Foil / épée / sabre club recorder

This three-weapon machine may look like previous models however it is a definite improvement.  Not only does it now handle all three weapons but it now include provisions for easy replacement of the timing chip, a coaxial socket for external power and output for extension lights.

One of the machine's nicest features is the ability to run off of two 6-volt lantern batteries fitted inside the case.  This makes it appealing to clubs which must set-up and take-down their equipment every time it is used – simply put the machine out, plug in the floor cords, and switch it on.  Supposedly the machine can run for a year under routine club use on a set of batteries and this claim may actually be conservative.  In addition, the machine will shut itself after 20-30 minutes of inactivity so the batteries won't run down if the machine is accidentally left on.

Unfortunately the machine has its drawbacks.  First off, each light only has one bulb (Appendix B to the Material rules requires two bulbs for each signal).  This isn’t a major issue since most people will realise that something is wrong when they hear a buzzer but don't see a light however it gives epeeist an additional reason to routinely test their weapons between touches (especially after a potential double touch).

Another drawback is the continued reliance on incandescent bulbs.  These bulbs may emit light in all directions, making them more visible than LED’s (which tend to emit light along a narrow beam) however the bulbs eventually burn out and need to be replaced.  They also need to be checked from time to time to make sure they are tight in their sockets.

The translucent plastic shades may help to protect the bulbs and provide the necessary coloration however they also filter a lot of the light emitted by the bulbs.  Under certain lighting conditions this can make the lights difficult to see.

It would be nice if the case were shaped so that the lights were aligned more forward rather than straight up.  Having the lights on top of the machine makes them easy for people to see from behind the machine however whenever two machines are set back-to-back the referees invaritably end up placing a clipboard between the two machines so as not be distracted by the lights of the other machine.

It would also be nice if the case wasn’t quite so bulky.  I realize that this is driven by the desire to accommodate two 2-volt lantern batteries inside the case however if the incandescent bulbs were replaced with more energy efficient LED’s then perhaps the two lantern batteries to be replaced with eight flashlight batteries.

Some people complain about the sound of the machine (the audio signal is more a “buzz” than a “beep”).  Personally I don’t mind that so much as I wish it could be adjusted to allow adjacent machines to sound different from one another.  I would also like for the audio signal to shut off when the machine sees a continuous break in the foil/saber circuit, rather then continuously blaring away when changing fencers between bouts.  [edit - I recently replaced the original buzzer with a pezio buzzer that's wired in parallel with the extension light socket - that way the audio signal lasts longer than the lockout time for the selected weapon, which was short for foil and absurdly short for saber].

My final complaint is that it will not register a touch in epee when the weapon has an internal short.  At one time this was the norm because everything connected to a common ground however these days most machines can distinguish between the different grounds so it would be nice if it didn’t allow this fault to prevent an otherwise valid touch from registering.

In summary, it’s not a bad machine for use at a club or local tournament.  It may lack some of the features found on many newer FIE machines, such as integral time and score, but it does the job and cost a lot less.