COMPLETE CONNECTIVITY | ND S9 PRO

ND’s original S9 alarm certainly turned heads when it was launched back in 2019. Here we had an alarm which measured just 5.5cm tall and 3.7cm across but packed an insane amount of tech into its diminutive frames. Like previous ND alarms, these were fully controlled via an app on your phone and a Bluetooth signal, making them a doddle to customise and set up. You could toggle between five different-colour LEDs; sensitivity options were extremely responsive, with the lowest option requiring just 4mm of line movement to register a bleep; and they came with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which boasted a 900hr standby time, while a high-quality speaker emitted seven different tones up to 100dB. Oh, and they came finished in a spiffy black getup. In 2019, they ticked every box. But for 2024, ND has added even more boxes to tick, because why stop there?

1. Still just one button
As with the original model, the S9 Pro features just one button on the head—which goes some way toward explaining how ND are able to make the heads so small. To make adjustments to the sensitivity, tone choice, etc., you use the receiver in what is called ‘Remote Control Mode’. That central soft-touch rubber button is just used to switch it on and off (press and hold), mute for 30 seconds (press briefly) and change LED colours (double-click). Also new is a night light functionality, which again is enabled through the receiver.

2. Talking of the receiver…
This has some new functions over the original. You can now set a screen timeout via the receiver menu, which has a much easier-to-read display. This means you decide how long the display will stay on after the receiver has been triggered. They’ve also added a different drop-back tone by default, and the receiver will show it on the display, plus it has sound and vibration options which can be used separately or together.

3. Battery power
Where previously you had a fiddly micro USB port on the S9, this Pro version has a modern USB-C so you don’t need to worry about the direction of the plug. However, thanks to very low power consumption in standby mode, you’re guaranteed exceptional battery life, so changing will only take place once a year. 

4. Bivvy Light
Another brand-new function is when you use the ND Bivvy Light with the alarms and receiver. Once paired, a different colour (red, green, blue, yellow or white) can be allocated to each bite alarm head. So, for example, you can set it so that when your left-hand alarm bleeps, the bivvy light turns on green. The middle rod could be blue, and the right-hand white! Or, if you’d prefer, you can define one colour for all alarms, for example, red (which will, of course, help with your night vision!).

5. Smart Link
If you thought that was neat, you’ll love ND’s new Smart Link System, which allows all ND devices to interact with each other. We highlighted how the bivvy light works, but the same can be done so your head torch switches on when you receive a take. Or, you can switch the head torch off using the Smart Band or Smart Watch. You can also link ND’s Air Light Sounder security system into the mix. The possibilities are endless for those who like their carp fishing with a serious dose of funky tech.