As there was a post to the LWDA facebook page asking if somebody could write an Android App to enter data from NFC in to a Pacer Web page in a browser,
I responded to that and I thought I'll add what I said here

"I don't think the NFC stuff should be hard BUT I think that trying to insert data in to another application would be very hard/impossible from what I've seen, that stuff is just not exposed as it is in Windows.
It would be much easier for a foreground app to handle the whole thing and do the HTTP post to PACER web services itself via an API
Otherwise the best you could do is probably emulate a keyboard that would type in to whatever had focus."

For the keyboard input in to whatever has focus there are apps already e.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tecit.android.barcodekbd.demo

Which sort of echos what has been said here.

I also think NFC is not much better than a barcode as the range is about 4cm so you will still have to find the NFC card in your bag to be read and as durable as a barcode on a plastic card.

Also as mention Bluetooth LE would probably be better as it could be read up to 50m away.

The experience I have is that an app with NFC tags is more robust, and technically simpler than the current PACER system. Since it is a single app on phones supplied by the event the tech support is much reduced.

The advantage of an app is that signal loss is not a problem. The system just copes.

If anyone is at the AGM then I have said to Tony that I will run him through what my system is capable of. Happy to show other people.


As to future I see that as being with Bluetooth LE tags. These have a range that means that can be scanned without human action.

An interesting posting, confirming my earlier expectation that participant data (entrant number, checkpoint, arrival time) could in future be scanned in from barcodes (cards, tags, wristbands) carried by each entrant, eventually doing away with the need for tally cards. Another advantage of such a system would be that entrants could record their progress on their own handheld device, such as a smartphone.

Likely problems may be the technical demands on checkpoint marshals (not to mention provision of same or near-same equipment across multiple checkpoints), the lack of mobile coverage at rural and remote locations, and the need for robustness of both equipment (at e.g. 'tented' or 'roadside' checkpoints) and barcoded material (e.g. in very wet weather).

I hope that any trials of a setup such as this are run in parallel with, rather than replacement for, tally cards and paper recording.

Iain

Having seen the comment by Andrew Todd a while ago about NFC tags I wondered if this would be a better option for our South Downs Marathon (SDM) in May 2019, Sussex Stride in September 2019 and Sussex Loops in 2020,2021.

After a lot of testing I can now scan NFC cards with an unmodified mobile phone. This data goes to my website (cpnfc.uk). This data can then be exported from the website and imported into PACER via the CSV import system available for each checkpoint.

For the SDM The start and finish and one other checkpoint use laptops in village halls with wifi and a usb card scanner. The Participant card is scanned directly into PACER in the usual way.

For the SDM the 2 other 'country' checkpoints use a secondhand mobile phone (Samsung Galaxy Ace 3. NFC capability. 4g). The mobile is in a waterproof bag. The card is swiped down the back of the bag to register the participant. The card data is sent to cpnfc.uk which responds with the participant name and time which is displayed on the screen. The display also shows how many more participants are to come.

The mobile checkpoint has 3 other cards. Checkpoint - identifies a mobile at a checkpoint. A test participant card. A retirement card.

One bonus I found was that at our worst country site - Norton - 4g worked fine at ground level. On the previous system I had to have the 3g mifi unit on a pole.

We use SiEntries to collect participants. This data is then imported into the cpnfc website, NFC card IDs are added and then imported into PACER. Participants can see progress as usual on the LDWA site, results, and we can print certificates.

There are test facilities on the cpnfc website. If anyone is interested please email me (david at cpnfc dot uk) and I will give you a code to allow access and supply more detailed information.