Metro/Twilight Computer Operation Manager Guide

Updated April 2025.

Contributed to by Owen Radajewski, Jesse Piiroinen, Cameron Nulty, Bob Mouatt, Bill Jones, and Tate Needham.

A. Equipment that is your responsibility to bring to each event

• The Metro/Twilight plastic tub that includes the return box of hired SI stick (it should be empty at the end of each event as SI sticks need to be returned to the box of hired SI sticks which the event organiser will carry each week), defibrillator (each week, check that the unit is charged), and the box that contains the Clear, Check, Start, Finish, and SI air test units, and a service off and clear backup purple sticks, (ensure the Clear, Check, Start, Finish and SI air test units is cleared and switched off using the  service off and clear backup purple sticks at the end of each event).
• The master computer is stored in the large wooden box (needs charging each week). Charger located in the box. The computer box also has two SI master download units (one Red, one Blue), SIAir battery check unit, a cloth bag which contains at least one connecting rod (for connecting SI units to SI master download units), and another clear backup purple stick. 
• Optus portable hotspot. Normally stored in the wooden box with the laptop. (Needs charging each week using USB cable).
• Small portable charger used for charging the computer. Stored in the wooden box with the laptop. (Needs charging each week using USB cable).
• Splits printer which is stored in a small cardboard box in the plastic tub. (Needs charging each week using cable stored in the small cardboard box).
• EFTPOS machine stored in a small black zip up bag thing in the plastic tub. (Needs charging each week).
• Small computer table and chair.
• Mesh-O units which are stored in a small clear plastic box At the end of the 2024-25 Twilight series we were taking six units. One for the start and finish, a prime unit (connected to the computer), a boost unit, (only used if needed to) and two to be put out in the terrain
• Mesh-O unit stands, they are just the normal controls stands but with the orange attachment used to hold the Mesh-O units (I believe we take two of these – the ones needed for the Mesh-O units in the terrain)

B. Setting up the competition (At the event)

Once all the equipment is unloaded you can start setting up the computer. Once you have opened the wooden box and started the computer you need to:

1. Connect the small battery pack to the computer.
2. As the computer has only two USB outlets you need to use the small 4-port USB hub and use it to connect the USB mouse, the SportIdent Blue master, and the splits printer to the computer.
3. You will also need to turn on the splits printer, a red light will appear once it is on
4. Another task is to turn on the Optus dongle by holding down the power which will automatically connect (it usually takes a while) to the laptop once booted up. If the connection does not happen after a while, the user name and password are on the dongle. This is to enable connection to the Internet. If this still doesn’t work then you can connect the Optus dongle to the computer using its charging cable, this will connect it automatically.

MEOS Setup

• Once the computer has been booted up you can now import the competition:
  1. Log into your email and download the XML file which was emailed to you the night before (it will contain all the information for the event, e.g. competitors, classes, courses etc).
  2. Once this is done you can open the MeOS application. Once loaded, you click the import competition option and your file explorer will appear. Locate the event file you just downloaded onto the computer.
  3. Once selected, the competition will load and then save the event. You can check that classes and courses are correct by going into the classes and courses tab and checking the details.
  4. To set up the blue SI download reader, go into the SportIdent tab in MeOS and click automatic start and search. This will connect MeOS to the SI master download. The next thing to do is fetch late entries, click on eventor connection and fetch late entries. This is very important as it will fetch all late entries and ensure you are not missing anyone when you check missing competitors in the forest at the end of the event.

Enter on the day (EOD) script setup

These are the instructions for the EOD script. Note that the order of the steps is important, you cannot start the script before the internet connection or MeOS service:

1. Once the competition is open in MeOS go to the “Services” tab, and click “Information Server”
2. Click the option to “Allow Entry”, then start the service. (You can name the service ‘EOD’ if you want to, or just leave it blank).
3. Run the script shortcut on the laptop desktop. A command line window will open, keep it open for the duration of the event, just ignore it, no need to do anything. If it closes for any reason just start it again via the shortcut.
4. Done! The MeOS competitor list should now update silently in the background with new entries every 10 minutes or so.

• • The entry form gives people the option of renting an SI stick and directs them to you (‘the computer operator’) to allocate them an SI number so that they can complete the form. They cannot submit their entry without a valid SI number.
  • People can make their entries via the QR code before the computer/script etc. are running, it will automatically load all entries from the preceding 24 hrs.
  • People complete the entry form first and are then directed to a link where they make online payment (via credit card, apple pay, or android pay). Unpaid entries are not processed, so if they have issues with payment then they can’t just pay separately. These people should be encouraged to try paying again via their entry form’s payment link or they will have to complete an old school paper form and EFTPOS payment (we are really trying to discourage this).

Changing Participant Details

• The main task you will be doing is correcting the details of the competitors. People change courses without changing it in Eventor or telling the computer operator quite frequently so this will be the main thing you will be changing.
• To change competitors details you will need to go to the competition tab at the top and click on form mode.
• On the left is a list of all the pre entered competitors as well as the competitors you have/will enter in (Enter on the day competitors).
• Here you can click on the name of the person you need to change the details of, and you will be presented with all the details of that individual. When changing courses of a competitor make sure you change the class option and not the course option and click save. (Changing the class of the competitor will automatically change the course).

SI Downloads

• When competitors begin finishing there will be a pop up on the bottom right of the runner’s name and time to which you can read out to them. If the runner does not have a stick registered in the event an alert will appear outputting no time and saying more actions needed. Make sure to click this and enter the details of the runner. Once the details are entered a time will appear to which you can read out. If their original splits are incorrect, you can print new splits when the corrections have been made by selecting print splits and pressing OK.
• A more user-friendly view of the results is pressing the competitors’ option and clicking report mode. Then press the show last read out competitor.

Finding Missing Competitors – This is an Important Action to be Taken for Competitor Safety

• Towards the end of the event, you will need to check on Missing Competitors, ie still in the forest. This is done by getting someone to collect the Start unit, or if multiple starts units have been used, the Check unit. This can be done any time after the start has closed. 
• Then once you have the Start unit you can open up the white and black bag in the wooden box and taking out a strange looking black metal stick with tape on it. This stick is used to connect a unit to a SportIdent reader so you can look through the information on the Start unit.
• Now plug in the second SportIdent Finish download reader (it is Red and found in the wooden box) into one of the USB slots on the laptop or USB hub.
• Then open the app called SportIdent Config+ located on the desktop.
• Once this app has opened, click on the Com Port device on the top left, that is not the Com Port being used to read the Finish downloads, select the Remote function and then click the Backup option, Read Start.
• Once this loads a list will appear of the data stored in the unit.
• Once this loads all SI sticks used by Starters will appear.
• Click export, then export the CSV file to an easily found location and save.
• Go back into MeOS, Lists and Summaries > Reports > Competitors in Forest > Manage Remaining Runners > Import Punches then Open the previously Saved CSV file. If the heading does not appear, it will be because a lower level window is open, click on Lists and then from the options in the right hand column, click on the top option, Return, and it will go back to the Lists and Summaries page.
• At the bottom change the unit type to Start and click Save. Then click set status <DNS>
• This will display all runners that are currently still out.
• Competitors that used the wrong stick that they are registered to will show up in this list so you may have to fix the errors.
• Mesh-O will also tell you who is left in the forest, however it can become unreliable if we lose connection at any stage during the event.

D. End of Event

• Once everyone has finished you can save a copy of the event. This is done by clicking on the competition tab and clicking the save to option. Here an explorer option will appear, and you can save the backup on the desktop or downloads. 
• You can email this to . 
• You can also upload the provisional results to Eventor, from the main window, by clicking on Eventor Connection, then Publish Results. This will post the provisional results on Eventor. 
• All the Mesh-O units and stands which you brought to the event will need to be collected
• The Mesh-O units are turned off using the orange magnet and swiping downwards on the right hand side of the unit

This document does not cover everything that may occur at an event, but it does cover the basics of the operations needed to run an event.

Each download is automatically saved to a file named “sireadlog_date_time.csv” which is stored at Desktop/MeOS/’Event Name’. If, for some reason, it is not saved in MeOS, the details can be retrieved from that file.

If you have any trouble/questions with anything the people to grab at Orienteering ACT that have experience with MeOS or Mesh-O are Bill Jones, Tate Needham and Owen Radajewski.

Appendix