truckerbase

In general, the argument is that a large influx of new participants would occur, with less and less preparation and training, and the average skill level would subsequently decrease. I've definitely seen this happen in the time I've been involved in the sport. I theorize that the rise of the legal span here, along with accompanying "First Jump Not-Courses" has contributed greatly to this. If you can make it out to be just a thrill ride, and "so easy a bag of dogfood can do it" you're likely to see new participants who are less serious about preparation and training. Curious how giving a free jump course, after evaluating prospective students only for a short bit on the phone, or via email similarly makes BASE significantly easier for any individual to enter on a whim, as though it were just a roller coaster ride, with fewer impediments in the way of these individuals to require a higher level of committment from them to demonstrate a higher level of preparedness and seriousness...

Ive done this jump several times. Dip your shoulder to the right, open right. Dip your shoulder to the left, open left. However, since the heading isnt guaranteed anyway, its more accurate to say that if you dip your shoulder in a given direction, your opening will be more in that direction on the same jump, pack job, and wind conditions at that exact same moment than if you didnt intentionally drop a shoulder. In other words, if the jump is going to be a 90 left and you dip a shoulder left, youll likely end up closer to a 180, If your opening was going to be a 90 right, and you dipped your shoulder left, than youd have an on heading. You couldnt make an authoritative statement on this question because of heading ambiguity. Specifically, early on I did a low tower jump with cables, managed to muck up the exit, that I turned 90 degrees left in freefall; I dropped my right shoulder , and got an opening directly away from the tower...

There was a small contingent of jumpers other than myself jumping the R. freestander; the police have parked a police van and police trailer inside the fenced compound right at the base, and set up hanging dome cameras from some of the streetlights in the immediate urban area. If you are caught in the fenced area they may be able to level additional charges on you for trying to mess with these vehicles. The cameras are wireless. I checked with a source linked to the R. police who characterize this local department as not being the "jolliest of folks", and the tower is apparently a county emergency services repeater. Look for yourselves. Draw your own conclusions if the tower is on your "regulars" list.

No big deal. I used to get that feeling walking across perrine bridge without a rig on. Id have to walk along saying "Dont go over the rail, dont go over the rail, dont go over the rail..." to myself. It just means your "jump chemistry" is built up and ready to go. Go make a jump off your local object and it wont be so strong off everyday stuff when you havent got a rig on.

Congratulations Iiro and Jeb! And if you need a few hundred extras, you know where to find us ...most of us could use a few extra hundreds...

Is "Superterminal" the same as the "Virtus" teaser that was on skydivemovies a few weeks ago? >>>>>>>>

Thanks for the attitude lessons, Tom. Relax now, the hard part is over. I remember doing "hi-lows" with tom in texas when Rodney couldnt make it, riding the elevator to altitude, me trying to focus, him talking non stop the whole way up, then accidently leaning against the "stop" button. Thinking the elevator had hit its stop at the top, we took to the ladder to climb the "remaining" 50 feet, only to climb and climb and realize that we werent anywhere near the top of the 2000 footer, and had already sent the elevator down. His comment, "I dont climb. Im going from here" Then, on landing we go over to the farris wheel and jump it. After landing, a large dually diesel comes roaring over the hill across the field, Tom and I hit the ground hiding in the high grass as this white truck roars across the field on one diagonal and then across on another, finally stopping like 50 feet from us, the son of the owner of the land who has seen us jump silihouetted against the moon in the dark. Tom stands up while Im pretending like I was just crossing the field as a shortcut, and says, "Yah, were just base jumping from the tower, wanna watch?? Direct and to the point, he always knew what he was doing. ****************************************

Shit. I was hoping that video of me wouldnt get out. Fuck. ********************************

Well done, 1036!!! "There once was a man from Nantucket..." **********************************************

Thou shall not use kittens as wind indicators. *****************************************************

Roller coaster, firestick, elephant man... *************************************

Wagar would huck it!!! Thanks for remembering Erich, Dave. Someday I hope to jump with you myself. Did the Minnesota crew ever jump his ashes on a base jump? Robbie never let me know. Anyway, ask Baker 19 what object near you he and I opened in Erich's memory, "the Admiral". Over and out Dennis ***************************************************

Well, I thought Aiello probably needed a refresher. Im pretty sure he hasnt been on an antenna in years... *********************************************

In terms of expectation of winds aloft, the coriollis effect can turn LIGHT winds from their ground heading. If they are borderline on the ground, they could be down the wire aloft...Strong winds carry too much momentum to be affected, in general coriollis doesnt play a major part in Antenna evaluation. Dropping little pieces of spit or paper at various altitudes as you climb, to be intimately aware of what the wind is doing, in order to form a mental wind profile of your antenna on a jump night, is a vastly more important tool. Be aware of the forecast, be very aware of what winds are doing on the ground and at expected opening altitude, and be mindful of whether a wind-line (or wind shear) exists. (Strong winds aloft dropping off sharply nearer the ground to light or calm winds; the canopy may dive to regain a speed necessary to fly if the canopy crosses a wind line, from strong wind to light wind. Your accuracy in landing in a given spot will be influenced by the existence of this effect, and if it occurs closer to the ground, you could lose significant altitude rapidly when you may not have it available. Particularly with you big guys *******************************************************

Apologies. You are correct. I dont know any of you personally, other than the SF guy who doesnt want his name used publically, but I have been aware of the local Norcal scene long enough to have picked up on some of the political/commercial/connections between a good number of the high profile Norcal crew. My not posting video keeps THEM off this object. Not whatever other persons are operating responsibly in the area. A true base jumpers reward is the jump itself, nothing else. Not making money from it. Not getting famous for it. If I dont know about you, its probably because youre the real thing...If you care about the local base scene, than thank you for that, very much. *****************************************************

My style of jumping is east coast. My mentors are all east coast. I jump Norcal in an east coast dead of night respect for object, respect for others, respect for object owners manner. The locals have their own way of jumping. I cant risk the other locals getting wind of what looks from a distance like a trashy jump, but what is a spectacular jump, hence Im protecting this object vigorously. The video gives some clues as to its whereabouts, if the locals learn where it is theyll be on it videoing themselves during the day, trumpeting what "rebels" they are, or trying to profit from film obtained from dayblazing it. The object can barely tolerate my presence...Hence no video. East coast friends of mine will see it. Ask them if its neato...The video does show the cop tailing me though, and shows the car running lights light up when I trip the remote, and the keys coming out of the visor when I get in. Awful lot of cop cursing though, so the video rating is pending... Anyway, its egotistical to post video. Im trying to grow up... ************************************************

Um. In the camera. Where else? *******************************************************

Well, actually, Tom. It will work off bridges. But only once. Only in Spain. And only if the bridge is Female. My, you are clever. Ive always been told the exact opposite... ********************************************************

Just got back from an urban solo tonight. Tried a new system of handling the "leave as soon as possible" protocol when not using a groundcrew in an urban setting. Most modern cars have remote keyless entry systems. i seperated this unit from my key-ring, hid my keys in the driver side sun visor, then connected the remote to a small aluminum carabiner key ring and hung it from the left side of the chest-strap. Was going to hang this from the left tersh loop, but couldnt get the tersh loop out enough from the webbing when fully geared up. Jumped, opened, landed near car, gathered up parachute in arms quickly, ran towards car tapping the unlock button of remote hanging from chest, opened door, threw parachute bundle to passenger seat, dropped keys from visor, and left. Although a police car acquired me less than 10 seconds after pulling out of parking lot and followed me closely for maybe a mile (didnt pull me over though , the system worked well for me. Have it on video (including cop car and cursing so Ill go view it now to see if its visibly faster. Sorry, no doubt others are using the same, but thought Id mention it... ************************************************

You need assistance in contracting pinkeye? Um... **********************************

Welcome to the Adventure. Youll do well at whatever you choose.

Well, ok chad. Its not as nice as the PT we did, but Ill come back through if its going to be bed and breakfast and jump ******************************

If anyone can explain why the NPS can impose fines of this size to me, Id be glad to hear it. With gear confiscation, and fine, and night in jail, and years federal probation, Im thinking drunken drivers get off easier. What the Fuck? Is the judge up there treating you like a criminal? Or is he kind of sheepish, like, sorry guys, rules say I gotta charge ya... ******************************************************

Hold me!!!

Do the rangers have the right to permanently confiscate your video equipment too? Or do you get the camera and film back? *****************************************