Race Information System Keeping track of the world's toughest ocean race calls on the power of the latest global satellite communications technology. Not only must it meet the demands placed on it by the race organisers and ensure maximum safety, but public interest and demands made by the media will need all the special features designed and developed into the systems. To keep track of the constantly changing position of the BT Global Challenge yachts, each of them carries an identical C-Sat transceiver which looks like a conical antenna about the size of a small vacuum flask. An integral part of C-Sat is the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver which calculates positions which are fed into the transceiver at 6-hourly intervals. These positions are then sent via one of the geostationary Inmarsat Satellites to Race Headquarters in Southampton, UK. Race officers process and verify the positions using BT Race Control System software to produce latest results which are then made widely available. The C-Sat based system enables Race officers to interrogate yachts either singly, in groups or fleet wide at times outside the pre-programmed intervals. In addition, race officials can also remotely reprogramme the automatic intervals to a required frequency. This means that when the racing is particularly close, or the exact whereabouts of yachts needs to be known, positions can be flashed back to HQ within seconds from even the remotest points on the race route! This system also allows the race officers to send and receive text messages to and from the yachts. On board the yachts, these messages will be sent and received using either of two Toshiba notebook PC's. BT Race Headquarters The BT Global Challenge fleet is sailing under the 24-hour-a-day scrutiny of appointed Race officers at Race HQ in Southampton. Their duties include collecting, analysing and distributing race results and collecting daily weather information to include in the race report. Resident press officers at Race HQ are responsible for producing and attaching race news to the main race report.

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