GPS speed

[Bryan Long]

It seems to me that there should be advantages to using GPS for vehicle speed, rather than speed calculated from a front wheel pickup - no issue of tire growth and no wheel slip. We are hoping to get to the 350 mph range. Is it usable  at these speeds on the salt flats? Any experience that anyone can share?

[wheelrdealer]

I use a RacePak IQ3 with integrated GPS and my times at the 2 1/4 and 3 were dead on the time slip from SCTA. No problem getting satellites on the salt I think I had 9 all the time. I think I heard the more satellites the more accurate the MPH. There are others on this sight that know far more than me and I am no expert. Just relaying my experience.

BR

[Glen]

This has been discussed over the past couple of years, but record speeds are over a measured distance 1 mile or 1 kilo. Look in the archives. Thus the given GPS speed does not apply for records.

[Stainless1]

Most Garmins will do speed very accurately up to about 600 MPH, but remember racing is average over a mile, not top speed you hit... unless you hold your speed for the mile.  We started using one to help pull of the truck at the right speed as well as aiding in not exiting the track at too fast of a speed....
The exit speeds have matched the GPS speeds perfectly.

[Sumner]

... We started using one to help................ as well as aiding in not exiting the track at too fast of a speed..

I really don't see much need in needing it when on the course.  I'd rather pay attention to the tach to hit shift points.   The timing slip will tell you how fast you ran.  At the speed you plan on running I'm not sure you will have much opportunity to look at a GPS speed.

I would of liked to of had one for what Stainless mentioned though.  I had a very hard time figuring out how fast I was going slowing down and when to turn off.  Came up just short of the return road twice and had to restart the motor to get there.  Knowing the GPS mph slowing down I think I could of cleared the track faster and made it available sooner to the next one in line without the fear of spinning the car by pulling off too soon.

I'd like to have it for that in the future,

Sum

[entropy]

can a GPS accurately show 350mph???
never been there

But I did monitor GPS speed for licensing & turnoff purposes; got the idea from another bike guy, Ryan Ostergard.
On his advice, i bought a hiker's/ wrist mounted GPS, set display to BIG.
GARMIN 010-00776-00 Foretrex(R) 301 GPS Receiver, about $175.

The number fills the "screen" and is easily seen, even at speed & vibration, even for the "world's least observant person" = me.

Simply cut the wrist band off and velcroed it on my dash, worked great!
Thanks Ryan  

[gray63]

Another advantage is maintaining the required speed on licensing passes.
I used to put a small sliver of tape on the lens of the GPS speedo
and it would keep me close to the the required speed.

Dave
# 3611
56 Corvette
Carlisle, Pa.

[DallasV]

we use a GPS for MPH mainly so our driver knows if your not over xxx MPH at the 3 you might as well click it because we can't pick up xx MPH in the next 2. So at least we don't put another 2 hard miles on the motor trying to catch a number we can't chase down.

[JamesJ]

We use the IQ3 for GPS speed, before we had a Large digital GPS gauge from Nordskog (now closed) both useful as said before, push off speed, turn off speed, getting better idea of things.  Our brains know MPH so its a great reference.   

[manta22]

I have an app for my Droid called EB GPS Speedometer that works great.

[rouse]

my Droid app is Ulysses speedometer and it works perfectly up to 630mph, not sure over that, but that should be enough for most folks I'd think.

Rouse

[tauruck]

Aw gee only 630.
That's what we'll be using one day.

[Freud]

Check your GPS on your next airplane ride.  I no....it's not supposed to be on but it will

certainly give you speeds above 400 MPH. A good tail wind will boggle your mind. It

will record in the Max speed section of the GPS and U can keep it as a Bar bet winner.

FREUD

[rouse]

That what I did, but the Droid was in airplane mode so the flight attendant said it was OK.

545MPH on the way West, and 630 on the way East, the average then would be 587.5. Not bad for just over $300.00 per pass.

Rouse

[Stainless1]

I've got my fingers crossed that the maximum speed number on my GPS gets changed at WoS... still sitting on 250 from last August, but it will be riding along with the Black Lightning... like to see it go faster.