Frequently Asked Questions

What type of events does Timing.Mobi support?

Timing.Mobi caters best for smaller races or events (below 1000 race participants) where participants arrive at the finish line at a tempo that allows for the easy scanning of each participant’s QR race number.

Because you are only limited by how effectively your timekeepers can scan the participant’s QR number, the Timing.Mobi can be used for a vast amount of different events, amongst others:

• Trail running
• Adventure running
• Mountain bike races
• Park runs
• Family events
• Cross country
• Fun runs or charity runs
• Club time trials
• Open water swimming
• Multi-stage events
• And many more

While Timing.Mobi is an incredibly versatile system catering for a wide range of events it is not the best solution for short events such as 100-meter sprints, drag racing or events where lots of participants will cross the finish line at the same time.

Does every participant need a mobile phone?

No, participants do not need a mobile phone. This is how it works:

• Every race participant has a Timing.Mobi QR race number. (More about Timing.Mobi QR race numbers )
• At each timing point (such as the finish line) a timekeeper scans the QR race number of the race participant, using a mobile phone. This action is called “ScanAndGo”.
• This scanned data is then used to calculate the participant time and position on the leader board.

What items are needed when using Timing.Mobi?

The following is needed

• Laptop/Desktop to set up the event in 4 easy steps (this is once off, and you don’t need the laptop again at the race).
• Every race participant needs a Timing.Mobi QR race number (More about Timing.Mobi QR race numbers )
• At each timing point (such as the start or finish line) you need at least one mobile phone with a camera and internet browser to scan the QR race numbers.
• Internet connection if you want live results (The system can also work offline, but the results will only show once the internet connection is restored. See How to time offline

How many participants can Timing.Mobi time at an event?

You are only limited by how effectively your timekeepers can scan participants QR race numbers when they arrive at a timing point. You can have multiple timekeepers at each timing point thus making it possible to scan a multitude of participants easily and effectively.

Can I use it for free?

Yes, events with 30 or less participants are timed for free. For events with 30 or more participants payment is made in the form of prepaid credits purchased directly from the Timing.mobi website (How much will it cost me)

Can I use Timing.Mobi anywhere in the world?

Yes, you can! Timing.Mobi can be used across the globe. If you are in South Africa, you will be charged in ZAR for your timing credits. If you reside outside of South Africa you will be charged in USD.

What type of phone do I need?

Any mobile phone with a working camera and internet browser.

Why is Timing.Mobi not an App anymore?

Been there. Done that. The new trend in technology is to move away from App downloads & inconvenient App updates. Now, all mobile phones with a working camera, internet browser & connection, can scan race participants as they cross the finish line.

Can I add participants at the last minute?

Yes, you can! You can control all aspects of the participant lists from your mobile device or laptop. This allows you to edit/add/delete participants at any time before or after the event without any risk of affecting the timing data. (How to manage participants)

Can I use Timing.Mobi in rural areas?

Yes, you can. The timing system will still time and store results without needing an internet connection. (How to use Timing.Mobi if there is no internet connection)

Note that you will only be able to see any race results once your phone (with all the timing data on) reaches internet connectivity again and synced successfully to the Timing.Mobi server.

Tip: You need to ensure that you login beforehand to the Timing.Mobi system with your pin whilst you still have an internet connection.

What happens if we do not have internet connectivity?

The system will time and store results without needing an internet connection. But in order for you to receive timing results you have to:

1. Ensure you are logged in to the Timing.Mobi browser link with your Pin whilst you still have an internet connection.
2. You will not be able to add late registrations if you cannot sync the phone with our server before the race starts.
3. You will be able to time all pre-registered race participants.
4. Start your race as normal from your phone.
5. Scan all the race participants as normal, when crossing the finish line. All the race results will be stored on the phone, but you will not have live race results.
6. After the event, sync your phone to our server so that all the race results will still appear on the Timing.Mobi website.

Do you only use “ScanAndGo” for timing?

We also offer a very simple manual timing option, if you prefer to type in the race number manually rather than scanning a QR code. It works on the same platform, the only difference is you type in a manual race number in when timing in the browser. (See how to do manual timing.)

How much will it cost me?

Our costing works on a simple sliding scale.

First 30 race participants are always free of charge.

The Timing.Mobi system automatically generates your QR race numbers. It is up to you if you would like to print your own QR race numbers from your home printer, or alternatively make use of professional race number printing company.

Should you wish to rent QR race numbers from Timing.Mobi for your event, the cost would be R5.00 per race number excluding postage.

Replacement fee per race number: R12.00

The Timing.Mobi QR race number is printed on backlit film, size A6 with convenient holes for pins for vests or cable ties for mountain bike races. (See example here).

There are no other costs, no setup cost, no hosting cost, no support cost.

USA dollar prices

How is the timing calculated?

Each participant’s QR race number is scanned at each timing point. The time that a specific QR code was scanned is uploaded to the Timing.Mobi central timing system. Here the QR code info and timing is used in conjunction with the event info and participant list you set up before the event. This is then used to determine the participant’s time for each stage of the event and the participant’s position on the leaderboard.

All of the above is done in real time and leaderboard will continually update as participants cross the finish line as long as there is a working internet connection.

How do I set the same start time if I have more than one phone to keep timing?

Depending on the type of start you prefer you do the following:

• Mass start – All participants start at the same time
  • You only need to indicate the start time on one phone. Log into the Timing.Mobi browser when you have an internet connection, select the tag point (The race or stage start). Press the big red start button when the race starts. (How to record a mass start)
• Individual starts – Every participant starts individually at a different time
  • Scan each participant when they start (How to do an individual starts)

Can I manually edit the results if I made a mistake?

Yes you can. Every aspect of the results and participant lists are editable after every stage of the event and can be done without any danger of affecting the timing data. (How to edit event results)

I tagged the same person twice, what will happen?

Not a problem.  Scanning the same participant multiple times at the same timing point will not affect their results. The Timing.Mobi system will automatically determine which scan was the correct one and calculate the participant’s time accordingly.

I know I will have some race participants finishing in bundles – what do I do?

It is best to create a funnel of race participants in the same order as they cross the finish line. This way you ensure that each race participant gets scanned in the correct order, ensuring reliable race results.

Can I also do manual timing?

Yes you can. In cases where the QR race number was lost, torn, wet, full of mud or when mountain bike participants only stop long after the finish line, you can manually enter the QR race number instead of scanning the QR code. The results will still appear on the leader board together with the “ScanAndGo” results. (How to enter a race number manually)

What type of start options can I use?

Two different types of starts are supported:

• Mass start – All participants start at the same time.
• Individual starts – Every participant starts individually at a different time.

Can I have checkpoints and multiple stages?

Yes, you can have up to 10 stages and up to 15 checkpoints per stage (How to set up checkpoints )

Can I time water events?

Yes you can as long as you use a waterproof QR race number.

How many phones and time keepers do I need at the finish?

There are no limits to the number of phones you can have at any timing point and there is no extra cost if you use more phones than one. So to ensure fast and effective scanning it is prudent to have as many timekeepers with phones available at every timing point. This is especially relevant if you expect participants to arrive in bunches thus necessitating the need to quickly time a lot of participants. To be on the safe side we suggest 1 person per 100 race participants when you have short race distances and are expecting participants to finish in a short span of time.

Should your event be spread out over a long distance and time, you can easily time 200 people with one time keeper.

How will I see the results?

The results are available in real time on the Timing.Mobi website. This is constantly updated so when participants complete a race their results are immediately updated on the leaderboard.

How quickly are the results available?

Results are compiled in real time and are available as soon as they are uploaded from the mobile phone(s) that is used to scan the QR race number. Typically this takes place within seconds after the participant was scanned.

Can I compare my previous results?

Yes, full records of all you previous results are available on the Timing.Mobi website.

Can I publish the results on my own web page?

Yes, as event organizer or race director you will be able to download all results as a spreadsheet, this can then be incorporated into your own website.

Can I see other participant’s results as well?

Yes you can. You can view the full leaderboard and compare your performance with the other participant’s.

What if my phone lost internet connection whilst scanning participants?

Not a problem.  Your phone does not need an internet connection while scanning, all results are saved on your phone as you scan participants. Once you completed scanning and restored the internet connection the results that were saved on your phone will automatically be uploaded to the Timing.Mobi website to be displayed as part of the leaderboard. (How to use Timing.Mobi if there is no internet connection)

When will the timing results not be accurate?

Even though Timing.Mobi App is highly fault-tolerant and will compensate for eventualities such as double scan, data errors, entry list mismanagement, loss of network connectivity & individual device failure, one must always consider that human error is out of our control. We therefore always encourage event organizers to test the system in advance, have a mock race and get comfortable with how to set up an event & scan participants.

What does DNF stand for?

If the letters DNF appear next to a name in the race results – it means the race participant did not finish the race or was not scanned at the finish line.

How do I deal with late entries and registrations?

Timing.Mobi was specifically developed for this race challenge in mind. To minimise the admin on the day of the race, we always suggest that your race participants pre-enter the race. But we also know that late registrations is a reality. With only a mobile phone in hand, you can easily add late registrations by only entering the really important participant details. (How to add late registrations)

Where do I get QR race numbers?

Once you have registered an account with Timing.Mobi by providing your email address and set up a password, you can start setting up your own events. In Step 1 of the process you are asked to provide a participant list and preferred race numbers to be used for the QR codes. The system will automatically generate an A4 PDF with the relevant QR race numbers on. These numbers can then be printed at home or at a professional printing company.

How do I print my QR race numbers?

Once your PFD is created, you can press the print button on the right hand of the PDF to print the QR race numbers or alternatively save the PFD if you want to send it to professional printers to be printed.

How do I test my QR race numbers?

Whenever you generate a QR race number list on the Timing.Mobi system in step 1, the first 3 QR codes will be test codes. These codes can be used by all timekeepers to ensure that they are familiar with scanning the QR race numbers (“ScanAndGo”) and it will not influence the event in any way. Even if you scan it before, during or after an event, the test QR codes will have no influence on timing results.

With the “ScanAndGo” action, how far must the phone be from the QR race number to scan as quickly as possible?

It all depends on the type of phone you have, your camera quality as well as the size of the QR race number. More recent phone versions tend to scan very quickly and the bigger the QR race number the quicker it will scan. Most phones scan best at a distance of 5cm. We suggest that you play around and do a number of test sessions to see what is the optimal scan distance for your phone.

How big should my QR Race number be to scan effectively and quickly?

We recommend a printed size of at least a 50mm x 50mm QR race code to scan effectively.

What is best practice when wearing a QR race number?

Consistency is key; let all participants wear the race number in the same way. This ensures that timekeepers know exactly where the QR codes are and there is no delay when scanning.

Can I use the same QR race numbers again?

Yes, QR races numbers can be used indefinitely, as long as they are in a good condition without any greasing or folds.

If you plan on re-using your QR race numbers at different events, be sure to print them on a more durable material like backlit film, ABS or even laminate them. And remember to collect your race numbers/bibs/number boards after each event.

How do I link a specific participant to a QR race number?

When setting up the event a list of all participants is created on the Timing.Mobi site. This list contains amongst others the race number printed and encoded on each competitors QR race number that links that specific QR race number to the user. (How to manage participants)

How to start multiple races at same event?

If you are timing multiple races/distances at the same event like a 3K, 5K, and 10K race, each race needs to be started separately.  Even if they all happen at the same time. You can use one phone to start all the races, separately. When you are logged in to the Timekeepers section on your phone browser (you need your name & race director PIN code to log in), you will see all the event races/distances that have been activated on your phone screen on the top left when you press the hamburger button.

Example:

On 24 August you are hosting a charity event with three race distances – you have a 10km race that starts at 08:00, a 5km race that starts at 08:15 and a 3km race that starts at 08:30.

Once you are logged in on your phone, (remember your PIN code), you will see all the start options for the three races in your menu on the left side of the screen. Select “Start 10km Charity Run” to start when the race starts at 08:00. Then when the next race needs to start at 08:15, press the start “Start 5km Charity Run” button for the 5km race. And at 08:30 you will press the “Start 3km Charity Run”. This can be done from a single phone.

If all three races start at 08:00 exactly– we suggest you use 3 different phones in this instance to start the races. Make sure each timekeeper is starting a different race.

How to time multiple races at the same event?

If you are timing multiple races/distances at the same event like at 3K, 5K, and 10K, all the distances can be timed by a single or multiple phones. Your choice. (We suggest you have one phone per 100 race participants, or more if your participants will finish close together). Because your race participants were allocated to a certain race distance before the race started, it does not matter in what order they finish or with what phone they are timed at the finish line. The Timing.Mobi system will automatically allocate the timed QR race number (or manually typed in race number) to the right race distance.

Example:

On 24 August you are hosting a charity event with three race distances – you have a 10km race that started at 08:00, a 5km race that started at 08:15 and a 3km race that started at 08:30. You can have one finish line for all the race distances.

Select “Finish Line” option and make sure your camera is activated for scanning. A camera view screen with a red dotted box will appear in your browser before you can start scanning.

Scan the QR race number, as the race participant crosses the finish line.

If you are manually typing in numbers at the finish line, still activate your camera so that you can see the red dotted box. Then select the small keyboard on the top right side to see the manual entry option. Press save after each race number has been entered as the race participants cross the finish line.

Tip: If your race participants finish in close proximity to each other, make sure you funnel them to keep them in the right finishing order. This will ensure accurate race results.

When do I need funneling at the finish line?

We suggesting using funneling at the finish line when:

• you have a large number of race participants,
• you are timing short distance races,
• you are expecting race participants to finish mili seconds apart,
• you are timing multiple race distances at the same event.

Funneling means to create a funnel at the finish line to keep race participants in the correct finishing order until they are scanned. This way your timekeepers will scan your race participants in the right order ensuring accurate race results.

What type of support can I expect?

Timing.Mobi’s dedicated support center will be able to assist with any questions or queries regarding the product and resolve any issues you might encounter, please email us at support@timing.mobi or Contact Us

What if my phone battery goes flat during the race?

Not a problem, continue scanning using another phone. You will need to login with the same Pin when using a new phone.  When convenient, charge the phone and make sure the phone has an internet connection. Open the Timing.Mobi browser again, the results that were saved on your phone will automatically be uploaded to the Timing.Mobi website to be displayed as part of the leader board.