Fox Type "S" Alarms
May 1999. There are a few bite alarms on the market, all doing much the same job. I was looking for a bite alarm that would give an audible warning if a fish took or gave line. I did not need an alarm that could give me varying tones, nor did I need an alarm that could differentiate between a drop back bite, as opposed to a take. I did not need the alarms to have different coloured lights, nor did I need the facility to plug in leads for an external sounder box. In fact I just wanted a basic bite alarm, that would emit a beep if a fish took line. I settled on the Fox Type S, and I am very pleased with them. My old Optomic had one bad failing, and that was it was not very waterproof, and frequently packed up working when it rained. Well glad to say the 2 Fox units have proved to be completely waterproof. I have had them out in the pouring rain for 8 hours at a time with no problem. A question comes to mind every time I set up the rods, and that is why on earth would anyone need an alarm with such an over generosity of sound. These alarms if set to maximum volume could wake the dead. On the estate lake where I spend most of my fishing time, I have been able to hear bite alarms going off from the car park, and that is fully a mile from the lake.
I frequently use these alarms, or at least one of them when I am float fishing, as without a doubt I will get a bite when I have taken my eyes of off the float tip to get a cup of tea or a sandwich. When I know that tea time is approaching I turn the alarm on and push the butt of the rod down into the rest just in case its a big one. The buzz from the alarm quickly brings ones attention back to life.
November 2005. One of the alarms has recently began to sound a bit sick, and makes a croak rather than a bleep, I have given it a new battery but it has not made any difference.
02-10-2007. Well the day has finally arrived and the croaking alarm has stopped working altogether. It has been playing up for some time now but today when I checked all of my tackle it was as dead as the proverbial Dodo. I changed the battery for a new one but it still refused to make any sound at all.
Do I purchase a new cheap alarm that simple makes a noise when line is taken, or do I go for something a little bit more up market. Well I don't know, as my preference would be to get a matching pair of alarms like the cheapest Delkins, but a bit of a waste of money, we will see.
