We need timers to compete, so hopefully this section will help making your decision in getting a good timer or coming up with an alternative timing method.
Stop Plate Timer: The best and probably the only readily available airsoft stop plate timer is the Mad Bull timer. This consists of a Timer that can count down to the Start Beep. Once the start beep sounds, it begins it's count. It displays up to .00 of a second. It also comes with a stop plate. When the stop plate is shot it stops the timer (via a very long wire). Pretty simple. The timer costs around $110.00 from most MadBull product dealers.
Shot Timer/Counter is a bit different. It has a few more functions than the Mad Bull Stop plate timer. It actually "hears" the sound of the gun shot. It can count your shots, so you can view things like how fast a single shot is, the time it take you to fire another shot (the split time), and other functions. Problem is none of them come with a Stop Plate. And they are all more expensive than the MadBull timer. So we can discuss ShotTimer/Counters later.
There are other methods of timing and self fabricated stop plates... I'm not that familiar with them but I think a few other members may have some ideas.
For any serious postal matches, it is important that the timing methods are uniform to make the match fair for all.
The countdown beeps are a handicap of the Madbull timer. Part of practical shooting is to react to the start signal, and the delay from "Stand By" to the beep should be random without any extra sounds. For people who use a Madbull timer, I would suggest that the timer is set to zero delay, and the RO estimates a 2-4 second delay for the shooter and then presses the button.
In HK we've used self-fabricated stop plates, that consist simply of a round 6" steel plate with a condensator microphone behind it. It is connected to the AUX connection of the timer, which is most usually a CED 6000 and sometimes a CED 8000.
The latest development is a stop plate with a green and yellow light in the middle. It will light up (if the lights were out) or change color when the plate is hit, and gives immediate feedback to the shooter whether the stop plate recorded the hit or not. I believe these were developed in co-operation with CED, and I've met Charles from CED in one match before. I'm sure these can be made more widely available as the demand is growing.
-Sale
OMG! I would love to get those light up targets! PLEASE FIND AND SEND ME SOME
You are correct about the Madbull timer. I do agree, but it's not that simple with people who don't want to spend a lot of time making a stop plate and spending more money on a CED timer.
I have a CED8000 I've been using. I love it. I use the stop plate that came with the MadBull timer. I'm not very interested in trying to fabricate my own.
There is a big difference in reaction time when using a random start vs. a countdown start. When I practice a 1 shot draw with the MadBull (count down) I can do it in .7- sec (average). With a random start the fastest I've done has been .90 sec with average of 1.1sec. So there definetly is an advantage of having a "countdown".
Now that we're running matches already, I'd like to raise this topic again.
The people using Madbull timers, do you have an assistant to randomize the start signal for you, or do you use the countdown (with beeps obviously)?
I'll ask around about the light-up targets. As opposed to the model explained above, that changes the light to indicate a recorded hit, there seems to be another one out now: On Sunday in "5.11 challenge" they had a new type that would light up one light for the first shot, and a second one for the second shot. So on one stage we had to double-tap the steel targets.
Cheers,
Sale
I would much rather people had someone with them when shooting to act as an RO and press the start button on the Madbull timer at random.
If only Madbull would change this or offer the stop plate on its own. I've been using my my CED 8000 and Madbull stop plate togther.
I would still like to get my hands on some proper functioning light up targets.
How did you do in the 5.11? Any pics or video?
Quote:I would much rather people had someone with them when shooting to act as an RO and press the start button on the Madbull timer at random.
Exactly. Right now the different "official" timing methods (proper timer + stop plate vs. Madbull timer) are a good 0.5-0.7 seconds apart, so the timing methods aren't fair.
In 5.11 Challenge I messed up one stage quite badly, and got only 40% for that. In the overall results I had 92.93 % of the winning score, and placed fourth in Production. Even the bad stage I shot quite well, but my time was more than doubled because of a confusion in the end of the stage. The other six stages I shot as if my butt was on fire.
I'll get some pics and videos tonight.
-Sale
I agree, but since we allow hand timing, our over all timing in comparison is still a little shaky. I wish the Madbull had a silent random.