Cowes Week organisers, Cowes Combined Clubs Ltd (CCC Ltd), will be transmitting course information to boats that have registered with them to take part in an experiment using SMS text messages to their mobile phones
Cowes Week organisers, Cowes Combined Clubs Ltd (CCC Ltd), will be transmitting course information to boats that have registered with them to take part in an experiment using SMS text messages to their mobile phones.
How does it work?
Course is input to computer course setter’s software which makes sure there are no clashes with other classes and calculates mark rounding and finish times.
Once a course is finalised for a class, the software outputs course data to a separate computer file in the correct format for a text message.
At ten-minute warning time, the operator pushes a button on another piece of bespoke software to send text message. This will have all mobile phone numbers sorted by class, will pick up course details from other software and send both phone numbers and course information to an SMS service provider’s internet site. From here the actual text messages will be sent to each mobile phone in the list – messages should be received by boat mobile phones within 30-40 seconds of the operator on the platform pushing the ‘send’ button.
The system will also allow CCC to text other messages, either to individual boats, classes or to the whole (registered) fleet – either for safety or administrative reasons re squall warnings, race abandonments etc.
As this is an experiment, CCC points out that:
Normal methods (VHF radio and course boards) will stay as primary data source.
No redress allowed if it fails but CCC is asking for feedback.
Further details from Cowes Combined Clubs Ltd Tel: 44 (0) 1983 295744/Fax: 44 (0) 1983 295329 Email: ccc@cowesweek.co.uk
