What is the purpose of the Black Boxes NCAA Officials wear during games?

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by observer

As an observer, I am somewhat not real happy with the devices.
Or possibly "rules" should be made up to utilize the boxes.
I see too many (almost all) D1 officials reach for the magic button
on the belt devices to start the clock...Even the official that administers
the throw-in...Thus, one of his/her hands is used to hand the ball to
the thrower, the other hand is on the devise...No hands left to start
or chop the clock. Not every official on the floor needs to start
the clock on every position.

That's not the mechanic, nor is it an issue.

Let's say the thrower is tol my left. I place my right hand on the button and administer the ball with the left hand and immediately bigen the count. When the ball is released, I stop counting and raise the left hand to chop the clock. When the ball is legally touched, I press the button and chop. It's that simple.

The pother officials pressing the button is just a backup as is the timer doing the same thing at the table. Neither of the other two is a primary starter. It's just to insure that the clock starts. If you're on the floor and you don't know the ball has been legally touched, you need to pay better attention to what's going on.

[dbking]

Originally Posted by observer

As an observer, I am somewhat not real happy with the devices.
Or possibly "rules" should be made up to utilize the boxes.
I see too many (almost all) D1 officials reach for the magic button
on the belt devices to start the clock...Even the official that administers
the throw-in...Thus, one of his/her hands is used to hand the ball to
the thrower, the other hand is on the devise...No hands left to start
or chop the clock. Not every official on the floor needs to start
the clock on every position.

That is why the mechanic on throw in is different in NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA. You only use one hand to count with and chop. It takes a few throw ins to get used to and then you really like.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by South GA BBall Ref

...all is correct as indicated above with the exception of the frequency of the Fox 40. Actually it is the force of the air from the whistle that causes the transmission of a signal to stop the clock.

Sorry, but that is not correct.

The system listens for three distinct tones from the Fox 40 whistle and stops the clock. I met Mike a long time ago at a camp in Tennessee where he was demonstrating the system. In fact, he mentioned to me that Fox 40 and him made some sort of agreement so that it would work with their whistles -- otherwise he was going to come out with his own whistle as well!

The system will not stop just because air is blown into it... If it did that it would be stopping all the time falsely!