Topic: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

For the teams out there using their own transponder, or for HQ, please help me out here...

Is the only acceptable transponder the AMB TranX260, or is the TranX160 or even other acceptable?  Looking to purchase one to help cut down on Jay's profits smile

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

Hey Erik -

The 160 will work... however, the RF power is lower, so the range is also lower.  The range is quoted by AMP for a 260 is something like 24-30 inches; however, for a 160, it's only quoted at 12 inches.  If you mount the transponder (as we did), behind the frame support cross member, under the floor of the passenger compartment, the distance from the AMB to the ground is only 4-5 inches (yes, our car has been lowered but most cars, even at stock ride height, will be far less than 12 inches to the ground).  The AMB system embeds a wire in the track surface as the pick-up, usually 3/4" - 1" in a saw-cut curf, then its epoxied over.  Add that factor into your measurement for distance. 

John

"Age only matters if you're a cheese."  Helen Hayes

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

We have run two races with my friends transponder and had problems both times.   While that one is still in the car, we are renting one to be on the safe side.

Rental is about $50 and a new transponder is around $400 if i rememebr right.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

John, we mount ours on the chicken wire protecting the radiator.  When we bought our car, the entire front end was destroyed in a wreck, so we moved the radiator back to the Frunk and built our own front bumper.  I think 12" would be fine.

I guess all we have to do is race 8 events and we get a free transponder!

Erik, ill make you a "return on investment" spreadsheet

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

Troy doesn't say what kind of AMB unit he was having trouble with (160/260) or where he mounted whichever one he was using.  I know that even with a 260, if you mount the unit inside the car, with all the body/floor/sheet-metal and other interference, or mount it too high, you can have difficulty.

John

"Age only matters if you're a cheese."  Helen Hayes

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

So what do you recommend John?  If we want to BYOT?

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

Are they available used?

Josh Poage
Poage Ma Thoin Racing - 1981 Fiat Brava #09 - 2009 Yee-haw It's Texas
Prison Break Racing - 1986 325e #27 - 2010 Gator-o-Rama
Poage Ma Thoin Racing - 1981 Fiat Brava #09 - 2011 Heaps in the Heart of Texas

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

Matt & Josh -

1) Occasionally I see them offered on eBay or CraigsList (used), but because AMB has an airtight lock on the market and you have so limited a choice on where to buy, the used price usually isn't that much of a discount.

2) The 160 will work -- if you mount it low enough and the unit is completely clear of anything that will interfere with the signal.  Remember, these were designed to be mounted on the frame-rail of karts (2" off the ground).  If you're running a Lemons car now where you can mount the 160 low and protected, do it and save the $100 price difference... HOWEVER... please consider that the transponder will probably far out-live your Lemons car (I've had my rechargeable 260 unit for 7 years) and, as such, unless you can guarantee that your next Lemons car, and your next (etc.) will all permit similar mounting (low, unobstructed and protected), you should probably just bite the bullet and get the 260.  The hardwire is also probably the better choice for Lemons, as Lemons cars all have alternators (at least they do when we start the race).  I originally used mine in Formula Atlantic and so I bought the rechargeable, battery operated unit.  Still works great but I suspect one of these days/years the battery will stop accepting a charge.  Now that I'm in a closed-wheel car (with alternator), I note that most people in my class have the hard-wire version.

John

"Age only matters if you're a cheese."  Helen Hayes

Re: AMB Transponders - racer owned?

John thanks for the info.  Maybe we can hook the windmill up to the transponder.  It would give us motivation to drive faster smile