Setting up backups

A backup line is an additional tag reading line that can go before or after the location line. If a participant has no reading on that line, Copernico uses the backup reading to calculate their passing time.

This calculation adds or subtracts the time set in Distance from timing point, in seconds, to the backup line time. This time is an approximation for Live timing.

A basic example: you have set up a backup line for the finish with a 2-second offset. A participant crosses the finish line at 45:37, but the first line misses the reading, while the second line records it at 45:39. The finish time will be 45:37, because the 2 seconds configured for the backup line are subtracted from 45:39.

1. Adding a backup

Backups are added from the advanced editor of each timing point.

1. Go to Race in the left side menu.
2. Expand the event where you want to add the backup.
3. Expand the Timing points section.
4. Click the pencil icon of the timing point you want to add a backup to. The Advanced editor opens.

5. In the Backups section, click the + button.
6. Fill in the backup information:
   • Location: location of the backup line. It is chosen from the race's locations, so you must create it first.
   • Backup location: whether the backup line is Before or After the point. The default is Before.
   • Distance from timing point: the average time, in seconds, the participant takes between the backup line and the point. It must be a whole number between 1 and 9999; do not use negative values, the direction is set in Backup location. It is an approximate value for Live: when you end the event, Copernico performs the calculation automatically.

2. Calculation of backup time in Copernico

For participants who only have the backup reading at a timing point with a configured backup, Copernico calculates their passing time through the timing point. For each of them, Copernico calculates it at two different moments:

• During the race: the time is calculated from the backup reading, adding or subtracting the offset you have specified in the configuration.
• At the end of the race: a calculation is made from all the readings of the location to improve the accuracy of the estimate. At the end of the race, thanks to all the information collected, the intelligent algorithm can make this adjustment.

Due to this second calculation, the times of some participants may change when you finish a race. In any case, when you end the event you will get a summary with all the times that have been modified.

With the backups set up, Copernico will complete the passing times of participants whose reading was missed on the main line.