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are delkims really worth the money, perhaps someone can educate me, what makes them so special? , i use a set of bite alarms made by stillwater and if i get a run the alarm sounds, just the same as other bite alarms but at a fraction of the price, just don't get why people would pay so much money for them :?

cheers mufty

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I bought Delkims in the 90's, and when I had tackle stolen in 2000ish I replaced them with the same model, which is now I think the Standard that they sell.

 

I have never had a fault that is not of my own making, (leaving batteries in to corrode :oops: ), and even then Delkim repaired them at minimal cost. I have used them in boiling heat and monsoon rain, and they have not failed in any way.

 

The reason I choose Delkim is that I wanted an alarm that had variable volume, tone and sensitivity. The tone is because I have problems hearing low tones, and found that their was a particular higher level tone that grabbed my attention better. Volume obviously speaks for itself, I want to be able to turn the volume down during the day, and occasionally I needed to be able to have a high volume at night when I couldn't use a sounder box or receiver, (or the receiver battery failed).

 

The sensitivity issues, as good as roller wheels are with proper runs or dropbacks, at times I found I was missing takes when fish didn't take line, but I could see the line twitching. I occasionally struck line movement with no bleeps and found myself connected to fish, so the vibration sensing was a useful positive reason for being used.

 

Now the alarms I have are over 10years old, and as I said I have had no problems with them. Some faults are caused by user error, the battery case issue could be a case in point. Delkim recommend using Duracell or Kodak batteries, and for good reason, they are slightly larger than cheaper square models, and so press against the battery slide. Some issues though are obviously as time goes on due to faulty materials, batches or waterproof problems. I can't comment on current models as mine still work and I have no reason to change just yet :wink:

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I'd had a few different alarms before buying my Delk's and I can honestly say that they are vastly superior.

The build quality and functions set them apart, that said, some other manufacturers are catching up fast, but that's the ting - they are playing catchup with Delkim, not leading themselves.

They are also VERY easy to use, and just carry on working, whatever the weather or situation.

I would not go to anything else now (unless they offered something revolutionary).

 

So, are Delk's worth the $, yes I think they are.

£500 for 3 TXI+ and the wireless RX+ Pro reciever (the top of the range, all singing, all dancing etc), which is price comparable to the top models from Fox, Nash etc, but superior in what you get.

 

 

I recently bought the TFG Glimmer set for my father-in-law (b-day pressie), which offers excellent VFM at £150 (3 alarms and a wireless receiver) but is not a patch on the Delk's. But they suit his needs better.

We all need slightly different things from our tackle.

I coped fine for several years with very basic alarms, and if you need something to alert you to a screaming take any alarm with do, but as your fishing advances you're likely to need something that is more reliable and offers more features...

 

While not strictly on topic, please ensure ANY alarm you buy has volume control (or can be muted) so you can set the bobbin without alerting everyone else on the lake. Sorry. This is something that really winds me up...

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another delkim v fox thread coming up lmao. i dont like delkims for 2 reasons

1) the stupid battery compartment

 

2) it rains and they scream

 

3) i have 2 mates that have the txi's and both have had problems with the remote not working properly

 

4) they stich you up by you having to by illuminated hangers that only fit delkim at £25 EACH, where with fox you can get a set of 4 for for £16, and i aint had a problem with my £16 set

 

5) they price fix which, as far as i understand is illegal yet they get away with it. which means a british company ripping off the british public

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Guest Anonymous

Delkim have in my opinion gone downhill, I bought three in the early 90's and sold them to the bloke I fish with about 15 years later, he still uses them and they're faultless.

 

Gaz, I like the way they price fix, it gives the smaller shops a fighting chance.

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I've had a set of 3 Txi plus and receiver for 18 months with no problems at all- including the battery cover fitting perfectly.

 

I've used them on a 48 hour session where it rained constantly - and I mean it rained for 48 hours. Non stop. No problems.

 

I have even dropped one in the lake and it still works fine.

 

Down here we don't pay VAT so I got my set, plus the night light hangers for under £400. I don't know if that is is good value for money or not. I'll let you know in 10 years

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2) it rains and they scream

 

does that mean they are not fully waterproof then?

 

I have never had a problem with them in the rain, and I've fished through heavy rain, not hardcore thunder storms, but heavy rain.

 

To be honest I would rather the sensitivity range was moved down a bit, you have 0 - 12 (well, 0-6 with a plus and minus setting), I would rather the mid-point was around 3, in effect giving you -3 to 9 (hope that makes sense). The reports of people saying they go off at the slightest knock or in rain are probably due to having them on the plus setting on +6 (most sensitive) where I agree that rain could set them off.

Mine are on the minus setting 90% of the time, and I don't have issues with false beeps, and yet 5 or 6mm of line movement will set them off.

 

The one thing I would change is for the receiver to beep/vibrate when you turn it off, just to alert you to the fact you have turned it off, other than that I find them to be the best I've used (and the best I've seen used by others too).

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While not strictly on topic, please ensure ANY alarm you buy has volume control (or can be muted) so you can set the bobbin without alerting everyone else on the lake. Sorry. This is something that really winds me up...

 

I couldn't agree more, I cannot understand why this is so difficult. It drives me bonkers too.

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Mine are on the minus setting 90% of the time, and I don't have issues with false beeps, and yet 5 or 6mm of line movement will set them off.

 

.

 

That would drive you crazy river fishing then??? Or even on a big pit with a good chop on.

 

Is that the least sensitivity you can have Matt?

 

Not trying to be fox vs Delk (as I have no idea what the lastest Fox are like), but with Fox you can switch the sensitivity down so that you can have 1 or 2 inches of movement without a bleep.

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The minus setting gives you 0-6 range, but at "low" sensitivity.

Usually I have them at 5 or 6 on the minus setting, if I dial right down to 0 on minus then you'll need several inches of movement (or violent back and forth) to get a single bleep.

The thing is with Delkims, it isn't just distance of the line movement, it's vibration build-up sensing (see Delkim web site for better description!!) so if you move 1" very slowly (on a low setting) you won't get a bleep, but 1/2" movement done 'violently' will result in a bleep, or pulling the bobbin off (little line movement, but lots of vibration) may result in a bleep. You follow?

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The minus setting gives you 0-6 range, but at "low" sensitivity.

Usually I have them at 5 or 6 on the minus setting, if I dial right down to 0 on minus then you'll need several inches of movement (or violent back and forth) to get a single bleep.

The thing is with Delkims, it isn't just distance of the line movement, it's vibration build-up sensing (see Delkim web site for better description!!) so if you move 1" very slowly (on a low setting) you won't get a bleep, but 1/2" movement done 'violently' will result in a bleep, or pulling the bobbin off (little line movement, but lots of vibration) may result in a bleep. You follow?

 

hmmm interesting.

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I own a set of Delks that I bought new in the late 90's, single LED MKII and can honestly say that Ive had no problems with any of them. Even after having a soaking in a margin overnight they were fine. Rain doesnt bother them, never has.

 

I dont know if newer versions are more problematic or of lesser quality, but mine have been superb.

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another delkim v fox thread coming up lmao. i dont like delkims for 2 reasons

1) the stupid battery compartment

 

2) it rains and they scream

 

3) i have 2 mates that have the txi's and both have had problems with the remote not working properly

 

4) they stich you up by you having to by illuminated hangers that only fit delkim at £25 EACH, where with fox you can get a set of 4 for for £16, and i aint had a problem with my £16 set

 

5) they price fix which, as far as i understand is illegal yet they get away with it. which means a british company ripping off the british public

 

Gaz, that's five reasons.

 

Ian

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So if someone was looking on fleabay for Set that was a few years old...but still with a receiver...what were the older more reliable ones called?

 

The current top-of-the-range is the "TX-i Plus" (receiver is a "RX Plus Pro"), previous generation was "TX-i" with a "RX 2000" or "RX 2004" receiver...

 

I have used both (borrowed a mates TX-i, then bought the TX-i Plus as I was so impressed), no issues with either models...

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I have a pair of txi's never had any problem with rain apart from day one when I had the sensitivity up waaaay too high and rain drops were causing the rod to vibrate and setting off the sensor .. Since then I have learnt to turn them down and they still work great, only problem I have with them is my own stupidity , that is to say buying 2 the same colour which upsets my OCD as I have to set one to the "wrong " colour on the receiver.

 

In reply to Frazerking I agree wholeheartedly, my solution for simplicity is too always use the reciever have the vol turned down to zero on the head units and then can silence both by flicking the receiver off prior to a little line arrangement.

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I've got a set of top of the range fox alarms and a set of delkim txi and there is no comparison the delkims are in a league of their own.
why would anyoe buy a set of top of the range fox at £500? and a set of top of the range delks at the same price? seems a bit ott to me to have 2 sets of top of the range alarms tbh
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="gazmeesh"]this is the thing lol, no way on this earth will i ever accept that delks are better than the rx's but no way will you ever accept the rx's are better. it is all down to personal preferance really

 

pretty much what i thought when i had the RX's, then i went and bought some TXI's. and even if they are on a level par in terms of sensativity the delks still look better and sound better. you cant beat a delkim wobble :wink:

 

different strokes and all that though !!

:D

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