Without having a fourteen year old kid around to explain to me how a circuit board with 5.18:1 gears does what it does, I turned my attention to the net. Finally, I came across an article in a mid '80s Popular Mechanics magazine which gave a simplified explanation. Here's a snippet..."The microprocessor, designed by Seiko watch engineers, simply counts the number of revolutions the reel makes in feeding out and retrieving line. It compares the line footage to a clock in order to judge speeds, and it makes allowance for the increased diameter of the spool as the line wraps around it. In order for the reel to judge how quickly the diameter increases, you have to program in the thickness of the line you're using. In return, the computer also will tell you how much line was out when a fish was hooked and how much line you have left after the unexpected break off."
I won't bore you with the details of everything this reels diminutive LCD screen can show an angler. Suffice it to say, this beeping contraption can monitor just about anything you need to know while fishing, except!, what time your wife wanted you back home from the lake for dinner. That's always a handy little tidbit of knowledge to have right there!
In reality though, when it comes to tools such as reels, simpler is usually better. If a fisherman can't intuitively sense where, and what, their lure is doing under the water, they more than likely have larger problems than trying to figure out what button they did, or didn't, push on this gadget. The computer reel was invented by Haruomi Hirose, and Takashi Atobe, both of Japan. I would imagine if any of the old Vom Hofe clan could have been around in 1985, they would've had only one word to say to these fellows about this thing...Why!
I did however selfishly envision an arcade edition reel I wished they'd produced back in the day, just to pass the time, when the fishing was a little slow. Had they actually possessed the technology, I just might have purchased one at the Daiwa computer reels original lofty price of $150-200. Goodness knows I spent many, many times that in quarters at the local video game hangouts of my youth. I digitally whipped up an old favorite of mine "Space Invaders", just for fun. You're thinking, that's one of the craziest things I've ever seen!...yeah maybe, but I've got the high score.
David
