SKS Alarm and receiver set
First thing you’ll notice about this bite alarm kit is the free bivvy ligh. Offering standard illumination, it’s also paired with all the alarms in the set so it will turn on when you get a beep at your rods. Features include two super-bright LEDs in the ears – one illuminates for a run, while the other lights up when you get a drop-back bite. Direction of line movement is signalled with a different tone.
Two smaller bulbs under the roller wheel also light up when you get a bite, and these can also be switched on permanently as a subtle ‘night light’. There are six different volume settings (plus silent mode); four sensitivity levels;
a low-battery warning and seven tone adjustments.
Collar locks on the screw threads make lining up units on your buzzer bars simple. The battery compartment has a plastic slide-off door with no rubberised seal, but it’s a snug fit and Sonik claims 100 per cent waterproofing.
Price: £149.99
Pro logic smx alarms
In a cased set of three with a wireless receiver, these alarms offer everything that the modern carp angler desires. There are LED visuals for drop-back indications and telescopic snag ears. Other features include five volume levels, four sensitivity adjustments and seven tone settings, plus diamond-shaped rollers and super-bright LEDs. The tiny receiver has a memory functionand it can operate on either silent or vibrate mode. There’s also a courtesy night light. Both alarms and receiver take 2AAA 1.5v batteries.
Price: £139.99
Delkim 25-Plus fishing bite alarms
Delkim 25-Plus. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its bite alarms with vibration sensing, Bedford-based specialists Delkim has produced a Special Edition alarm.
Based upon the existing Standard Plus mode,l they feature a special silver metallic oval logo, silver dial stickers, silver protective hard case and a silver box.
All Delkim bite alarms, past and present, use the unique system which is able to indicate proportionally, both the speed of linear line movement plus vibrations from rod tip ‘nods’ and terminal tackle that do not always move the line.
The almost infinite range of sensitivity adjustment can be finely-tuned to suit all conditions, methods and user preferences so other anglers are not disturbed.
“The original idea for the Delkim Vibration Sensing System actually came to me in the middle of the night back in about 1983, I think in a dream,” commented Chairman and Managing Director, Del Romang.
“The rest, as they say, is history including the virtually annual awards for the Delkim Tx-i as Best Bite Alarm. To be able to celebrate 25 years of Delkim Vibration Sensing in 2017 is something I could never have imagined and is a landmark that I am justifiably proud of,” he added.
www.delkim.co.uk.
PAY AROUND
£69.99 to £74.99
TF Gear Illuminated Snag Ears
These TF Gear illuminated snag ears are ideal for rod security when fishing locked-up against snags.
They are powered straight off the alarm with minimal battery drain, as they only activate when you get a bite.Available in a choice of blue, red, green or white.
TF Gear Soundwave waterproof bite alarms
TF Gear’s new Soundwave waterproof alarms are made from a toughened ABS polymer plastic.
You get unfailingly reliable roller-wheel systems, tone, volume and sensitivity controls, and a universal latching LED light in a choice of seven available colours.
Power-out sockets allow them to be used with most recognised illuminated indicator systems.
Price: £149.99 the set
Nash R3 Receiver
The Nash R3 Receiver precisely replicates the R3 alarm’s Intelligent Sensing – as well as offering bleep-for-bleep tone reproduction even in difficult swims or around obstacles.
It works at distances of 400m or more from the rods, so you can be sure the radio signal between your alarms and the remote won’t be compromised.
There’s a four-channel, one-touch pairing with R3 alarm heads plus a clever additional fifth channel to programme in your mate’s alarms, which is very handy if you always fish together.
As you’d expect, there are adjustable volume, vibration and mute functions, and a four colour lens option pack allows the receiver to be customised to match any LED colour on the alarm heads. The receiver is powered by one CR123A 3V battery.
An anti-theft warning alarm, a very useful feature in these wicked times, tops off an impressively high list of specifications.
The high-impact soft touch case has waterproof gasket seals to maximise waterproofing.
Price: £129.99
Nash Siren R3 Bite Alarm
Having spent the past couple of weekends attending packed angling shows, and seeing the crowds flocking around the Nash stand, there is little doubt in my mind that the latest Nash Siren R3 bite alarm system is going to sell like crazy.
The alarms themselves have integral rubberised snag ears and feature ‘Intelligent Sensing’ microchip technology to eliminate false indications while giving you an insight into what’s actually happening in your swim.
To keep the technical jargon to a minimum, this sensing system is based around changes of speed in the movement of the line. You’ll suffer no more irritating bleeps from wind, undertow, weed and variable currents when fishing in running water or lakes with a heavy tow.
Best of all, there won’t be any nagging doubts over the those unexplained single bleeps that have dogged all carp anglers ever since electronic bite alarms came on the scene.
The R3 has an extreme working range of more than 400m, and while I would never encourage anyone to leave their rods unattended, or indeed be anywhere near that distance away from them, the strength of thee radio signal can be critical when the rods are not in a clear line of sight, or surrounded by dense foliage.
Price: £109 per head
Korum Bite Alarm and Indicator Set
If you are on a budget and looking to invest in your first bite alarm, then this Korum offering is well worth a look.
The alarm can be purchased on its own (for £14.99), or with a bobbin indicator included for a shade under £20.
A battery is included with both offerings and Korum promises it has an extra-long lifespan due to the construction of the alarm. There is a volume dial on the front of the unit and bright red and blue LEDs.
RRP £19.95
30Plus Kodex Multi-Indicator
Unlike most indicator systems, this versatile piece of kit simply clips to your bankstick, rather than being clamped underneath a bite alarm.
This means the Multi-Indicator can be set up in seconds without any hassle. It can also be used as a drop-back indicator for pike if you don’t just fish for carp.
The swing-arm design makes this indicator very stable in windy condtions, while the alternative bobbin cord (with a traditional ‘hockey stick’ attachment) enables a more sensitive set-up.
RRP £10.99
Korum Bite Alarm and Indicator set
This set contains all you need to fish with a single static rod. You get a selection of bobbin heads to suit your taste, as well as a chain and hockey stick-style set-up that fits snugly underneath the alarm.
The alarm itself benefits from extra-long battery life and an indexed front power/volume adjustment knob which is extremely easy to use, and offers loud audible indication of a run quickly and efficiently.
Price: Bite Alarm and Indicator set £19.99, single bite alarm £14.99
Wychwood Slugs
These innovative and versatile new Slug bite indicator bobbins from Wychwood incorporate a revolutionary new design that enables them to be used with both slack and tight lines with equal effect. Their unique bite rotation system means they can be adapted to suit the tension of your line, which in turn encourages the Slug to show the slightest of movements. Each pack comes with two Hockey sticks, 3ins and 8ins chains, as well as a Dacron cord, and interchangeable weights of 1g, 3g and 6g. The bobbin heads come in black, purple, yellow, green, red and blue.
Price £12.99
Nash Siren S3 Alarm
The neat and compact Nash Siren S3 alarm boasts a host of new features including a clever three-way-only sensitivity setting for still, windy and hurricane conditions.
The alarm looks brilliant and is seriously functional.
Price: £109.99
JRC Radar Alarms
These affordable alarms from JRC look ideal for the runs water carp angler. There are three versions of identical design, but with varying features. The entry level C1 has an adjustable volume setting, whilst the top-of-the-range C3 enables changes of volume, tone and sensitivity.
Price: £19.99-£34.99
Solar Titanium Indicator System
This might just be the only bite indicator you need. Solar’s Titanium system offers set-ups for all scenarios, from slack lines to tight lines and everything in between.
At £30 each they aren’t cheap, but Solar has an unrivalled heritage when it comes to making bite-indication systems so you know they will last.
RRP £29.99
Nash Siren S5R Bite Alarms
Nash’s superb value Siren S5 bite alarms are going wireless for 2014 with the launch of the S5 R remote range.
The original S5s, priced at around £25 apiece, were arguably the most exciting buzzers in Britain for the asking price – and justifiably sold by the boatload.
I’ve used them on my tench rods, and on day-session carp runs waters and have nothing but praise for their performance. But they would have been even better with a remote facility.
Now, bowing to public pressure, the lads at Nash have released a remote wireless variant – denoted S5R – that I reckon will take a huge bite out of the British buzzer market.
Heads, with a choice of blue, purple, red or clear LED lenses, cost £59.99 and the receiver (with a range of 400m in good terrain) is also £59.99.
Visually, the S5R alarms are identical to the pocket-friendly S5 model. Just about the only change is an increase in the size of the on/off switch on the new model. The switch on the original was tiny and fiddly to operate.
Just like the originals, the new S5R heads are minimalist in operational features. There’s only a volume control built into the on/off switch but no tone or sensitivity buttons.
They operate off CR2 3v batteries (not included) and, like the originals, have a very slow battery drain for long life.
Heads have a ‘run’ LED and a ‘latching LED. Both are quite small and I like the fact that they’re clearly visible, but not massively bright like some, as there’s nothing worse than being blinded at night when you get up to hit a run.
There’s a built-in line guard and all heads come in good PVC cases that protect them against knocks in transit and ensure the alarms cannot be accidentally switched on and the batteries drained.
The S5R handset is nicely compact and operates off a CR123A 3v battery (not included). Up to four alarms can be programmed in and it is supplied with a lanyard and karabiner.
RRP £59.99
Fox Black Label Swingers
These stylish fixed arm bite indicators come as a three rod presentation set and are unaffected by wind and drag, making them one of the most effective bite detection systems available.
Sliding the 2oz (50g) stainless drag weight along the arm allows you to fine-tune each swinger to any conditions or swim type. They are equally as effective with slack or taut lines, and will show drop-backs. Fox’s unique line release gate opens instantly on the strike.
Price: £74.99
30Plus Centium DFX Wireless Alarm Set
This flagship wireless bite alarm set from specimen fish company 30Plus uses the latest ‘rolling code’ technology, so that no other remote unit on the water can interfere with yours.
The handsome set comprises three alarm heads and one receiver in a presentation case. Also included are three Kodex indicators valued at £32.97, giving a full catalogue price of £277.92. However, as part of a money-saving promotional deal through participating tackle shops, they’re currently being offered at £159.99.
Top alarm features include: volume, tone and sensitivity controls, interchangeable colour light latch covers, silent set-up mode, fully cased electronics to prevent water ingress and unique thread-on collar to enable the bobbin/hanger to be screwed directly to alarm without the need for a hockey-stick attachment. Works off a 9v battery.
The compact receiver will take up to four alarms and works off three AAA batteries over a 100- metre range. Features include a vibration-only option, five setting volume control, interchangeable facias and optional belt clip attachment.
Full catalogue price £277.92
