Emit at the JK

[EddieH]

I ca only reiterate Mrs H's input. Whatever I think of the merits of the 2 systems is irrelevant. What e punching brings to O is FANTASTIC. Couple that with the Forest of Dean and I am really grateful for the SW for standing in and piutting the event on.

[mharky]

I'm not sure how many people have been to the relay area, but it is going to be awesome, and quite funny

[johnloguk]

Phew I'm glad the tone of this thread has turned round and got positive in the end, I was nearly slashing my wrists when the moaners seemed to be in the ascendency

As Ben said, "typical bloody orienteers, moan moan moan"

Anyway everyone seems happy again now, the areas will be stunning, the competition fierce, huge "well done" for the clubs that filled the breach, can't wait.

My personal choice is SI over emit, but if I have anymore mispunch experiences, or I lose one off my finger end again that could all change. Emit was excellent at Oxford, watch Oli on the video if you want to know the technique for the new bricks. Just touch them on the control and as you run away glance at the disply to see it scrolling and you're off and running, easy.

Anyone who doesn't like it just take your minds back to pin punches, disintegrating control cards, raffle tickets and staple guns in the finish lanes, then checking the damn things for hours afterwards, and no splits!

Oh yes those were the days, golden moments

[HOCOLITE]

Just a thought is the whole event emit or just the relay which is BAOC. I thought NGOC and BOK would use SI?

[redkite]

Whole event is emit and you will be able to pick your cards up at the sprint event on the Friday (or Sat if not going Friday) and then keep for the weekend.

Do not think it is the latest version used at Oxford.

[mharky]

Now that would be something, SI for individual, emit for relay...

infact, why not just put both units out and let people choose what they want to use...

[tim sleepless]

Now that would be something, SI for individual, emit for relay...

infact, why not just put both units out and let people choose what they want to use...

Only if we can pin punch too...

They're watching us you know.

[LostOldTimer]

Why is there no mention of Emit being used on the details flyer that was sent with the BOF renewel info? It is only when you get to the entry form page that there is any reference to emit. I wonder how many people have just entered their SI number without realising?
Also - If emit is being used, why is there a large picture on the back of the flyer showing an SI unit??

Someone mentioned if we didnt want them to use emit, then what about digging out old pin punches and control cards out of the attic - well, why not simply borrow SI units from clubs/associations that use it (the majority), as was used for last years JK - and wasnt SI used the last time the JK was held in the Forest of Dean?

SI Forever

[mharky]

Shut up.

[LostOldTimer]

Some people are sooooo ignorant.

[seabird]

In defence of the so-called moaners, a lot of club members have raised the why-Emit? question with me.

It seems self-evident from the posts in this discusssion that most contributors attend a far wider spread of events than the average orienteer. As a result of which they are likely to have a far greater familiarity with the various systems. and the various upgradings. If you don't live near SCOA or the Highlands, and don't frequently travel far (i.e. 180 miles minimum in my case) to events you are not likely to have much if any exposure to emit.

Whereas with SI you can say to the unitiated "There's the pointy bit which you just stick in the hole and remove it when the unit beeps and flashes." with emit it is more complex.

To start with we are dealing with 2 rectangles so the question arises - which way round, let alone the questions of how you approach the unit, hold the card etc etc. The display raises more questions. The one time I used emit with a display I remembered reading somewhere that it showed either the control you had either just been to and were heading for. So I was a bit confused when I saw the bars which someone referred to earlier in this thread. hadn't a clue what they meant, so hesitated. I was even more confused when I saw the letter "E". (Still don't know what that means - anyone?)

Now emit requires a bit of practice and I have no problem with that. I'll even try and break the habits of a lifetime and not turn up to the event at the last minute and then dash away as soon as I've finished my run. (usually do enough hanging around at the events at which I volunteer to stretch the patience my non-O partner - without extending it to races.) I will practice this Easter.

I'm looking forward to the JK - Emit and all. But please don't dismiss those who are uneasy or unused to emit as "moaners".

[Axel]

Mharky
Love the reply. I can't understand what all the fuss is about as most juniors have used the EMIT system at either Peter Palmers Sandhurst 2004, British Schools Score Champs 2006, JHI's Bordon Heaths 2006 and last but not least the Compass Sport Final 2006 and their was no problems with the kids getting the hang of the system.

So it must be all the old farts moaning about it. as a M50 soon to be a M55 you could class me in this bracket, however I like to think I can take on new technology has it arrives. Did you also notice most of the come my fellow old farts who can't seem to fathom out the most simple system come from the NW, NE and Midlands. Hey you lot get a life, and get yourself down to the Forest of Dean and try Oing with EMIT you might be quite surprised how easy it is!!!!

[Adventure Racer]

If anyone doesn't want to go to the JK just because of the punching system, then that's great, you are clearly in the sport for the wrong reason, so who cares if you don't turn up.

Well it must be because this is now the Season of Good Will but for once I am in total agrement [sic ] with Mharky

Ditto

Having been out of the country and scanned the thread apologies if these other points have already been made:

Will the hire bricks be V3? There is no indication of this that I can see. I presume they will not be a mix of V2 and V3 at least as that would be totally unfair, though if they are V2, I would certainly consider that reason enough to actually buy one, as personally I find V2 cards a massive disadvantage (since you can't check you have punched correctly). I should also point out at this stage for those who tell me just to look for the flash that there are some older controls without LEDs which have been used at some events in the last year - I presume these won't be used at the JK? Oh, and also in expectation of being told I get a back-up if I punch correctly, from previous discussions is is possible to punch correctly without getting a backup (and I find that method faster and easier both compared to backup punching EMIT and punching SI).

Like others, as discussed previously, I agree that those who complain about EMIT are luddites. There is no difficulty with using it given a little practice - it is hardly a fundamental issue.

Noting your comment about the relay area, Mharky, I looked to see where it is. I presume it is actually at Caerwent, as listed under "Event Locations" rather than Brierly, which is what you get maps of from the front page of the site (and which doesn't really justify your comment - I've run there, and there's nothing peculiar about it)?

Oh, and BTW for Seabird, there is an oasis around Coventry (I'd guess half my Emit experiences have been near there), so Emit events aren't quite as far away as he might think.

[bendover]

seabird

remember when you were really little, about 2 or 3, and you had that game where you had to put the right shaped wooden blocks into the right shaped wooden holes?

i don't know about you, but by the time i was 4 i had that one just about mastered.

[Mr timE]

Perhaps I had better step in here and clear up a few concerns.
1. The reason the entry form does not mention EMIT is that the decision on which system would be used was not made until after they were sent out.
2. All the hire cards will be version 3 and the £1 hire covers all 4 days.
3. At the moment only the sprint race will use touch-free controls, the 2 indiv days and relay will use conventional controls (with lights), although having read the suggestion that they might be used on the relay first controls and the finish has set me thinking (for my sins I am the Relay organiser which SCOA have taken on).
4. A correction on NEOA dropping out, that is not correct, they never actually agreed to take it on, they were just slotted into the programme, but only having 2 main clubs and a lack of volunteers at the time they did not feel they could commit to running a JK.
5. If you want to attend an emit event to practice, then any SCOA event, Army event, SARUM, OD, Barro and Highlands, also CLOK use it in the NE for schools.
6. Michael Napier will be doing the timing, although we will have Bjarte over from Norway and he has run nearly all the World Championships since they started to use E-punching, as nearly all of them have been Emit, which was the first e-system.
7. Anyone who wants a DVD on how to use Emit can get a free copy, just send your addr by email to allan@emituk.com.