Perhaps someone could tell me what the #### a sport identcard is so I can tell my partner why he has to pay out even more to enter this time and what else he can use it for. I've looked on the polaris site and must have missed the area where it is all explained. Perhaps there is a large book telling me all about it in my entry form that would be sent to previous entrants in order to elicit entries, but as I have only entered every single Spring and Autumn event I am probably not yet on the database for entry forms as I have still not got one.
David
A bit wound up

yeah. i think there must have been a goolies dropped somewhere with the entry form mailshot. see thread a few entries above this one.

Yes, and do I need a v5,6 or 7 sportident card, are they immune to the blasterworm and can I use it in Australia or France on other Polaris events. The sportident website talks of worrying software updates. how long will they be compatible for?

David

The SPORTident card (SI-Card) is an electronic timing card which is carried by each competitor. At the start, each checkpoint and the finish, each competitor dips their card into a small electronic station sited at the checkpoint. No contact with the station is needed as a radio signal is used to record the time and location in the memory chip located in the tip of the Si-Card. Just beyond the finish, the data from each card is downloaded into a computer and the results are constructed from this data. Cheating and one team member "not quite reaching the checkpoint" is now all but eradicated. Each of the stations you visit also stores a list of all the SI-Card numbers and the time of the visit. This is a very useful safety device for events.

The SPORTident system is used for almost all orienteering events, Mountain Marathons, the majority of Trailquest events, most UK Adventure Races and a number of Fell Races.

At most events you can use your own SI-card, otherwise the event hires the extra SI-cards from SPORTident UK. If you are going to be doing a few events in the future that require SI-Cards, it would be cost effective to make a purchase rather than keep on hiring a card.

A purchase can be made online at www.sportident.co.uk. When you make your purchase you are immediately emailed your 6 digit SI-Card number prior to the card being posted to you. This enables you to enter events quoting your SI-Card number, without delay.

The SI-Card5 and Si-Card6 are explained on the SPORTident website. The Si-Card6 is considerably more expensive than the SI-Card5 and its main advantage for the competitor is that radio field is much stronger, so that you can record a punch on your card by placing it very close to the top of the cyclindrical hole in the station rather than having to insert it in the hole. The Si-Card 6 will store 64 locations visited as against the 36 in the Si-Card 5. However, 36 locations is quite sufficient on the events for which competitors are currently using their own SI-Card.

Both SI-Card 5 and Si-Card 6 will be able to be used for many years with existing and future stations. To date more than 150000 Si-Cards have been sold worldwide so backward compatibility of future hardware and software is obviously essential.

I hope this clears up any confusion. Please email me if you wish to know more.