What size trap hole???

[bjanzen]

I am finishing up my first loft and don't know what size trap hole I need. I assume that the hole needs to fit the antenna for the clock. I don't have a clock and don't know what size is "standard".

Please advise. I am building a three position door/ trap system. The door will be partially open in trap mode.

Thanks,

Barry

[DEEJAY7950]

Your right it really depends on the clock system you are planing to buy and the club you belong to, if you do, the club will help in that decision since they would like you to use the same type that the club uses and maybe able to get one at a discount through the club! having said that if your not a club member as yet you can make the trap the size you like for now and later increase it in size to fit the electronic pad, some of which require a 12"hx20"wide opening, some are 19xinches wide those are the large 4 area sensors which seem to be the most popular ones, but they do have singles and other different sizes depending on the manufacturer, isn't it great to have so many choices to choose from, however i have no idea which is the best of the systems out there in terms of ease of use, reliability, popularity, not even 100% sure of the requirements as to placement, but i was told that it had to be 50/50 meaning that the sensor had to be placed half in the loft and half on the landing board, someone with much more experience in these matters please chime in and educate us all please!

[learning]

The problem is that it doesn't matter which clock system is better. The only thing that matters is that you are using the same unit your club uses. The clock systems and their chip rings that go on the birds are not interchangeable. I are stuck using UNIKON which would not be my first choice in clocks, but it is what the club uses so I am stuck with it. That is, unless I can talk everybody in the club into dumping their $750 UNIKON unit and buying the $1000 Benzing unit (probably not going to happen).

Check with your local local club, which for you would be the Chattannooga Racing Pigeon Club and see what they use (I think it is Benzing but I could be wrong).

Dan

[bjanzen]

Dan and DEEJay,

Thanks for the reply. I will need to get the Benzing system because that is what is used locally. Thanks for the info. I guess a 18" hole will be fine for now.

Barry

[DEEJAY7950]

Hey Dan please tell me what is so bad with the "Unikon clock", I have been trying to research all the electronic clocks but only found "two" that were talked about and shown in use, one being the unikon, the other tripes the latter was an awful attempt in promoting the clock while the unikon was shown and explain in a very good way I'll try and post a link to the youtube where i found the info!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDeESi4vZVo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzEjyRzP9g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSlKc2XVVCA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eypdmzQQhmI
I posted it in the order i found it which made me interested to find more! I hope this is interesting info for those new to the sport!

[TAWhatley]

DeeJay,

Thanks for those links. They were quite interesting and educational for me .. I don't race pigeons, but I am a computer programmer and could appreciate the job these electronic/computerized devices are doing for pigeon racing.

I do think I've figured out what the problem is, however, with American pigeon racing .. you guys and gals don't have or wear the uniforms! You know .. those little doctor's office type of smock thingies .. that has to be it Hopefully you know I am just kidding, and yes, I have seen some of the Master Breeders here in So Cal at the shows wearing their smocks. I'd be interested in how that attire came about and why (though most of the why I think I already know).

Terry

[DEEJAY7950]

lol yep you know the reason already, to keep those oops and poops off your clothes!

[learning]

Hi Deejay,

The biggest problem I have had with UNIKON is based more on the club operations than the individual flyers operations. Their users manual was very poorly written. It was very vague in the description of how to use the system. The other big negative for me is the limited number of printers that will work with the system. The printer must have an internal driver in the printer. Virtually nobody makes internal drive printers anymore. Basically, if your printer requires you to download driver software onto your computer to make it run, it will not work with UNIKON. You are almost forced to find an old used printer out there. I know of a race secretary nearby that over the years has bought 6 old printers just in case the one they are using breaks because you just can't find them anywhere.

These things taken asside, the UNIKON has been o.k. as the season has moved along. Like I said before, the majority of what I see as weaknesses are related to the race secretary. I think the individual flyers units are fine.

Hope that helps.

Dan