[roc-info] ROC on RouteGadget

[Steven Tylock]

If you've ever wanted to compare orienteering routes, we've got an answer
for you - RouteGadget.

This software powered web site allows orienteers to note their path through
the course, and if they've used a GPS device, they can pull that data right
into it.

It'll probably be easier if you see this, so we've put several of our local
competitors on Webster's red course here:
http://www.vmeyer.net/gadget/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?act=map&id=47&kieli=en

When you get to this page, you can "zoom out" a couple times and see a good
portion of the Webster red course map. (scroll around by clicking and
holding onto the map and dragging it)

Then under "Choose class/course" select "Red".  (It's possible to put all of
the courses from one day up on one map)

The 7 current entries will then appear below that - you can select up to 10
of them.

Then at the bottom of the screen, you can toggle "View routes" and
everyone's routes get displayed in a different color.

And most fun of all, select "View animation" - and then "Start" off to the
right.  You'll see a little dot representing each competitor start at the
beginning as if they all started at the same time.

These dots will then run through the course as the competitors did.  If they
had a GPS device, you'll see them move faster down the hills and pause at
other times while thinking.  As the race progresses, you'll see the leaders
pull ahead.

Some of the labels are a bit off as we tested the system (I don't know of a
way to edit them yet), but we have Rob H, Mike L, Brian T, and myself, Steve
T in there.  I reran the course a week later and also uploaded that as
"Steve T rerun".

If you don't have a GPS device, you can draw your course in.  Basically you
enter your name and the tool shows you each leg and you click a point and
draw a straight line from where the path had been to where you clicked.
Easy to do for straight trails, and as much complexity as you want to click
for curves and turns;-)  When done, you enter your cumulative time for the
controls.

When this animates, the system takes a simple average of your speed across
each leg because that's the best information it has.  I drew my path in as
"Steve T - drawn" and when I race myself, I lead or lag, but then sync up at
the controls.

The web site hosting this is from Valerie Meyer who understands that not all
clubs can set this up (especially to begin with), and she's happy to do so.

One - check it out - this is a great tool.

Two - if we want to do this, we'll need a club member that will become our
RouteGadget local expert and get the events loaded.  Valerie suggests it's
about a half hour to put an event in - and that more time is spent on
gathering data files than actually putting them in.  Consider if you have
the skills / and interest in doing this.

And have a great weekend - and Mother's day!

steve
--
Steven Tylock
http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevetylock
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