What SI card?

[JK]

I hope 7s doesn't stand for 7 seconds

You can hope all you like.

7s is a reasonable time to move away from the control and check your finger to see if it the LED flashing. IMO maybe 5s would be better, but I did one (non-sprint) event and dipped and didn't hear the beep so I stuck the SI Card back in (1st time using it so forgot about the flash) and I had to wait for a 2nd beep - the time between the beeps on my splits was 7s.
I assume it was flashing the whole time, but it was bright and I wasn't used to looking for the flash.

I haven't tried trying to dib a *different* station within 7s, but I'll try next time I am setting out controls.

[EddieH]

Ah ha! I was thinking of registration time, not just flashing.

[AndyC]

I suspect lot of others will have had this https://www.sientries.co.uk/emails/view_email.php?beid=af261bd0b233650007ab6429ceb1454c drop into their inbox.
Gold plated, engraved & flashing -orienteering bling?

[SeanC]

Might not be so easy to find when dropped in autumn.

Though red ones with club names stamped on might be a good idea for those that forget to return their hired SI units.

[SeanC]

Just to break up the heavy stuff. Equipment review.

I did buy a "third generation" SI card in the end (a version 10) replacing a version 5 to be handed down.

Good points:
- My punching speed is much quicker (for me). The speed improvement seems more than the website quotes, I think this is because the version 5 card needs to be placed more carefully for punching, which when tired takes away more seconds. Or I need glasses when I'm running (which I do). Also the slower card encourages my bad habit of stopping too long at a control for a breather, and a subsequent unnecessary map checking. Now I am more likely to keep running at a control (and stop for a breather somewhere else ).
- For urban events (with controls tied on with gripples) there is a much greater speed improvement since it can be a real faff getting the version 5 card into the unit with the unit partially blocked by the gripple.
- My name appears on the printout when a club uses the SportIdent training set (most of our local events).

Bad points
- Total time not calculated by the SportIdent training set we use for Kent Night Cup.
- Clear plastic + white tip not so easy to find when dropped.
- £45 poorer now.
- It hasn't stopped me making silly mistakes in areas I've been to lots of times before.

[andy]

- Total time not calculated by the SportIdent training set we use for Kent Night Cup.

I'm sure there's a good reason for this, have you asked Sportident?

Could be a firmware issue, but worth asking

[SeanC]

I'm not the SI guru. No doubt they've asked, or they're waiting for it to become more than an irritant (only 2 or 3 people with these dibbers = not too much of a problem calculating results). Much of the local clubs SI kit has taken a hammering. Maybe 200 - 300 events, we get our money's worth.

[NeilC]

This happened to me at the Trosley KNC with my v9 SI Card. When I got home I tried it on our schools kit (updated to current firmware) printer and all was well.

[SeanC]

That was the Saxons kit. Shameless plug, come to Shorne Country Park* on Thursday to find out which SI cards work with the DFOK kit.

* best area in Gravesend.

[JK]

I hope 7s doesn't stand for 7 seconds

You can hope all you like.

7s is a reasonable time to move away from the control and check your finger to see if it the LED flashing. IMO maybe 5s would be better, but I did one (non-sprint) event and dipped and didn't hear the beep so I stuck the SI Card back in (1st time using it so forgot about the flash) and I had to wait for a 2nd beep - the time between the beeps on my splits was 7s.
I assume it was flashing the whole time, but it was bright and I wasn't used to looking for the flash.

I haven't tried trying to dib a *different* station within 7s, but I'll try next time I am setting out controls.

The time to flash is configurable if you have SI kit. I have set the DEE expert the task to tweaking mine and reducing 7s to either 4s or 5s (at my age I don't think I am capable even in a maze of stooping to punch, standing back up and re-stooping within 4 or 5s). That should be enough time to see a flash (and might even extend battery life).

BTW although I am trying to persuade myself to check the flashing every control I believe it is only a real benefit for a) multi-box controls (typically last controls before sprint finish) or b) for people who are hard of hearing (I guess more people come into this category in big events at final controls too).
Punching speed (of 10 and 11) compared to 6->9 - I doubt it is noticeable, but it makes a HUGE difference compared to my old type 4. For BikeO and SkiO in particular, the old type 4 (and I think 5) lost you time if you tried to avoid coming to a total standstill and there was no beep before you had overshot it ... crash ... oops!