ArenaGear University · How-To

How to Set Up a Wireless Timing System for Track and Field in Under 15 Minutes

A step-by-step walkthrough for a coach setting up alone on an empty track.

Electronic timing shouldn't need a crew. With self-aligning wireless gates, one coach can go from car to first timed rep in minutes. Here's the routine.

What you need

• An ArenaGear 2-gate system (start gate and finish gate) with tripods
• AA batteries (about 80 hours of runtime; spares are at any gas station)
• A phone or tablet with the ArenaGear app (iOS or Android)
• Optional: split gates for 10- and 20-meter splits, a second phone or iPad for automatic video, and NFC wristbands for athlete ID

Step 1: Mark your distance

Use the track markings for your start and finish lines. The RM-510 times sprints and drills up to 600 meters, so the same kit covers blocks work, flys, 100s and longer reps.

Step 2: Place the gates at waist height

Set a gate on its tripod at the start line and one at the finish line, on the side of the lane. Raise each to about waist height. A waist-height beam triggers near the athlete's center of mass instead of a swinging arm or a foot, which gives you repeatable times.

Step 3: Power on. There's nothing to aim.

ArenaGear gates are self-aligning. No reflectors, no laser aiming, no cables down the lane. The beam is eye-safe infrared, so athletes can stand near the gates without any eye-safety concern. Battery status shows live in the app, so you're never surprised mid-session.

Step 4: Open the app and choose your event

Open the ArenaGear app, connect to the gates and pick your event: a 2-gate sprint, a 1-gate event, or splits if you've added split gates. Times are accurate to 0.001 seconds.

Step 5: Load your athletes

Add your roster in TEAMS, ArenaGear's free cloud data management service, with unlimited athletes and no per-athlete fees. With NFC wristbands, athletes scan in and every time attaches to the right name automatically.

Step 6: Run the first rep

The athlete breaks the start beam, the clock starts; they cross the finish, it stops. If you've set up a second phone or iPad, the gates also start and stop the video automatically, security watermarked with the athlete's name and time.

Step 7: Share and review

Unlimited devices can follow a live leaderboard. After practice, TEAMS gives you lifetime records, consistency and trends, and exports sorted by class, athlete or drill.

Setup mistakes to avoid

• Gates set too low, so the beam catches a hand or foot before the torso
• Gates placed so athletes clip the tripods at speed; leave room on the lane edge
• Starting a long session on nearly-dead batteries; check the live battery status first

More: How to time a 40-yard dash accurately · 7 timing mistakes coaches make

← Back to ArenaGear University · Compare ArenaGear vs Dashr Silver