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Welcome "Team Icon" from Icon Auto Garage to the Desert Champions Trophy - 2023! We are thrilled to welcome your team to this year's challenge, and we look forward to an exciting and spirited event. Team Lead: Said Al Akraby @Icon Auto Participants: Stuwart Fernandes @stuwart fernandes Abu Fathi @Moh Qar Thomas Eibu @eibuthomas Fadi @fadijoin

Leading a desert drive is the most amazing experience to have, where you can combine fun, freedom, creativity, strategic thinking and survival skills all at once. Leaders lead is the drive where selected Advisors will learn to lead under close guidance. Backed with the right techniques, experience and supervision so that you can learn the art of leading with peace of mind without any fear or pressure. You will be learning the basics of leading in the desert in three different sessions: Advance sand reading, plan your lead, plan your exits. Use navigational software to select the right course of the path. How to plan and scale the lead and recoveries in the most grueling terrain. Level: Selective Advisors only - @DP1011 and @Simon D When: 28 October 2023, Saturday Meeting time: 2:00 PM, (Sharp, without any exceptions) Meeting Point: Al Lisaili - https://goo.gl/maps/UDzJ7FKT2Aq5HcyFA Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. Approximate finish time: 6:00 PM Please RSVP on the below calendar:

Congratulations @DP1011 and @Simon D.. can’t wait to follow your lead

Congratulations Guys, great to see you move on to the next stage... Well Done @DP1011 & @Simon D

Congratulations @DP1011 & @Simon D happy to see you guys move on to the Learning

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 @DP1011 @Simon D yalla push, let's follow

Welcome to the DCT Guys

Great to see you guys !

The Ultimate Off-Road Challenge Carnity Desert Champions Trophy Prepare to be awestruck as we push the boundaries of off-road prowess, recovery expertise, and teamwork to new heights. The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy promises an adrenaline-fueled adventure that will ignite your passion for off-roading like never before. In the heart of the most rugged terrains, where grit meets glory, off-roaders will unite, relying on every ounce of their skills to secure the prestigious title of Carnity Desert Champions. It's a test that will demand nothing less than perfection from each team member, pushing you to your limits and beyond. WHAT'S NEW: Open for all off-roaders WHEN: 19 November 2023, Sunday WHERE: Somewhere in the Desert At Carnity, we live by the belief that off-roading knows no boundaries. Whether you're driving a stock or modified vehicle, a new or vintage model, a powerhouse, or an underdog, you are welcome to participate in the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy. It's an exclusive once-in-a-year opportunity, for truly capable off-roaders in the UAE. Get ready to conquer the untamed, unite with fellow enthusiasts, and embrace the spirit of adventure. The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy is your chance to etch your name in off-road history, and we invite you to be a part of this exhilarating journey. Join us, to write a new chapter in off-roading excellence together. "To elevate the anticipation and ensure an exciting experience, the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy is meticulously designed to strike a perfect balance between various key elements, ensuring excitement, mental and physical challenge, and fairness at every turn." Terrain Diversity: Our competition thrives on the dynamic range of terrains that test your skills. From daunting dunes to treacherous super-soft sand, we've handpicked diverse landscapes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Vehicle Equality: In the spirit of fairness, we celebrate the inclusivity of off-roading. No matter if your vehicle is a beast of power or a humble underdog, every participant has an equal opportunity to shine. Your vehicle is your ally in this exhilarating journey, stock or modified, old or new. Technical Challenges: Brace yourself for a series of technical challenges that will demand precision and strategy. We've curated a series of obstacles that will push your off-road skills to the limit, ensuring that only the most skilled teams emerge victorious. Teamwork Emphasis: The Carnity Desert Champions Trophy places a premium on teamwork. In this rugged arena, every team member's contribution is vital. You'll need to synchronize your efforts, communicate seamlessly, and rely on each other's expertise to conquer the challenges that lie ahead as a team. Safety Measures: Safety is paramount in this challenge. Rigorous safety measures and guidelines are in place to ensure that all participants can indulge in the thrill of off-roading with complete peace of mind. Fair Judging: Our judging panel consists of experienced off-roaders who will objectively assess each team's performance. We've taken every measure to ensure that scoring is transparent and equitable, guaranteeing that the most deserving team emerges victorious. At Carnity Desert Champions Trophy, we've meticulously crafted an off-road spectacle that promises to be the highlight of your off-roading journey. Get ready to embrace the thrill, face the unknown, and forge unforgettable memories as you navigate through this extraordinary terrain and challenge. WEATHER VEHICLE, GEARS & COMMUNICATION You don't need any special vehicle to participate, your stock or modified 4X4 should be in desert drive-worthy, top-notch and reliable condition. Any 4X4 with Low range gear with a minimum of 9-10 inches of ground clearance. Front and rear tow hooks/eyelets/bolt-on hooks. Off-road gear as per Carnity off-road Structure. Same-size spare tire in working condition. Bash plate and AT tires (Recommended). Winch (good to have, but not mandatory). Cars with standard fuel tanks of 60 liters, will need to carry extra 40 liters of fuel. All Jerry cans should be secured safely with ratchet straps. Etisalat sim are preferred, if you don’t have one, download the offline maps. Everyone should have the ability to record tracks & waypoints. If you use an in-built GPS, you can install Gaia on your phone to record and share. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE Carnity Team Lead – Expert, Marshal and Crew. No participation fees apply. Other Club / Independent Lead – 20+ drive-leading experience is required. No participation fees apply. Team Participation – Carnity Fewbie, Fewbie Plus, Intermediate, Support and Above level are entitled to participate. Standard participation fees apply. Other Club members – Can participate based on self-declaration of their existing off-road experience. Standard participation fees apply. 6 – 15 off-road drive experience = Fewbie 16 – 25 off-road drive experience = Fewbie Plus 26 – 35 off-road drive experience = Intermediate 35 and above off-road drive experience = Support TEAM FORMATION 1 Team Lead + 4 Participants (at any level above Newbie) is a must for all teams. All Team leads are entitled to pick and select their own team participants, “mutually”. Carnity Team Lead: They can invite any Carnity or non-Carnity members based on their drive experience and capabilities. Or they can create a post on Carnity to invite interest. Other Club / Independent Lead: They can bring their own team from their existing club or friends and drive with their club/team name/flag. Or they can create a post on Carnity to invite interest after they fill out the registration form below. All Participants: Are free to choose and agree mutually with the Team Lead they are comfortable driving, trusting, and following through with this rigorous challenge. All teams can brand their vehicle or clothing with their club/team/sponsor name. Once teams are formed, the team lead has to submit the Team Name within 2 days. THE REAL CHALLENGE This is no ordinary race, and it certainly isn't a race against the clock. We're not here to see who can wreck their car the fastest – that's not our style. What you're about to experience is the ultimate team sport, a test that will push your off-road skills, recovery prowess, and teamwork to the next level. Forget about speed, because in this challenge, faster doesn't always mean better. Racing ahead might just land you in a world of trouble, stuck in the unforgiving terrain. Instead, we encourage you to slow down, tap into your creativity, and break free from the constraints of conventional thinking. Navigate the maze of dunes with your team, all while having the time of your lives. We welcome you to a one-of-a-kind tactical desert challenge, where every participant is put to the test. It's a showdown of true off-road capabilities, a showcase of your skills, grit, and unwavering perseverance. Above all, it's a celebration of teamwork, where together, you'll conquer the untamed desert and emerge as true desert champions. Area Covered: 300+ km² All single-use waypoints will be scattered in 300+ km² area and all teams need to bring home the maximum points within 6 hours to win the challenge. Weightage: Green Waypoints (5 points), Yellow Waypoints (10 points), Red Waypoints (15 points). Green: Easiest to reach waypoint but scattered among outer perimeter or near sabhka, making it difficult to cover all green waypoints before the end of the challenge. Yellow: Moderate difficulty waypoint, scatter randomly at mid-perimeter level or at moderate-size dunes surrounded with super-soft sand patches. Red: The most difficult-to-reach waypoints, placed on top of the tallest dunes surrounded by tall dunes. In some waypoints, you have to climb on foot to reach. Tactical Approach: Based on your team capability (Car + Fuel + Physical Strength) you should plot your route wisely factoring in the end time to gather maximum points with the least distance covered within 6 hours. If you aim for Yellow Waypoints, make sure you and your team are ready to traverse through super-soft sand and know how to use fuel efficiently. Tip: Deflate at 7-8 PSI to move through super-soft sand patches without hard steering to avoid tire pop-out. If you aim for Red Waypoints, make sure you have at least one fittest person to climb a tall dune on foot with the whole team's GPS device to mark it. Most Red Waypoints are on top of tall dunes, without much scope to scale with cars due to the limited area available below to gain momentum. WINNING CRITERIA Any team that returns to the starting point within 6 hours with maximum points covered through their whole team GPS track will have the honor to lift the Trophy with the most distinguished title of The Desert Champions for the next full year. In case of a tie, the team with the least kilometer clocked will win. The average of whole team kilometers clocked per odometer reading will be used. US spec car miles will be converted to Kilometers. 1 mile = 1.609 km. All teams will start with 3 or 5 minute intervals to avoid crowding near the first few waypoints. The same duration will be adjusted from their total track time in the end. RULES AND REGULATIONS All team leaders will receive the waypoints in advance. Each waypoint weightage will be counted once. Each team member must store those waypoints before the start line. All team members should use a GPS app/device to record track and waypoints. One person per car - no passengers allowed. Everything in your car should be securely fastened. Strictly no drones are allowed. CONDITIONS APPLY Any tampering with GPS recording and data will disqualify the whole team. Any tampering with the Odometer will disqualify the whole team. Any accident requiring a police report will disqualify the whole team. So don’t break your car. And don’t let your teammate break their car. Any minor to moderate damage will cause 20 points penalty. Missing a waypoint by more than 10-15 meter variance, will not be counted. Any vehicle breakdown will require immediate reporting to the control team. Once the support team arrives on the site, based on their fair evaluation you can leave the broken-down car and driver to be taken care of by the support team. You can continue with 1 less car. As the support team may arrive within 30 min - 1 hour, you will lose that time without any consideration of the vehicle breakdown. Tire pop-out, use of spare tire, and minor bumper damage will not be counted as part of the vehicle breakdown. TIMINGS Registration opening: 6 Oct 2023, Friday Registration closing: Till slots available...! EVENT TIMINGS Event Date: 19 Nov 2023, Sunday. Meet-up & Line-up: 8:00 AM First Team Dispatch: 9:00 AM Last Team Dispatch: 10:00 AM First Team last cut-off time: 3 PM Last Team last cut-off time: 4 PM Moving to Campsite: 5 PM Snacks & Entertainment: 6 PM BBQ Dinner (Veg & Non-Veg): 7 PM Winner Announcement: 8 PM Wrap up & leave: 9 PM PARTICIPATION CHARGES As Convoy Member: 1,000 AED per person. As Convoy Lead: No participation charges apply. WINNING TEAM PRIZES Carnity Desert Champions Trophy - Pride for life. 10,000 AED Cash Prize for the winning team. Carnity's Winning Certificate for each team member. Part of the "Desert Champions" User group on the site with a trophy icon. Carnity Weatherproof Safety Flag. Carnity Metallic Weatherproof Sticker. Be part of the Carnity Desert Champions Trophy today with your name in the winner's circle! Unleash your inner off-road champion now by filling out this Registration form (Mandatory for all). Team Lead Registration Form Participant Registration Form Please use and follow the Desert Champions Trophy forum For all Announcements, Rules, Planning, Prizes and Discussions.

Congrats Lads! @DP1011 and @Simon D I look forward to supporting some of your drives. Well deserved

Congratulations @DP1011 @Simon D 😃

Win FREE Participation Golden tickets worth AED 1,000 as a Backup Driver for the participating teams. You will get a chance to join for FREE if any team participant drops out. You will also be invited to the after-event prize ceremony and gathering. Check out all about the Desert Champions Trophy here. 🌟 Showcase Your Off-roading Skills, Knowledge, Experience, Off-road Products, Workmanship and Performance Upgrades 🌟 All you need to do is share this "referral contest" with all off-roaders you know. The more you share, the higher your chances to WIN. Deadline: November 1st

We request every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines, etiquettes and responsibilities. MUST READ AND COMPLY Environmental Policy Offroad Flag Guideline Two Way Radio Guideline Off road Driving Etiquette's Emergency details for all off-roaders Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities DRIVE DETAILS Level: Newbie and above (sorry, this time no Absolute Newbies) When: 29 October 2023, Sunday Meeting time: 7:30 AM - Sharp (Without any exceptions) Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1DjtotHo1b4nqJmd9 Action Plan: "An inland town in United Arab Emirates (UAE) lives as a ghost town, a place that has long been abandoned, long forgotten! An eerie silence now surrounds the entire place, which is locally called ‘Buried Village’. It used to be a tiny hamlet once upon a time. According to the locals nearby, it was once inhabited by the people of Al Kutbi tribe (they are among the three prominent tribes living in the vicinity of Al Madam). Swallowed by sand or spooked by ‘Djinn’? What actually happened here? Why the town that once flourished is now all covered in sand? No one is pretty sure about what went there. What better way to enjoy this Halloween weekend, than driving across a rather unforgiving and challenging stretch of desert, to end the drive at this legendary haunted village? The area, with tight dunes and bushy flats, preceded by the tall and daunting big dunes of Iftar Bowl and Super Bowl, will require to have already learned the basic off-roading skills, hence no Absolute Newbies will be allowed (only for this drive). MANDATORY: bring your kids, family or friends, and most of all wear a mask, a costume, make-up, or whatever makes you feel in the mood for Halloween. No normally attired driver will be allowed🤪. The best "costumed" car will win a bounty of treats!! Approximate finish time: 11:30 AM Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Recommended off-road gears: Walkie-talkie radio and off-road flag (MANDATORY), plus tire deflator, tire pressure gauge, compressor, walkie-talkie radio, off-road flag, shovel, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 12 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned back - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned back - Without any exceptions. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR This drive is limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on Friday - 1 PM. If the RSVP is full, you can add your name to the waitlist, once anyone drops, you will be moved to the RSVP list. RSVP will close a day prior to preparing a convoy list. Latecomers will be returned back - Without any exceptions. Members without RSVP will be returned back - Without any exceptions. Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others. Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month. PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR

Well done guys… first session is really fun. Enjoy 😊 👍

👏👏👏

@Fredericit was another beautiful scenic drive really enjoyed from beginning till the end and the thug of war was another amazing memorable moment of this drive , and thank you very much for accepting my last minute request to join in the convoy. Waiting for another scenic drive soon.

Section 4: Some Key Terms Before you start with editing you should know these terms and information to decide what you want to do. Stitching When you record a video on a 360 camera, what you essentially do is record two videos front and back with wide angle lens that covers the entire 360 degrees field of view. Stitching is the process in which both these videos are combined to make one panorama video. You will most often be using the device software to do the stitching. A 360 video can be uploaded directly to YouTube since it supports that format. See this example: Reframing Reframing is the process of manipulating your 360 video and turning it into a “normal” video. Re-framing allows you to choose where the camera is pointing at any one time after you’ve shot your video, opening up more editing opportunities than you would get with a normal camera. You can also change the perspective and field of View (FOV) and edit a video to show exactly what you want to show. Aspect ratios Aspect ratio is the ratio between the width and the height of a video or a screen. It determines how wide (or long) your video will be. Aspect ratios are usually written as – x : y and read as – x by y. The first number refers to the width, while the second to the height. 16:9 (Widescreen): This is the most common aspect ratio today. It’s widely used for TV broadcasts, YouTube videos, and feature films. 2.35:1 (Ultra Widescreen): This gives the 70 mm look, and used mostly in the Movies. 1:1 (Square): This aspect ratio is commonly used for social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube Shorts. 9:16 (Vertical): This is commonly used for mobile content, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Stories and Reels & YouTube Shorts. Different platforms may prefer different aspect ratios. For example, YouTube typically uses 16:9, while Instagram can use 1:1 (for posts), or 9:16 (for stories and Reels). Remember, choosing the right aspect ratio is crucial as it can affect the viewing experience of your audience. Examples of YouTube Videos (not Shorts): Ultrawide (2.35:1): Wide (16:9): Square (1:1): Vertical (9:16): Resolution Video resolution is a crucial aspect of video editing as it determines the amount of detail in your video, or how realistic and clear the video appears. It’s measured by the number of pixels contained in each frame. Here are some common video resolutions you would be using: 720p (1280 x 720 pixels): This is considered an acceptable resolution for smaller web content. However, with most computer screens being HD, it’s best to aim for a higher resolution than 720 for web use and streaming. 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels): Often referred to as “full HD,” this has become the standard for a crisp HD digital video. 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels): This is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the advent of 4K-capable smartphones and TVs. Always use the 4K or the equivalent resolution for your aspect ratio. Instagram unless you specify will upload a lower resolution file. It will convert your video to a 720p file and save a file on your phone. YouTube will however take a 4K upload. So, you make sure that you upload the 4K version if you are uploading both to Instagram and YouTube. Understand the Files In this section I will not go deep into all the video formats but will tell you the 3 files for every clip you will see in insta360 even then it will seem a little bit daunting. File Name Format VID_yyyymmdd_hhmmss_xx_nnn.insv yyyy = four-digit year (2022) mm = two-digit month (01-12) dd = two-digit day (01-31) hh = two-digit 24-hour (00-23) mm = two-digit minute (00-59) ss = two-digit second (00-59) xx = camera 00 – back camera 10 – front camera nnn = sequence number (000-999) Extensions: .insv = 360-degree video LRV_ – 360 low res version of the video. xx will be 11: VID_ – 360-degree full size video. Two files with same yyyymmdd_hhmmss name and xx of 00 for back camera video and 10 for front camera video. You can preview a .insv file by adding the extension “.mp4” to the end. Also note that 00 file contains the GPS telemetry data and is usually slightly larger than the 10 file. If you want to use 3rd party telemetry software after you have exported a flat video file you can use these 00 numbered files. PS: I plan to update and revise certain sections to enhance clarity, streamline information for brevity, and improve language and grammar.

Looking Forward to it @AnasArif

Hello @Soufiane. Thanks for asking. Having done your AN drive you are already a Newbie ranked member. The only thing I'd like you to consider in evaluating your joining this drive is if you also had any previous driveing experience, that is if you feel comfortable enough facing relatively tough terrains: possible higher climbs, soft sand bowls and tight, close technical dunes. Thanks for considering.

Congrats @Ali-M! Enjoy Fb

Hi @Ale Vallecchi, Last Sunday I had my first drive with Frederic "Scenic Trail". Am I ok to join this Drive or not yet ? If not, how long do we stay in AN level before getting to Newbie ? Thanks a lot. Soufiane

Dear @Lea Degner. Thanks a lot for joining the drive. As @DP1011 mentioned, this particular Newbie drive is not open to Absolute Newbies. This is a category we have created at Carnity to identify any driver who is having her/his first drive with the Club. In the case of an AN joining we would take great care to go through a thorough briefing of what we recommend and expect drivers to do and behave when joining one of our convoys. A drive including AN members, will be designed to visit areas that do not present excessively complex challenges, on terrains that can be more easily tackled by all drivers. The reason why this drive is only open to members who have already had such first Absolute Newbie experience is that the terrain where we plan to go is very challenging, and we do not wish to face situations that may create safety issues to a very inexperienced driver. If you have had prior off-road driving experiences with other Clubs, I kindly ask you to please update me here, specifying the club or circumstances of your previous drives, the number of drives you have already had (off-roading on sand, not mixed terrain), and the car you had been driving with. Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a nice day.

For sure @Davie Chase Planning for the 29th drive with you😊

Congratulations @Ali-M enjoy the new level and look forward to seeing you in the sand on an Fb drive very soon

Congratulations @AnasArif enjoy the new level, look forward to seeing you in the sand soon on a Fb drive

It was nice discussing with you @Mehmet Volga. Thanks for your time. I found few shops that sell them, one shop offered a competitive price on AOR spacers 30mm costed AED950 while another shop had H&R with 30mm costing AED1800+vat.. H&R is almost double than the AOR, So I think I should go with AOR which is made in US. Can anyone please suggest me on it? Also I would like to know if there will be any rubbing issue after a 2inch lift with dobinsons MRA and a 30mm spacers on stock wheels? My stock size is 265/65/R17, and please advice if wheel spacers are a good option and should I go for 25mm or 30mm?

Congrats @Ali-M ! Well deserved and am sure u r looking forward to ur first FB drive!

Congrats @AnasArif For new Level and New flag😉😄, Well deserved!:)

Congratulations @Ali-M on your promotion to Fewbie level. Enjoy the new level.

Hii @Lea Degner Welcome to carnity. Please note this particular drive is restricted for Absolute newbies and is only for Newbie and above level and since you are new/ first timer to the club, you can join only a Newbie drive ( which Includes Absolute Newbies) - Unless You have other prior offroading experience in sand with deflated tyres, with any other club - Which you can declare with details here and @Ale Vallecchi , being the lead can then decide accordingly. If Not, then for this weekend you may want to join the other Newbie drive ( which is Open for Absolute Newbies too) (Also please note, you will be waitlisted for this above if you choose to RSVP, since all the drives are posted on Monday 7pm, and depending on total convoy count and lead's decision the waited listed candidates gets confirmed or if someone drops from confirmed list the next person moves up, a person with zero drives gets preference over someone already having another confirmed drive) Please have a look at the following link to assist you navigate the structure. Please also reach out if you need more assistance. https://carnity.com/forums/topic/16479-off-road-club-grading-structure-v30/ See you sooon in one of the drives!:)

Congratulations @AnasArif on your promotion to fewbie level. Enjoy the new level.

Thank you @Ale Vallecchifor the drive, full of technical and soft sand in many areas, I enjoyed the challange and I am sure so did my colleagues. Great support team, with many old faces I had not seen for a while, greatvtobsee you all Gents! Regards, Mohamad

@Richard Franks@Soufiane@JamesBY@Mostafa Nasef@Mahesh_@Imran Asghar@AnasArif@Ali Al Moumar@Mohammad Sayawoush Azad@Rafey Hashmi@Shiju Raju@Benjamin@Faraz94@Theo09@Haneef Thayyil@Jeetu Sharma@frederic demolder@Joji varghese@DP1011 Thank you all for joining yesterday ! I hope you enjoyed the relaxing morning out and that the lack of shoveling was compensated at least a bit with our tug of war competition ! Newcomers @JamesBYand @Soufiane you guys drove marvelously without hesitation and with a big smile Hope you keep joining us for future drives ! You can post any photo's you'd like to share in our drive gallery: https://carnity.com/gallery/ Browse to the event where you like to add photos and upload them. See you all soon in the sands again !

CHAMPIONS ONBOARDING STARTED...!