Over the summer we have had aluminium T-bars with pin punches and full size control markers out around Glenmore Lodge.
I would hope there are more durable control markers out there. Newitts, Silva, Ultrasport, Osport - our Silva markers seemed to suffer the most. Anybody found something that can stand up to the wind, rain and bright sunshine of Scotland?
I would also like a better alternative to lugging round metal T-bars. Lightweight fibreglass stakes seemed one option, and a bit of digging around in the internet found this http://www.agri-supply.co.uk/10-x-3ft-e ... ass-posts/ These (at £3 each) appear to be the same or similar to the £17 SPORTIdent option. Can anyone advise me as to the diameter of the SPORTIdent stakes? The sliding clips would be useful.
Is there anyway of fixing control numbers to lightweight stakes? I assume there has to be something suitable - there is no intention to attach SPORTIdent (or Emit) to the stakes as I see these used for the summer season and the winter ROMP with units out in the forest for some time.
Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
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Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
Fac et Spera. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Scottish 6 Days Assistant Coordinator
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Freefall - addict
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
SI ones are 90 cm long.
Cross-section is oval not round, approx 10mm x 7.5mm.
They come with a hard rubber "boss" on the top with small holes into which BSF7 or BSF8 baseplates can be screwed.
The clip wil hold a thin number board (better with 2 clips) but not very secure.
I bought thin light white board (not wood) and cut into suitable rectangles to stick adhesive numbers onto.
We have attached number boards to stakes with a combination of plastic cable clips (screwed) and thin cable ties, but this means the number is specific to each stake.
Most number suppliers seem to sell sheets with the same number of each digit. I found one supplier where you can order a separate quantity for each digit. I can dig out the details and post them here or email them if that would help.
Cross-section is oval not round, approx 10mm x 7.5mm.
They come with a hard rubber "boss" on the top with small holes into which BSF7 or BSF8 baseplates can be screwed.
The clip wil hold a thin number board (better with 2 clips) but not very secure.
I bought thin light white board (not wood) and cut into suitable rectangles to stick adhesive numbers onto.
We have attached number boards to stakes with a combination of plastic cable clips (screwed) and thin cable ties, but this means the number is specific to each stake.
Most number suppliers seem to sell sheets with the same number of each digit. I found one supplier where you can order a separate quantity for each digit. I can dig out the details and post them here or email them if that would help.
curro ergo sum
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King Penguin - addict
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
Photo showing details would be useful. My contact colin.matheson "at" scottish-orienteering.org Identified another post supplier http://www.tannertrading.co.uk/electric ... lass-post/ at similar price (or less). SPORTident must have the Rolls Royce of fibreglass stakes.
Fac et Spera. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Scottish 6 Days Assistant Coordinator
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Freefall - addict
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
We use laminated laser printed numbers on stakes like these. Laser print two copies of each number. Laminate each one separately in an A6 pocket. Stick two self-adhesive velcro squares to the back of the laminated numbers so that they can be velcroed to each other back-to-back. Use a hole punch to punch two holes in the top of one or both numbers. String a treasury tag through the punched holes.
To hang on a control: unzip the velcro on one side of the pair of numbers; wrap the pair of numbers around the stake; reattach the velcro; hang the pair of numbers from the hanger on the stake using the treasury tag.
Like this: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/f1e37a751b5944ed8dae1afd37ccadca/orienteering-equipment-in-the-forest-dp8b69.jpg
These work well for normal events. Not sure that they would be robust enough to leave outside for long periods of time though.
To hang on a control: unzip the velcro on one side of the pair of numbers; wrap the pair of numbers around the stake; reattach the velcro; hang the pair of numbers from the hanger on the stake using the treasury tag.
Like this: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/f1e37a751b5944ed8dae1afd37ccadca/orienteering-equipment-in-the-forest-dp8b69.jpg
These work well for normal events. Not sure that they would be robust enough to leave outside for long periods of time though.
- GML
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
Freefall wrote:Photo showing details would be useful. My contact colin.matheson "at" scottish-orienteering.org Identified another post supplier http://www.tannertrading.co.uk/electric ... lass-post/ at similar price (or less). SPORTident must have the Rolls Royce of fibreglass stakes.
I've pm'd you with some details of how to make cheaper stakes.
- mykind
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
If someone can tell me how to upload photos from laptop memory, I will show how I make permanent posts at Danefield section of the Chevin (between Leeds and Otley) more visible when I have school groups.
- Copepod
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
New temporary control markers are out and about in Achlean (Glen Feshie). Very lightweight stakes purchased cheaply from an agricultural merchant in Cornwall, new control flags and punches from CompassPoint and some very nice robust (but expensive) numbers embossed onto an aluminium composite. After considering various fixing methods it was back to good old cable ties. I easily managed a bundle of 23 controls over my 5 hour trek in the woods.
Fac et Spera. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Scottish 6 Days Assistant Coordinator
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Freefall - addict
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Re: Too much sunshine for control markers in Scotland
Those Aluminium numbers look great and should be considered by more clubs!
I cant remember which event it was recently but it was an SI air enabled event with the only number being those small ones on the front of the SI unit, except worse, the units had a different number on the back. I know other people than me had problems with this and it totally impacts on the benefits of SI air if you have to grab the unit and turn it just to check the number.
(I'm sure we wont have that issue at the JK sprint though
I cant remember which event it was recently but it was an SI air enabled event with the only number being those small ones on the front of the SI unit, except worse, the units had a different number on the back. I know other people than me had problems with this and it totally impacts on the benefits of SI air if you have to grab the unit and turn it just to check the number.
(I'm sure we wont have that issue at the JK sprint though
Orienteering - its no walk in the park
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