Placing your
timing gates right
Height, distances, start line, sun and wind: the settings that make the difference between a reliable time and a wrong one.
The torso must break the beam
A gate triggers on the first object that breaks its beam. If a hand, an arm or a knee goes through first, the time is taken too early. The beam must therefore be broken by the torso.
- Adults running: hip height is a good starting point.
- Young athletes: lower it accordingly, setting it for the shortest in the group if heights vary little.
- Roller skating and speed slalom: the body position is lower. Set the height for the actual skating position, not for the athlete standing still.
Keep the same height on every gate and write it down: that is what makes your times comparable from one session to the next.
Measure, then leave it alone
Measure center to center between gates. Counting steps easily gives a 50 cm error over 10 m.
A mark on the ground at each gate: if a tripod gets knocked, it goes back to the right spot.
Too close to the first gate, simply leaning forward triggers the timer. Too far, the athlete arrives already moving. Between 30 and 50 cm, always the same distance.
The beam crosses the lane at a right angle. At an angle, the distance actually covered changes with the athlete’s line.
What disturbs a gate
In the morning and evening, avoid pointing a sensor straight at the low sun. If you can, orient the lane accordingly.
Tripod on a flat surface, legs spread wide. In strong wind, weigh it down: a gate that moves can trigger by itself.
Nobody crosses the beams during a run: not the coach, not the athletes waiting their turn.
What I see, what I do
A run is recorded twice
Times too fast on the first segment
A gate detects nothing
- Check that it is on and charged.
- See whether the sensor is pointing at the sun or whether something is in the beam.
- Do a slow test pass, hand at beam height.
A question about your setup?
Tell us about your sport and your venue, and we will help you place your gates. See also the 10, 20 and 30 m speed test protocol, and how coaches use TTime for sprint and speed slalom.