• dc1071
  • Rookie Driver
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-11-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: Transponder Purchase?

I just found out if you are an AMA member, MyLaps offers a 20% discount on transponders and subscriptions. you can get the code on the americanmotorcyclist.com page when youre logged in

  • From: South Jersey
  • Registered: 2013-12-01
  • Posts: 588

Re: Transponder Purchase?

Looking on the MYLAPS page ( https://www.mylaps.com/en/products/x2-t … r-car/1622 ) I'm trying to figure out how this works.  Can I buy the 1 year subscription for $160 which appears to come with a transponder and then after a year lose the subscription and keep the transponder which still will work for Lemons races?

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix
  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: Transponder Purchase?

meyers0150 wrote:

Looking on the MYLAPS page ( https://www.mylaps.com/en/products/x2-t … r-car/1622 ) I'm trying to figure out how this works.  Can I buy the 1 year subscription for $160 which appears to come with a transponder and then after a year lose the subscription and keep the transponder which still will work for Lemons races?

Ha!  No.

The subscription deal looks to be something they worked up to milk more money out of you.  It's a rental. I just went to the website for giggles and it doesn't even look like they sell them outright anymore.  I'm sure their rentals come with all kinds of fancy software that will tell you all kinds of wonderful things (that you can also probably do yourself by downloading the Lemons results and applying some excel wizardry) but historically these guys have always had their hands out at every opportunity and this subscription deal just seems like a continuation of that.  I believe I paid less than $160 for a used yellow kart TranX 160 from a kart racing forum classified section and there is no subscription required.  I'm guessing that dads get pissed off when they catch their little Johnny smoking pot or something and just want to sell all the kart stuff pronto.    I did pay a stupid "transfer" fee to Mylaps so the timing is available on their site online but I never use it.  The TranX 260 and TranX 160 both will work in Lemons.  Go forth, search and save yourself some money.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)
  • From: South Jersey
  • Registered: 2013-12-01
  • Posts: 588

Re: Transponder Purchase?

Thanks Cheseroo, it seemed too good to be true.

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix
  • From: South Jersey
  • Registered: 2013-12-01
  • Posts: 588

Re: Transponder Purchase?

I found a good deal on the AMB Tranx 160, but I am worried that the spec sheet says 100 mph is the max speed. We get right around there maybe a little over. Think this will work?

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix
  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: Transponder Purchase?

Have the seller fully charge it and video or observe how many times the light blinks in sequence.  4 is excellent, 2 would be bare minimum unless its dirt cheap.  There are other alternatives other than MyLaps for battery replacement.

XJ12 and RX7 both get over 100mph and neither has had a problem with the 160.  Most scoring lines are in the vicinity of start/finish so I suppose thats only an issue someplace where S/F is near the end of a main straight.

Then again, who are we kidding?  You have an effing x-type.  I would be over the moon if that thing had enough straightline speed to cause a tranx 160 to miss some laps due to speed.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)
  • From: South Jersey
  • Registered: 2013-12-01
  • Posts: 588

Re: Transponder Purchase?

It has 3 blinks for $110 including shipping.  We have that and a 3.8 firebird, but I actually think the jag will be faster.  We really only race njmp and everyone comes out of the last turn fairly quickly so we would be close to that mark.  I think our top end on the straight has been 110, but after the finish line.  Both of your cars would be getting faster than that.  Also the 160 looks just like the Lemons rental ones. 

So if you buy your own you just give the transponder number at check in?

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix
  • From: Aumsville, Oregon (Near Salem)
  • Registered: 2010-08-22
  • Posts: 1,913

Re: Transponder Purchase?

meyers0150 wrote:

So if you buy your own you just give the transponder number at check in?

When you sign up on the Lemons web page.

"I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!"
IOE winner in the Super Snipe -- Buttonwillow 2012
IOE winner in Super Snipe v2.0 -- Buttonwillow 2016
"Every Super Snipe in Lemons has won an IOE!"
  • poldim
  • Rookie Driver
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-12-10
  • Posts: 2

Re: Transponder Purchase?

cheseroo wrote:

Be careful about which one you buy.  AMB/MyLaps makes several different ones including some for runners and MX.  Those wont work.  You want the yellow (kart) or red (car) ones.  I've used the yellow ones with no issues.  For whatever reason, you seem to be able to buy the yellow ones cheaper used on kart forums.  Make sure it blinks in sequences of 4 when fully charged.  Each blink signals the number of days the charge will last.  4 is the max.  You pay a premium for the wired ones which extends your ROI a fair bit.  The only reason you need to pay for a subscription is if you want to track your times online.  If so, beware that MyLaps is one of those orgs that would program their website to reach for your wallet through the monitor if they could.  Maybe they will dispatch drones to do that.  They seem to have gotten a little better but it seemed like every time you turned around they had their hands out. If you find one with a dead battery, a guy in NZ will replace it.  I think MyLaps tells you to buy a new transponder.  I'm thinking one should be able to convert one with a dead battery to 12v wired but never pursued it.

Bringing this back from the dead, but @cheseroo appears to still be around.
Do you know if there's been any change in the transponder requirements?  Wanting to get some confirmation that the yellow kart ones are still good in liue of the red ones.

  • Registered: 2013-11-15
  • Posts: 671

Re: Transponder Purchase?

poldim wrote:
cheseroo wrote:

Be careful about which one you buy.  AMB/MyLaps makes several different ones including some for runners and MX.  Those wont work.  You want the yellow (kart) or red (car) ones.  I've used the yellow ones with no issues.  For whatever reason, you seem to be able to buy the yellow ones cheaper used on kart forums.  Make sure it blinks in sequences of 4 when fully charged.  Each blink signals the number of days the charge will last.  4 is the max.  You pay a premium for the wired ones which extends your ROI a fair bit.  The only reason you need to pay for a subscription is if you want to track your times online.  If so, beware that MyLaps is one of those orgs that would program their website to reach for your wallet through the monitor if they could.  Maybe they will dispatch drones to do that.  They seem to have gotten a little better but it seemed like every time you turned around they had their hands out. If you find one with a dead battery, a guy in NZ will replace it.  I think MyLaps tells you to buy a new transponder.  I'm thinking one should be able to convert one with a dead battery to 12v wired but never pursued it.

Bringing this back from the dead, but @cheseroo appears to still be around.
Do you know if there's been any change in the transponder requirements?  Wanting to get some confirmation that the yellow kart ones are still good in liue of the red ones.

cheseroo hasn't raced in a bit.  I used a yellow transponder last weekend at Sonoma.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon
  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: Transponder Purchase?

IIRC, the transponders are speed rated.  Seems like the yellow ones are good up to 100mph.  Since most of our shitboxes can't reach that number until the end of a straight and not in the middle where the S/F/Timing line is usually located, the yellow should be safe for what we are doing.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

37 Reply by rb92673 (edited by rb92673 2023-12-11 05:05 PM)

  • Registered: 2013-11-15
  • Posts: 671

Re: Transponder Purchase?

cheseroo wrote:

IIRC, the transponders are speed rated.  Seems like the yellow ones are good up to 100mph.  Since most of our shitboxes can't reach that number until the end of a straight and not in the middle where the S/F/Timing line is usually located, the yellow should be safe for what we are doing.

The new yellow/black kart transponders say up to 75 MPH on the mylaps site.  I have seen 112 MPH at the timing loop at Willow Springs with the solid yellow kart transponder, no missed laps.

I have never seen 100 MPH at Sonoma or Buttonwillow.

YMMV

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon