If landracing.com had done the streaming audio - we would have aired the same audio stream that Harold and Ron offered us on the SCTA site, so that wouldn't have been different. It's difficult enough for lr.com to put the stream up there without the back-room support that SCTA has, but to offer a different stream of information just can't happen. Not only would it require us to have our own announcer - but without the computer connection (to show us the same stuff that the announcers in the SCTA announce trailer are seeing -- we'd be lost.
When Ron did the announcing all by himself his trailer/station was located at the start line for course 1 & 2, so he could (usually) see the next vehicle - using binoculars in some cases. I sat in his chair and announced a handful of times so know what he went through. He also did NOT have the computer system to watch so had to get his own stuff about the vehicle that was next, which stuff he had already collected from past years and the registration sheets that were made for him and sent over from the registration trailer each day. He put 'em in order and would quick like a bunny leaf through that ring binder to offer the stuff he'd tell us, including previous runs, record in the class, and so on. He did have that ring binder stuff with him this past week - again, I saw it and know what resources he had.
His stories about Bonneville come from not only having attended lots of events over the years - therefore building a good knowledge base - but also from having raced with his (now departed) wife Ellen. Add to that - he was raised in Wendover - where his dad ran a gas station and garage where racers would frequent during the event for repairs and work and so on. He's still got all of that information, but Harold doesn't.
As for SCTA deciding to do away with the CB for everything with FM (used to be AM 1610), well, that did remove a bunch of good input that would have shown up on the audio stream. Ron would hand hold his microphone and, when done talking for the moment, put the mike down on top of the CB speaker so the radio broadcast included everything that was on the CB.
The CB often did NOT contain all of the information that you're asking for, remember, because there was dozens and dozens of times that the tower wouldn't even put it on the CB. Maybe the guy in the tower was preoccupied with another course's vehicle, or was interrupted during a run (when someone in the tower talked with him for a few seconds). It was NOT as good as some memories might think they remember.
Finally - this year's audio did include some kind of microphone to send out ambient noise ( cars, bikes, etc) going down the course. With the announce booth being just past the 3 mile and way far away from course #2, let alone #3 and 4 - only long course vehicles on #1 would make any noise that could be heard by that mark. Yes, some of the course #2 sounds did make it to the announcers - but not all that much. I'd venture to say that an outside mike stationed a bit out from the announce trailer, plus maybe one located at the line on more than one of the courses - maybe that'd give lots of engine sounds.
Therefore I say unto you: let's all do our best to urge SCTA to continue working to make the audio better. It's already better than what lr.com has last year as we were learning and experimenting, so it might just get better still as time goes by. I did thank Scott Andrews, the new chief timer, my sincere thanks for getting the audio stream going this year. It provided what was my dream from five or more years ago -- the folks at home could hear the sounds of Bonneville racing. That's the basic thing -- the rest is just frosting.
