Discussion: Anyone interested to buy an SI-5 fingerstick?

Now that NEOC has an epunch setup, I want to buy my own finger stick so I'm not constantly renting one. For those local to Massachusetts, is there anyone who wants to go in on a group order? If we can put together 5 or more people, we can get a bit of a price break from Berman's Orienteering Supply. Anyone who wants to buy now, please contact me by mail at levitin (at) alum (dot) mit (dot) edu.

Thanks,

Sam

never heard them called that before...

I prefer to callit a "dipstick" :)

no a dipstick is something entirely different

Well, it may be, but dipstick seems to be the most common term in the crowd I hang out with. Fingerstick is fine, though. Descriptive enough, and we certainly know what he is talking about.

Maybe there should be a naming contest for these things.
Finger Stick?
Dipstick?
Dibbler?
SI Unit?
Recorder?
Split Verifier?
Invisible stick? (for those that get dropped)
Other suggestions?

Down here in the orienteering hinterlands we often call them epunch sticks, epunch, or e-sticks.

And down here : SI stick - for the specific product, or e-card as a generic term.

I've heard older male members refer to these as pecker sticks.

The SI stick is strapped to a dipstick.

"SI-card" is a very common term in Sweden when writing in english...

"FIngerstick" sounds like a blood test.

I prefer "e-card" ('cause that's what it is!) or SI-card.

I just call it an e-punch. Which is also what I call the boxes, but usually from context you can tell which one I mean.

Does anyone want a nice Hawaiian Punch ? :-)

The Standard USOF entry form (just loaded on the USOF site today) for 2008 lists it as "SI card". Does that mean that's it's official name in the U.S.? :-)

SI card or e-card seems to be most commonly used in my area. I just reviewed the new USOF form before it was posted & one of the issues was that it was called SI card in one place (on the data entry part) and fingerstick (on the payment part). We decided to call it SI card in both places to be consistent. I've also heard them called a "chip". Oh, and just a couple weeks ago, I saw someone refer to it as a "wand". Phoenix feather or dragon heartstring anybody?

I guess the acronym DROTAC doesn't work? Or FTFTT?

We use dibber which relates fairly well to the tool of that name.

please refrain from the d-word. It doesn't do the sport any favours in its image...

Which d-word? Dipstick or dibber? I have a feeling that there's a cultural schism here, and that one of those doesn't mean the same thing in the USA that it does in other places. Like a fanny pack.

dipstick is fine its the other d-word

Dibber? Really? That doesn't mean anything at all in the USA. I thought it was a British gardening tool.

The title of this thread is" Anyone interested to buy an SI-5 fingerstick?"
I know we haven't been able to find a common term for the things but I'm really curious as to whether the originator of the thread found any other buyers for the order?
Sam, can we put this discussion out of its misery?

Why buy a series 5 SI card when you can buy a series 6 SI card? They are much faster, and you can personalise the colour and the number!

Cheaper? (Or "less dear?", if you prefer.)

I hear some of the older sticks don't work in some of the newer boxes - or vice versa. (and please keep your mind above the waist on this one!)

I have an SI6* (not an SI6), which always works in terms of registering the correct number of controls and the total elapsed time, but with older download equipment, the actual control numbers and split values come out as garbage. I believe all download boxes are capable of reading it if they have the new firmware, but I'm not certain.

I did receive some emails, but it is unclear whether the respondents saw the note here, a different email, or the sign I put up at the Blue HIlls Traverse.

I don't think we need to keep thrashing a dead horse, unless you are particularly enjoying doing so.

As to MikeS's question, the SI-5 card is much less expensive. The difference in speed of punching is negligible to mortals like me. Your mileage may vary.