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If you practice alone & are hearing impaired


Max Payne

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I'm totally deaf in my right ear (have a Cochlear Implant for when I'm not shooting, & almost deaf in my left ear (have a hearing aid when I'm not shooting). I practice alone a fair amount & like to use a timer to measure improvement or lack thereof. My wife usually doesn't, so I have tried to work out how to use the timer since I can't hear it. I explored trying to add a light somehow to the timer so I could see it, but couldn't find a practical solution. I bought a ShotMaxx watch timer, but still have to hold it very close to my left ear, & even then, I mostly can't hear it.

 

Had a brainstorm the other day: I know pretty closely what my time to 1st shot is, so I hit the timer button on the table, I shoot, & then I subtract the time to 1st shot & substitute what I know it usually to be for me.

 

Not perfect, but a lot better than what I've been able to do previously. Hope this helps somebody. And, if you have found better solutions, love to hear them!

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Max what I do is I keep my hearing aid in and put a set of regular or electronic muffs over them.  Normally for me the wearing the regular muff's over my aids allow me to hear the timer but still give the aid some help in protecting what hearing I have left.  I have use electronic muffs over the hearing aids as well when I want that extra 0.02 of a second.  The three sets of aids I have tried this with have worked very well if I kept the muffs volume in the lower to mid range. 

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If you wanted more realistic "random start" capability to practice with, and wanted to spend some money and a little time hooking up a light, you could use the Competition Electronics ProTimer IV Super, at about $200, which will turn on a relay for a light circuit (which you could wire to any type of lighting system, including, say, a portable light or a miniature LED light attached to brim of your hat...) when the "buzzer" goes off.  

 

https://www.competitionelectronics.com/product/protimer-iv-super/

 

But your approach is useful to know!

 

Good luck, GJ

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Howdy Max.

 

I am also deaf.   I leave my left hearing aid in the ear and put the volume on a mid-range sound receiving.

 

I clip my Competition timer to my shirt collar, on the left side, about 5-6 inches from my aid.

 

I also start using the 'Random' option on the timer.

 

When I 'dry fire' practice, I leave BOTH aids in and attach the timer to my pants pocket.

When I finish, I 'SLAP' the timer to give me an approximate time of my 'run'.

 

Here is a video of that particular practice exercise.  Hope it helps.

 

..........Widder

 

 

 

 

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Good feedback from everyone. I did explore the Competition Electronics option, but didn't proceed with it. I talked to them, & they say I still need a power source for the light, a battery. It got a little more complicated than I want to deal with when I practice. I tried the muffs over hearing aid, & my combination of hearing loss didn't work with that solution. Widder's approach sounded interesting. Although not perfect, my solution is working pretty well for me right now. My left ear is going fast, so I think I'll be headed for a 2nd Cochlear in the not too distant future. Which also means I'll be headed for the "shoulder tap" start in matches, & I don't think I'll hate that, as I do it sometimes now.

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Howdy Max...Why don't you wear your Cochlear when shooting? I've had two for 9 years now and wear them for all my shooting. If I'm being a TO and I'm going to be in buildings where the noise is a little hard on the eardrums I just wear ear plugs. I was so happy when I got my first one, because I didn't need to be tapped anymore.

If you have any questions pm me and we'll talk...lol...….Faygo

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  My iPhone vibrates as well as making a sound when the count-down timer goes off.  It just counts whole seconds but that should be about as close as slapping a competition timer.

 

Set the timer to the number of seconds you want to beat, put it in your pocket or somewhere you can feel it vibrate and start it.   Hopefully you will have completed your dry fire stage by the time you feel it go off!  ;)

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Howdy Max...Why don't you wear your Cochlear when shooting? I've had two for 9 years now and wear them for all my shooting. If I'm being a TO and I'm going to be in buildings where the noise is a little hard on the eardrums I just wear ear plugs. I was so happy when I got my first one, because I didn't need to be tapped anymore.

If you have any questions pm me and we'll talk...lol...….Faygo

Hey, Faygo! I'm gonna PM you my phone number, because I do want to ask some questions. I was afraid the shooting noise might hurt my "last line of defense", since I know it hasn't helped my eardrums thru the years. When I was young, like I'm sure a lot of people, I didn't need no stinkin' hearing protection when shooting, riding motorcycles without a helmet, loud music, etc., etc.

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Hey, Faygo! I'm gonna PM you my phone number, because I do want to ask some questions. I was afraid the shooting noise might hurt my "last line of defense", since I know it hasn't helped my eardrums thru the years. When I was young, like I'm sure a lot of people, I didn't need no stinkin' hearing protection when shooting, riding motorcycles without a helmet, loud music, etc., etc.

Faygo, I PM'ed my phone number to your 3 different listings for Faygo Kid. 2 of the 3 have the same SASS #, & the 3rd listing has a different SASS #. I would like to talk to you if you have the chance to call me.

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Big thanks to the Faygo Kid!!! - Educated me on some stuff I didn't know about my own Cochlear implant that's gonna help a lot. And, thanks to everyone else also for your feedback.

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If you wouldn't practice so much you wouldn't have a problem. ☆

It gets him that 1/100th of a second he needs though! :P

 

Kajun

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It gets him that 1/100th of a second he needs though! :P

 

Kajun

No comment. I don't need to get Purly focused on anything (me).

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It gets him that 1/100th of a second he needs though! :P

 

Kajun

True.

 

 

No comment. I don't need to get Purly focused on anything (me).

No need to worry about that. I did move my targets so I can shoot out of the shop. 

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Howdy Max...Why don't you wear your Cochlear when shooting? I've had two for 9 years now and wear them for all my shooting. If I'm being a TO and I'm going to be in buildings where the noise is a little hard on the eardrums I just wear ear plugs. I was so happy when I got my first one, because I didn't need to be tapped anymore.

If you have any questions pm me and we'll talk...lol...….Faygo

Thanks to Faygo, I checked with my audiologist, & she agreed I don't need to take the Cochlear off when I'm shooting. So, for 2 years now, I've been mostly "going off the air" once the stage starts when I didn't have to. I shot this weekend & didn't take it off. It's a whole new show when you can hear what's going on during a stage! I'll be just like a regular cowboy, being able to carry on a conversation while shooting. I've been reluctant to run the timer due to hearing. Now, I can run the timer & make sure Kajun is credited with all of the penalties he deserves (& maybe some he doesn't)!!

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Thanks to Faygo, I checked with my audiologist, & she agreed I don't need to take the Cochlear off when I'm shooting. So, for 2 years now, I've been mostly "going off the air" once the stage starts when I didn't have to. I shot this weekend & didn't take it off. It's a whole new show when you can hear what's going on during a stage! I'll be just like a regular cowboy, being able to carry on a conversation while shooting. I've been reluctant to run the timer due to hearing. Now, I can run the timer & make sure Kajun is credited with all of the penalties he deserves (& maybe some he doesn't)!!

Well you'da had to be BLIND not to see what I did to get my SDQ on Sat!  Shooting Silver Senior ain't for those fleet of foot! :blink:

 

Kajun

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You kids in your 60s, 70s and early 80s think you know it all!  :wub:

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Well you'da had to be BLIND not to see what I did to get my SDQ on Sat!  Shooting Silver Senior ain't for those fleet of foot! :blink:

 

Kajun

I heard about it, & it sounded so ugly it made me glad I didn't see it!

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Follow-up. I've shot 2 matches now, & a few practices without removing the Cochlear, & it is GREAT!!!! I still wear the molded ear plugs for the shotgun, but no big deal. I can now chat with others during the stages just like a regular human. Life is good!

 

I'm gonna get a 2nd one on Feb 3rd, & I expect to be hearing like a labrador!

 

I do wish they offered them in a silver color like my hair. My hearing aids were/are silver  & weren't noticeable at all. The Cochlears come in a dark gray or white, & both stand out, although the cowboy hat makes 'em a little less noticeable. I get lots of questions, but I'm not sensitive about it.

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Normally, when I "Practice" there are between 7 and 20 other shooters practicing with me.  No problem  :rolleyes:

Good one!

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Max, Perhaps you could interface it with a taser strapped to your leg?

That's an idea I might have considered if a solution hadn't presented itself. I did have several eager suggestions to use a shock collar. Ophelia was really partial to that one.

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