STEP 1. Install BZ Beacon from the GOogle Play Store On your spare android mobile

STEP 2. Set the Mark you want to attach it to and start Broadcasting

STEP 3. Check the "Using BZ BeacoNs" on the course settings (RACE OFFICER)

Done. Your marks will appear on the course

HOW IT WORKS

Buoy Zone Beacon uses the internal phone's GPS location and broadcasts it via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Any nearby support boats using Buoy Zone App will pick up this Bluetooth signal and automatically relay the mark's location to the race course, for everyone to see.  This happens in the background without any manual steps required.

We have deliberately designed BZ Beacon to work via Bluetooth rather than internet data to avoid the hassle of managing SIM cards and data packages. Virtually any oldish Android phone should work.

On the course info page (screen shot above) you can see:

•  how far it is from target

• when it was last synced with a support boat

•  the battery level

• the phone temperature

The race officer can also toggle off (hide from the course) each beacon if they choose to.

FAQ

How close to the marks do the support boats need to be to pick up the marks location?

This really depends on several factors:

1. Where on the mark the phone is attached (higher the better) 

2. The bluetooth hardware on both beacon phone and support boat phone

3. Having a clear line of sight to the beacon phone

Our testing so far has worked consistently well under 50m, where we have direct line of sight from the support vessel to the mark.

What's the best way to attach the phone to a mark?

We've tested using waterproof phone cases and dry bags, both work well.  Try to attach as high as you can on the mark for best bluetooth access.

How long do the batteries last on the phone?

This really depends on the phone and the age of the battery, we've seen phones 5-10 years old last over 24 hours.

How accurate is the mark location?

This really depends on the phone's GPS, we've seen newer android phones get under 2m accuracy.

Can I plug in a more accurate GPS?

Yes, we've been testing USB connected GPS & GNSS receivers and have been getting some good results <1m accuracy.  This is early in beta testing to reach out to support@buoy.zone if you're interested seeing these working or have a particular GNSS device in mind.  (currently only NMEA compatible GNSS devices have been tested).

Are the real marks locations visible on Trace?

Yes the mark locations from BZ Beacons are visible on Trace along side the target mark locations.

Can I use old iPhones?

Unfortunately Apple doesn't allow broadcasting BLE without significant restrictions, so it's only Android phones for now.  Note this restriction is on iPhones is broadcasting only, using the Buoy Zone app on iPhones will still receive the Beacon locations and relay up to the course.