Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the laying of strip material such as cables, ropes, hoses or the like, when winding on a drum having a guide for the strip material, the drum and the guide being relatively moveable to each other by means of a spooling drive, and having a drum drive for rotating the drum, wherein the drum or a corresponding component rotating with the drum is provided with a first marker, a first signal transmitter effects a switch-in control signal for the spooling drive with each revolution, part revolution or multiplicity of revolutions of the marker, a plurality of second markers are provided on a shaft of the spooling drive or on a component rotating with it, a second signal transmitter emits a count signal to a counting device with each of the second markers and the counting device is arranged to actuate a switch-off control signal for the spooling drive when a programmed value is attained.