SODA as a trainer for RC Racers

I was email-conversing with the person who runs the TUSTA site for Soda tracks and he said he thought this was a unique idea, so I thought I'd share it here. My sons and I have a Radio Controlled Off-Road Racing team and were looking for a sim to train with. Soda came along and we created a track that duplicated the track where we race. We then put one camera at a location where the driver's tower would be. Now we can race the track and duplicate the view the RC driver would have at the real track. I have noticed improvements in the boy's driving skills when we use SODA as a training tool. Saves $$$ in track rental time too. Soda is based on the real thing, so it is not as fast as RC racing, but using the TV camera view, we can simulate the challenges that come up when you try to drive a car that is coming at you (controls are reversed). Also, we can practice the proper lines through the track. We have a Thrustmaster wheel which is set up to use the left index finger as the throttle and right as the brake, so we even simulate a RC transmitter. So far no complaints. We begin to actually race in '98, so time will tell. H. W. (Sandy) McCullough

On Wed, 31 Dec 1997 15:58:38 GMT, "H. W. (Sandy) McCullough"

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>I was email-conversing with the person who runs the TUSTA site for Soda >tracks and he said he thought this was a unique idea, so I thought I'd share >it here. >My sons and I have a Radio Controlled Off-Road Racing team and were looking >for a sim to train with. Soda came along and we created a track that >duplicated the track where we race. We then put one camera at a location >where the driver's tower would be. Now we can race the track and duplicate >the view the RC driver would have at the real track. I have noticed >improvements in the boy's driving skills when we use SODA as a training >tool. Saves $$$ in track rental time too. Soda is based on the real thing, >so it is not as fast as RC racing, but using the TV camera view, we can >simulate the challenges that come up when you try to drive a car that is >coming at you (controls are reversed). Also, we can practice the proper >lines through the track. We have a Thrustmaster wheel which is set up to >use the left index finger as the throttle and right as the brake, so we even >simulate a RC transmitter. >So far no complaints. We begin to actually race in '98, so time will tell. >H. W. (Sandy) McCullough

--------------------------------------------------------------------- FYI: While it won't do much for off-road racers, you might be interested to know that someone has come up with an R/C simulator for on-road racing. Take a look at: http://members.aol.com/pantronics/index.html Jack

Just my 2 cents worth but I've been racing RC for longer than I care to tell and the same for computers (ever hear of a Radio Shack Model 1?) But the Pantel thing is a joke, I got one when they first came out and it is in the dark ages! Serpent RC of Holland is working with Pantel to make a sim but I understand that it will be for on-road. The SODA thing sounds like a great idea! Ned