I am starting a new topic about automated Match Director command PA systems. What about programming a digital game caller like the FoxPro with voice match commands? Lightweight. Remote Controller. Portable for the ranges that do not have electricity. System is self-contained and a second speaker can be added. Not prohibitively expensive. They will probably be plenty loud. It will take somebody much smarter than me to know if this is possible. Here is the link to manually programming the FoxPro.

https://www.gofoxpro.com/site/resources ... rogramming

Found a youtube video that says it has a usb port and MP3 capability. When they increase the volume in the demo there is no change in the quality of the sound. Here is that link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REf1H63hk2Y

That is a GREAT idea ! I have one of those varmint callers. It's VERY loud, the remote works from hundreds of yards away and the batteries last a long, long time.

I hope someone smarter than I am figures this out. I'd use it at our range...but only after I'm sure there won't be the screams of a rabbit in the middle of a shot string.

Glen, How long does it take for the digital caller to "spool up" and play the sound after you punch the button? Is it instant?
It would be nice to have individual buttons for each range command and an additional feature of a complete sequential set of commands for each discipline with the correct time delays built in. This would allow the Match Director the choice of running the match manually or automatically. These are the commands I would prefer:

Relay 1,2,3,4 etc. bring your equipment to the line.
For your first bank of targets, "Ready".
Fire.
Cease fire. Stand down for 30 seconds.
(For Air Rifle and Air Pistol Resettables I would add here: Score your cards. Pull up your animals.)
Relay 1,2,3,4 etc. back to the line.
For your second bank of targets, Ready.
Fire.
Cease fire.
(For Air Pistol and Air Rifle. Score your cards. Pull up your animals. Move to your next animal.)
For Smallbore and others. Score your cards.
Relay 1, Remove your equipment from the line.
Relay 2, Bring your equipment to the line.

And the same for probably up to seven or more relays.
Additional commands would be needed for 60 shot matches.
Additional commands needed on separate commands would be:
"Make the line safe."
"The line is safe."
"Target setters go forward and reset targets."
Could one of you young computer whizzes produce a flash drive or something for us old guys to just plug into something like the FoxPro? I think the Silhouette community would pay good money for something like this!

It takes a few seconds to start calling. I can have two calls going at once depending on the situation. Plugging in a card that will do all those things would be GREAT !. My call is weatherproof , very loud ( when the volume is up ) and the remote works GREAT ! A word of advice...DON'T put the call behind your wife's recliner , leave the house while she initiates a nap, and then hit the Coyote locate button !! It was really, really funny...for about a minute.

I just zipped a e-mail off to sales at FoxPro with links to this caller topic and the other caller topic. We will see if they are interested in helping us.

You could probably rig something from your cell phone to a boom box, but why?

Is it really too much to have a human doing the calling? I guess I view these automated things about like I view black plastic stocks and stainless barrels.

The automated calling system would help tremendously during a 7 relay, multi-day plus shootoffs match on a long firing line. Remember, many competitors are wearing double hearing protection during centerfire silhouette. The system has to work right and have the ability to pause for target resetting and the inevitable things that cause a match to slow down. The Match Director should be looking at line safety continually. Placing more concentration on safety instead of being heard is important.

I agree with you Brent. It was tried at the BPTR Nationals in 2012 and nobody was impressed. The NRA spent a lot on that system. FWIW.....

Our IHMSA guys tried a recording at their big matches and i guess it didn't go over well. I think it would be a GREAT idea for those of us that run smaller monthly matches so we could shoot also. Some of our guys are too shy to call a few relays.

glen ring wrote:Our IHMSA guys tried a recording at their big matches and i guess it didn't go over well. I think it would be a GREAT idea for those of us that run smaller monthly matches so we could shoot also. Some of our guys are too shy to call a few relays.

I can see where that would be a worthy reason to have an automated system but how do you stop it if some is suddenly spotted downrange and the guy running the gizmo is already on the line and into his rifle?

I just hope they don't become the norm, but I have all the sympathy in the world for people running the matches that want to shoot.

Easy solution to that problem with our normal group....your group may need watching so it might not be right for you. The Ihmsa matches ran for years here with a recording and no issues, but they went to a Live person in the box for the bigger matches.

Automated the line call today in Jackson,Tn.
Worked o.k. for something I threw together off the top of my head last nite.

Recorded line call on my phone. Played it through a pa system.
I got to shoot!
I can make a ton of improvements, and get better at pushing the buttons. But it works.

Not a lot of extra mic. chatter and wasted time...... I like it.

Down under here, we have been using a recorded line call for most of our major matches. It is just a recording on a CD ( that's a form of data storage for the young'uns) that is played on a portable CD player hooked into the P.A system at the range. It has worked quite well for many years. Consistency of calls and not having to have someone watching a clock are the best reasons for using it. It also takes the human error factor out, no distractions disrupting the caller. " Whoops, sorry, forgot to say fire", is a thing of the past.