1. US-Mailbox "FULL-Indicator"

Usually the mailboxes in the US are at the curb of the road. In order to find out if the mail-carrier was already there and if he/she did put anything into the box means: Go there and check! 

The proposed setup does all that.

Principle: The LED lights up every second time the flap is closed. So, when the mail-man puts mail into the box, the light goes ON. When the user removes the mail and closes the flap - the light goes OFF. And so on. The only trick is to remember when the user puts mail into the box to be taken by the mail-man. In this case the user has to flip the flap a second time to turn OFF the light. Thus having the setup being "armed" for the mail-carrier.  

ow to check the content of the mailbox from the distance. Red LED-indicator ON -> there is mail waiting.

This effect is achieved by adding a magnet to the inside of the flap (glued in) and a corresponding reed-switch at the opening. The electronic will drive the LED at the back.

 

 

2. The "Beer-Can-Race"

A nice game to play with a group of people . All you need is a prepared table, 6 beer cans or beer bottles (of different brands, if possible) 2 dices and an anouncer. The table is divided like a chess-board with mask-tape to show 6 times 10 fields. At the begining all 6 cans/bottles are in the lowest position. After each rolling of the dices the two numbers an the dices tell the corresponnding can/bottle number to advance one step upwards. If it's a double, that can/bottle advances 2 postions. There is one clue: To become the winner by reaching the final 10th Position, it needs a double. This makes sure that there is only one winner at a time! (If after 5 or 10 unsuccsessful trials to get a double for a winner, the announcer may select only one dice to get a can/bottle to Position 10)  

The following EXCEL-file(*) will record the bettings and calculates the winning money 

Download of the EXCEL-File

The "Beer-Can-Race.xlsm" will display entry fields for the players names (overwrite "Player x") and the amount of Money that Person is willing to bet into the green field(s) on the same line. This input is done while the yellow "betting time" flash on top is on. If now more people are betting push "Stop Betting/Start Race". No more input allowed. At the end click on the winner on top and that column will be framed in red and the payments are shown at the right. "Clear/Next Race" will prepare for the next Play.  

 

(Down at the bottum there is a green Input field called "Take:". That's a percentage the club or the organisation will keep as a margin. This may be set to "0%".)

(*) This EXCEL-files operates with active macros. Macros are usually inactive. Here's the procedure to change the macro security settings: Click the "Microsoft Office Button" (up, left) und select "Excel options". In the "Trust Center" click "Trust Center Settings" and the "Macro Settings". Select "Enable all macros". 

 

Download of tickets for printing

3. Kentucky Derby Calculation

This EXCEL-File allows to run the betting for a Kentucky-Derby with up to 25 horses and the bets for Win/Place/Show.

To remember: This are the rules!

Download of the EXCEL-File

This EXCEL-File(*) allows the calculation of the odds and the final calculation of the payments at the end of the race. At the beginning input is required in each line for the player's name and the amount of Money he/she is willing to bet for one or multiple horses for the WIN/PLACE/SHOW position. At the end the 3 winning horses have to be inputted into the upper :Position->" line by typing in the numbers 1, 2, and 3 into the collumn of the corresponding horses. "Color-ON/OFF" will emphasize the winning columns and the same Color is shonw on the right under "payments".

 

(Down at the bottum there is a green Input field called "Take:". That's a percentage the club or the organisation will keep as a margin. This may be set to "0%".) 

(*) This EXCEL-files operates with active macros. Macros are usually inactive. Here's the procedure to change the macro security settings: Click the "Microsoft Office Button" (up, left) und select "Excel options". In the "Trust Center" click "Trust Center Settings" and the "Macro Settings". Select "Enable all macros".   

Download of tickets for printing