Communications system
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Yeah, I was looking at them earlier on, very expensive.
I was sat watching a documentary on YouTube earlier and it played the conversations that the officials were having during the game. They are such a useful bit of kit which, for a little extra over the cost of buzzer flags, would be of much more use. It's not something I'm interested in this season or next as I'll be away a lot from March, but if we were allowed to use them below National League Prem, I would invest in those rather than buzzers.
They use them down here at grassroots rugby, they seem to help the officiating teams out very well.
Thanks for your replies gents.
A Freethinker
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Would agree comms sets are fantastic especially when you have referees who know what they are doing both for line calls and free kits, have used them for a few years now and buzzer flags, comms also very handy when you get the buzz and it's an oops moment stops you looking bad for stopping to see what the AR want's to tell you! Expensive but would defo take comms over buzzer flags.
I've got a set of the yapalong/refsworld ones. I agree with the above, they are by far the best piece of equipment to help referees as a team of 3. Having used them with a couple of football league refs they say that the system is nearly as good as the ones used in the pro game.
In years to come I've got no doubt that they'll be used in lower leagues and will probably be used by a number of referees similar to that using buzzer flags at the moment.
The technology is a bit too expensive now but that'll only go down in price.
If you get the option of buzzers or comms (mainly aimed at those in other countries) I would strongly recommend comms, they're much more versatile and can be a real big help at all levels of football.
Just out of interest @Padfoot have you seen anything written down saying that they aren't allowed below Conference Prem? I've heard one or two people say it but I've never seen any guidelines/rules that specifically say they can't be used.
In years to come I've got no doubt that they'll be used in lower leagues and will probably be used by a number of referees similar to that using buzzer flags at the moment.
The technology is a bit too expensive now but that'll only go down in price.
If you get the option of buzzers or comms (mainly aimed at those in other countries) I would strongly recommend comms, they're much more versatile and can be a real big help at all levels of football.
Just out of interest @Padfoot have you seen anything written down saying that they aren't allowed below Conference Prem? I've heard one or two people say it but I've never seen any guidelines/rules that specifically say they can't be used.
Some people must have more money than sense ...
I get it if you're a level 2B or even a 3 at a push, as you will have assistants of a reasonably known quality (although I have seen some truly hopeless level 4s), but anything below that would be madness. For starters how on earth is a 70 year old assistant going to cope, the same ones that you can give buzzer flags to as your arm ends up numb from the number of times they press it? And players are going to have a field day - "stick to serving big macs ref" ....
I get it if you're a level 2B or even a 3 at a push, as you will have assistants of a reasonably known quality (although I have seen some truly hopeless level 4s), but anything below that would be madness. For starters how on earth is a 70 year old assistant going to cope, the same ones that you can give buzzer flags to as your arm ends up numb from the number of times they press it? And players are going to have a field day - "stick to serving big macs ref" ....
Delusions of grandeur Rusty. Some wanting to race Usain Bolt while in nappies...Some people must have more money than sense ...
I get it if you're a level 2B or even a 3 at a push, as you will have assistants of a reasonably known quality (although I have seen some truly hopeless level 4s), but anything below that would be madness. For starters how on earth is a 70 year old assistant going to cope, the same ones that you can give buzzer flags to as your arm ends up numb from the number of times they press it? And players are going to have a field day - "stick to serving big macs ref" ....
@RustyRef it takes no real work to talk. We all know how working as a team is vital to our trade.
I took inspiration from the rugby referees that I've watched down here recently, a few have these systems and use them extremely well.
I'm certainly not saying that I'd buy these, not yet anyway... but, I'm struggling to see any disadvantages
I took inspiration from the rugby referees that I've watched down here recently, a few have these systems and use them extremely well.
I'm certainly not saying that I'd buy these, not yet anyway... but, I'm struggling to see any disadvantages
Could I ask what level you are? Not in a judgmental way, but to try and gauge the quality of ARs you'd be working with.
I did a supply league game on Saturday, and I dread to think what would have happened if I'd used comms with the two assistants I had. The flag appeared to be too advanced for one of them.
Level 7. Going 6-4 next season as I'm hanging up the playing boots to take on the whistle full time (no more playing).
I'm not thinking of using them with club linos, just as I wouldn't use buzzer flags with them. For me, I'd use them with neutral assistants and I'd offer them to the referee when I am assigned as an assistant (that's if I was to purchase them). This thread isn't about me buying them, it's more about whether they are beneficial at level 4 and upwards.
You make a very good point about the standard of some assistants, which is why I think the man in the middle could benefit. There would be less confusion between middle and lines because before you have time to raise a flag or mess up, you've been given advice by the man in the middle.
Basically, I am considering investing in equipment because once I return from my tour next year, I will be working hard to get to level 4. Personally, I'm not really interested in going any higher due to where I live (Cornwall). I do enough travelling as it is without adding more to it. I planned on buying buzzer flags, but all they are is an attention getter. That's it. Whilst for the same price, you can get a good comms system, or for a few hundred quid more, you can get a very good comms system.
I'm not thinking of using them with club linos, just as I wouldn't use buzzer flags with them. For me, I'd use them with neutral assistants and I'd offer them to the referee when I am assigned as an assistant (that's if I was to purchase them). This thread isn't about me buying them, it's more about whether they are beneficial at level 4 and upwards.
You make a very good point about the standard of some assistants, which is why I think the man in the middle could benefit. There would be less confusion between middle and lines because before you have time to raise a flag or mess up, you've been given advice by the man in the middle.
Basically, I am considering investing in equipment because once I return from my tour next year, I will be working hard to get to level 4. Personally, I'm not really interested in going any higher due to where I live (Cornwall). I do enough travelling as it is without adding more to it. I planned on buying buzzer flags, but all they are is an attention getter. That's it. Whilst for the same price, you can get a good comms system, or for a few hundred quid more, you can get a very good comms system.
The most expensive buzzers are £400 to £500, you won't get a good comms system set for a few hundred quid more. I've used a set that were over £500 and they were poor, whereas I've also used the PL set and they were amazing, but they should be as they costs thousands.
Sorry to be the deliverer of bad news, but there is a lot of it. If you get to level 4 and use these you would undoubtedly be the only referee in that league using them. As you line up in the tunnel before the game you are going to get taken to pieces by the players. Many of your assistants will be SO far out of their comfort zone it will be unreal, they will be concentrating more on how to use the comms than what they should be concentrating on. Bear in mind that when they were rolled out to the Conference (National League) officials last season there was a half day training session arranged on how to use them properly. Then I know loads of supply league assessors who hate seeing referees use buzzer flags, some even openly state they will mark down for this. They shouldn't of course, but it definitely happens, so how do you think they are going to react about seeing a set of officials looking like JLS? Remember that a lot of supply league assessors are, and I'm being kind here, of the veteran status and they will go into meltdown at seeing a referee potentially benefiting from technology..
And, probably most importantly of all, the comms kits aren't authorised for use below the National League Premier division.
These comm kits you speak about are the ones marketed as "referee communications systems" - a fancy name for radios (transmitters and receivers). You can get good radio systems (essentially Walkie talkies) for much less than these "professional" sets. A communications system is made up of a few basic components... Receiver: A transducer to pick up the baseband (microphone picking up your voice), a synthesiser (to create a high frequency carrier wave (to carry the base and signal), an Audio Frequency amplifier and a Power amplifier (to get the distance).... then it needs an antenna. A transmitter is pretty much the same except you use an oscillator to remove the carrier wave, so you are left with a baseband signal for an earpiece. Sounds complicated but it's really not. You can pick up a good PTT radio system for a few hundred quid. They are just compact walkie talkies. Because big company's put there brand on it, that makes them more expensive. A plain fruit of the loom t shirt with no logo could cost you £5. The same t shirt with a Nike tick would cost £30.
I completely get what your saying and again I reiterate I'm simply researching a product
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Personally I love buzzer flags and it's only when you see a ref, temporarily without them, miss a fairly obvious offside, that you realise how much a part of the game at that level they have become.
Hated using them as an AR though as I seemed to have thumbs that always missed the button
A friend of mine uses them in literally the very bottom divisions here in Cornwall (with club linos). Bugger that,
They're a great tool if used appropriately but again, they are simply attention getters. We still need to be able to mind read when using them
Thank you all for your opinions though...
They're a great tool if used appropriately but again, they are simply attention getters. We still need to be able to mind read when using them
Thank you all for your opinions though...
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