signormeek

hi there - I just bought a CX 190, is this hypeyeD pro something that I can turn the camera on with to record? Does it include an led I can see to confirm its on record? I've just upgraded from a PC7 so I need lots of advice on how to get these dinky little cameras to work for me. I just spent hours grinding out my sidewinder helmet to make it fit, so I'm determined to see it through all advice welcomed on what I need to 1. switch it to record 2. see that it is recording 3. Take stills with it (can I do this whilst videoing?) will be greatly appreciated. I'll do the wide angle adaptation later BR mick

my first alti was a barigo - solid as a rock, and a good machine, until it fell out of my backpack when the zip broke, never did find it (mind you I was on my motorbike when it happened!) I bought a replacement (Barigo) and it was shit - nearly all plastic, and lasted about 20 jumps. I had just cleaned and resprayed the original one as well, it looked like it was new again.

Hitting Bermuda from any height is only a problem if you take liberties with the weather - or get out in the wrong place. I was bought up in the skydiving world without GPS and exit lights, so i am confident in my spotting. I managed to hit Caye Chapel off Belize plenty of times when I was out there and that is way smaller than Bermuda. The air traffic is the main issue, as I have no idea of how heavy it is or how intense. Its all academic if I cant find someone with a plane who wants to earn a little money.

Hi there - I'm trying to get hold of a guy who posts as Nemo (Finding Nemo????) as I'm going out to Bermuda to live for a few years If you're out their Nemo check your PMs and get in touch To everyone else, sorry to bother you and have a nice day.

As a UK TI what bothers me the most is that the issue (of hand-cams by the British Parachute association) was debated by 17 people on behalf of all of the people jumping in the UK - and I'll bet that some of them weren't TIs and that they simply reacted in typical fashion through ignorance. On a personal level I have no problem with doing it as its a CHEAP way of giving the customer a good reminder of what they have done - especially when you consider what my DZ charges for video/stills. For Video - or 35mm roll of film the punters have to pay the eqyuivalent of $160US. To have both costs $216US and then if they want it done on DVD they get to pay an additional $40US Can anyone top that for costs? The reason for this is that the video work is a concession that has to pay rent to the DZO plus increased slot prices etc and there is no competition As for the experience level required to do it - In UK where TIs have to have 800 jumps to get their licence that 100 tandems would be a minimum before doing it.

I have heard people say this about the HOP (the remark about it not handling turbulence well) and in my experience of jumping it I would say that it is no better or worse than any of the others that we have at the DZ I jump at. In fact - tell that DZ to send it to me - I'll put it to some good use for them! I have never had a problem with it - or turbulence that has given me any concern - other than noticing that I was in turbulent conditions. On that basis - I would rather jump it than all of the other canopies because as tandems go its like flying a stiletto and the landings are excellent - either a straight in flare and stand up approach or a 90 degree turn and a bit of a surf. Its not something I'd do with a "buffalo" sized passenger but good to do with the lighter ones. The HOP is manufactured by a company called JoJOWing, from the Czech republic http://www.jojowing.com/index.php If I had a complaint about it - it would be that because of its radical handling characteristics - if you get a mal on it, its like having one on any elliptical canopy, ie it winds up real fast and it means that you have to be sharp at dealing with it. Someone mentioned the issue of having spectralines on SET tandem canopies. Beside the issue of replacement line sets, if you get line tension knots they tend to get sawn off by the other lines... I had five lines look like they had been hot knifed on one opening, all cut clean through. regards Mick Cooper

Hi there, just to add in to the canopy debate. My DZ has HOPs, SETs, SIGMA's and BT 80s. and I would say that the HOP is by far and away the best of the lot. Not only do they give you brilliant openings (although they can take 1500' - but as long as you know its easy to get used to) and fly like sports canopies they cost next to nothing in comparison to other canopies. Only $2100 new. I was so impressed I bought one for my personal tandem gear. If you can get the chance to demo one I would definitely recommend that you make the effort.

Does anyone out there use U-Lead video studio 8 to edit DV recordings? I had one recently that I did for a friend and the result when I got it on DVD was that the picture looked great until the camera moved and then the image broke up into regular square shapes before settling back to a regular image of the subject - as the camera stayed still. Am I doing something wrong or was the camera at fault? It wasn't my camera (or tape) and other stuff I did came out fine. I was putting a friends videos onto a composite DVD for him. Any advice appreciated - advice about u-lead video editor that is!

I have been buying Teardrops since 1990 and have always been impressed with the build quality of all of the ones I have bought. The style of the container and the manufacturors refusal to stand still where innovation is concerned makes TSE the brand to buy. Coupled with the product is a superb customer relationship that can't be matched, Thomas Sports make you feel part of the family.