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Author
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Topic: New Foxpro
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted April 11, 2003 10:38 AM
I've been playing with my new Foxpro just a little bit. It has some new features my old one doesn't, that I think make for a solid upgrade. Not the least of which is the ability to put my own sounds on it. I've put a few of my favorite JS sounds on it and they sound every bit as good, if not better, coming out of the Foxpro than they ever did coming out of a JS512 machine. Kind of an eat your cake and have it too deal - all your old favorite sounds and a good functional remote control without the bulk, weight and moving parts. I really like this feature.
It also has a plug for external audio. You can plug anything into it - a tape player, CD player, MP3 player etc... Then you can use the Foxpro remote to control volume. I plugged my MP3 player into it last night just playing around, the sounds came out nice and clear and loud. I can even use my home-made Azden/MP3 remote system in this jack, basically making the Foxpro act as the amp/speaker part of the system. Extending my remote range a couple hundred yards, and giving me the ability to use any length of sounds and change them remotely. This works extremely well - the Foxpro is really a well refined package. I don't see many guys buying one just to use it this way, but since I already have the other stuff, it adds to the over all versatility a great deal.
The new external speaker jack is pretty cool too. I tried plugging in a couple different speakers, and even my home-made amplifier box. The standard Foxpro speaker gives all the volume I personally would ever need, but if you want to go LOUD, the external speaker jack will definitely give you LOUD.
All-in-all, I'm very well pleased with the new unit! Between the new features, and the other stuff I already had, this new one effectively gives me everything I'd been wanting in an electronic call system.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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catskin
Knows what it's all about
Member # 51
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posted April 11, 2003 04:48 PM
How does it compare to your MP3 system? Was it worth the added cost?
Ken
Posts: 76 | From: Oregon | Registered: Jan 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted April 13, 2003 09:29 AM
Ken, I think my MP3 caller is probably going to be relegated to back-up role from here on. I really do like the new FP better. It's simply a lot more compact, and efficient to use. Lighter weight, less bulky, faster to deploy and retrieve, no cords, no connections to come loose etc... It eats only a fraction of the batteries my MP3 caller does too. Something that I consider fairly important, that I don't hear much about, is that I can use the Foxpro remote without looking at it, even with gloves on. Sounds picky, I know, but that is probably what bothered me the most about my MP3 caller this winter - having to actually look down at it to work the controls. Having used a FP for several years, I'd really gotten used to being able to turn down the volume, or change sounds or whatever, to work an animal, without taking my eyes off it. That's something I just couldn't do with the MP3 and it bothered me. The two big things that caused me to go to the MP3 in the first place were being able to use whatever sounds I wanted, and a longer range remote. The new Foxpro delivers both of those, in a much more refined and convenient to use package.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted April 13, 2003 10:19 AM
You make a good case, Dave. What would a guy plan on spending to get a unit like yours? A link would be helpful. LB
edit: also, you need to plug your video, once in a while! Don't be shy.
[ April 13, 2003, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32369 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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catskin
Knows what it's all about
Member # 51
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posted April 13, 2003 10:58 AM
A very good case, although I will wait until it's compared to the Loud Mouth side by side before I upgrade from MP3 player (I only have to look at it to change sounds, not volume)
My biggest worry about the FoxPro / Loud Mouth type machines is the length of sounds, I'm just not able to get my mind around a 15 - 30 second loop of sound yet. Even with the MP3, I bought enough memory to use 2 to 5 minute loops. With the MP3 my biggest complaint (and the reason I'm thinking about changing) is the lack of range and dependability. There is just to many parts that can go wrong and cause a problem.
Nobody around here has a FoxPro, that’s pretty high end for us, I've only used one once with Dary and it broke down on the first stand so I wasn't too impressed, but that could have been just bad luck and I wouldn't judge it (much) by that experience.
Thanks for the report.
Ken
[ April 13, 2003, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: catskin ]
Posts: 76 | From: Oregon | Registered: Jan 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted April 13, 2003 04:05 PM
Leonard, the top of the line 32 sound model with all the bells and whistles, which is what I have, runs about $650. I'd heard Foxpro had a new website, took me a bit of searching to find it, but it's here Foxpro. If the change I just made to my signature works, there should be a link to my site for my video at the bottom here. Thanks!
Ken, the short sounds were a bugaboo for me until I started editing sounds to use on my MP3. When I really started disecting them, I realized that most of the commercial sounds are made up of pretty short clips. The sounds on the JS CD's are five minutes long, and after spending time listening to them for editing to put on my MP3 and now my Foxpro, I think you get the majority of what there is to get from a five minute sound, in a 15 second loop. There typically just isn't that much that changes in the sounds over the longer span. I had a few really short clips on my hard drive that I got from the Johnny Stewart site back when they had sample sounds you could listen to. These were REALLY short. Only 2 - 3 seconds. I made up some 15 second loops out of them and used them this past winter. And, they were deadly. That, combined with my previous experience with the Foxpro, has me convinced that as much as the monotonous repitition may bother ME, it don't bother the coyotes at all. At least, that is the opinion I've formed. All that said, I'd still take longer loops if I could though, "just because".
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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yotecaller
Knows what it's all about
Member # 179
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posted April 18, 2003 04:46 PM
I never used an ecaller until last year and now I always have my FoxPro with me when I go calling.I hope to get upgraded by next fall with one of the newer models.DAA how much more weight does the new FoxPro weigh compared to the old model?
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May God be with You.
Posts: 28 | From: NH | Registered: Apr 2003
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Curt2u
Knows what it's all about
Member # 74
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posted April 19, 2003 07:15 AM
Sounds like some good improvements Dave. Couple questions.
Is Foxpro still using the same remote they had before? I had quite a few problems with that remote. It was a little finicky. Even in a wide open hayfield with little to no vegetation. If there was a little roll to the ground or other times just flat ground, sometimes I would get set up and find it would not operate. I would have to wave the remote over my head to get it going. This would be line of sight also. Fresh batteries and everything. It was infuriating to get set up and then have to either get up and move the caller or raise my hand over my head for each use of the remote. Of course if there was anything to elevate it on, that helped. But sometimes this option would not be available where I hunt. And if there was any vegetation, even just a little bit, there was no chance of getting it to operate.
Also with that remote, yes I could operate the vol. buttons without looking, but not change sounds. I have to look at it to operate the tiny clicker on top of the remote. Then decipher which sound was associated with the letter code on the clicker by looking at the label on the front if it was not a sound I used often. Plus all buttons make a audible clicking noise with each push. Sounded like I was sending a morse code message. In the woods trying to call large predators that clicking seemed very loud and anything close by could easily key in on it I felt.
One other thing. Did they increase the sound loop length? You're right about it not making much difference with some sounds. But other sounds it does make a difference I think. I have a cougar sound on mine and it varies in intensity quite a bit through the original recording. 15 seconds does not do this sound and several others justice. 30 seconds or more would be a huge improvement I feel.
Don't get me wrong. All in all I have been a happy customer with my Foxpro. They're service has been good like you said. I just wondered if they addressed these shortcomings with the new unit. I haven't got to see one up close yet. Thanks for the info.
Take care, Curt
[ April 19, 2003, 08:47 AM: Message edited by: Curt2u ]
Posts: 236 | From: NW | Registered: Jan 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted April 19, 2003 08:59 AM
I'm not sure what the weight difference is. My old one is on it's way back from being repaired (I ran it over...). When it gets here I can weigh them and see. The new one is just over 1 1/2 pounds on my postage scale.
The new remote is different. The range of the old one was one of my biggest gripes. Used to end up holding it up over my head fairly often too. I haven't had a chance to field test the new one yet, but Mike Dillon told me it's supposed to have increased range. In the parking lot at work, it's giving me a solid 120 yds with good line of sight. Which is about 40 yds more than the old one. It's because of the clicks that I can change sounds accurately, with gloves on, without looking at it. I like the clicks. Might be a give-away in some situations I guess, but it's never been an issue for me. Actually, me ears are so bad, I can't really hear them, it's more that I can feel them. If I know where I'm at to start, I can go to any sound on the system, fast, without looking at it.
Sounds are still 15 seconds. You could always split a sound up across multiple slots, not very elegant, but it would work. If I find I really need a longer sound, I'll just plug my MP3 player into it, or just use my MP3 caller. Really though, for my needs, that probably won't happen.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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Curt2u
Knows what it's all about
Member # 74
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posted April 19, 2003 07:03 PM
Thanks for the info Dave. Sounds like some positive changes. Glad they improved the remote.
Thanks again, Curt ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posts: 236 | From: NW | Registered: Jan 2003
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