EMIT card failures

[Adrian]

I was interested to hear that Housewife had never noticed the diode flash on an emit control. One of the things I like about emit is you can just wave your brikk at the control, see the flash, and go.

I wonder whether SI will ever introduce a non-beeping version of their system? They ought to at least give the option of turning the beep off - controls that make noises was never intended to be part of the sport and I don't know how they got away with introducing it.

[SIman]

The option of switching off the beep, the flash or both has been part of the SI system since the beginning, but most people like the feedback and the default settings are rarely changed.

[andypat]

I was interested to hear that Housewife had never noticed the diode flash on an emit control. One of the things I like about emit is you can just wave your brikk at the control, see the flash, and go.

I wonder whether SI will ever introduce a non-beeping version of their system? They ought to at least give the option of turning the beep off - controls that make noises was never intended to be part of the sport and I don't know how they got away with introducing it.

No! Keep the Beep!
Since one of the main gripes about EMIT is not being able to tell if you have registered a punch how would getting rid of the SI beep help? Its hardly ear splitting.

[denbydale]

I was interested to hear that Housewife had never noticed the diode flash on an emit control. One of the things I like about emit is you can just wave your brikk at the control, see the flash, and go.

I wonder whether SI will ever introduce a non-beeping version of their system? They ought to at least give the option of turning the beep off - controls that make noises was never intended to be part of the sport and I don't know how they got away with introducing it.

No! Keep the Beep!
Since one of the main gripes about EMIT is not being able to tell if you have registered a punch how would getting rid of the SI beep help? Its hardly ear splitting.

being hard of hearing I don't notice the beep but rely on the flash which some clubs
cover up with tape (usually with the club's initials on the tape) It infuriates me!

[pigweed]

I was on the START team at the JK and one of those charged with replacing any failed EMITS there. A couple were actually new ones!

My EMIT has been going since Oct 2004 so I expect the battery will run out soon, therefore I'm making sure I take a back up card these days. The early ones, I've been told, have been very good for lengh-of-battery-life. I've also been told that one of the newer EMIT directors wasn't happy with the battery life of some older EMIT bricks - he thought they lasted too long and a shorter battery life would mean more sales!

It is possible to replace the battery yourself if you prise it open. It's a simple Li coin cell you can pick up anywhere like Boots or Maplins. I've got an LCD one which I prefer for its feedback on whether you've punched or not so will try and replace the battery myself when it has run down.

[tomtom]

The thing I like about SI and the beep is that you can punch without thinking. The beep means that your brain registers that you have successfully punched almost unconsciously. You don't even need to focus your vision on the box, just a quick glance to help you punch.
This allows me to look at my exit direction and route choice from the control, as soon as I have spotted the flag.

With EMIT punching you have to focus on the action of punching; everything from entering the control from the right direction, positioning the card correctly and then seeing the tiny flash on the box. This all detracts attention from the race, meaning less time thinking about exit direction from the control, route choice etc.

At the JK I overheard lots of people talking about how annoying EMIT was, not about the quality of the event.
EMIT is a distracting, inferior system.
Everyone owns an SI card - it works perfectly for our sport.
Easy decision.

[Gnitworp]

I've always 'speed punched' with Emit and have never used a back up card and have never failed to register a control visit. I have had the same Emit card for more than a decade and use it at least 50 times per year. For me Emit is quicker than SI because I can't always get SI in the hole at first attempt. This is my personal experience and I am not speaking for others.

[andypat]

The trouble with the flashing light is its very difficult to see in bright conditions eg nice sprinty open areas, which leads to people holding the card until it flashes a few times, leading to queues and delays...

I got a lesson in how to punch emit by a Finnish M21 from GRAMP recently - quite illuminating! I shall be trying this myself at the Scottish Sprints on Saturday. Will it be 2sec saved per control or a DQ? Find out here on Sat evening!

Well I can report that my newly learned Finnish technique of blocking the end of the emit brikke into the right end of the control worked and I didnt get DQ'd. Probably still faffed about a bit at some controls (who didnt) but reckon I saved at least 0.5 - 1sec per control by doing this rather than trying to rely on fitting the brikke right in. Now to find some other way of saving a further 20s per control....

[madmike]

by doing this rather than trying to rely on fitting the brikke right in. Now to find some other way of saving a further 20s per control....

lose 2 stones and up your weekly mileage to 150km per week

[andypat]

Yeah well I'll let you know how that goes Mike....

[Tatty]

150 kms Mike - that is very impressive

[madmike]

150 kms Mike - that is very impressive

Yeah the only trouble withthis approach at andypat (and I's age) is you then end up having operations on 4 or 5 different cartilages in your knee and find yourself 2 mins slower per control (and the weight goesback on).

[Electrocuted]

Well, with nothing to lose I prised apart the emit card last night. There was sealant around the battery and two contacts soldered on but I prised them off and replaced the battery. It seems to work. The display us showing the ususal. Now I just have to buy some sealant to seal the unit back together.

[Nimby]

Well, with nothing to lose I prised apart the emit card last night. There was sealant around the battery and two contacts soldered on but I prised them off and replaced the battery. It seems to work. The display us showing the ususal. Now I just have to buy some sealant to seal the unit back together.

Any more details - and pictures? Are the two sides of the card heat-welded, glued or just clipped? Is the battery a standard CR2032?

What sealant will you use? I'd planned on silicone and maybe some self-amalgamating tape when the fateful day comes. I'd really miss the V3 display if I can't change my battery.

[RJ]

Perhaps make a YouTube video of the process.