Hitmate vs. mask

[deepwave]

I've been using the hitmate for fencing lately and it will not register a hit on the mask. You can hit it as hard as you want (I have tested to make sure it was a hit), but it will not register it. Does anyone know why? Is there anything we can do to fix this?

[noodle]

is the mask fully insulated? or is there exposed wire?
is it a problem for all masks or just one mask?
how about with different people?

hitmate grounds in an unusual way, you might have a unique case.

[deepwave]

is the mask fully insulated? or is there exposed wire?
is it a problem for all masks or just one mask?
how about with different people?

hitmate grounds in an unusual way, you might have a unique case.

A little of the paint HAS come off, but it never, never registers. The masks and weapons work fine on the reels. Any mask I've tried it on (although I will try it on more now that you've asked) and any weapon. I have my body cord under everything, but my shirt. I can't figure it out. I've experienced the problem in the review that it doesn't register a hit on skin, too.... but the mask thing is just annoying... Is there something I'm doing wrong with the body cord etc.? I'll have a chance to try it on more masks and fiddle wit the equipment more really soon, so I'll try that. Hopefully it is the exposed wire.

[griffindm]

Hitmate treats all large conductive metal masses as grounds. It will definitely not go off on a SS LP Epee mask. Other brands are hit or miss, based on how well insulated the mask mesh really is.

[noodle]

A little of the paint HAS come off, but it never, never registers. The masks and weapons work fine on the reels. Any mask I've tried it on (although I will try it on more now that you've asked) and any weapon. I have my body cord under everything, but my shirt. I can't figure it out. I've experienced the problem in the review that it doesn't register a hit on skin, too.... but the mask thing is just annoying... Is there something I'm doing wrong with the body cord etc.? I'll have a chance to try it on more masks and fiddle wit the equipment more really soon, so I'll try that. Hopefully it is the exposed wire.

are other people, when using the hitmates, able to hit their own masks?

[noodle]

Hitmate treats all large conductive metal masses as grounds. It will definitely not go off on a SS LP Epee mask. Other brands are hit or miss, based on how well insulated the mask mesh really is.

thats the response i was looking for. i'd check to see if there are any spots on problem masks that are good to hit, and see if its better insulated, etc.

[bb43]

I fence with a sabre mask because that's all i have. The hitmate wont register a touch on it, or any type of lame fabric. It also wont register a touch on bare skin most of the time.

If you want to screw with people, fence in a sabre lame and mask, it removes all the upper target area. If you really wanna screw with people, opt for shorts instead of knickers too (though i wouldn't really recommend it)

[Craig]

I fence with a sabre mask because that's all i have. The hitmate wont register a touch on it, or any type of lame fabric. It also wont register a touch on bare skin most of the time.

For the hitmate, your body == ground

It will not register on hits to bare skin and it will not register when hitting bare metal (or a large conductive surface).



Craig

[crquack]

It will not register on hits to bare skin and it will not register when hitting bare metal (or a large conductive surface).

Hmm! This has got me thinking. In a couple of recent fights my wife failed to turn the Hitmate light on several occasions by what surely was a good touch - bent blade and all. The hits occurred later in the session and the targets were close to my axilla - i.e. a spot which by then was saturated with sweat.

I did not think of it at the time but I wonder if a really wet jacket will be the same as a hit on bare skin.

I will try to investigate this next time.

[migopod]

Hmm! This has got me thinking. In a couple of recent fights my wife failed to turn the Hitmate light on several occasions by what surely was a good touch - bent blade and all. The hits occurred later in the session and the targets were close to my axilla - i.e. a spot which by then was saturated with sweat.

I did not think of it at the time but I wonder if a really wet jacket will be the same as a hit on bare skin.

I will try to investigate this next time.

Totally stands to reason. As you sweat through the fabric the ohms between the surface of your uniform and your pseudo-ground skin decreases (starts acting like a resistor rather than a capacitor as well).

If memory serves (it's been many moons since I read the Hitmate docs) they actually suggest changing out your "tunic"* in the event that it becomes saturated with sweat.

*99% sure they said "tunic". Not sure if they meant your jacket or undershirt (or lorica or what have you).

[Barry Paul]

Wireless fencing which every one thinks must be easy turns out to be very difficult, very very difficult to do it well enough such that it works most of the time, and almost impossible to do so it works 99.9% of the time like a wires reel system.

The STM set cost from the Allstar site, 1000 euro perperson plus 4000 euro for the electronics. So at least 5000 Euro ($7,000.) plus they need a technician for fine tuning. This works OK for sabre and foil and not yet (that I have seen at Epee.)

The Hit mate costs $340.

[Displacement]

Wireless fencing which every one thinks must be easy turns out to be very difficult, very very difficult to do it well enough such that it works most of the time, and almost impossible to do so it works 99.9% of the time like a wires reel system.

The STM set cost from the Allstar site, 1000 euro perperson plus 4000 euro for the electronics. So at least 5000 Euro ($7,000.) plus they need a technician for fine tuning. This works OK for sabre and foil and not yet (that I have seen at Epee.)

The Hit mate costs $340.

Slightly off topic, But I thought up until recently that the STM wireless system was an LP product.

I believed this because the LP logo was on the back of the fencer's mask apatus during the Olympics.

The only Product/Company name that was visable in all of the coverage that I watched. Must have cost our Friends Barry and Paul a pretty penny.

[crquack]

OK, I tested the Hitmate today formally vis a vis not registering hits on a wet jacket and I am sad to confirm that it indeed fails to register in certain areas prone to saturation such as armpits. I tried two different epees with the same result.

I have never been able to get the Hitmate distinguish bell hits reliably but this did not bother me as most of the time in practice reasonable people can tell when a bell hit occurs (the same way as most people can tell a floor hit). Thus I did not consider this a major failing of the system. Failing to register hits, however, *is* a major failing.

I wonder if the manufacturers should abandon the earthing connection altogether and simply provide a reliable (foil-like?) system which identifies hits of any kind and with reliable timing to distinguish singles and doubles. Leave the rest of it to the participants. This might make the system even cheaper and it will still be better than any of the alternatives such as Favero mini-boxes.

I do not think that changing jackets during a 45 minute practice session is a reasonable alternative.

[downunder]

the STM set cost from the Allstar site, 1000 euro perperson plus 4000 euro for the electronics. So at least 5000 Euro ($7,000.) plus they need a technician for fine tuning. This works OK for sabre and foil and not yet (that I have seen at Epee.)

that's because you keep the jammer in your pocket...

[KD5MDK]

Is he still carrying around 79 bluetooth headsets, one for each channel?