caller??????
 

OK, total newb here to IMAC.... so, i have a new plane, new trailer to haul new plane, new fancy radio to fly new plane but no caller! What do i do?

RE: caller??????
 

Buy a friend. ;)

RE: caller??????
 

Cant..all my money is gone! [&o]

RE: caller??????
 

LOL!

Most peeps I know have a buddy they practice with then entice them with a 6-pack to come out & help on show day.

[&:]

RE: caller??????
 

If i could train my blonde girlfriend to read and understand it i would have it made. Put her in a bikini and presto 1000.0 all accross! IF!!!!!:D

RE: caller??????
 

Don't worry about a caller, go to the contest of your liking, let the CD know that you don't have a caller, ask if he can introduce you to someone that will call for you during the contest. I'm sure he'd be glad to hook you up.

Hope this helps,
Dan.

RE: caller??????
 

Just don't put him a bikini. Dennis

RE: caller??????
 

I've flown in only a small handful of IMAC contests, and don't have a regular caller at all. Just go to the contest and talk to the guys there, you shouldn't have any real trouble finding someone to call. Even if it's a different person each round (which I've done).

I will say that your best bet for pick-up callers is usually someone in the same class you're flying, so they are already familiar with the sequence. Often, once you see the flight order for a round, you can ask a pilot who is flying a few spots before you or after you for help calling. (The guy right before you will be busy landing and shutting down, the guy right after you will be busy getting ready to fly most of the time).

RE: caller??????
 

Had a simular problem. Wife was caller, but not comfortable, plus she would not go out for practice sessions. So I built a device using a small digital voice recorder, mounted on a metal plate with micro switches. I can activate the playback mode and replay mode with another switch. I wear earphones and work the switches with my right foot. Down side, a good live caller can help with corrections, as needed, and my device just call the manuvers as I have recorded them. Pictures supplied upon request.

RE: caller??????
 

Also make sure you memorize the sequence. I do not have a regular caller, and I always find someone willing to help at contests.. but if they are not in your class, they may not know the maneuvers and could make a mistake. Memorizing also means you don't need a caller for practice.

Bob

RE: caller??????
 

I have the same problem, my wife refuses to call or even hold my airplane while I start it. If you have to buy a caller, let me know so I can get one on order.
Make sure the caller you find at the contest will call the maneuver and not watch you fly. I had one caller at a contest
who was in my class, knew the maneuvers and still missed a maneuver and I zeroed out. About 1/2 way through the flight, I was in a down line and should have been on an up line. I guess not enough practice on my part didn't help.
Good luck, a caller can be a real asset to good scores.

I flew against a flyer whose caller kept saying to the judges, "wow that was a 10 for sure!" Loud enough for the judges to hear.
The flight scores were not in line with what I saw in the air. Hmmm... [sm=punching.gif]

RE: caller??????
 

Memorize the routine... You shouldn't need a caller to tell you the maneuvers when you fly a known routine. You should have practiced it enough to do it in your sleep. Don't have your caller speak during your known, unless you loose your place or he notices something off (more right rudder).

For a beginner, the biggest problem is usually nerves. Using a caller when you aren't used to one will only add to your problems.

RE: caller??????
 

Unfortunately in IMAC, a caller is a MAJOR part of your sequence in the unknowns. You really need someone you can trust for those. You essentially need to have 100% confidence in what they say and just fly the maneuvers. Trying to memorize unknowns the night before is virtually impossible and also takes away brain power to fly the sequence. The knowns arent bad as you will probably have them memorized, but find someone you trust to help with unknowns. Fortunately at most contests you will see a lot of the same people and you can develop a relationship with someone for the unknowns, even if you don't fly with them regularly. Preferably someone above the class you are flying as they will be able to provide insight that someone on your level may not be able to.

Get to a judging seminar and meet some people there. You may surprised and learn there is someone reasonably close that also flies IMAC.

Most of all,

HAVE FUN!!

Arch

RE: caller??????
 

Even using a caller on the knowns is a good idea, espeically for less experienced pilots. I've seen plenty of guys have a brain dump at the wrong time, and do something as simple as roll the wrong way or forget part of a maneuver. Even being able to run through it perfectly in practice doesn't mean you can't flub once in a while at a contest.

RE: caller??????
 

Seems like rcpattern has it again. I second that!! I fly intermediate and have had random sportsman pilots call my unknown, but then I have the sequence written out for them, in English. Your score won't be as good as it would be with a good caller, but you have to get by somehow.

RE: caller??????
 

Hey Arch....while I agree with most of what you say above, I totally disagree with your statement regarding the impossibility of studying the Unknowns the night before. There are even times that some Unknowns are handed out the morning of (if there are more than one Unknown & an Unknown is flown on the first day). Many IMAC pilots study & know their Unknowns prior to going to sleep the night before flying them. There are some (factually) who can study & retain an Unknown in 15-20 minutes, complete with all accompanying elements.

Hope to see you at one of these contests...
best regards,
Wayne
IMAC Sequence Committee

RE: caller??????
 

Wayne,

I agree with you to a point. There may be some who can do that, but I would bet they still feel better with a caller. When I look at unknowns I try to get a general sense of the maneuvers and an idea of what they are, but I think it can be very difficult to truly memorize a sequence, although I'm sure there are some who can. I certainly wouldn't recommend this for someone in the lower classes who is still concentrating on the smaller elements, straight lines and such. You are just adding an unnecessary amount of work to them. That's why I used the term "virtually impossible." It can be done, but I don't think it would be recommended.

I'm going to try to hit a few IMAC contests this summer.

Arch

RE: caller??????
 

OK Arch... I understand what you are saying. Let me clarify something.... I have NEVER flown a sequence without a caller in 18 years of competition (even in Knowns) & I certainly was not suggesting that any pilot do so at all. What is important is that a pilot should know what he/she should be doing next & the caller should only confirm when he/she calls the maneuver for the pilot.

There have been many times that callers have made mistakes & if the pilot knows what is next, a ZERO or two can easily be averted...

Safe flying & hope to see you out there too..
Bye
Wayne