Possible to see location of trackside sound monitors?

[tigamilla]

I recently got booted off an evening session for being too loud - it was towards the end of the session and I was pushing harder and harder into the rev-range (admittedly should have put more thought into this). Before this I was doing ok soundwise and didn't feel like I was sacrificing that much in terms of pace.

Because there was only 30 mins left the marshall didnt really want to explain where I had been too noisy and just sort of said "you've had a good day, not long to go anyway - please use the exit" (fair enough).

I'm planning more trackdays - but don't want to get booted off especially as I know if I'm careful the car is within limits. It would be quite helpful to know where the sound monitors are and figure out in advance the fun vs. noise factor that I would be sacrificing on each track and whether to book or not! E.g. a sound monitor right on a long straight would be worse than a noise monitor on a slow corner.

I'm not planning to game the system - just less inclined to book onto track where noise restrictions override some of the enjoyment. Is there anyway to find this out?

[eybic]

I think they are normally located just before the end of a straight.

[Robmarriott]

Several circuits I’ve been to have pointed to the locations of the sound monitoring points on the circuit map during the briefing.

[tigamilla]

Robmarriott said:

Several circuits I’ve been to have pointed to the locations of the sound monitoring points on the circuit map during the briefing.

Indeed but at that point it's too late - you're committed! Was hoping for some way to see this before making a booking

[E-bmw]

Perhaps if you were a bit more specific on which tracks you are enquiring about those with experience of those tracks will be able to tell you.

[Dave.]

Shirley it'd be easier/better to just get your exhaust quietened down a tad?

I assume it's not an OEM exhaust?

Sorry to sound like a bore, but I couldn't be arsed having to tiptoe round the track incase I pipped over the limit a tiny bit.

[dunc_sx]

It might be that your efforts are better off put towards making the car a touch quieter then it'll take this concern completely out of the equation.

I wouldn't drive on a track where I had to lift at any point due to noise, not interested in that.

Dunc.

[boxsey]

dunc_sx said:

It might be that your efforts are better off put towards making the car a touch quieter then it'll take this concern completely out of the equation.

I wouldn't drive on a track where I had to lift at any point due to noise, not interested in that.

Dunc.

Totally agree with you. I was chucked off Zolder last year. The sound meter locations were clearly pointed out to us. Lifting and coasting twice in a lap completely ruined the enjoyment. All of us in GT4s got chucked off (unfortunately the standard exhaust is too loud and there are no bolt on extra silencers available). I will only drive it again on a high noise limit day. BTW, I thought it was a great circuit.

[Robmarriott]

tigamilla said:

Robmarriott said:

Several circuits I’ve been to have pointed to the locations of the sound monitoring points on the circuit map during the briefing.

Indeed but at that point it's too late - you're committed! Was hoping for some way to see this before making a booking

Sort of see your point but you can see what the procedure for the static noise test will be at each circuit with a quick google, which will give you an idea of if you’re going to be too loud full stop, or whether you’re just too loud on certain points of the track at full throttle/full rpm.

What they tend to say is ‘this is where the noise monitor is, those of you who are close to the static test limit, it might be advisable to feather the throttle at these points to save us getting moaned at by the council’

It won’t stop your day completely unless you fail the static test.

They’ll also often give you a warning with a black flag but that depends on the circuit and how many pings of the monitor they’ve had at that point in the day/year.

[tigamilla]

E-bmw said:

Perhaps if you were a bit more specific on which tracks you are enquiring about those with experience of those tracks will be able to tell you.

Good point - I'm looking at Bedford, I come in way below the static limit, but after being booted off Brands Hatch Im not sure I want to risk it

[kiethton]

tigamilla said:

Good point - I'm looking at Bedford, I come in way below the static limit, but after being booted off Brands Hatch Im not sure I want to risk it

At bedford (on the shorter SW circuit) they are on the exit from the first corner and then on the second straight, 2 corners before the start/finish straight

Our guys were brilliant at highlighting where trey were in the breifing

[tigamilla]

kiethton said:

tigamilla said:

Good point - I'm looking at Bedford, I come in way below the static limit, but after being booted off Brands Hatch Im not sure I want to risk it

At bedford (on the shorter SW circuit) they are on the exit from the first corner and then on the second straight, 2 corners before the start/finish straight

Our guys were brilliant at highlighting where trey were in the breifing

Ah, thats good to know... so nothing on the main straight

[CrutyRammers]

dunc_sx said:

It might be that your efforts are better off put towards making the car a touch quieter then it'll take this concern completely out of the equation.

I wouldn't drive on a track where I had to lift at any point due to noise, not interested in that.

Dunc.

I've had a bit of a problem a couple of times (Oulton and Goodwood), and I've found that changing up a bit early (just before 6000 instead of right up to 6800 in my case) has got me round it. Having to lift would suck, but changing up a little early isn't really a big thing.

[Shaoxter]

tigamilla said:

Good point - I'm looking at Bedford, I come in way below the static limit, but after being booted off Brands Hatch Im not sure I want to risk it

The drive by at Bedford is something ridiculously low like 87.5dB. I don't think it's worth going tbh, I got booted off on the second lap after being at the back of a train of cars.

It is pretty obvious where the noise meters are though, they're mounted on stands on the side of the track. There's 4 of them but nothing on the main straight (of the GT layout). But it's a one strike policy so you have to be pretty careful.

[wellground]

Just get the car silenced, there is nothing worse than decibel anxiety on track, get it done.

[tigamilla]

wellground said:

Just get the car silenced, there is nothing worse than decibel anxiety on track, get it done.

You are correct about the anxiety! The problem is that it has to have a large (not obnoxiously loud) exhaust to accommodate some substantial engine upgrades, silencing it would unfortunately also mean suffocating the engine or increasing heat build up. I think I have found a way to accept a little bit less power with changeable engine maps with significantly lower boost and not have to worry about lifting off. Looking for an evening session to try this out.

[wellground]

tigamilla said:

You are correct about the anxiety! The problem is that it has to have a large (not obnoxiously loud) exhaust to accommodate some substantial engine upgrades, silencing it would unfortunately also mean suffocating the engine or increasing heat build up. I think I have found a way to accept a little bit less power with changeable engine maps with significantly lower boost and not have to worry about lifting off. Looking for an evening session to try this out.

That is not necessarily correct. I have an Evo 10 with huge upgrades giving me 641bhp. It was too loud, especially for my local track at Castle Combe. So I went to Infinity Exhausts near Bath https://www.infinity-exhausts.co.uk/. The handmade two extra small straight through 3" silencers and cut and welded them into my Janspeed 3" exhaust set up. My car went down from 112db and now it tests at 92db every time static and no loss of power.

Hope that helps

[tigamilla]

wellground said:

tigamilla said:

You are correct about the anxiety! The problem is that it has to have a large (not obnoxiously loud) exhaust to accommodate some substantial engine upgrades, silencing it would unfortunately also mean suffocating the engine or increasing heat build up. I think I have found a way to accept a little bit less power with changeable engine maps with significantly lower boost and not have to worry about lifting off. Looking for an evening session to try this out.

That is not necessarily correct. I have an Evo 10 with huge upgrades giving me 641bhp. It was too loud, especially for my local track at Castle Combe. So I went to Infinity Exhausts near Bath https://www.infinity-exhausts.co.uk/. The handmade two extra small straight through 3" silencers and cut and welded them into my Janspeed 3" exhaust set up. My car went down from 112db and now it tests at 92db every time static and no loss of power.

Hope that helps

It does - thank you, that's an enormous decrease - I'll look into that. I test around 88 db static and was kicked off Brands Hatch for 93 db on an evening (and that was all out with no short shifting) if the silencers are that effective that would be a huge help

[QBee]

The Bedford drive by microphones are well back from the track at places where you can easily short shift, as I remember it.
The limit of 87.5dB isn't so bad - the static test is done half a metre from your tail pipe, whereas the drive by is a number of metres away.
I always used to struggle with the static test there, yet never tripped the drive by in a V8 TVR.

[kiethton]

QBee said:

The Bedford drive by microphones are well back from the track at places where you can easily short shift, as I remember it.
The limit of 87.5dB isn't so bad - the static test is done half a metre from your tail pipe, whereas the drive by is a number of metres away.
I always used to struggle with the static test there, yet never tripped the drive by in a V8 TVR.

I'm in the same boat - bang on the static limit and never tripped a drive-by, well once when I slowed to let somebody past and booted it in a lower gear - 2 cars = more noise