24 replies to this topic

[seebass]

After a few trips out here is my review. My first impression of just about every electronic caller is, that's it? As they tend to be pretty compact, at most weighing 3lbs. The same goes for the FOXPRO Firestorm, yet the volume that this little beast puts out is awesome. The Firestorm comes with an external speaker jack for that added power on those windy days. I personally have a radioshack powerhorn wired to work with my Firestorm and when both are going its hard to see needing any extra volume....ever. The caller is nice and compact, fitting inside my parka front pocket. The sound quality is amazing with all FOXPRO sounds recorded from real living animals. The quality and realism of the FOXPRO sounds are unmatched. It also features an awesome new design called FOXBANG. The caller recognizes a gun shot and switches to your #1 of 2 preset sounds immediately following the muzzle blast. It's a great feature when multiples come in. I missed a coyote only to have FOXBANG slow her down and stop at 300yrds allowing me a nice follow up shot that dropped her dead. Awesome feature! The Firestorm comes preloaded with 50 sounds of various animals. If you buy direct from FOXPRO you choose the 50 sounds you want, while buying from a retailer the sounds are pre chosen. I would've preferred more distress sounds, but am happy with what I got with the caller. FOXPRO offers many sounds on their website in packages of 2,4 and 8 starting at $4. I purchased a preloaded FIRESTORM and use maybe 8 different sounds at most. The Firestorm comes with a preloaded program that allows you to move sound files between your CPU and the caller. It's pretty basic and I had no problem using it. With the Firestorm you also have the ability to use mp3 files as well, easily loaded with the same program. The internal memory of the Firestorm can hold up to 200 individual sounds. It's the remote that lacks the ability to display more than 50 sounds. That is never a problem for me though. The remote is by far the weakest link with the Firestorm caller. It's design is nice and fits well in your hand. It's a basic remote with what some consider antiquated technology. The remote has a weak signal, period. I find the Firestorm struggles, even failing at times while trying to punch through the smallest bit of grass. Other than that the remote screen is plenty visible and easy to manipulate. I bought a mini tripod and fashioned a stand so the caller sits up off the ground 6 inches. When using the tripod I have yet had any problems using the remote. I also find while using the tripod the caller throws sound quite a bit farther.The Firestorm is well worth the extra $100 spent over the Wildfire. It brings in coyotes, no dout about it, giving me full confidence eveytime out in the field. Overall I'd give the Firestorm an 8 out of 10. The lack of a quality remote is the only downside I can see with this caller. That's my review, hope you find it informative. Any questions, please feel free to ask. Carlos

[BPS]

Good review & write up Carlos.Thanks, Lee

[lif2fsh]

What powers it?

[seebass]

8aa's. I use rechargable 2300Mah NiMh's. They go all day no problem, I've gone 15 stands before charging, though I think I coulda gone awhile longer. Better safe than sorry, ya know...

[Frank]

The remote is by far the weakest link with the Firestorm caller.

It's not only the weakest link with the Firestorm, but is the weakest link in almost all, if not ALL of their remotes for any given model of E caller. This has happened on my Spitfire & 2 friend's FX3, 5 & believe also a Firestorm.I have talked to Foxpro by phone & sent a written note to Foxpro about this with no answer back. The same results other folks had on other websites. FoxPro did however replace several parts on my Spitfire for free and it does work much better... So Far! I would have to look at the paper work for those specific parts.Just go to the various websites that sell Foxpro's, such as Cabela's, Bass Pro, Gander Mtn, ALLPREDATORCALLSl etc & read the reviews on ALL their models, & you will see what I mean. There is just WAYYY too much "smoke" for this not to be a fire or in this case a problem, but doubt if FoxPro is listening, as it costs at least $10,000 for any change in any unit... or so I was told anyhow, about 2 months ago.The above is also just ONE of several reasons why the old 416 & 532 is impossible to beat IMO, as I've never had any problem with my 416 as it ALWAYS works. But the 416 & 532 remote and call is completely different than the newer ones. Oh, and I personally believe their remote troubles is at least one reason(along with marketing) they keep discontinuing & replacing their models & remotes one after the other... even when they've only been out for just a short time.FoxPro is still my favorite (so far), especially my 416 but the above IS a real gripe of mine

[Shoot-it]

fox pro is way better then primo's power dog .I can sit 35 yards away and get signal if I don't get it right away I move the remote around a little sometimes the signal get's blocked.

[OrneryOlMofo357]

The FX5 I had seemend to be better at picking up the remote than My Fury does. The antenna looks shorter than the FX5. I have set the fury out past 80 yds with good success but thats with line of sight with the antenna. I have had it only 35 yds and it rolled over on its side. Then it was very hit and miss with the remote. Like Frank said, the little 416 was a Gem.

[tawnoper]

I've heard the Fury is supposed to have some crazy reception? Supposed to be one of its strong points?I do know if I set my caller on the ground "any of them" they have troubles.

[OrneryOlMofo357]

I've heard the Fury is supposed to have some crazy reception? Supposed to be one of its strong points?I do know if I set my caller on the ground "any of them" they have troubles.

Well, mine seems to be a little finicky when sitting on the ground without line of site to the antenna. I have also read many reports of others having to send their remotes in due to malfunctions. The way mine acts, I'm thinking a blade of grass in front of the antenna can make it hit and miss. lol

[KNOCKED UP]

All I have so far is a El Cheapo caller.But one thing that I was impressed with last Monday when Grant and I were hunting was,He opened a glove box in the back of his truck, and there was a 12 volt auto charger forhis Foxpro.So he can recharge anytime that he was at the Truck. That is a very handy feature.Tom

[Frank]

Yeah, Grant's always prepared... and is so irritating! (j.k.)

[OrneryOlMofo357]

Ok Frank... dont get me started with the Remington jokes! lol Remmi made a new presidential model 700 called " The Obama" it wont work, and you cant fire it! lol

[Frank]

Oh Man, wouldn't that be the truth. LOL... I really would have to take up golf instead

[KNOCKED UP]

Ok Frank... dont get me started with the Remington jokes! lol Remmi made a new presidential model 700 called " The Obama" it wont work, and you cant fire it! lol

Cut the King Zero jokes Grant, I just ate dinner, and that name turns my stomach.Tom

[seebass]

Here is the tripod I made. I has fully adjustable legs and a swivel neck.Works great now. I havent had a problem since Ive used this. It comes apart at the head for a nice compact fit in my pocket.

Attached Files

•  IMAG0211.jpg   23.37K   5 downloads

[dabob]

Great review seebass!I use a external speaker along with my Fury or CS-24 on every stand I make. Coyotes have great hearing but they are not always in a perfect spot to hear your e-caller. Having the front speaker and a external speaker you can point the two in any direction you want to help spread the sound out where you want it to go. If you just use the front speaker quite often you have to decide where you are going to point it. If there are two good areas 90 to 180 degrees apart you can direct the sound to both areas. Anybody that has walked out around a e-caller knows how much louder it gets when you start getting in front of the speaker.My Fury and CS-24 are powered by a 12 volt gel cell battery and they are very loud with the SP-55 Speaker. On every stand sooner or later I end up with them on full volume even if it is only for 30 seconds at a time. At least 4 or 5 times within the last 4 months after calling for 10 minutes or more I switched to Lightning Jack on full volume and within 3 or 4 minutes a coyote showed up. I also switch to Pup Distress and Coyote Growls on full volume at the end of most of my stands and have coyotes show up quite often. These sounds are very loud. The coyotes may be just coming in to these different sounds or they may be coming in because they are very loud sounds being played on full volume.Some of the loudest sounds Foxpro has are some of their more popular sounds. Luckybird, Lightning Jack and Jack Rabbit Distress are much louder than most of the other Foxpro sounds. So if you crank it up with those sounds in open country they will reach out there farther. Loud Volume can work great even when it is not real windy.I have had a few problems with my Foxpro remotes not working right when I am hunting in dry grass. But if I can see the caller the remotes work great most of the time. I carry my Foxpro caller, SP-55 Speaker and my 12 volt battery in a camo carry bag and just set the caller on the bag to get it up off the ground about 8 inches.In the above picture you can see my CS-24 sitting on top of my carry bag. In this picture my caller is sitting on a ridge top with the CS-24 pointing at one big canyon and the SP-55 Speaker pointing into another big canyon.

[lif2fsh]

Here is the tripod I made. I has fully adjustable legs and a swivel neck.I have had No trouble with my fury but i sure like what you did, just for the new decoy attachment it would get it elevated.Could you give some detailed on how and what you used?Thanks Mike.

[Frank]

Yep, whenever possible, we always elevate the e caller a bit. On a bush, fence post, rocks etc. The sounds also carry further and the remote works better... when it does work (most times). I also have a small tripod for the e caller to be elevated, but never use it. Yet! Also, ever since Foxpro told me to hold the remote VERTICALLY, instead of horizontally (pointed at the caller), it seems to work better. It all helps I guess?!

[lif2fsh]

Sorry for the confusion, would like info on what seebass used to make his tripod. and how he attached it.

[seebass]

Sorry for the confusion, would like info on what seebass used to make his tripod. and how he attached it.

I'll post some pics tonight. There's a wedge piece the detached from the top of the tripod that screws into the bottom of your camera. I pulled out the set screw and drilled the wedge into a peice of wood. Backed out the screw 1/8 turn and filed the tip end with my dremel. Works perfect now. Carlos

[seebass]

Here is the picture of my tripod base with the wedge I mentioned before.  IMAG0212.jpg   19.18K   10 downloads

[lif2fsh]

Thanks Seebass, will be making one.

[Truckeedan]

How you hold your remote may make a big difference in effective receiver reception distance. Your e-caller remote is not like your TV remote. It sends a radio transmission to the receiver which is not the same technology as a TV remote. Your e-caller remote works more like a walkie talkie. The remote is made to transmit in a vertical position as it sends a radio signal which is actually a wave. The wave will travel on a vertical plane (up down up down) to the receiver antenna which is also vertical and will intercept the wave. If the transmitter is held in a horizontal position the radio wave travels in a horizontal plane (left right left right) toward a vertical receiver antenna. Much, and sometimes all, of the signal can travel around the vertical antenna greatly reducing the effective transmission distance.I used to hear complaints from officers all the time that their hand held radio's were crap, only to find out that they were holding them in a horizontal position when transmitting.

[Soreloser]

If any of you are having issues with the FURY or CS-24 remotes or units working without line of sight at a reasonable distance then you likely have a problem somewhere that can only be fixed by sending back to FOXPRO..

[OrneryOlMofo357]

Long time no see Tim! Hope all is well !