Just to clarify this a bit:
- The Seiko S321 is probably the most reliable watch out there. Probably
easiest to program for up/down counting. It's probably the best for TD
work but won't do lap/split/memory timing which is useful for some DLG
tasks,
- The Talking Timer is useful for practice and some limited contest work
but is bulky and doesn't do lap/split/memory,
- The Accusplit AL620 does all of the above with 10 memories but has
lousy buttons that become erratic after about a year. Gordy swaps those
out for Radio Shack switches which is an improvement.
Seiko, Accusplit and Robic make many stopwatches from $20 to $200. Most
of the lap/split/memory ones have a lap freeze feature that leaves the
display frozen for up to 20 seconds before you see the counter working.
Somewhat distracting in the heat of battle. Several of them allow you to
clear the freeze but with a third button - again a distraction during a
rapid turn-around DLG event.
The other requirement for this is a little different from most local
timing issues. I travel a lot to discus contests. There are no other DLG
guys in my area that routinely travel to contests. At most places, the
local guys are already paired up for timing/flying so I need to have a
fool-proof system to be able to ask folks who may not have any prior
timing experience. It happens just about once every trip. If I can hand
a guy a stopwatch and tell him to push the button when I launch and then
again when I land and we'll sort it out at the end of the task, life is
a lot less stressful for everyone. The risk is that the wrong button
gets pushed and all the information is lost but that's a lot less trying
than many of the alternatives.
So it comes down to:
Does anyone have operating experience with a good quality, trouble-free
stopwatch that has at least 10 memories (30 or more preferred) that will
do lap/split/memory timing and does not freeze the lap frame, or does so
for a much shorter interval than 20 seconds (The Seikos hold for 20
seconds. The Robics for 15). Count up/down option is a bonus but not a
requirement. If you had never seen this stopwatch before in your life
and were handed this stopwatch a few minutes before a ladder event with
a 15sec minimum time, would you be comfortable using it to time someone?
Or if you had to hand it to a total stranger with unknown contest timing
experience, would you be comfortable that they could reliably record
your times with it for the whole 10 minute window?
I know that constrains the problem a bit but if there's a good solution
it's worth a fair amount,
- Dave R
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I agree with Brian. I've had one for 10 years. It's worth the money.
JE
--
Erickson Architects
John R. Erickson, AIA
Why would you need lap time for TD work?
I have the Seiko for over 20 years, and it is the best. Others are
just copy cats of the Seiko.
Brian
--
Brian Chan,
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