A phone on airsoft games
Use cases for a phone on airsoft skirmish
Smartphones have long ceased to be used only for making calls and sending text messages. Today, we can successfully use these devices to facilitate many daily activities. It is no different during airsoft games. Already while traveling to an airsoft event, we often use the navigation on our device to get to the place of the game, which is often in a poorly accessible location and without such help we would have difficulty finding it. This is not the last example of this feature being used by phones. During the games, it will be helpful to use the phone to find the point with the goal of the game on the map.
Another quite important application of the phone is the built-in camera. Of course, we can take photos with it, immortalizing our adventures. However, this time it's more about saving information quickly. If our game scenario involves, for example, finding messages in the field with further instructions, we can take a photo of them, so that recording the next steps of the scenario takes only a few moments.
Modern solutions also penetrate the world of airsoft technology. Users of airsoft guns with advanced MOSFET systems such as GATE TITAN or GATE ASTER can use special adapters to connect the replica control system with their smartphones. Thanks to this, in an easy and intuitive way, you can change the settings of our toys or check the errors recorded by the system, if we have a fault.
Useful apps
Since we have already discussed various use cases of phones, it is time to propose the applications that I use in airsoft games. It will be based on my experiences, but if you have any suggestions of your own, find me on Instagram and let me know in a private message what your types are. I most often use the phone during shooters, of course, to take photos, which I then publish on social media or in articles on this blog. The Snapseed application is definitely helpful here, as it easily helps us beautify photos by offering the possibility of basic processing. If we don't want to rummage through the settings one by one, we can use one of the many built-in filters. More than once, thanks to this simple application, I was able to save a photo taken quickly in a field that turned out to be too dark or a bit too bright.
Another important function of the phone for me during airsoft games is navigation. Some time ago I abandoned the standard solution for Android phones, which is Google Maps, in favour of a more tourist-oriented equivalent. After downloading the appropriate maps, I enjoy using the Locus Map application very well. There are marked tourist routes, but also smaller paths in it. We can use the navigation to a point or using the phone's location tools to help us find our own position. Of course, this is not a flawless solution. In a dense forest or in mountainous terrain, it may turn out that our device does not connect to the satellites correctly. However, it is always worth considering help that will make it easier for us to find ourselves.
For some time now, all my airsoft guns have been equipped with advanced MOSFET systems with the function of connecting to the phone via Bluetooth. As I mainly use GATE systems, the application that is hosted on my mobile device is GCS. In addition to the ability to change airsoft gun settings such as the length of the series or the so-called binary trigger I can check the replica's event log for error codes like in modern cars and then fix it by erasing errors. Also just like in the car. Of course, assuming that I understand where the errors come from and I am aware of the need to eliminate them.
Safety first
If we are unlucky and have a rather delicate phone, one BB hitting the screen can eliminate the screen of our device and expose us to expensive repairs or the purchase of a new gadget. For this reason, it is worth remembering about a few safety rules when using the phone during skirmishes. First of all, I try not to remove the device during the fire exchange. Preventing potential hits is the easiest way to counter their negative effects. In addition, I use an airsoft telephone myself. I have an old device that I no longer use every day, but which, apart from scratches on the screen, is functional. I use it during skirmishes for all the activities described above. The main phone, which has an active SIM card in it, is then safely hidden in a pouch or backpack or in a closed pocket of a uniform or jacket, and if necessary, I take out a dedicated device.
Only using your old phone for airsoft games is a good solution, but it's not without its downsides. First of all, even such a phone needs to be secured somehow. From my experience, dedicated anti-shock covers that can be purchased for many different devices work very well here. More than once I have dropped a phone that came out of such an impact unscathed due to just such protection. When it comes to securing the front of the phone and its screen, I use thick tempered glass dedicated to my device. I also came across a solution consisting in securing the screen with a piece of plexiglass attached with elastic bands. Unfortunately, such a cover interferes with the use of touch screens, which eliminates the applications described above.
Phones enrich our airsoft gameplay. They help us find ourselves in the forest during manoeuvres, capture our smiling faces during adventures with friends or help diagnose faults in our airsoft guns. Regardless of whether you decide to sacrifice an old, unused phone as a device dedicated to airsoft games or take the risk of taking out your everyday gadget, remember that security is important. The anti-shock case recommended in this text is sufficient protection against accidental drops or a stray BBs.
Author: Boreq
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