[NSRCA-dist1] PatternScoring System

Wed Oct 28 06:54:35 AKDT 2015

I never look at scores. It only makes me angry. Only interested in 
results relative to my fellow competitors. LOL. Focusing on having 
better qualified and a bigger pool of judges than an automated scoring 
program is more important. I prefer writing on paper no matter what and 
will never use an automated system when I judge.

Joe Lachowski

On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 10:43 AM, Scott Smith via NSRCA-dist1 wrote:

I think, more than anything, Peter's system provides for better 
judging.  Points are deducted as defects are seen; no more impression 
judging.  If no defects are seen, it's a 10.  If numerous defects are 
flown, a 1 or 0 is easily possible.  Where as how many actually write a 
1?   It also allows for the judge to never have take their eyes off the 
airplane to record a score.   

The logistics of moving scores and eliminating transcription errors is 
just gravy. 

On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 9:33 AM, John Ford via NSRCA-dist1 
<nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org <mailto:nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org> > 
wrote:
I think that we need to remember what the core problem is…
The core problem isn't the choice of scoring system, hi-tech, lo-tech, 
or anything else. 

The NSRCA's mission is to provide Contests and Contest Experiences to 
its members. That means that the local contest is king of everything we 
do and has the greatest influence on how our sport evolves and lives. 
(Sorry, but the NATS are a statistically trivial part of all NSRCA 
activity) 
 From the perspective of a new Sportsman, THE SINGLE BIGGEST DEAL in 
his/her mind is seeing their score after the first round of their first 
contest…that's it. 

In the Districts (I've seen several, not only D1), we have 
volunteers/CD's who run the current "manual" software very very well, 
without a hitch, and posting rounds a few minutes after the last pilot 
lands. Within the same districts, there are contests where scores are 
simply not available at all until Sunday afternoon. We even see contests 
where an "on-the-spot" excel spreadsheet gets created on Saturday 
morning because of an unresolvable glitch in the software. 

So we have a consistency issue to solve, not necessarily a major 
technology obstacle to overcome. 

Probably relatively easy to solve the former, and much more demanding on 
someone's time to solve the latter via Peter's system.

Just my opinion…

John Ford

On Oct 28, 2015, at 9:06 AM, Dana Beaton via NSRCA-dist1 
<nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org <mailto:nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org> > 
wrote:

It’s a system Matt, and someone needs to set-up WiFi at each contest so 
that the scores are passed to the computer as the judges record them.  
Would require a non-trivial level of knowledge, training and commitment 
to implement and maintain in any District; that said, not insurmountable 
if that’s what any District wants to do and has volunteers who will see 
it through. What is perhaps as interesting is that how our members wish 
to score rounds at a contest?  There is a certain simplicity in the way 
we do it now, with pencil and paper, that is perhaps not something that 
all would like to discard for recording downgrades.  We could say that 
if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it; but to be honest that is not entirely 
the case, that what we do now is not broke; but Vogel’s solution is only 
one possible way to address what sometimes does not work well at our D1 
contests. What do others think?

On Oct 28, 2015, at 8:06 AM, rcmaster199 at aol.com 
<mailto:rcmaster199 at aol.com>  wrote:

I want to qualify my comments. I only have a passing interest in Peter's 
scoring system, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. 
Bottom line, "I think" that it scores each maneuver directly into a 
database and produces immediate results after each pilot has flown. 
That's really cool! If I understand it right.

I think that for D1 it's likely a mater of logistics. How many contests 
are there and what is the real workload the system likely to alleviate? 
Having the instant response is a nice to have but is it absolutely 
necessary? Are the required people who have been doing the job no longer 
available? Or is it one big hassle every Saturday morning and that's the 
real benefit? But someone still needs to manage something with this 
software, don't they?

Money: Chances are that you the pilots will need to put up the 
money. You may ask the NSRCA board for assistance and might get 200$. 
And what about new pilots coming into pattern (in D1)? When do they 
participate with their wallets?

Is the app enough technology to help a contest or do you have to have 
the full blown system?

Matt

-----Original Message-----

From: Dana Beaton via NSRCA-dist1 <nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org 
<mailto:nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org> >

To: Anthony Romano <anthonyr105 at hotmail.com 
<mailto:anthonyr105 at hotmail.com> >; CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, 
RI, VT, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT <nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org 
<mailto:nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org> >

Sent: Wed, Oct 28, 2015 6:27 am

Subject: Re: [NSRCA-dist1] PatternScoring System

Aside from the obvious question of where would the $2,500 investment 
come from, I wish I could say that contest scoring has NOT been an issue 
in D1, and that we really don’t need a some solution.  With all due 
respect to our clubs, CDs, their assistants and volunteers who have been 
doing their very best with what they have to work with; we have had 
challenges in recent contests with legacy laptop computers and that 
remains an issue, albeit a local one for contests in 2016.  Now I would 
not go so far as to say that Vogel's solution is the right fit for D1; 
but it’s availability does beg the question if we can do better as a 
District; and raise the question if there is an alternative to 
continuing with the various local laptops? Perhaps D1 acquiring/updating 
a laptop or two to support contests at the District level as an 
intermediate step?  If we cannot supply/support a D1 laptop or two, and 
manage the logistics of who has it, where & when, then we are not likely 
to pull off a full conversion to Vogel’s system. 

My observation is that we have enough capable volunteers at each contest 
to enter scores, many of whom are now familiar with Master Scoring 
software; but we have had an uneven experience with the the laptops 
themselves in recent years.  What do others think and is this an issue 
we want to address as D1 (or just let it stay local knowing that 
contests may not go as smoothly as they could if we had some robust D1 
hardware backing our local efforts)?  Perhaps if we can manage the 
logistics of shepherding two D1 scoring computers around in 2016, we 
might upgrade to Vogel’s system in the future once additional members 
have been exposed to it enough to decide if they want to use it at their 
local contests (most D1 members do not travel to the Nats)?

On Oct 27, 2015, at 9:00 PM, Anthony Romano via NSRCA-dist1 
<nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org <mailto:nsrca-dist1 at lists.nsrca.org> > 
wrote:

Please read the below message from Peter Vogel about the electronic 
scoring system he brought to the Canandaigua contest this year. Should 
D1 invest in one of these systems? Anyone willing to manage this?

Anthony

After 2 very successful trouble-free runs at the SAM contest 2 weeks ago 
and the Cajun NATS last week.  Last Monday I finally decided it was time 
to submit the app formally to the app store rather than relying on 
development loads to individual iPod touches or TestFlight 30-day conk 
beta loads for my friends in Australia who have been experimenting with 
the app.  As more districts reach out to me with orders for fully 
configured setups I wanted to make sure I had a path to get software 
updates out to devices in a timely manner.  

So I'm pleased to announce that as of today the PatternScoring app for 
iOS is live on the App Store as a free app!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/patternscoring/id1018433564?mt=8 
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/patternscoring/id1018433564?mt=8>

If you've never used the scribe app before, feel free to download and, 
with a good internet connection, use the "demo contest" mode to play 
with it.  Naturally the intent is to use it with a game controller, but 
the buttons on the screen with the picture of the game controller do 
work to give you a flavor for how things work.

If you are using it on iOS 8, you will notice that the voice is a little 
bit fast.  That's because iOS 9 changed the pace of the voice 
synthesizer and I submitted the version to work best with the latest iOS 
(9).  

I've also completed a complete Bill of Materials for the contest scoring 
system, including two handy rolling cases with custom-cut foam for 
everything needed (except the laptop) to run a contest, I sell these at 
my cost of $2500, fully configured to run a contest out of the box 
(i.e.: I'm not trying to make money on this).  D8 just bought one, and 
D7 has bought two. If any other districts have an interest in getting 
one or more sets, please contact me directly and we can make appropriate 
arrangements.  Please make sure you have one or more people in the 
district who are willing and able to take on the running of scoring at a 
contest using the system.  I'm making continuous refinements to the 
system to make it easier for anyone to run scoring, but it does require 
a certain level of comfort and familiarity with technology in general.

Thanks!

Peter+

-- 

Director, Fixed Wing Flight Training

Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark

Associate Vice President, Academy of Model Aeronautics District X

Treasurer, National Society of Radio Control Aerobatics (NSRCA)

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