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Sample Section

This is an example of how to use RallyCalc in a typical section.   First I'll show the section, then a step-by-step tutorial on how to execute the section using RallyCalc.

Section 1

0.00    Stop Tee Left out of the parking lot
0.13    Traffic Signal SA at Main St.
1.39    Bear Right onto Highway 408
4.55    SA at 1st Line exit ramp
7.12    Bear Right onto exit ramp for 2nd Line
7.51    Traffic Signal Left onto 2nd Line
8.36    SA at 9th Concession
11.34  Stop Left onto 8th Concession
12.91  Odometer Check at the Yellow 'Left Curve' sign on the right
        Take 18 minutes and 7 seconds to get here.   CAS 72
13.84  Stop Tee Right
16.63  Left onto Hadden Rd.
18.19  Straight Ahead at Davis Ave.  CAS 54
19.38  Left at Spring Rd.
21.54  Forced Right
22.86  Stop SA at 4th Sideroad
25.60 Right onto Sparks Rd.  CAS 68
27.18  Stop Left onto Glen Forest Rd.  EOS

Now let's examine how to do this section while using RallyCalc.

For this example, let's say you are car 3, and car zero leaves at 8:00pm.

First of all, before the rally starts set the Palm's internal clock.   I suggest you set the clock using 'am' even if the rally starts in 'pm'.  So, if the start time is 8:00 pm, I'd set the clock at 7:30 AM, just to make data entry easier.  You can use 24 hour time if you like and it will work, but you'll have to enter all times as 2000 hrs, for example.

Next, since this is section one of the rally and it contains the odometer check (12.91), zero your odometer at the beginning of the rally and  follow along the route instructions until you reach the odo check.

When you get to the odo check, make note of the reading on your odometer.  Let's say that your odometer reads 12.74.  In RallyCalc hit the 'Menu' button and then the 'Calibration' button.  This takes you to the screen that allows you to set your odometer calibration factor.  Using Graffiti, enter 12.74 on the 'Car Odo' area, and then the distance given in the rally (12.91) in the 'Rally Distance' field.  Hit 'Change Factor' to use this calibration setting.

This odometer check is now a known distance with a known time.   The instructions tell you to leave the odo check 18 minutes and 7 seconds after your start time.  Since you are car 3, you'll be leaving at 8:21:07.  On the main screen, enter the distance of the odometer check (12.91) and tap the 'Rally Dist' area.  Now enter the time to leave that distance (8:21:07 is put in as 8.2107) and tap the 'Time Due' area.  If you make a mistake in any of the entries, you can hit the 'Undo' button to undo the last change.

Now 'Time Due' shows 8:21:07, 'Rally Dist' shows 12.91 and 'Car Odo' shows 12.74.  All that's left to do for now is to enter the speed that you'll be leaving at.  The instructions show CAS 72 (commence average speed of 72) so input 72 and tap the 'CAS' area.

Your next intersection is given as 13.84.   If you enter 13.84 and tap the 'Rally Dist' area, the display changes to show you the information for that distance.  'Time Due' now shows 8:21:53 and 'Car Odo' shows 13.66.  This means that, at a speed of 72, you should arrive at the intersection at 8:21:53, and your car's odoometer will show 13.66.

You can continue on to enter distances for wherever you like.  At 16.63, your odo will read 16.41 and you should be there at 8:24:13.

You are not required to enter all the distances in a section, but you MUST enter at least those that have speed changes.   So, you must enter 18.19.  RallyCalc shows that you should be there at 8:25:31.  If you can see that there will be no checkpoint before that intersection, it is safe to input the speed change.  Enter 54 and tap the 'CAS' area.

Now if you enter 19.38, RallyCalc shows the time due as 8:26:50 and the car odo will show 19.12.  Unfortunately, let's say you missed the turn.  You managed to go several hundred meters past the turn before you noticed.   Once you noticed, you turn around and make your way back to the intersection.   Your odometer will now be significantly off.  However, you do know the correct distance of the turn.

This is where you can use the odometer offset function.  Tap 'Menu' and then the 'Odo Offset' button.  Enter your actual odometer distance, then the distance of the intersection given in the route instructions.  Say our odometer reads 19.65 - enter that in the 'Car Odo' field.  Enter the actual distance (19.38) in the 'Rally Distance' and tap the 'Use Offset' button.

This will take you to the main screen and you can see that the Rally Distance is still shown as 19.38, but the Car Odo is shown as 19.65.  The Time Due is still accurate at 8:26:50.  That is still the time you should have been there, however you're now really late.  Hopefully you can drive fast enough to make you on time.

To monitor your progress, you can enter a car odometer distance to show you how late you are.  At any time you can ask your driver what distance we are at right now (or approaching).  Enter this distance and tap the 'Car Odo' area at the moment that you reach that distance.  This will show you what the distance translates to in rally terms, as well as showing you what time you are due there.  If you have the option selected, RallyCalc will also show you how early or late you are, based on the exact time you tapped the area.

All of a sudden, your driver tells you that he sees a checkpoint.   Just tap the 'CP' button to finesse yourselves into the checkpoint.  (Trying this to practice will yield strange numbers, because the function is based on the Palm's internal clock.  Unless you happen to try this while your Palm is right at the correct time for the sample rally, the numbers will be strange.)  When you press it, you will go to a screen that shows six distances and matching times.  These number are the distances that are associated with the next six tenths of a minute.  Ask your driver if it looks like the checkpoint will be near the first distance.  If he says it will be later than that, then offer up the next distance.  Once you find a distance that you seem to think will be the approximate location of the checkpoint, you know that the associated number in the right column is the time that you are due there.   For clarity, only the minutes and seconds are shown there.

Hopefully you will have managed to arrive at the checkpoint at the right time.  Regardless, you now have a known distance and a time that you are required to leaved that distance.  Let's say the checkpoint sticker says the distance is 23.22 and the out time is 8:33.  First enter the distance (23.22) and tap the 'Rally Dist' area, then enter the out time (8.33 - you can omit the 00 seconds) and tap the 'Time Due' area.  You can now comtinue along and input the next intersection if you like.

The next distance that you must input (because it has a speed change) is 25.60.  enter 25.6 and tap the 'Rally Dist' area and you can see that you are due there at 8:35:39.  Once again, as long as you can see that there will be no checkpoint before that distance, enter the speed of 68 and tap the 'CAS' area.

The last instruction is at 27.18 and you need to input that distance into RallyCalc.  The Time Due is shown as 8:37:02.  This is what time you are due at the end of the section, and naturally the beginning of the next section.  When you start the next section, tap the 'Menu' button and then the 'EOS Reset' button.  This will return you to the main screen with the time still showing 8:37:02, but the distances being reset to zero.  This function also resets the offset for the missed turn.

Now you are ready to do it all again for the next section in the route book.