data.
• Distribution > This distribution section includes the
functionality to distribute the results on a Display or Monitor.
• Processing > This section includes the functionality to
organize run results and is used after a run has finished. The
processing section hosts different functions like printing
results, creating starting grids, assigning points to a run and
merging results.
• Championship > This championship section includes the
functionality to organize and manage the championship
standings.
Remote console It is possible to make a remote connection to an Orbits Server that

is running on a different computer. The remote connection is
created to allow you to perform remote race administration
including registration/results processing.
The Orbits Remote Console offers the following features:
• Registration screen
• Processing screen
• Championship screen
Further options for the Remote console are:

• A Remote Simulation Console
• Announcer Page to display the results of the current run on
a Remote PC
• Result Monitor to display the results of the current run on a
Remote PC in a personalized way
• A Diagnostics Console
• Local App Feed
Installation
The installation for the remote Orbits computer can be found on
the Orbits USB key
Remote console Setting up a connection between Orbits (Main, with timekeeping

configuration tab) and Orbits Remote can be done as follows:
Setup of 1 Orbits main program and 2x Orbits Remote

programs
To setup a connection between the Orbits main and Orbits Remote

program, the Orbits main program needs to be started first.
Note: be aware that a connection between an Orbits main and

Orbits Remote computer requires the same version of the Orbits
program on both computers!

Network connections
If two or more computers are connected with each other via a
switch, please make sure they are operating within the same
network range. You start up first Orbits Main (PC3) and then start
up Orbits Remote on the 2nd computer (e.g. PC2). Then double click
on the name of the computer or select the computer by clicking
and press connect in the ‘Orbits Remote Connection’-dialog (see
example).
Check if there is an Orbits pc in the network to connect to with

your Orbits Remote computer. If the computer name or IP address
doesn’t appear automatically, click on “Server not in list” and enter
the IP address of the Orbits main pc (e.g. IP address of PC3,
192.168.1.25) in the textbox that appears.
Although it is only possible to connect to one Orbits main

computer with an Orbits Remote program, you might have two
computers, which are running the Orbits main program (see below
example).
Setup of 2 Orbits main programs and 1 Orbits Remote

program
If these two computers are connected within a network together

with an Orbits Remote computer, the Remote computer will scan
both Orbits main computers (see Orbits Remote program
example). In this way you are able to choose which Orbits main
program you want to connect to.
Diagnostics The diagnostics can only be started from the Orbits Remote
Launch Pad

In the diagnostics console you can find detailed passing
information from a particular run. The diagnostics console will
show passings on all timelines. It’s also possible to analyze
transponders based on their strength, strength/noise or hits.
Note: The passings and flags are shown in the sequence that they
were received by Orbits. This is not always the same as the
sequence on the timing page because on the timing page the
passings are sorted on passing time.
Managing data Orbits automatically saves all data. If you want to make a backup
of your data, use the Restore & Backup data wizard.
The Restore & Backup menu can be found under File.
Unicode Orbits5 is fully Unicode compatible. This means that characters

from different character sets (like Japanese and Western
European) can be used alongside each other.
So it is possible to use names containing Japanese characters in

the same run as European names.
Backups Due to the transition to Unicode, backups of previous versions of

Orbits have to be converted.
When a backup of a previous version is restored, the wizard will

automatically ask for the system encoding that was used at the
time the backup was made.
To help you choose the correct encoding, the languages that

typically use the selected encoding are listed.
After restoring the backup please check the data for inconsistent
names. If these are found, the selected encoding was probably
wrong and you should try restoring the backup again using
another encoding.

NOTE: Because the ‘Orbits 4’ sport type ‘Karting’ has been divided
into ‘Competition Karting’ and ‘Rental Karting’ and ‘Other’ has
been divided into ‘Other off-road’ and ‘Other on-road’, the sport
type of Orbits 4 events using these sport types have to be
converted. While restoring an Orbits 4 backup ‘Karting’ will be
converted to ‘Competition Karting’ and ‘Other’ will be converted to
‘Other off-road’.
With the ‘edit event details’ task om the Setup page you can
change the sport type.
After the sessions When making a back-up of your computer, it is also a good idea to
make a back-up of the data after each event or day of the event.
Orbits will give a warning when you close the program to back up
your data.
Orbits 4 SP5 Orbits also has the possibility to create backups that are
compatible backups compatible with Orbits 4 SP5, SP5 HF1 and SP5 HF2.
If you want to use Orbits 5 data in Orbits 4 SP5, create a backup by

selecting ‘Create an Orbits 4 SP5 compatible backup’ from the ‘File’
menu.
Due to the transition to Unicode, these backups have to be

converted. The wizard will ask for the system encoding that will be
used by Orbits 4 SP5.
To help you choose the correct encoding, the languages that

typically use the selected encoding are listed.
After creating the backup, please restore the data in Orbits 4 SP5
and check the data for inconsistent names. If these are found, the
selected encoding was probably wrong and you should try creating
the backup again using another encoding.
NOTE: The sport types ‘Competition Karting’ and ‘Rental Karting’

will be converted to ‘Karting’ and ‘Other off-road’ and ‘Other on-
road’ will be converted to ‘Other’.

General settings
The Orbits General Settings options apply to all new subsequent

events and runs. The General Settings can be found under Tools ->
Options and are divided up into different tabs:
• General
• X2 settings
• Timing
• Run Defaults
• Display Settings
• Starting Grid
• Oval Defaults
• Endurance features (for driver ID)
• Camera integration
General
For each competitor in the competitor database, there are eight
additional data fields that can be used for data specified by the
user. In this tab you can name the headers of these data fields.
Additional data fields 1, 3, 5 and 7 are drop-down boxes that store
previously entered values, it is recommended that you use these
for information that can be the same for multiple competitors (e.g.
nationality).
This is also the place where you can enable the automatic export of
competitor information to the X2 server. Only competitors in the
running run will be exported.
X2 Settings
Here you can enable to export competitors from the active run to
the X2 Server and enable to send a passing trigger. A passing
trigger is a CAN message for a transponder containing the passing
time.
Run defaults
The run settings in this part will become the default values for all
successive runs. The settings can of course be changed for each
individual run.

Display Settings
The used temperature unit can be selected here.
Starting grid
In this part you can select the preferred layout of a starting grid.
Oval Defaults
When a yellow, yellow not counting or red flag situation occurs
during a race, the program automatically generates the lineup if
the oval features are enabled in the general settings. Depending on
the lineup method and the lineup scheme, the program
automatically generates the lineup.
Lineup Method
Back to Last Completed Lap > The program will go back to
the last completed lap. Therefore, all the passings in the
current lead lap will be marked as deleted. The program will
generate the lineup immediately.
Race up to the Yellow > The program allows the leader to
complete his lap. The program will make the lineup after the
leader completes the current lap.
Lineup Scheme
Current Track Order > The program will use the current track
order at the yellow or red flag situation for the lineup scheme.
Race up to the Yellow > The program will use the current
race results at the yellow or red flag situation for the lineup
scheme.
Sandbagging
This feature will allow you to apply the ‘sandbagging rule’ on the
qualify time. The time specified will be deducted from the qualify
time when creating a starting grid.
Endurance features
Enabling this feature, allows you to assign up to 6 transponders
per ‘team’. See timing for more information.
Camera integration (plug-in required)

The hostname of the (Al Kamel) camera system can be configured
here. If the hostname is set, an additional menu item will be shown
when right clicking on a passing on the Timing tab: “Show Al
Kamel passing photo”.

Event Setup
This chapter describes how a race event can be prepared and how
you need to configure your timing system setup.

Overview Open the event setup page of the program by clicking on the Setup
tab at the top of the program or the View menu.
Event Orbits program stores the race result per event. This means that prior
management to each event you hold, a new event has to be created in Orbits. Since
an event is run at a track, you also need to specify your timing system
setup. The current selected event is displayed at the top left of the
screen.
Create an event You can create a new event from the Event Setup page. Click on
Create a new event to start the ‘New Event wizard’. Now the wizard
will guide you through this process.
Event settings You can specify the following info on the first page of the wizard.
• Event Name:
The name of the event.
• Sport:
The type of sport for this event. This information will also be
displayed on MYLAPS.com when you upload the Event.
• Begin Date and End Date:
The start and the end date of the event.
• Event Footer 1, 2, 3, 4
The text that should be displayed on the footer of the printouts

Sport selection Version 3.1 of the X2 server firmware introduces sport segmentation
into 10 sports: Car racing, Bike racing, Competition karting, Rental
karting, Motocross, Stock car racing, Ice skating, Inline skating,
Cycling and Running.
Orbits will set the X2 server to the chosen sport type every time a run
becomes running. Because the sport setting in Orbits is more
important, the selected sport will be shown in the Orbits header.
Sport segmentation also means that transponders that are

incompatible with the selected sport type will not generate passings.
To notify you of these transponders the ‘Incompatible Transponders’

dialog has been added. This dialog will pop-up whenever an
incompatible transponder has been detected during a running run.
To disable the dialog from popping up again during the running run,
check ‘Don’t show again during this run’. To be able to open the dialog
manually, an extra task item has been added on the timing page:
Connection Screen In the Setup tab under the graphical overview of the track layout you
will see the dialogue to fill in your username and password and choose
to which X2 server you want to connect.

If a connection has been made the connection button and the status
text field will change.
Decoder Orbits will show the X2 decoders that the X2 server is connected to.
Connection Wizard
If a timeline has been linked to a decoder then passings will be
processed from that decoder. Any missed passings from that decoder
will be resend and can be restored.
System Setup The wizard will ask which timing system setup you are using. You have
to option to create a new system setup or to select a setup that was
used add a previous event. More information about track creation can
be found in the system setup section.

Track Details
Name
The name of the new track.
Length
The length of the track is used to calculate the speed shown on the
qualifying and race results. Depending on unit of the track length
specified (km or miles), the speed (during the race and in the results)
will be shown in km/h or mph.
Driving direction
Select the driving direction of your track.
Use photocells
Select this option when you want to use photocells as backup time
keeping system. Connect the photocells to the start/finish decoder.
More information about photocells can be found in Appendix A of this
manual.
Photocell timeout
When photocells are connected to the decoder, Obits uses the
photocell inputs as a back-up source for timing. If a competitor with a
transponder is passing the finish line, Orbits will receive both photocell
time and transponder time from the decoder, and assign them to the
same passing. If a competitor without a transponder passes the finish
line, Orbits only receives a photocell time and will ask you to identify
the competitor number. The photocell timeout is used to set the time
Obits will wait for a transponder input after receiving a photocell input.
The value is default set to 2000msec. The lower this value, the sooner
Obits will generate an alarm if a competitor without a transponder is
detected by the photocell.
Photocell separation
The separation is used by Orbits to determine whether a photocell
time can be assigned to a transponder passing time. The photocell
time is based on the front of the vehicle, while the transponder time is
based on the placement of the transponder, because of this there
could be a difference in time between the two. The photocell separation
is the maximum time between these two values. The smaller the
photocell separation, the more accurate Orbits will be able to detect
competitors without a transponder. If the separation is set too small, a
competitor with a transponder, passing the finish line, will also
generate a photocell time, for which Orbits will ask you to identify the
competitor number.

Track Next step is to select your track configuration. Depending on the
configuration number of timelines on your track you can select your configuration
from the list. The following configurations are installed by default.
The track layout shows the timelines on the track. Each timeline has a
unique name in this configuration. Orbits have several built-in
configurations available.
1 Timeline Orbits offers the following configurations with 1 timeline.

Start/Finish
• Start/Finish (Lap counter)
2 Timelines Orbits offers the following configurations with 2 timelines.
A to B
• Start on location A
• Finish on location B
Start/Finish, Intermediate 1
• Intermediate 1
This configuration will create section 1 and section 2 times.
Start/Finish, Pits (No Lap counter)

• Pits (Pit counter, will not count for lap)
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits

• Start/Finish Pits (Lap counter)
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Speed (Speed trap before start/

finish)
• Start/Finish Speed
This configuration will create a start/finish speed section.
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Speed (Speed trap after start/ finish)

This configuration will create a start/finish speed section

3 Timelines Orbits offers the following configurations with 3 timelines.
Start/Finish, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2

• Intermediate 1
• Intermediate 2
This configuration will create section 1, section 2 and section 3 times.
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Intermediate 1

• Intermediate 1
This configuration will create section 1 and section 2 times.
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Pit Out

• Pit Out
This configuration will create section Pit Time
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Start/Finish Speed (Speed trap

after start/finish)
Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Start/Finish Speed (Speed trap

before start/finish)
4 Timelines Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2

• Intermediate 1
• Intermediate 2
This configuration will create section 1, section 2 and section 3 times.
5 Timelines Start/Finish, Start/Finish Pits, Pit Out, Intermediate 1,

Intermediate 2
• Pit Out
• Intermediate 1
• Intermediate 2
This configuration will create section 1, section 2, section 3 and Pit
times.
Sections Next step is to fill in the section names and length. Depending on your
selected configuration the program will ask you to fill in the section
names and section length.
Name

The description of a logical section.
Short Name
The short description of this logical section will be used in the result
screens. It can be 6 characters long
Length
Length of the section. This number has to be very accurate, as it will
be used in speed calculations. This number will either be in kilometers
or miles depending on the used length unit (kilometers or miles).
Note: For a speed trap it is required to fill in the track length.
Decoders After you have created your event and configured your timing system
setup, you can select your X2 decoders.
Decoder To be able to receive passings you will have to link Orbits timelines to
connection wizard loops of the X2 server. This can be done using the Decoder Connection
Wizard, which will start when you double click a timeline.
In the Decoder Connection Wizard you can choose between 3 options:

1. Best guess
Based on the selected timeline Orbits will suggest the X2 loops
that fit the best.
2. Available loops
All available X2 loops are listed here.
3. Unlinked decoders
Decoders that are not yet linked to an X2 loop are listed here
When selecting an unlinked decoder Orbits will automatically create a

loop in the X2 server and connect the decoder to this loop. The
Unlinked decoders option will only be available when this Orbits is the
master Orbits (see the ‘master/slave functionality’ chapter).

Deleting a loop It’s also possible to delete loops from the X2 server. To do this right click
on a loop in the “All loops” overview and press ‘Delete loop’. The decoder
connected to that loop will become an unlinked decoder.
Decoder settings The decoder settings can be viewed by selecting the menu Show
settings
Timeline Tab
The name of the timeline is displayed here.
Timing Tab
Photocell inputs and External Start can be set in this dialog:
Each input must have a unique Setting!!

Network Tab:
Network settings for a MYLAPS X2 Decoder cannot be changed in this

Dialog: Settings can be changed via the X2 Utility or X2 Manager.
BaseLink To be able to facilitate in X2 Link you will have to link Orbits to a
Connection BaseLink on the X2 server. This can be done using the BaseLink
wizard Connection Wizard, which will start when you double click on BaseLink.
In the BaseLink Connection Wizard you can choose between 3 options:

1. Configured
All Baselinks that are available on the X2 server will show in this
window
2. Not configured
All available BaseLinks are listed here.
3. Manual connection
Here you can give the IP address of a BaseLink when it is not
showing in the above options:

Disconnect a To disconnect the BaseLink do a right mouse click on the BaseLink on
BaseLink the setup tab and click disconnect BaseLink.
Delete a BaseLink It’s also possible to delete a BaseLink from the X2 server. To do this
right click on a BaseLink in the BaseLink overview and press ‘Delete
BaseLink’. The BaseLink will become unassigned.
BaseLink Settings The BaseLink settings can be opened by double clicking on the BaseLink
in the setup tab.
Network Tab:
Here you can see the IP address for the connected BaseLink. Network
settings for a BaseLink cannot be changed in this Dialog: Settings can
be changed via the X2 Utility or X2 Manager.
Details tab:
The mode of the BaseLink can be set here. There are 3 modes available:
1. Idle – BaseLink will not be sending data
2. Broadcast – The BaseLink will send X2 Link data
3. Diagnostics - TBD
Connection IP address has a warning icon?

issues If the IP Address is not in the same network range as the computer a
warning icon will appear. This means that you need to change the IP
Address of the decoder. You can do this by right clicking on the decoder
and select change decoder settings. You can now connect to your
decoder by selecting it from the list and hit the Next button.
My decoder is not in the list?

If your decoder is not listed first check if it is powered on and that all
connectors are firmly in place. If it still does not connect it is possible
that the decoder has an old firmware version. Manually connect to the
decoder by selecting the network option and hitting the next button.
You can now enter your IP Address, hit the Next button to connect. If it
connects it means that the decoder firmware needs to be updated. It is
possible to do timing in compatibility mode, but some new features will
not be supported.
Check timing If all decoders seem to work properly, it is time to check the system
system setup setup and generate passings on each decoder. Therefore you can start
the Timing System Setup Check. This can be started by selecting Check
timing system setup under the Diagnostics task menu.
The wizard will guide you through some simple steps to check your
timing system setup. With this test you can verify that all decoder(s)
are connected and configured properly.
You need a transponder to check your timing system setup. Please

specify the number of the transponder that you will use for this test.
This transponder will be used to check of the decoders. With this you
can check if all decoders are working and if the timelines are configured
properly.
Synchronization Each decoder, BaseLink and X2 server has its own clock. These clocks
are used for time stamping the passings. The clocks of the X2 server
and the decoders need to be synchronized to one main clock. This
synchronization is done by the X2 Server. The sync source can be GPS,
NTP or Standalone and can be configured by the X2 Manager or the X2
Utility.
Time zone If your system is synchronized, the current system time zone settings
control how Orbits converts between synchronized time to local
time. Orbits will use the computer system time zone, so the X2 Server
time zone and the computer system time zone must be the same in
order for flags and manual passings to be in the right time.
To ensure that Orbits and the X2 server have the same time,
Orbits tries to set the time zone settings of the X2 server (see
Master/Slave functionality).
If Orbits is connected as a slave and the time zone of the system and
the X2 server are not the same, a warning message will be shown to
inform you.

Note: If you change your system time zone, you need to restart Orbits
before these settings take effect. Orbits will give a warning message
when you change the system time zone.

GPS Status
Red icon means that a GPS module is attached to the decoder, but that
the module is not synchronized to GPS yet.
Yellow icon means that the decoder clock has been synchronized with
GPS, but the GPS module doesn’t receive records at this time (lost GPS
connection).
Green icon means that the decoder clock is synchronized with GPS.
The number of satellites found is a good indication of the GPS signal

quality. You can see the number of satellites in the decoder details
screen.
Warnings and Decoder is synchronized by GPS, but the signal is lost.
errors Make sure that the GPS module which is attached to the decoder has a
clear view of the sky. If the decoder is positioned in between a lot of
metal objects, try moving it around a little. Sometimes you have to find
a ‘sweet spot’. The number of satellites found is a good indication of
the signal quality. You can see the number of satellites in the decoder
details screen.
Decoder is not synchronized to a controller or by GPS
No GPS device is attached to the decoder or it is not recognized as
such. The decoder is now relying on its internal clock to retain timing
accuracy. Even though this clock is very accurate, a GPS connection is
preferred. You can check the connector of the GPS device. It may be
loose or dirty, try another GPS device on the same decoder, the device
or the wire may be broken.
No GPS device attached to the decoder

No GPS device is attached to the decoder or it is not recognized as
such. The decoder is now relying on its internal clock to retain timing
accuracy. Even though this clock is very accurate, a GPS connection is
preferred.
• Check the connector of the GPS device. It may be loose or dirty.
• Try another GPS device on the same decoder, the device or the
wire may be broken.
Decoder is synchronized to a different controller

The decoder is synchronized by a different controller. When you don’t
use GPS, make sure that all decoders are synchronized by the same
controller.
Timing system On the system setup page you can see the status of your system
status setup.

The image displays your current system status.
There is an active connection with the
decoder.
A question marks means that no

decoder is selected for that timeline.
Double click on the timeline to select a
decoder.
A red dot means that the connection to
the decoder is lost. Right click on the
decoder to reconnect.
If you move the mouse pointer above

the timeline you get an info tip with
detailed information.

Timeline status In the timeline status screen you can see the status of each timeline
and find detailed information about a decoder if connected.
The left part of the screen displays the status of the timeline.
Show passings To analyze the transponders on a timeline you can select the passings
tab
Hits
The number of hits of the last passing
Strength
The strength of the last passing for that transponder.
Noise
The noise during the last passing.
Noise The background noise in combination with the signal strength is the
most important indicator of the performance of the hardware system.
If a decoder is connected to the computer, the background noise will be
indicated in the timeline status screen, which can be found on the
Event Setup page.
The average background noise is sent to the computer by the decoder

every five seconds. The normal value for the background noise is
between 0 and 30. An increased value of the background noise may
indicate interference. If the background noise is higher, the received
transponder signal strength should be 60 units above the background
noise to ensure a reliable detection of the transponder.
A high background noise level may be indicated for a longer period of

time than the actual duration of high noise levels. If no 5 second time
interval passes without any transponder passings occurring, the
background noise measurement is taken. Therefore the higher (and at
that moment incorrect value) is shown again. Any electrical switch in
the area, or (usually at night) short-wave radio stations can cause
peaks in the background noise. Electronic equipment or a bad hardware
system installation may also cause an increased background noise.
Please refer to your MYLAPS Hardware Manual for further information.
Track records Orbits support an automatic registration of track records per class. All
existing track records can be entered into Orbits by using the ‘Track
Records Editor’. The editor can be shown by selecting the Track records
task found on the taskbar on the left side of the system setup page.
The Track Records Editor gives you an overview of all existing track
records. Track records that are not present in the Orbits system can be
added manually by selecting the New task on the left. If a new track
record is set during a race, the dialog below will be shown:
This allows the timekeeper to accept or deny a new track record. If the
new track record is accepted, it will replace the current track record. If
there is no track record defined for a class, the new track record dialog
will never appear for that class.
Note: If the lap time is below the minimum lap time, the lap will not
count for a track record.

Registration
This chapter describes how you can enter your time schedule and
competitors and which tasks need to completed to begin timing your
event.

Overview Open the registration page of the program by pressing the
Registration button at the top of the program.
The screen is divided into two main sections:

• The Groups and Runs screen
• The Detailed screen
Competitor All competitors are stored in one competitor database. This

Database database, which is organized by class, can be used for every race
event. The competitor database can be shown by clicking on the
Show competitor database option on the taskbar on the left
from the registration screen or by hitting the ‘F3’ function key.
To create a new competitor, right click in the competitor screen

and select New Competitor.
You can search the database for specific competitors using the
Search bar. To show all competitors again, click the Show All
button.
Competitor classes In the competitor database, the competitors are stored in classes.
A competitor can belong to only one class. If a competitor
competes in more than one class, he has to be entered separately
for each class.
When a class is selected (on the left) in the class list, only the
competitors in that class are shown. When multiple classes are
selected, the competitors in the selected classes are shown. When
you press Show All, all competitors in the database are shown. A
class is created automatically when it is entered for a new or
existing competitor. You can also create a class by right mouse
clicking on the list of classes and selecting Make a new class.
To make identification easy, competitors that are in the same

class are marked with the same class image.

Competitor Details The following information can be entered for a competitor:
No
Orbits accepts 4-digit alphanumeric car/bike numbers.
Class
In the Class drop down box, all classes from the Competitor
Database are listed. If a class was selected on selecting Add
Competitor, this class will be pre-selected. You can either select
an existing class or fill out a new one.
Transponder/2nd Transponder
It is only necessary to fill out the transponder number(s) if the
competitor has his/her own personal transponder(s). The 2 nd
transponder field can be used in case a car is equipped with a new
transponder during a session.
Car/Bike Reg.
The car/bike registration number is a unique number for a
car/bike (e.g. chassis number). If you do not know this number
you can let Orbits generate a unique number for you by selecting
Auto generate.
Note: The combination of car/bike registration number and driver

registration number is unique for each competitor. It is used by
Orbits as a key, and cannot be modified. Therefore it is important
to enter this information accurately.
Label
Orbits creates TLA’s (Three Letter Abbreviation) for all
competitors in a run. A TLA is by default the first three letters of
the last name. If it is not unique in the run then the first letter of
the first name and the first two letters of the last name are used.
The label can also be entered in the Competitor Details Dialog.
Note: the label is created by Orbits every time a run is selected

and is exported to the X2 server but it is not saved to disk.
First Name/Last Name

The first and last name fields must be filled out carefully to make
the sorting on name work correctly. If you want ‘Mc Donalds’ to be
sorted on ‘Donalds’, please place ‘Mc’ in the first name field. In the
results on screen and on printouts, the full name will be printed as
a combined string, with first name and last name after each other.
If you want the program to first display the last name and then
the first name, please enter the last name in the First Name field
and vice versa.
Driver Reg.
The driver registration number is a unique number for a driver
(e.g. license number). If you do not know this number you can let
Orbits generate a unique number for you by selecting Auto
generate.
Note: The combination of car/bike registration number and driver
registration number is unique for each competitor. It is used by
Orbits as a key, and cannot be modified. Therefore it is important
to enter this information accurately.
Additional data fields

In the additional data fields you can enter any necessary
additional data on the competitor. Headings for all additional
data fields can be named in the General Settings (Tools->
Options… -> General from the main menu). For three of the
additional data fields the value can either be entered by hand or
selected from a drop down box, which contains all previous
entries.
Option Add Competitor to database

When selected, the competitor details will be updated in the
Competitor Database
Option Add Competitor to runs in group

When selected, the competitor details will be updated in all runs of
the group that has not already been raced.
To enter another competitor, select the Next button. Once all

competitors are entered select the OK button.

Managing By clicking the right mouse button on a competitor in the
competitors Competitor database a pop-up menu will appear for adding,
editing or deleting competitors. Shortcut keys are indicated on
the right side of the options pop-up menu.
Adding new competitors:

To add a new competitor, click right mouse button anywhere on
the competitor database and choose Add competitor.
Editing existing competitors:

If you want to edit a competitor, highlight the corresponding row
in the competitor database, click the right mouse button and
choose Edit. To select more than one competitor, press and hold
Shift or Ctrl while highlighting them.
If you have selected multiple competitors to edit, the bottom part

of the Modify Competitor screen will show how many
competitors you have to go (e.g. ‘To do: 5’).
Deleting competitors:
To delete one or more competitors, highlight them, click the right
mouse button and select Delete. You will be asked to confirm
that you want to delete the selected competitors.
Note: this question will only be asked once, even if you have
selected multiple competitors for deletion.
Import competitors Orbits can import competitors from:

• The competitor database
• A run or group
• A non-Unicode text file
• A Unicode encoded text file
• The X2 server competitor object
Export competitors Competitors can also be exported to the X2 server. This is done
automatically with the competitors in the running run if the
option is set in the Options dialog.

Club transponders The Club Transponder Table is designed to facilitate race series
that own their own pool of rental transponders and assign them
to a new competitor before each event. Instead of typing the full
transponder number in the competitor information, a 1-3 digit
number can be used. The Club Transponder Table can be found
under Tools –> Club Transponder Table. On the right side of the
Club Transponder Table window, the full transponder numbers are
shown; on the left the corresponding short reference numbers.
To enter a new club transponder, select the New task on the

taskbar on the left. A dialog will appear. Fill in the appropriate
transponder and reference number. Editing or deleting a club
transponder can also be done from the taskbar on the left.
In the Club Transponder dialog there is also the option to import

transponder relations from and to the X2 server.

Groups For each event Orbits has the possibility to define groups of
competitors. This makes it easier to organize the competitors in
the event. When you have an event where competitors from
different classes race together, you can define a group for these
competitors.
So groups can be used to organize competitors in an event. The

registration screen shows competitors that have entered the
current event, divided into groups. If you select a group in the left
part of the screen, the right part of the screen will show the
competitors in these groups. An event must always contain at
least one group.
The groups and runs tree expands and contracts like the directory
structure of a Windows computer.
Only competitors listed in a group can be timed during the current

event. If you do not know which competitors have entered the
event, but you do have all of them listed in your competitor’s
database, you can copy the complete database to one group. Also
if you do not want to divide competitors into different groups, you
still have to copy either all competitors or just those competitors
entered for the current event into one group. When all competitors
have been entered into groups, the event schedule for each group
can be created.
Create a group You can create a new group by starting the group wizard. Start the
wizard by clicking on Create a new group under the group tasks.
Now the Group Wizard will start. You first need to enter the group
name and group description After selecting this, you can enter the
Time schedule for the group.
Each group prepared for an event can hold a series of runs. To add
a new run to this group, you can click on the Add Run button.
Then select the name, type and start time of the run. Click on the
Advanced button to enter the detailed run settings.

Create a new run A new run can be created by right clicking on a group and select
New Run from the menu. To edit or delete a run, right click on a
run and select Modify or Delete <Run>
General Tab
Name: The name of the timed session

Short Name: This name is used when a merge result is created
Date: The scheduled date of the session
Time: The scheduled time of the session
Type
Practice: The results are sorted on best lap time.
Single car qualifying: The results are sorted on best lap time.
Qualify: The results are sorted on best lap time.
Race: The results are sorted on laps and total time.
Apply and create another Button: Settings are saved and a new
run for the same group will be created

Timing Tab
Start Method
This property indicates how the start of the race is defined. The
possibilities are:
• Start on First Passing > the elapsed time is measured
from the first passing after dropping the green or yellow
flag.
• Start on Flag > the elapsed time is measured from the
dropping of the green or yellow flag. A session can also be
started using an external start pulse connected to the
photocell 2 input of the AMB decoder. The external start
pulse will result in a green flag to be inserted. Run has to
be in warm-up mode in order to activate this function
• Staggered Start > each competitor has his own starting
time, triggered by passing the start/finish line.
Minimum lap time

Lap-times recorded below the specified minimum lap time will be
automatically invalidated and are displayed in red in the passing
screen. An invalidated passing will count as a lap, but will not be
used for determining best lap time. The minimum lap time value
can be changed at any time, also when timing a session.
Note: Passings with lap times that are faster than 2 seconds will
be automatically deleted.
First Passing
Normally the first two passings will count as one lap (one passing
for starting and one passing for completing the first lap). If this
option is set to Count as completed lap, the first passing of the
start/finish line of each vehicle will count as the first completed
lap.
Whether or not to count the first passing is dependent on several
factors such as the distance between the starting grid and the
start/finish line (the detection loop).
Note: You should try to grid the competitors at least 5m/15ft

from the detection loop to prevent premature detection.

Auto Finish Tab
Auto Finish on Lap

When the first competitor reaches the number of laps specified in
this field, Orbits inserts a finish flag and marks all subsequent
passings as finished. Stopping the timing and scoring manually
when all competitors have finished is still required. When this
setting is left at 0, Orbits will not finish a session automatically.
Auto Finish on Time

When the race clock reaches the specified time entered in this
field, Orbits will automatically insert a finish flag and mark all
subsequent passings as finished. Stopping the timing and
scoring manually when all competitors have finished is still
required. When this setting is left at 00:00:00, Orbits will not
finish a session automatically. Note: When a timeframe -
measured in both laps and time - is specified, whichever criteria
are reached first is used to finish the race.
Auto Finish on time and laps

After the race clock reaches the specified time and after the first
competitor reaches the specified number of laps entered in these
fields, Orbits will automatically insert a finish flag and mark all
subsequent passings as finished. The race clock first has to reach
the specified time before the specified number of laps is starting
to count down.
Auto Finish on time or laps
When the race clock reaches the specified time or the specified
number of laps entered in these fields, Orbits will automatically
insert a finish flag and mark all subsequent passings as finished.
Individual Finish on laps

Every competitor finishes individually after the given amount of
laps.
Individual Finish on time

Every competitor finishes individually after the given amount of
time.

Qualification
requirements Tab
Qualification Requirements
This property indicates how competitors can qualify to appear on
the race results. The possibilities are:
• None > All competitors appear on the race result.

• Maximum Percentage of the best lap time > When
selected, you can specify a percentage of the best lap time
of this run. To appear on the results, a competitor must
achieve a lap time of no more than the specified
percentage of the best lap time. This only applies to
qualifying and practice results.
• Maximum % of the avg. best lap time of the top X >
When selected, you can specify a percentage and the
number of competitors from the top. To appear on the
results, a competitor must achieve a lap time of no more
than the specified percentage of the average best lap time
of the specified top X competitors. This only applies to
qualifying and practice results.
• Minimum percentage of the leader total laps > When
selected you can specify a percentage. To appear on the
results, a competitor must complete at least the specified
percentage of laps of the leader. This only applies to
printed results.
• Maximum number of competitors > When selected, you
can specify a position. All competitors from the specified
position down do not qualify. This applies to race,
qualifying as well as practice results.

Adding competitors There are several ways to add competitors from the database to a
to groups group. One way is to drag the competitors from the competitor
database. To add competitors from the competitor database (Hit
‘F3’ to show the competitor database) to the current group,
highlight them, hold the mouse button down and drag them onto
the Competitors in <group name> box on the bottom right part of
the screen.
To add a new competitor you can also click the right mouse
button on the Competitors in <group name> box and select New
competitor. This way a new competitor can be added who is not in
the competitor database yet.
Remove competitors To remove competitors from the current group, highlight the
corresponding competitor in the Competitors in <group name>
box, click the right mouse button and select Delete. This will only
remove the competitor from this group.
To edit competitor information for the duration of the event,
highlight the corresponding competitor in the Competitors in
<group name> box, click the right mouse button and select Edit.
Competitors may also be moved or copied from one group to
another, by selecting them in the right part of the screen and
dragging them to a group in the left part of the screen.
Tip: Start an event by creating a group called “Event entries” and

drag all competitors that have entered the event to this group.
Then you can drag the competitors from this group to the
different race groups.
Modifying When you drag a competitor from the competitor database into a
competitors group, this competitor is now a copy of the original one. When
you change a competitor in the group, these changes are not
automatically updated in the competitor database; they only
affect the current group. This allows you to make temporary
changes while a race is going on, e.g. when somebody is using a
different transponder or a different car number during the event.
The same applies to a competitor that you drag from a group into
a run. You can also add competitors to a group without adding
them to the database. When you want to update changes to a
higher or lower level, you can specify this by checking the
corresponding boxes in the competitor edit dialog while creating
or modifying competitors.
Copy group(s) Group(s) from a previous event or the complete schedule

including the competitors and merges can be copied in the
current event using the Copy group(s) option in the task menu of
Group and Run.

Import groups and Group and run information stored in xml file can be imported in
runs Orbits. For details about the format, see Appendix B – File
Formats.
Export groups and Group and run information stored can be exported in an xml
runs format
For details about the format, see Appendix B – File Formats.
View time schedule The time schedule can be consulted, exported or Printed by
selecting the View time schedule

Timing
This chapter describes the process of starting a race and the actual
timekeeping activities.

Overview After preparing the race event, you can start racing. This part of the manual
describes the process of starting a race and the actual timekeeping
activities. All of this takes place in the Timing tab of the program. When
the Timing tab is selected, it will look like the figure below.
The screen is divided into three main sections:

• The Passings screen
• The Results Screen
• The Lap Chart
The screens can be adjusted by selecting the tool and dragging it

to the preferred position. You can hide and show the tool by
clicking it with the left mouse button.
Timing a run To start a practice, qualifying or race session, check if the right track and
event are selected in the title bar. To change the selected track and/or event
go to the registration screen and select an event from the choice box on the
top screen. Before you can start a session you first have to open the
session. This can be done from the selection box on the top of the timing
screen. Select the run from the selection list.
Starting a run A run can be created by selecting Create new run from the taskbar. After
selecting the run, you can start it by clicking the green flag. You may also
use the F5 hotkey. Please note, however, that in order for the F5 hotkey to
work, the Orbits program must be active and no other window (another
program) can be active.
Before starting to time the race, you may start that run in warm-up mode,
by clicking the purple warm-up flag. By doing this during the warm-up laps,
you may use these passing to check transponder relations (making sure car
number/driver in Orbits matches the car/driver on the track).
External start
After starting a session with a Warm-up flag, the green flag will be
initialized automatically when the decoder receives a Photocell 2 input from
the Auxiliary port. Please check you hardware manual for wiring details.
Flag situations The green, yellow, red and finish flag can be selected by clicking the flag
with the mouse or using the corresponding hotkeys. However, stopping the
actual timing of the race can only be done by clicking the stop button, since
no hotkey is made available.
A flag change is indicated in the passings screen by a separate line. For

each transponder passing the current flag situation is shown in the first
column of the passings screen. In the Passings Screen, flags may be
dragged into the correct position when dropped late or early.
Warm-up flag
Select the purple flag to start the warming up.
When the purple flag is active the laps will
appear in the Passing Screen, but will not count
for the results.
Green flag (F5)

Select the green flag to start the race or to
change from a yellow or red flag situation back
to a green flag. A stopped race can also be
restarted by selecting the green flag.
Yellow flag (F6)

Select the yellow flag when a full course yellow
is given. This flag will not affect the result.
Yellow flag Not Counting (Oval features

only)
If the oval features are enabled, there is an
option to throw a yellow not counting flag.
During this flag situation the lap count is never
increased but the passings will still be
registered.
Red flag (F7)

Select the red flag when a red flag situation
occurs. During a red flag situation the lap count
is never increased but the passings will still be
registered.
Finish flag (F8)

After the finish flag is dropped, the next
passing by each competitor will be marked as
finished and all subsequent passings will be
marked as extra and will not affect the
race/qualifying result.
Stop
Select the Stop button to stop the timing and
scoring for this session. Once a session is
stopped, successive transponder passings will
not be registered. The session can be restarted
by selecting the green flag (or pressing the F5
hotkey).

Stop a run Select the Stop button to stop the timing and scoring for this run. Once a
run is stopped, successive transponder passings will not be registered. The
run can be restarted by selecting the green flag (or pressing the F5 hotkey).
Track chart The Track Chart is a graphical presentation of competitors that are on the
track. Each box represent a competitor and displays the following
information:
The car number
The expected time. This bar will update during the

lap. If a competitor is expected to pass start finish
the bar will be 100 % green.
When a competitor is running late, the green bar

will become red. This is an indication that the
competitor is in a slow lap, or that he is out of the
race.
The result marker. See the next section for an

explanation of the markers.
A gray background indicates that the competitor

is not active anymore.
A yellow background indicates that the

competitor is the leader in the run.
The Track Chart can be sorted in 4 ways.

• On track position: This shows the order in which the competitors
have passed the detection loop in the last completed lap. The leader
is the first competitor.
• On result: This shows the order based on the current run results.
• On car number: Competitors are sorted on car number.
• On expected time: This shows the order in which competitors are
expected to pass start finish. The competitor at the top is expected
first.
To select the sorting option, right click in the Track Chart screen and choose
the desired option.
To show the passings of a specific competitor you can click on the

competitor box and select the Show Passings option. Now only the
passings of this competitor are shown in the Passings Screen. After you
selected this option, Clicking the Show All Passings button on the top of
the Passing Screen will show all passings of all competitors.

Markers and colors The following markers can be shown at the right of the box.
(Behind the number)
Competitor passed in the current lap
Competitor missed one lap
Competitor missed 2 or more laps
Competitor improved position
Competitor is finished
Competitor went to the track (crossed Pit out loop)
Competitor is in the pits
The following icons can be shown at the left of the box.

(In front of the number)
Last passing of the competitor was a manual passing.
Last passing of the competitor was a photocell passing.
A battery indicates a transponder sending out a low battery

warning. The transponder of this competitor needs to be
recharged; the expected operating time left is between 0 and
12 hours and therefore the transponder needs to be charged
before the next run.
Passings screen The Passings Screen displays all information from the start/finish
and start/finish pits timeline along with any manual additions to
timing & scoring (e.g. adding of a manual passing, inserting flags,
etc.). A colored horizontal line will appear each time a flag is
activated. The color of the flag corresponds with the color of the line.

Indications in the Overall best lap time: A lap time in purple indicates an
passing screen overall best lap time for this competitor.
Personal best lap time: A lap time in green indicates a

personal best lap time for this competitor.
Lap time violation: The lap time of this competitor is below

the indicated minimum lap time in the run properties. (If the lap time
is faster than 2 seconds, the lap time will be ignored)
Pit passing: This passing was received on the pit detection loop
A yellow signal strength or number of hits indicates a value low.
Low battery warning: A red competitor number indicates a

transponder sending out a low battery warning.
Deleted passing: A deleted passing is marked with a cross

in front of the passing. This passing is marked deleted; the
competitor will not be credited with a lap for this passing.
Invalidated lap time: The lap time of this competitor is

invalidated manually. The lap time cannot be selected as best time
for the competitor.
Manual passing: This is a manual passing and doesn’t

have a photocell or transponder time associated with it.
Unrelated transponder: A transponder not linked to

a competitor.
Unlinked photocell passing: If a photocell ‘hit’ cannot be

linked to a transponder passing it will appear as an unlinked
photocell passing.
Linked photocell passing: When a photocell has been

assigned, the car number of the competitor will appear.
Delete passings Passings, which for some reason are not correct, can be deleted in the
Passings Screen; for instance when a technician walks past S/F with a
transponder in his pocket causing an unexpected passing. A deleted
passing will be interpreted as if it did not happen.
To delete one or more passings, select them in the Passings Screen,
click the right mouse button and select Delete Passing(s). All selected
passings are now marked deleted by a gray line with red characters
and a red cross before the line number.
Note: Deleted passings are not removed from the run - they are just
marked as deleted. Therefore it is still possible to undelete a deleted
passing (result): select the passing, click the right mouse button and
select Undelete (Passing).
Invalidate passings A passing that ends a lap, which for some reason (competitor took a
shortcut) should not be considered for best lap time, can be
invalidated in the Passings Screen. An invalidated passing will only
be used to count a lap
To invalidate a passing, select it in the Passings Screen, click the
right mouse button and select Invalidate Passing. The selected
passing is now marked invalid by a gray lap time with red characters.
When a lap time is lower than the minimum lap time specified for the
run, Orbits will pop-up a dialog to ask you if the passing should be
deleted or not.
Moving flags and One of the main features of Orbits is the ability to change flag
manual passings situations at any time. Together with the ability to delete and
undelete passings, add and move manual passings, this makes the
system very flexible and powerful. To move a flag or a manual
passing, click on it and drag the passing to the new position.
The new time of the passing will be set to 0.001 seconds before or
after the passing it is dropped on. After a flag or manual has been
moved, the result of the race will be recalculated automatically.
Lap chart The Lap chart shows the passings in a way that is often used when
manually timing a race. At the top of the chart the lap count is
displayed and underneath in boxes the numbers of the passing
competitors. The colors of the boxes represent the color of the flag
that was active at the moment of the passing. In race mode each
time the leader passes, a new column is created. Clicking on a
passing in the Lap chart, will select the passing in the Passing Screen.

Lap chart colors Warm-up flag
Green flag
Yellow flag
Red flag
Finish flag
Extra passings after finish
The content of a passing box gives extra information on the status of

a passing:
Pit
Indicates that this passing occurred on the pit
start/finish loop.
Low strength
Indicates that this passing had a low strength warning.
Lap time violation
Indicates that the lap time of this passing is below the
minimum lap time or the passing has been invalidated.
Low battery
Indicates that the transponder is sending out a low
battery warning.
Manual passing
Indicates that the passing is a manual passing.
Unlinked photocell
If a photocell ‘hit’ cannot be linked to a transponder
passing it will appear as an unlinked photocell in the
lap chart.
Linked photocell
When a photocell has been assigned, the car number of
the competitor will appear in the box.
Deleted passing
A red cross through the car number indicates that the
passing has been deleted.
Unrelated passing
If a transponder passing is not linked to a competitor it
will appear as unlinked in the lap chart.
Bold and standard text with point
Bold text indicates that this passing is in the same lap
as the leader. A standard text with a point indicates at
least one lap behind the leader.

Passings Monitor On the timing page you can enable the Passing Monitor dialog by
clicking on ‘Show passing monitor’ task item.
This dialog will show the number of transponder passings on the

Start/Finish timeline. On this dialog you can also enable the passing
beep. If enabled a beep will sound every time a transponder passes
the Start/Finish timeline. To make it more accurate, the passing beep
is generated on first contact between the transponder and the loop.
Result screen The Results Screen is used to display results during a practice,
qualification or race. This screen shows the current position of the
drivers and information like: lap count, total time, time difference
with the leader when they are in the same lap. When you right click in
the results screen you can modify the column settings by selecting
the Choose Columns option.
Hide racer from result Hide the competitor from the result by right mouse clicking the
competitor and selecting Hide competitor from result. When you
hide a competitor from the result, the data won't be lost and can
easily be recovered by selecting the Hidden competitors tab.
To put the racer back in the run, go to the Hidden competitors tab,
select the competitor and right mouse click and select Show
Competitor on Result.
You can also permanently delete a competitor from the result when
necessary by right mouse clicking the competitor and selecting
Remove Competitor. If the removed competitor had passings, these
will now show as unrelated passings in the passing screen. The result
of the unrelated transponder is listed under hidden results
Result status When appropriate you can mark a competitor as Did not start (DNS),
Did not finish (DNF) or Disqualified (DQ) by right mouse clicking the
competitor and selecting the desired option. For the DNF and DQ
status, there is an option to send the competitor to the bottom of the
results. On the print-out the status of each competitor will be shown.

Active
The competitor is active.
DNS
The competitor will be marked as Did Not Start and moved to
the bottom of the result.
DNF
The competitor will be marked as Did Not Finish. If you don’t
choose to move the competitor to the bottom of the result he
will keeps his position.
DQ
The competitor will be marked as Disqualified. If you don’t
choose to move the competitor to the bottom of the result he
will keeps his position.
Corrections and Penalties can be given during and after timing a run. A penalty on
penalties position can only be applied after the run is stopped.
You can give penalties to a competitor by selecting the competitor in

the Results Screen, right mouse clicking and selecting Corrections
and Penalties.
A penalty can consist of a correction of Total time, Number of laps,

Best lap time, position and/or points. The penalized or corrected
results will be marked with an icon in the corresponding column of
the result screen.
An overview of all penalties that have been given during a run can be
seen on the Processing Page by clicking Penalties/Corrections on
the left taskbar.

Unrelated If a transponder passes a timeline and the transponder number is
transponders unknown in both the run and the group, the transponder will appear
as an unrelated transponder on screen. A relation between
transponder number and competitor can be created by double
clicking on the unrelated competitor on the “Unrelated competitors”
tab.
In order to relate a competitor to a transponder you can choose one

of four options.
Quickly create a competitor

A new competitor with the given transponder number will be created.
Link transponder to an existing competitor

An existing competitor can be selected from the run, group or
database. The transponder will be linked to the selected competitor.
Keep unrelated, but show on results

No relation is created between a new or existing competitor but the
unrelated transponder number will be visible in the result.
Keep unrelated, don’t show on results

No relation is created between a new or existing competitor. The
unrelated transponder is not visible on the result. The unrelated
transponder will be visible under “Unrelated transponders” after
clicking on the button “Show hidden competitors”.
Transponder switch When two competitors have accidentally switched their

transponders, you can manually switch them back. In the Passings
Screen, select and right mouse click a passing of one of the
competitors. Select the Switch Transponder(s) With… option and a
list of competitors will appear. Select the competitor the transponder
needs to be switched with. When more than two competitors have
the wrong transponder you can repeat the process.
Manual passings When the transponder of a competitor is not detected, that

competitor needs to be timed manually. Reasons for not detecting a
transponder can be an incorrect transponder position, a transponder
that was not charged or a completely missing transponder. If
multiple transponders are not detected, a bad loop installation may
be a more likely cause for the failures.
To insert a manual passing at the current race time you have to hit
the ‘F10’ key. To insert a manual passing after a passing in the
passing list, do a right mouse click on the passing and select Insert a
Manual Passing from the pop-up menu. After inserting a manual
passing you can drag it to another position with your mouse.
A manual passing will show with the icon in the Passings Screen.
You can assign, or reassign it to a competitor by selecting it, clicking
the right mouse button and selecting Assign Competitor to Passing.
The Assign a Manual Passing dialog will pop up. It consists of two
lists sorted by Competitor number. The first list contains all
competitors in the current Run. The second list contains all
competitors for which a manual passing was previously added. A
manual passing is assigned to a competitor by selecting a name
from one of the lists and clicking the Assign button or hitting the
Enter key. When you select Delete, the manual passing will be
deleted.
Note: The ‘F10’ hotkey can be pressed at any time while a

race/qualification is running.
Lap times from manual passings will always be invalidated and

therefore not count as best lap time. Multiple laps can also be added
by right clicking the competitor and selecting Corrections and
Penalties. Photocell and manual passings work similarly.

Driver ID Enabling this feature, allows you to assign up to 6 transponders per
‘team’. In the competitor details screen, you can specify the
transponders for the team by clicking on the Edit Transponders
button.
The feature is enabled in the Options Menu of Tools Menu

• Select Endurance features
• Select the option Enable endurance features (driver id)
There are 2 ways to support multiple drivers per team.
Unique transponder per competitor

Each driver per team has its own unique transponder. You can specify
the transponder number per driver.
Camera integration When the camera system is configured in Tools -> Options ->
(plug-in required) Camera integration, an additional menu item will be shown when
right clicking a passing: “Show Al Kamel passing photo”. After
clicking this, the passing photo(s) of the selected passing will be
shown by the camera system using the default web browser.

Edit a competitor Click on ‘Edit Drivers button to assign the Transponder(s) for the
selected competitor.
If you use a transponder per competitor you need to fill in all the
transponder numbers.
Print results Orbits has several pre-defined templates for printing results. To print
the results of a run or merge, click on Print, which can be found
under Publish tasks.
Print the results of a run

• You can choose the following templates:
• Race results
• Qualify results
• Laps of competitor
• Lap chart
Results can be sorted on class by selecting the option Sort Results by

Class. Change the names of the columns displayed on the printout
by selecting the option Use customized column names. The gray
header background can be displayed by selecting the option Print
header background. Select the number of copies and press Ok to
print the results.

Print preview Press Preview/ Edit template to see a preview of the printout on the
document.
Edit Print Out The race and qualify result templates can be customized. Select the
template you want to customize and choose Preview/Edit Template
and press on Edit Print Out.

Printout header
Logo and text objects

The print template editor offers several objects to place in the header
of the template (This is marked by the rectangle, as displayed in the
picture). The available objects can be selected by using the toolbar
shown at the top of the screen. Once you’ve selected an object you
can create it on the printout pushing the left mouse button and hold
it. Move your mouse to the right bottom of the printout to enlarge it.
When the object has reached the proper size you can release the left
mouse button.
Line object
The line object is a simple object that shows a horizontal or vertical
line in a color or width that is defined by the user. Right click on the
object and choose Properties to change the line thickness.
Text object
The text object can display a user-defined text or a predefined value
(date, time, etc.). With the buttons you can change the colors. By
getting the properties of the object (double click left button or right
click and select properties from menu) you can change the rest of the
settings.
Picture object
The picture object can be used to display images in jpeg, gif, bitmap
or icon-format. By default the image is displayed using its original
proportions, by selecting the “original size”-button the images keeps
it original size. Each object can be resized by using the arrow tool.
Before you can resize or move an object you must select it first. A
selected object shows a border around the object with eight squares.
Now you can resize the button by pressing the left mouse button on
top of one of the squares and drag the mouse until it has reached the
proper size. If you move the mouse over the object a moving cursor
appears. If you hold the left mouse button and move to mouse the
object will follow the mouse.

The changes made to the selected template can be saved. The
program will prompt to save the changes.

Printout Columns To select the columns to be printed, select a competitor and right-
click and select Column Settings. You can also adjust the row height
if necessary.
Select the Columns to be printed
Header and Footer It is possible to create and save your own personal header and footer.
In order to create your own header, you do the following steps:
- Make a copy of the header file that you want to use and give it a
proper name. E.g use Defaultheader.pmt and copy it and rename
it colaheader.pmt
- The header and footer files can be found in the folder Print of
your Orbits program data files.
- Open the template with which you want to use the adapted
header.
- Open the header/footer setup and select the header file name
you want to use.
- Make the changes you want to it by adding pictures, text or
logo’s and click on the save button. All changes to the header will
be saved to the selected header.
In the same manner you can make adaptations to your personal
footer.
Load specific templates It is now possible to load a specific print template by clicking on the
print task within the Processing tab and in the printer dialog window
click on the drop down menu and choose the template you want to
use:

Next to this you can also save the print out as a PDF by clicking on
save as PDF button in the bottom of the printer dialog window.

Print passings To print the passings of a run, click on Print passings, which can be
found under Publish tasks.
Export passings To export the passing information of a run in html format click on
Export passings, which can be found under Publish tasks
Single car qualifying When the run type is set to Single Car Qualifying, the program will
switch to Single Car Qualifying mode. This means that the program
will time the competitors individually. The number of competitors
that are qualified on best lap time can be inputted in the run settings
screen. This option is only enabled if the run is a Single Car
Qualifying run. The program will show which competitor is qualifying
at that moment.
Timing a Single Competitor

When a new competitor is on the track, insert the warm-up flag to
start timing the competitor. After the competitor has finished his
warm-up laps starts single car qualifying by inserting the green flag.
Depending on the number of laps stop the qualifying session of the
competitor that is on the track by inserting the finish flag. To start
timing the next competitor, insert the warm-up flag again.
Note: when the number of laps is filled in, in the run settings screen

(auto finish laps), the program can automatically insert a finish flag.
If the option Automatically inserts a Finish Flag is checked and the
number of laps is reached, the program automatically inserts a
finish flag.
Select other qualifier

The program will automatically select the first competitor after the
warm-up flag as the current competitor. If there are two or more
competitors on the track at the same time you can pick the
competitor that should be times, by selecting the competitor form
the menu. (Only competitor after the warm-up flag will be displayed
in the menu.)
Tie on Best Lap time
When there is a tie on best lap time, this is indicated by a red
background color in the results screen. To change the qualify order
for competitors that have a tie on best lap time, drag and drop the
competitor in the proper position, within the competitors that have a
tie. When the scoreboard feed is enabled, the scoreboard feed will be
automatically put to hold, so there is the possibility to fix the tie on
best lap time.
Provisional and Past Champion

When a competitor is not qualified on time, the program allows the
operator to mark a competitor as a provisional or past champion.
The program allows the operator to mark 10 competitors as
provisional and one competitor as a past champion. This can be done
from the results screen, by right click on a competitor and selecting
the desired option from the menu. The provisional and past
champion will be placed on the qualify results behind the qualified
competitors.
Note: Competitors that are qualified on time will be marked in the

results screen with a white background color. Competitors that are
not qualified on time will be marked with a dark gray background
color.
Lineup creation When a yellow, yellow not counting or red flag situation occurs
during a race, the program automatically generates the lineup if the
oval features are enabled in the general settings. Depending on the
lineup method and the lineup scheme, the program automatically
generates the lineup.
Lineup Method
• Back to Last Completed Lap > The program will go back to
the last completed lap. Therefore all the passings in the
current lead lap will be marked as deleted. The program will
generate the lineup immediately.
• Race up to the Yellow > The program allows the leader to
complete his lap. The program will wait with making the
lineup until the leader has completed his current lap.
Lineup Scheme
• Current Track Order > The program will use the current
track order at the yellow or red flag situation for the
lineup scheme.
• Race up to the Yellow > The program will use the
current race results at the yellow or red flag situation for
the lineup scheme.
To change the position of a competitor in the lineup, drag and drop

the competitor to the proper position. To set a competitor at the
back of the lineup, right click on the highlighted competitor and
select Set to Back.
If a competitor has the same position on the track as at the lineup

request, he will be marked green. If the competitor is not in the
proper lineup position he is marked red.
A lineup can be saved to HTML, CSV and txt file.
To print the lineup, click the print button. The columns will be printed
in the selected order and size.
The following columns will be displayed:

Column name Description
Lineup The order in which the competitors have to
lineup
No. The car number
Name Name of the competitor
Position on track The current position of the competitor on the
track
Laps Lap count in the lap the lineup is made for
Diff Difference in laps between the lap the lineup is
made for and the actual number of laps the
competitor has completed
Sandbagging Orbits will monitor the competitor lap times during the race. If the
lap time in the race is faster than the qualify time – sandbagging
time, the lap time will be marked red.
To view the ‘Sandbagging time’ per competitor you can add the
column ‘Minimum Lap time’ in the result screen.
After the qualify session is finished you need to create the starting
grid for the race. This can be done in the Processing screen. When the
starting grid for the race is created the program will automatically
calculate the ‘Minimum lap time’ per competitor. It will take the
qualify time and deduct the time filled in the General Settings screen.

Section times If your system setup is configured with sections, Orbits can display
the section results. For an intermediate the times can be displayed.
For a speed trap, the speed. If a competitor sets his best section time
in the current lap it will be marked with a purple background color. If
a competitor enters a section the previous section time will be
cleared, so you know that the competitor is in that section.
Please note:
When a competitor enters the pit lane in a practice or qualifying
session his best section times will be displayed instead of his last
section times.

Processing Results
Orbits contain extensive features for processing your results. This

section describes the way you can assign points, merge results,
create a starting grid and copy competitors.

Overview The processing page can be accessed by clicking on the Processing tab,
which can be found at the top of the screen. Processing can be used to
calculate overall results, create a starting grid based on the results of
several runs, export results or assign points
Result tasks The result tasks allows to assign points to the results of a run or merge,
create a starting grid, add Announcements, have an overview of the
penalties or corrections and to Copy competitors
Assign points To start the Assign Points wizard, select the run or merged result and click
on ‘Assign points’, which can be found under the Result Tasks. The Assign
Points Wizard will guide you through the process.
There are several choices here:

• All classes use the same Point scheme: Select Use one point scheme if
all classes have the same point scheme
• Each class uses a specific Point scheme: Select Use the class
• Several class combine a specific Point scheme: Select all classes that

use the same point scheme and press Combine Classes
Click on the class name to select the point scheme.
Use existing Select a point scheme from the list and press OK. Editing and deleting a
point scheme points scheme is done similarly.
New point To create a new points scheme click on the New button. Editing an existing
schemes point scheme has the same effect.
Point schemes Points scheme name: Name of the point scheme.

settings
Points
Here you enter the points to be assigned to the results of the run or merge
in ascending order. Follow each number by <Enter>. It is also possible to
enter decimal point values.
The new point scheme will automatically be saved to disk in the directory
Points in the Orbits folder.
Enter the points scheme by clicking on the points column and fill in the
points for that position.

Other
Here you can specify the points for a specific result state.
DNS competitors
• Normal Points: Points according to position.
• Fixed points: Specify the points.
• No points: No points are assigned
DNF competitors
DQ competitors
Not classified
Clear points To clear the already assigned points of all competitors in a run or merged
result, click on ‘Clear points’.
Manage points To add, edit or delete points schemes, without assigning a points scheme,
schemes click on ‘Manage points schemes’
Starting grid Select the preferred layout of the starting grid. The starting grid settings
can be found under Tools –> Options and then the Starting grid task, which
can be found at the left part of the screen.
Ordering
The starting grid can be printed in ascending or descending order.
Pole Position
The layout can be one or more rows with a pole position either on the left or
right side.
Grid Layout
The starting grid can have a different number of competitors in the even
and odd rows. The max. number of competitors in a row is 6.
Create a starting Select the run to create the starting grid for. Then open the ‘Starting Grid
grid (Wizard) wizard’ by clicking on Starting grid button, which can be found under Result
tasks and select Use Starting Grid Wizard from the menu. Now the wizard
will guide you through this process.
Step 1> Select the run

Select the run where you want to create the starting grid for.
Create starting grid for competitors in <Run>

When you want to create a starting grid for a specific group of
competitors, copy the competitors to the run where you want
to make the starting grid for. Only competitors that were added
to this run will appear on the grid.
Step 2> Specify the starting grid options

The second step is to select how the starting grid should be
created. The starting grid can be created using the following
methods:
• Result, the starting grid is based on the result of a run : The
starting grid is based on the result of another run.
Depending on the type of that run, the starting grid will be
sorted on best lap time or laps. Select the run where the
starting grid is based on.
• Even and odd row, the grid is based on the result of runs :
The starting grid is based on the result of 2 runs. Select a
run for the odd positions and select a run for the even
positions.
• Manual starting grid, manually assign the start positions :
Manually assign the start positions. Select a group of run
that contains the competitors. Select a run or group that
contains the competitors that should be on the grid.
• Random starting grid, create a random starting grid: Create
a random starting grid. Select a run or group that contains
the competitors that should be on the grid.
• Inverted, grid is based on the inverted grid of another run :
The starting grid is based on the grid of another run. Select
the run where the grid is based on.
• Starting Grid 2nd best lap time, the grid is based on the
second best laptime of the run: based on the seconds best
lap time of competitors in a run
Sort the starting grid by class

The starting grid will be sorted on class.
Only add qualified competitors

Only add qualified competitors from the selected run.
Step 3> Finish the starting grid

The last page of the wizard displays the starting grid. Click on
finish to print or modify the starting grid.
Modify the Once a starting grid is created you can easily modify the start positions
starting grid with the starting grid editor.
Modify the start positions: You can change the start position by selecting
a competitor and drag and drop him to the preferred position.
Invert starting grid: This will put all competitors on the grid in reverse
order.
Invert top x competitors: This will put the top x competitors on the grid in
reverse order.
Edit comment: When a competitor is selected you can change the text in
the comment column.
If you right click a competitor you get a menu with the following options:
Send to Back
Place the selected competitor at the back of the starting grid.
Insert/Delete Empty Place

Insert or delete an empty place at this position.
Delete Selected Competitor

Remove the selected competitor from the starting grid.
Edit comment
Edit the comment of the selected competitor.
Starting grid header comment: This text will be printed at the top of the
starting grid.
Starting grid footer comment: This text will be printed at the bottom of
the starting grid.
Select the additional data that should be displayed per competitor:

Select the additional information column you want to print per competitor.
Print the starting To print the starting grid, click on the Print button, which can be found
grid under the Other Tasks. This will open the printer selection dialog. If you
want to print a starting grid sorted on car number, you can click on Print
large numbers button, which can also be found under Other tasks.
Announcements Announcements can be used to make notes of official decisions made

during a run. E.g. Stop and Go Penalty for competitor, reason for red flag
etc. Depending on the type, announcements are shown on the official race
result printout and on Mylaps.com or only in the Announcer Page. To add,
modify or delete announcements by selecting Announcements from the
Results tasks and right click on the Announcement Screen to select your
task from the menu.

Copy From a run or merged result, qualified competitors can be selected and
Competitors copied to another group or run. Select the competitors you want to copy to
another run, in the results screen. Open the dialog by clicking on Copy the
competitors button, which can be found under results task. In this dialog
you can specify which competitors should be copied to another group or
run.
• Select all: Select all the competitors

• Deselect all: Deselect all competitors.
• Select qualified: Only copy competitors that are qualified.
Qualified competitors will be displayed with a block color.
• Select even rows: Only copy competitors that are on a even
position.
• Select odd rows: Only copy competitors that are on a odd position.
• Select a group or run to copy to: Specify the group or run to copy
the selected competitors to.
• Reset competitors transponder during copy: When checked, the
competitors’ transponder number will be set to zero during copy.
Press the OK button to copy the competitors.

Merge results In Orbits, the results of a series of runs may be combined in order to
calculate an overall result of a series of qualifying sessions or races. From
the merged results of qualifying sessions, a selection of qualified
competitors can be made and copied to the appropriate final group. A
merge can be based on best lap-time, race result, or points.
Create a merged To create a merged result, click on Create a new merge, which can be
result found under the Merged result tasks. Now the wizard will guide you
through this process.
General merge Step 1> General merge settings

settings Name
Name of the merged result.
Sort method
Specify how the merged result should be sorted.
• Qualify sort: The merged result is sorted on best lap-time.
• Race sort: Results are sorted by highest number of laps and then
lowest total time.
• Most points sort: Result is sorted on most total points. The
competitor with the most points wins.
• Less points sort: Result is sorted on less total points.
When you use merge on points, you can include a specific tie solver:
• Last result: in case of a tie it will look at the result that was last
added to the merge
• Qualifying: in case of a tie it will look at the best lap time
• Race: in case of a tie it will look at the number of laps and total time
Invert the result

Check this button when you want to invert the result.
Merge method
• Best: Take the best result. (This is default setting for a merge sorted
on best lap time)
• Sum: Calculates the sum of the results. (This is default setting for a
merge sorted on points or sorted laps)
• Average: Calculates the average result.
Select runs Step 2> Select the runs to merge

Select the runs that are going to be merged. By using the arrow buttons,
runs can be added to the merge. To delete a run from this merge use the
corresponding buttons.
Results filter
The result filter allows you to exclude competitors from the merge. The
following filters are available:
• On Position: Only include competitors in the merge that are in
the specified range. (Minimum position, Maximum position)
• On Class: Only include competitors in the merge that are in the
selected class(es).
• On Points: Only include competitors in the merge that are in
the specified range. (Minimum position, Maximum position)
• Qualified: Only include qualified competitors in the merge.
To specify a filter on a result, select a run or merge from the list and choose
the filter from the choice list. Check ‘Use same filter for all’ if you want to
apply the filter for all runs in the merge.
Options Step 3 > Options
Qualification requirements
This property indicates how competitors can qualify for the merged result.
The possibilities are:
• None: All competitors appear on the result.
• On best lap time: When selected, you can specify a percentage. To
appear on the results, a competitor must achieve a lap time of no
more than the specified percentage of the best lap time. This only
applies to merges sorted on best lap-time.
• On average best lap time of top x: When selected, you can
specify a percentage. To appear on the results, a competitor must
achieve a lap time of no more than the specified percentage of the
best lap time. This only applies to merges sorted on best lap-time.
• Minimum percentage of the leader total laps: When selected
you can specify a percentage. To appear on the results, a competitor
must complete at least the specified percentage of laps of the
leader. This only applies to printed results. This only applies to
merges sorted on laps.
• Maximum number of competitors: When selected, you can
specify a position. All competitors from the specified position down
do not qualify. This applies to race, qualifying as well as practice
results.
Keep not qualified competitors in the merge

If you apply a Qualification Requirement on this merge, not qualified
competitors will appear on the merged result. If this option is off, a not
qualified competitor will not appear on the result.
Unique Identifier
This is used to identify competitors with the same information in the
selected field.
Counting runs
Specify how many runs are counting for the merge. The program will drop
the worst result if a competitor appeared in more runs than specified.
Step 4> Finish the wizard

Calculate the merged result: Check this button to calculate the merged
result.
Calculate merged A merged result can be calculated after all runs are finished (and points are
result assigned). Click on ‘Calculate merged result’ which can be found under
Merged result tasks’ to calculate the result.
Note: The merged result is not automatically updated when the result of
one of the run changes. Click on ‘Calculate merged result’ to apply the
changes. Only Live Merges will update automatically.

Solve ties When two or more competitors have the same number of points, the total
points column is marked with a red background. Even if you have indicated
a specific tie solver, the competitors are still highlighted to make you aware
of it
You can still change the position also manually, by selecting a competitor
and drag and drop him on the preferred position.
Team points To create a team merge on points, create a merge on points and choose
merge ‘take the sum of the team result’ as merge method.
Then on the extra merge options page at advanced select the desired team
identifier.
This should be a field by which the team members can be identified. This
will usually an additional field. In the resulting merge each team will appear
once and the points of the individual members will be summed to form the
team result.
Publish tasks The publish tasks allow to export or print results or lap times of a run or
merge

Export results to
file
The results can be exported in three different format:

• txt file; The results are exported to a tab delimited text file.
• csv file: The results are exported to a comma delimited text file.
• html file: The results are exported to a html file.
• xml file: The results are exported to a xml file.
Export lap times Exporting lap times to TXT, CSV or HTML. To export the lap times of a run,
click on Export lap times to file, which can be found under Publish tasks.
Now the wizard will guide you through this process.
The lap times file can be exported in three different format:

• txt file; The lap times are exported to a tab delimited text file.
• csv file: The lap times are exported to a comma delimited text file.
• html file: The lap times are exported to a html file.
Section Info
This will export the section times per lap.
Passing Info
This will export the passing info
Export points for Exporting points in a xml format.

championships The xml file can be imported in another application
Live points Orbits can assign live points to a run. This can be done checking the
checkbox in the Assign Points Wizard. When a run is running and the order
of the results in a run changes then the competitors will receive the points
according to the chosen point’s scheme. When the run is stopped the points
are frozen.

When a run has live points enabled a small calculator will appear over the
run icon:

Live merge Orbits can calculate a merge semi live. This can be done by clicking on the
“Start live merge” task in the Processing tab. When a merge is live it will be
recalculated every 5 seconds.
A live merge can be used in combination with a live points run.

The live merge will be colored yellow:
To stop the live merge click on the “Stop live merge” task:
Note: Only one live merge can be active at a time
Distributing live Live merges can also be distributed. On the Announcer Page and in the
merges Result Monitor a live merge can be selected.

Distributing Results
Besides the timing and scoring functionality Orbits has several ways
to distribute the results to the outside world.

Overview Orbits has several ways to distribute the results to the outside world. These
options include a MYLAPS.com upload, Scoreboard feed and Results on an
Onboard Display screen.
Scoreboard tasks The Orbits program can supply a single information feed via RS232 (null
modem) and multiple information feeds via TCPIP (network) to other
computers or scoreboards. Both the MYLAPS RMonitor protocol and the
Daktronics protocol are supported. Please contact MYLAPS if you want to
receive the RMonitor protocol.
Via Scoreboard – Scoreboard Settings, the communication settings for

the information feed(s) can be specified.
RS232
Set the correct COM port that the scoreboard is connected to. The following
settings should be filled in for the RMonitor protocol: Baud rate=9600, Data
bits=8, Stop bits=1, Parity=None.

TCP/IP
The hostname and IP address will be automatically .given in the Host
information section. Specify the port that you want to use. Port 50000 is
normally always be available.
Daktronics
The Daktronics protocol is built into the Orbits software. Choose to send
information about qualifying results and/or select to send information
about the race results. Select the appropriate feed and the number of lines
that are used on the scoreboard.

Run on the The active run will be automatically displayed on the scoreboard. In case no
scoreboard run is active, the run to be displayed can be selected in the drop down menu
MYLAPS.com Get your results and lap times online in a few clicks
tasks Using the MYLAPS software packages you can upload your race results in a
few clicks. Putting your results online has never been easier. Uploading to
MYLAPS.com is free of charge and offered as an extra service with this
timing software. Give your racers the information they deserve and start
uploading today.
All your results on one page

All the events you uploaded can all be seen on one easy page on
MYLAPS.com. You can even get your own MYLAPS.com sub domain (This is
an address like: myraceclub.mylaps.com) to link directly to your uploaded
results. In this way, your racers can access their results, lap times and
section times within 1 click.
To expose your organization in a professional way, you can also put on a
link to your own website, and put a logo on all the results that you upload!
Get the results on your own website

MYLAPS.com offers organizations that upload, the possibility to put their
uploaded results live into their own website. By copying a small piece of
code into your own website, your site will stay up-to-date while you upload
results to MYLAPS.com.
Upload: To upload results to MYLAPS.com, click the Upload to MYLAPS.com button,

Computer is which can be found under Publish tasks. Now the wizard will guide you
connected to the through this process.
internet • Step 1> Login on MYLAPS.com: In order to use the MYLAPS.com
service you must login with the username and organization of your
MYLAPS.com account. Enter the username and password which are
associated with your organization.
• Step 2> Specify the runs and merges: The program will select all
finished runs to upload to MYLAPS.com. Once a run is uploaded to
MYLAPS.com it will not be selected for upload until the result of the run
changed. Click the Next button to start uploading to MYLAPS.com.
• Step 3> Uploading results The Upload wizard makes a connection with
the MYLAPS.com server. Once the connection is made the results are
automatically uploaded.
• Click on the link to view the results.
Upload: The first 2 steps are the same as when the computer is connected to the
Computer internet.
is not connected • Step 3 > Save the upload file: When there is no connection to the
to the internet internet, specify the location to save the upload file, so the results can
be uploaded to MYLAPS.com from another computer.
• Step 4 > The upload is finished: The upload file is successfully saved
to the selected location. To upload the results to MYLAPS.com, bring the
file to another computer that is connected to the internet and open it
there.

Web Feed Orbits can send results to the online timing server with the Web feed plugin.
(LiveTiming) On the server spectators can follow the uploaded run. For example:
http://liveresults.mylaps.com/demo/
The Web feed plugin is linked to your MYLAPS Organization account.
Enabling the web The Web feed can be enabled on the Distribution tab. Click on ‘Web feed’ and
feed check the ‘Enable Web feed’ checkbox.
Also make sure to enter your MYLAPS Account Settings.
Status The Web Feed has 3 statuses:

- Idle
- Uploading
- Error (for instance when there is no internet connection)
Activation To use the LiveTiming web page your account has to be activated. Please
contact your MYLAPS to activate your account.
Local App Feed The ‘Start local App Feed’ task on the distribution tab will start another
Orbits console. Smartphone users using the MYLAPS Live Timing App can
connect to this local feed if the PC the Local App Feed console is running on
is accessible via a local Wi-Fi network. The uses have to fill in the ip-address
and port (typically 60000) of the PC running the Local App Feed.
Features of the App Feed are:

1. It can handle a lot of (local) connections (up to 2000).
2. The Local App Feed is not part of the Orbits Server but runs in a
separate console. This is done because handling a lot of connections
can take a lot of CPU power, so it’s best to run it on a separate
computer. You can do this by starting it from the Orbits Remote
launch pad.

Speedhive Feed The Speedhive Feed enables live timing (live results view) via an app and/or
a web site. For more information about the app go to
https://speedhive.mylaps.com/app, information about the web site can be
found here https://speedhive.mylaps.com/livetimingpromo.
The Speedhive feed can be enabled on the Distribution tab. Click on

‘Speedhive feed’ and check the ‘Enable Speedhive feed’ checkbox.
The upload interval can be set between 1 and 9 seconds.
Also make sure to enter your MYLAPS Account Settings.
Status The Speedhive Feed has 3 statuses:

- Idle
- Uploading
- Error (for instance when there is no internet connection)
Onboard Feed Orbits can send the official class based timing and positioning information
to a display in a vehicle via the Onboard Feed. This is done by sending
onboard feed messages to a RaceLink. The RaceLink will then send the
messages over the CAN bus, the information in these messages can be
displayed by a display. Information in these messages include: position, lap
time, gap, diff, type of run, time or laps to go and diff personal best.
Enabling the The Onboard feed can be enabled on the Distribution tab. Click on ‘Onboard
Onboard Feed feed’ and check the ‘enable onboard feed’ checkbox.

How does it work When a transponder passes the start/finish timeline Orbits will put the
official timing and positioning information into onboard feed messages and
send these messages to the X2 server.
The X2 server will then send the onboard feed messages to the RaceLink just
after start/finish. The RaceLink will put the messages on the CAN-bus in the
vehicle, which can be received and displayed by the display.
When the display receives the messages it should send back an

acknowledgement message(s).
Diagnostics Note: A number in the icons above means only that number of messages is
received. The icon without a number means all messages are received.
Some columns have indicators.

Position
= no change
+ improved
- decreased
Lap time
+ same as or worse than previous
- better than previous
* personal best
! overall best
Gap, Gap behind, Diff and Last time diff

+ same as or larger
- smaller
Note: A number in the icons above means only that number of messages is
received. The icon without a number means all messages are received.

Position
= no change
+ improved
- decreased
Lap time
* personal best
! overall best

+ same as or larger
- smaller

Championship
Administration
This chapter describes how to do the championship
administration with Orbits.

Overview Open the championship page of the program by pressing the
Championship button at the top of the program.
Championship Orbits organizes the championship per season. The selected

management championship is displayed on the top of the screen.
A championship consists of a number of events. Combined these

events will form a championship. There is no limit on the number of
events per championship.
Create a You can create a new championship from the championship page.
championship Click on Create a new championship to open the ‘Championship
Settings’ screen.
Edit or delete a To edit a championship click on ‘Edit championship’, this can be

championship found under ‘Championship Tasks’. Now you can modify the
championship in the Championship Details screen.
To delete a championship from the program click on ‘Delete

championship’ under the Event Result Tasks.

Championship A championship offers the following settings:
settings
Name: The name of the championship.
Season: The championship season.
Sort method
Here you can choose how the championship should be sorted. There
are two options:
• Most points: The championship will be sorted on most
points.
• Least points: The championship will be sorted on least
points.
Tie solver
In case of a tie on points Orbits offers the following Tie solvers:
• Most 1, 2, 3 places per run: The competitor with the most
1st places will win. In case this is the same, it will look to the
most 2nd places. Etc. It will look at the run results.
• Most 1, 2, 3 places per event: The competitor with the
most 1st places will win. In case this is the same, it will look
to the most 2nd places. Etc. It will look at the event results.
• Result of last run: The competitor with the best result in
the last run will win.
• Result of last event: The competitor with the best result in
the last event will win.
• Points of all events: The competitor with the best points
for an event will win
• Points of last event: The competitor with the best amount
of points in the last event will win
• Points of last run: The competitor with the best amount of
points in the last run will win
Valid results
In case of a tie on points Orbits offers the following Tie solvers:
• All points are counting: The competitor with the most 1st
places will win. In case this is the same, it will look to the
most 2nd places. Etc. It will look at the run results.
• Maximum number of valid runs: Specify how many runs
are counting for the championship. The program will drop
the worst result if a competitor appeared in more runs than
specified.
• Maximum number of valid events: Specify how many
runs are counting for the championship. The program will
drop the worst result if a competitor appeared in more
events then specified.
Championship A championship offers the following settings display options:
display options Select the layout
Specify how a championship should be displayed. There are three
different layouts available.
• Points per run: The program will add a column for each run
in the championship.
• Points per event: The program will add a column for each
event in the championship.
• Points per run and event totals: The program will add a
column for each run in the championship. It will also display
the totals per event.

Footer Text
This text will be displayed on the print out and on the web
MYLAPS.com website. You can define 3 lines of footer text.
Adding a result to the Click on ‘Add event result’ to add a new result to the championship.
championship This will start the ‘Add Event Result’ wizard which will guide you
through the process.
The first step is to select how to add the result. There are three
options here:
• Use points from a result: Add a run or merged result that
contains the points for the championship. Use this option when
you the results are available in the local version of Orbits.
• Load the points from file: Add the result from a point’s file that
was exported from another Orbits program.
• Manually enter the points: Enter the points manually. Use this
option when the results are not available in Orbits.
Use points from a result

When this option is selected you need to specify which run or result
is counting for the championship. Select the run or merge and click
next. The points will now be added to the championship.
Load the points from file

When this option is selected you need to select the file that
contains the points for the championship. Click on next to import
the file and add the points to the championship.
Manually enter the points

When this option is selected you need to specify the name of the
event. Click on next to manually enter the results of the event.

Edit the event result After a result is added to the championship. Select the event from
the Event List and click on ‘Edit event result’ which can be found
under Event Result Tasks.
Change the competitor points

It is possible to edit the points or competitor info. Select the
competitor you want to modify and click on ‘Edit competitor’
which can be found under Competitor tasks. The following screen
will appear.
Add a competitor
Add a competitor to the result by clicking on ‘Add competitor’
which can be found under Competitor tasks.

Championship layout The championship standings will be displayed as following.
A column will be created for each event in the championship.
The points received for the runs in an event will be displayed in a

column. Besides the point per run there is also a column Total,
which displays the total pints received for a specific event.
1st place will be marked with a gold background color.

2nd place will be marked with a silver background color.
3rd place will be marked with a bronze background color.
Dropped points will be marked with a red text-color
The legend will display the date and the event name.

Solve ties manually Click on Show ties to display competitors with the same number of
total points.
When a tie is automatically solved (according to the tie solve

method in the championship settings) the position column will be
marked with a green background color:
When the program was unable to solve the tie, the position column
is marked with a red background color:
You can now choose to change the position of a competitor by

clicking on ‘Place up’.
Print the The Orbits program has three pre-defined templates for printing the
championship championship standings. To print the championship, click on
standings ‘Print’, which can be found under Publish tasks.
Available layouts
• Points per run: The program will print a column for each
run in the championship.
• Points per event: The program will print a column for each
event in the championship.
• Points per run and event totals: The program will print a
column for each run in the championship. It will also print
the totals per event.
Orientation
• Portrait: The championship standings will be printed
portrait. Choose this option when you have more then 40
competitors in the championship.
• Landscape: The championship standings will be printed
landscape. Choose this option when there are many events
in the championship
Export The championship standings can be exported to a HTML file. To

Championships to export the championship standings, click on ‘Export to file’ to file,
file which can be found under Publish tasks. Select the location where
you want to save the championship.

Upload To upload your championship standings results to MYLAPS.com,
championship click the Upload to MYLAPS.com button, which can be found under
standings to Publish tasks. Now the ‘Upload Championship’ screen will guide
MYLAPS.com you through this process. An internet connection is required to
publish the championships.
Login on MYLAPS.com
In order to use the MYLAPS.com service you must login with the
username and organization of your MYLAPS.com account. The
championship standings will be displayed under this account.
Username
Enter the username which are associated with your organization.
Password
Enter the password of your organization.
Select the championships to upload

Select the championships you want to publish on MYLAPS.com.
Finally click on Ok to upload the championships. The program

makes a connection with the MYLAPS.com server. Once the
connection is made the championships are automatically
uploaded.

X2 Link
X2 Link wirelessly communicates with vehicles on the track. Data
flows both ways: the X2 Transponder installed in the vehicle
sends official race data to the system. The system immediately
converts this data into official race data such as lap time and
position and more. This data is then sent back to the vehicle
through radio frequency, and the onboard display in the vehicle
will display all sorts of vital race information – such as position in
the race, gap between vehicles in front and behind and number of
laps.

X2 Link X2 BaseLink
components The BaseLink sends out radio frequency signals, which are picked up by
the X2 RaceLink mounted on each vehicle. The BaseLink is installed at
the start/finish line, on a position with a maximum line of sight, for
instance on top of a finish arch. This will ensure an optimized wireless
connection with the RaceLink installed at the vehicles.
The BaseLink connects to the X2 Server, which also powers the
BaseLink.
X2 RaceLink
Via the X2 RaceLink add-on, racers will be able to receive 2-way
communication into their vehicles. RaceLink works with MYLAPS X2
Transponders. Live race data will be displayed on supported onboard
displays.

Disconnect a To disconnect the BaseLink do a right mouse click on the BaseLink on
BaseLink the setup tab and click disconnect BaseLink.
Delete a BaseLink It’s also possible to delete a BaseLink from the X2 server. To do this
right click on a BaseLink in the BaseLink overview and press ‘Delete
BaseLink’. The BaseLink will become unassigned.
BaseLink Settings The BaseLink settings can be opened by double clicking on the BaseLink
on the setup tab.
Network Tab:
Here you can see the IP address for the connected BaseLink. Network
settings for a BaseLink cannot be changed in this Dialog: Settings can
be changed via the X2 Utility or X2 Manager.
Details tab:
The mode of the BaseLink can be set here. There are 3 modes available:
1. Idle – BaseLink will not be sending data
2. Broadcast – The BaseLink will send X2 Link data
3. Diagnostics - TBD
Onboard Feed Orbits can send the official class based timing and positioning
information to a display in a vehicle via the Onboard Feed. This is done
by sending onboard feed messages to a RaceLink. The RaceLink will
then send the messages over the CAN bus, the information in these
messages can be displayed by a display. Information in these messages
include: position, lap time, gap, diff, type of run, time or laps to go and
diff personal best.
Enabling the The Onboard feed can be enabled on the Distribution tab. Click on
Onboard Feed ‘Onboard feed’ and check the ‘enable onboard feed’ checkbox.

How does it work When a transponder passes the start/finish timeline Orbits will put the
official timing and positioning information into onboard feed messages
and send these messages to the X2 server.
The X2 server will then send the onboard feed messages to the RaceLink
just after start/finish. The RaceLink will put the messages on the CAN-
bus in the vehicle, which can be received and displayed by the display.
When the display receives the messages it should send back an

acknowledgement message(s).
Diagnostics Note: A number in the icons above means only that number of
messages is received. The icon without a number means all messages
are received.

Position
= no change
+ improved
- decreased
Lap time
* personal best
! overall best

+ same as or larger
- smaller
Note: A number in the icons above means only that number of

messages is received. The icon without a number means all messages
are received.

Position
= no change
+ improved
- decreased
Lap time
* personal best
! overall best

+ same as or larger
- smaller

Result Monitor
This chapter describes how to use the Result Monitor.

Overview The Result Monitor Console can display result information on attached monitors
which are stored in templates. A template can be created and edited by the
Template Editor.
Main page The Result Monitor screen
Run Selection
The run to display can be selected in Run Selection.

By default, the current run will be displayed.
Screen Saver
In the screen saver control the amount of seconds after which the screen saver is
activated can be set.
Control
Select Play all to display Result Monitor on all enabled monitors.

Press Stop all to stop displaying.
Monitor Selection
When there is more than 1 monitor connected to your computer an extra tab per
connected monitor will appear. Each monitor can have its own template that it will
show. Click on the tab of the monitor you want to edit.
Template
Select a run type and press “Select template” to select a template for that run
type. Press “Edit template” to edit the selected template.

Select template
In the left column you can select the resolution of the display. On the right side
you can select a template for the selected monitor resolution.
Click “New” to create a new template.

To edit a template, select the template and click “OK”. This will return you to the
Template screen. Here you can press the “Edit template” button.
In this screen it is also possible to create a new template

Template Editor
In the Template editor you can edit a template to fit your needs.
General
Create a new template
Open a template
Save a template
Save template as
Template info
Template settings: Display resolution settings
Edit theme: Font and color settings used in the theme
Screen settings
In this section you can alter the size of the grid, select a background color or
image or insert a table, a text, a picture, a line or a website.
You can also set the timeout to switch between screens in case you have defined
more than one screen per monitor.

Monitor
Select the monitor on which you want to preview the template and click Start full
screen
Screens
All the screens in the current template will be shown in the screens section.
A screen can be added by right clicking in the screens section.
Create a new layout To create a new layout, go to the General section and select the “New” Icon
Template Settings The Template Settings dialog appears
Here you can enter the name of the new template and select the resolution.

Theme Press the icon “Edit theme” to add, delete or edit a Theme.
New Font Select the Fonts tab and press “Add”
Type name and click on SAMPLE to edit the font details.
Select the desired font and press “OK”.

Edit Background To edit the background color or picture of a screen, select “Edit background in the
“Screen settings” section.
Here you can define a background color and a background image.
Grid Selector Select the size of the grid to align items
Screen Timeout Select the timeout in seconds to switch to another screen / template on the same
monitor.
Select “Disabled in template” in case of one screen per monitor.
Editor Items which can be added to a template are: table, text, picture, line, or website.
Table Editor A table will display the selected results.

There are four tabs to specify the properties of the table.
View tab On the View tab you can select the parameters to display.
The type of template, the columns to sort on, the row to start with and the paging
time between the pages can be defined.

Columns tab Select the columns to display.
Press Column width to define the size of each selected column.
Style tab
Define the font, background and text color of the template.

Position tab
The position parameters can be changed by:

• Typing the values in the X, Y, Width and Height here
• Dragging the borders of the table in the preview pane
Text Editor Type a text to be displayed in the results
Picture Editor Select a Picture to display in the result screen

Announcer Page
This chapter describes how the Announcer system is integrated
in Orbits Remote.

Overview The Announcer Page can be selected by Starting Orbits Remote (see Chapter 5
Remote console).
Run
selection
When Automatically switch to current run is not select a previous run from an
event
Template
• Define the type of template:

o Results
o At the Line
o Announcements
• Select Seconds to next page to determine when the next page should be show
(if there are too many rows to fit on the screen).
• Use the enter key to toggle paging and the arrow keys to select a page.
• The resolution of the screen and the selected font size determine how many
rows fit on one screen.
• Paging is disabled for the At The Line View.
Style Change the font of the displayed characters

Choose Columns to be displayed on the monitor
Another way to change the Style Settings is to right-click on
Select Start at position in case of displaying results on multiple monitors

Control
Press the Icon to display the current settings :
Left double-click to return to design mode

Track
temperature The temperature information of the TrackSensor installed at the Start/Finish
timeline, will automatically be displayed in the bottom right corner of the
Announcer.
The unit of the temperature can be changed via the Orbits Console menu Tools ->
Options.

How to
This ‘How to..’ guide has short descriptions of how to use certain
functions. For more information about those functions please
refer to the corresponding chapters in this manual.

Decoders The noise level is too high, what should I do?
Check all the connections (BNC connectors make proper contact?)
and all cables (Are coax cables and loop wires damaged or cut?). If
the loop wire is cut and the track is wet, the noise level may go up
to very high levels. Reinstalling the loop solves this problem in
99.9% of the cases.
Transponder What does the light on the transponder indicate?

• While being used > The number of green blinks is the
minimum days (24h) to go before the battery is empty. The
last 24 hours before the battery is empty the transponder will
blink red. A solid red LED indicates that it can switch off at any
moment!
• While connected to charger > A red blink means the
transponder is still charging When the led remains green, the
transponder has finished charging
Strength or hits on some or all transponders are low

When the signal strength is pretty consistent (within 10 points or
so) but is low, this indicates that the transponder is not properly
mounted. The transponder needs to be mounted within 2 ft. of the
track with no metal or carbon fiber between the track and the
transponder. There needs to be sufficient space around the
transponder. The transponder cannot be affixed with metal wire or
hose clamps, since that will reduce the signal coming out of the
transponder significantly.
When signal strength is heavily fluctuating for 1 transponder

(more than 10 points), this indicates that there is a problem in the
loop, coax cable or the connections.
Runs How to restart a run.

After a run has been stopped, apply a green/yellow flag. The race
will now restart.
Competitors How to open the competitor database?

In the Registration Page click the Show competitor database
button or press ‘F3’
How to add competitors from the database to a run?

• Select a run in the Registration page.
o Open the Competitor Database.
o Select the driver(s) you wish to add.
o Right-click and select <Add to selected run> from the
menu.
• Select a run in the Operator Module.
o Open the Competitor Database
o Select the driver(s) you wish to add.
o Drag the selected drivers into the <Competitors in
run/group> screen.
Updating competitor data

If the change is permanent, competitor data should be changed in
the Competitor Database. If the change applies only to this
run/group, the data should be changed in the run/group only.

Applying a change in the Competitor Database to a
run/group.
If a change is permanent, but the competitor has already been
added to a run there are two different ways of synchronizing the
data depending on the circumstances:
1. The competitor has not passed yet >

Remove the competitor from the run and add him/her
again.
2. The competitor has already passed >

As a safety it is not possible to change a competitor in a
run from the Competitor Database. The competitor has to
be made unrelated first and added again.
- Make the competitor unrelated in the run.
- Add the competitor again.
Results How to delete a result from a run?

• Open the <Competitors in run> screen.
• Select the competitor who’s result you wish to remove.
• Right-click and select <Delete result> from the menu.
Don’t show the pace car on the results?

If the pace car has a transponder, the car will show up on the
results.
To prevent the pace car from showing, you can mark the pace car
result as hidden. The pace car will still appear in the hidden results,
but won't show on the results (e.g. printout, RMonitor).
The wrong competitor shows up after a passing

• Select the competitor, right-mouse click and select ‘Make
Unrelated’ from the menu.
• Now double-click on the competitor and select a new
competitor from the Run, Group or Database or create a
new competitor.
If the transponder numbers are switched between two competitors

in a run, you may also do the following:
• Right mouse click on one of the competitors with the
wrong transponder number.
• Select ‘Switch Transponder(s) with’ from the menu and
select the competitor whom the transponder should be
switched with,
To make sure everything is alright from now on for following races,

you have to do some research.
• Find out what caused the wrong competitor to show up.
Were the transponders switched by accident? Was the
wrong number entered in the database? etc.
Adjust the transponder numbers in the database/group if needed.
The best lap time is not a valid lap

To make a lap time not count for best lap, you can right mouse
click on the incorrect passing and select ‘Invalidate passing’. Now
the passing will still be used to credit the competitor with a lap,
however the passing will not be used for fastest lap times
Appendices
The appendices contain information about photocells and file
formats.

Appendix A – Photocells
Using photocells For back-up purposes photocells and manual time keeping can
be used. The photocells can be connected to the decoder. The
decoder is triggered each time the light beam of the photocell is
interrupted. The transponder and photocell inputs can be
related to each other. Note that in Orbits the transponder
system is used as primary system and therefore the
transponder time is taken for timing and scoring.
Positioning photocells When the hardware system is set up properly, the detection
loop is located before the actual finish line, in that way that the
transponder is in the middle of the detection loop when the
front of the vehicle is crossing the finish line.
For a correct match of transponder- and photocell passing

times (lap times are not affected) the photocell should be
positioned at the finish line. When positioning of the photocells
is not possible as depicted in the picture on the right, the extra
time difference should be calculated in the maximum
transponder, photocell time separation. Make sure that when
the photocells are installed, the batteries are full and that the
photocells are aligned and switched on.
Setting Photocell delay

Each photocell transmitter is equipped with a selector switch
for setting the photocell delay. This time defines the maximum
interval between two interruptions of the light beam that will be
considered as one interruption. This setting is, among others,
to avoid multiple interruptions of the light beam generating
multiple photocell hits.
Connecting Photocells to the decoder

Photocells are connected via a MYLAPS photocell interface cable
to the auxiliary port of the MYLAPS decoder. Please refer to the
hardware manual of your system for the exact pin specification
of the auxiliary connector.

Appendix B – File Formats
Result file format

The exported results file contains the results of the competitors in the selected run.
Record layout
Depending on the selected file type the output file has the following record layout:
Txt file: - FIELD - <TAB> - FIELD - <cr/lf>
Csv file: - FIELD - <COMMA> - FIELD - <cr/lf>
Fields can be numeric or alphanumeric depending on the field. Fields separator is a comma “,”
(ASCII code 44 decimal) or a tab (ASCII code 9 decimal). Record separator is a carriage return
(cr) plus linefeed(lf).
If you choose to export the selected columns the program will display the columns that are
currently selected in the result screen.
Record format for qualify columns (run only) Export format for a qualify result
Pos Finish position of the competitor, Numeric.
PIC Finish position of the competitor in his class, Numeric. (Only when show
class column is on)
No Car number of the competitor, Maximum 4, Alphanumeric.
Name Name of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Class Class of the competitor, Alphanumeric. (Only when Show class column is
on)
Best Tm Best lap time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
Best Spd Average speed of best lap
In Lap Lap the best lap time was set, Numeric.
Diff Differential time or laps of the competitor with the leader, Floating point
with 3 decimal places or numeric.
Gap Differential time or laps of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal
places or numeric.
2nd Best Tm 2nd Best lap time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
2nd Best Spd Average speed of 2nd best lap
2nd In Lap Lap the 2nd best lap time was set, Numeric.
Car Reg Car registration number of the competitor
Additional Data 1 Additional data 1 of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Points Points the competitor received, Numeric. (Only when Show points column
is on)
Sample
Pos<TAB>PIC<TAB>No<TAB>Name<TAB>Class<TAB>Best Tm<TAB>Best Spd<TAB>In
Lap<TAB>Diff<TAB>Gap<TAB>2nd Best<TAB>2nd Spd<TAB>2nd Lap<TAB>Car/Bike
Reg<TAB> Additional 1<TAB> Additional 2<TAB>Points<cr/lf>

Record format for race columns (run only) Export format for a race result
PIC Finish position of the competitor in his class, Numeric. (Only when show
class column is on)
Class Class of the competitor, Alphanumeric. (Only when Show class column is on)
Laps The number of laps of the competitor, Numeric.
Total Tm Total race time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
Diff Differential time or laps of the competitor with the leader, Floating point with
3 decimal places or numeric.
Gap Differential time or laps of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal
places or numeric.
Avg Spd Average speed of race
Best Tm Best lap time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
Best Spd Average speed of best lap
In Lap Lap the best lap time was set, Numeric.
Additional Data Additional data 1 of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
1
2
Points Points the competitor received, Numeric. (Only when Show points column is
on)
Sample
Pos<TAB>PIC<TAB>No.<TAB>Name<TAB>Class<TAB>Laps<TAB>Total
Tm<TAB>Diff<TAB>Gap<TAB>Avg. Speed<TAB>Best Tm<TAB>Best Spd<TAB>In
Lap<TAB>Car/Bike Reg<TAB>Additional 1<TAB>Additional 2<TAB>Points<cr/lf>
Record format for qualify columns (merge only) Export format for a merged qualify result
Overall Best Tm Overall best lap time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
In session The name of the session the best lap time was set.
For each session in the merge the following column(s) will be included
Best Tm Best lap time of the competitor in this session, Floating point
with 3 decimal places.
2nd Best Tm 2nd Best lap time of the competitor in this session, Floating
point with 3 decimal places.
1
2
on)
Sample with 3 runs in the merge

Pos<TAB>No.<TAB>Name<TAB>Class<TAB>Overall BestTm<TAB>In Session<TAB>Best: Run
1<TAB>2nd: Run 1<TAB>Best: Run 2<TAB>2nd: Run 2<TAB>Best: Run 2<TAB>2nd: Run
2<TAB>Car/Bike Reg<TAB>Additional 1<TAB>Additional 2<TAB>Points<cr/lf>

Record format for race columns (merge only) Export format for a merged race result
Laps The number of laps of the competitor, Numeric.
Total Tm Total race time of the competitor, Floating point with 3 decimal places.
In Session Session where the result was set
Laps The number of laps of the in the specific run/merge, Numeric.
1
2
on)

Pos<TAB>No.<TAB>Name<TAB>Class<TAB>Laps<TAB>Total Tm<TAB>In Session<TAB>Laps:
Run 1<TAB>Laps: Run 2<TAB>Laps: Run 3 <TAB>Car/Bike Reg<TAB>Additional
1<TAB>Additional 2<TAB>Points<cr/lf>
Point columns for points (merge only) Export format for a merged points result
Total Points Total points, Numeric.
Points Points for this session, Numeric.
1
2
on)

Pos<TAB>No.<TAB>Name<TAB>Class<TAB>Total Points <TAB>Points: Run 1<TAB>Points:
Run 2<TAB>Points: Run 3 <TAB>Car/Bike Reg<TAB>Additional 1<TAB>Additional
2<TAB>Points<cr/lf>

Competitor file format
The competitor file contains competitors from a run, group or from the database.
Record layout
Depending on the selected file type the output file has the following record layout:
Txt file: - FIELD - <TAB> - FIELD - <cr/lf>
Csv file: - FIELD - <COMMA> - FIELD - <cr/lf>
Fields can be numeric or alphanumeric depending on the field. Fields separator is a comma “,”
(ASCII code 44 decimal) or a tab (ASCII code 9 decimal). Record separator is a carriage return
(cr) plus linefeed(lf). Alphanumeric data is started and ended with quotes. The first line of the
export file contains the header information.
Record format for competitor

Class Class of the competitor, Alphanumeric. (Only when Show class
column is on)
First name First name of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Last name Last name of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Car Reg Car registration number of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Driver Reg Driver registration number of the competitor, Alphanumeric.
Transponder 1 1st transponder number, can be numeric or Alphanumeric.
Transponder 2 2nd transponder number, can be numeric or Alphanumeric.
Sample
"No"<TAB>"Class"<TAB>"FirstName"<TAB>"LastName"<TAB>"CarRegistration"<TAB>"Driver
Registration"<TAB>"Transponder1"<TAB>
"Transponder2"<TAB>"Additional1"<TAB>"Additional2"<TAB>"Additional3"<TAB>"Additional
4"<TAB>"Additional5"<TAB>"Additional6"<TAB>
"Additional7"<TAB>"Additional8<cr/lf>"

Groups and Runs file format
The groups and runs file contains competitors from a run, group or from the database.
The 3rd party import allows 3rd party software to import groups runs and competitors via an
XML file. The XML file should be utf-8 encoded.
The following sections describe how the XML file should be formatted.
Prolog
The XML file should be preceded by the following prolog.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
XML basic structure

The XML document should contain the “groups” root node and the attributes listed below.
Elements Description Number

groups The root element 1
group Group 0..*
competitors Group of competitors 1
runs Group of runs 1
run Run element, a practice, qualify or race 0..*
competitor Competitor, a participant 0..*
Example :
<groups>
<group name=”MX1” description=”test”>
<competitors>
<competitor no=”12” class=”MX1” registration=”033133”/>
<competitor no=”19” class=”MX1” registration=”033153”/>
</competitors>
<runs>
<run name=”Free Practice” date=”12-03-2009” time=”16:00”/>
<competitors>
<competitor no=”12” class=”MX1”
registration=”033133”/>
<competitor no=”19” class=”MX1”
registration=”033153”/>
</competitors>
<run name=”Qualify” date=”12-03-2009” time=”17:00”/>
<run name=”Race” date=”12-03-2009” time=”17:00”/>
</runs>
</group>
</groups>
Notes
For groups and runs, the name is the unique identifier. For competitors the driver registration
code is the unique identifier.
This means that if a group is imported already exists in the selected event, the program will
update the group instead of creating a new one. The same applies for runs and competitors.
Attribute explanation
name Bold Means Unique identifier
name Normal Means Required field
name Italic Means optional field

Element Attributes Values Description Example
group name string The name of the group MX1
description string Description of the group All MX1
sessions
run name string The name of the session 10cc
practice
shortname string The venue (or short name) of 10p

the session
date date (yyyy-mm- The date the session starts 2009-01-01
dd)
time time (hh:mm) The time the session starts 12:00

type options: The type of session qualify
practice, Practice session
singlecarqualify, Single car qualifying session
qualify, Qualifying session
race Race session
startmethod options: Session start method flag
flag, Start race on the green flag
firstpassing, Start the race on the first
staggered S/F passing
Staggered start
minimumlaptime time (mm:ss) The minimum lap time 01:00
countfirst options: Count first passing as none
none, Do not count first passing on
lap, S/F
laptimefromgreen Count first passing
Count lap time from green
flag to first passing on S/F
stopclockred boolean Stop the race clock during true
red flag if true
countlapsred boolean Count laps during red flag if false
true
copyfromgroup boolean Copy competitors from true
group in case of unrelated
transponders
autofinishmethod options: Auto finish after timeorlaps
none Don’t use auto finish
time Completing race time (of
laps leader)
timeandlaps Completing a number of
timeorlaps leader laps
individualontime Completing race time and a
individualonlaps number of laps
Completing race time or a
number of laps
Completing individual race
time
Completing a number of
(individual) laps
autofinishtime time (hh:mm:ss) The race time of this session 00:15:00
autofinishlaps integer The race distance of this 10
session
qualificationtype options: max-
none Don’t use the qualification positions
type
max-position Max. Number of competitors
(all sessions types)
max-best-laptime Max. percentage of best lap
time (practice, qualify)
max-avg-best- Max. percentage of avg. best
laptime lap time top x (practice,
qualify)
min-laptime Minimum lap time (practice,
qualify)
min-leader-laps- Min. percentage of total
up leader laps rounded up (race)
min-leader-laps- Min. percentage of total
down leader laps rounded down
(race)
min-laps Min. number of laps (race)
Depends on the qualification
type:
Time (mm:ss.nnn) in case of
min-lap time
Number (%), number (top x) 107,3
in case of max-avg-best-lap
time
Number (%, competitors, 107
laps) for other requirement
types
qualificationvalue string
eventdatediff integer The difference between the 1
date of the event and the
date of this run in days
competitor no integer The competitor number 1
driverregistration string The unique driver 123456
registration
registration string The unique registration 123456
class stirng Competitor class Juniors
firstname string Competitor first name (or John
team name in case of driver
id)
lastname string Competitor last name Doe
Points integer The points of this competitor 42
transponders list A comma separated list of 123456,
transponders AA-12345
drivers list A comma separated list of John Doe,
drivers Max
additional1 string Free text field

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MYLAPS Sports Timing www.mylaps.com 2

MYLAPS Sports Timing www.mylaps.com 4

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Thank you for choosing Orbits5 as your timing and scoring

X2 only Orbits5 can only be used in conjunction with a MYLAPS X2 Pro or

MYLAPS Sports Timing is staffed by the same group of engineers

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This chapter describes the basic concepts of timing and scoring.

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Version Basic Standard Advanced

* An additional subscription is required to use the live timing web site

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This message is shown before Orbits becomes the ‘master’ so if you

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Throughout this manual we will refer to these physical lines by the

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If the TrackSensor is installed at a loop that is linked to an Orbits

The track temperature can be displayed in the Announcer Page and

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Step 2 > If no signal is received and the detection loop installation

Step 3 > If a detection loop has been correctly installed, a

Step 4 > Check the signal strengths of the transponders as they

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During the crossing of transponders the signal is repeatedly

If the noise level is higher, the received transponder signal strength

The transponder signal strength normally is quite constant

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This chapter guides you through the installation process of Orbits.

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You can activate Orbits in two ways:

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In the page that follows, you have to enter login-information from

Important: The organization name you enter, cannot be

Once you have entered the registration information, the wizard is

To activate with another computer, choose ‘Activate with help of

On the website enter your serial number and the generated

Open the following ports in your firewall:

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This chapter deals with the configuration and setup of Orbits.

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The Orbits software consists of two programs, the Orbits interface

Orbits Server The Orbits Server is a separate program running in the

Orbits Console The Interface consists of five sections:

Remote console It is possible to make a remote connection to an Orbits Server that

Further options for the Remote console are:

Remote console Setting up a connection between Orbits (Main, with timekeeping

Setup of 1 Orbits main program and 2x Orbits Remote

To setup a connection between the Orbits main and Orbits Remote

Note: be aware that a connection between an Orbits main and

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Check if there is an Orbits pc in the network to connect to with

Although it is only possible to connect to one Orbits main

Setup of 2 Orbits main programs and 1 Orbits Remote