inkogneetow

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Posts posted by inkogneetow


  1. I know Brian Germain released a video of a very simple quick unbuckle device he made out of spectra I believe. I haven't heard anything else about it since so I don't know if it has proved to be a viable solution.

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WuqJV3eRH0g&list=PLAA7B03CA8C2DFDCA
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  2. inkogneetow

    ***"He" sure makes his DZ rounds...he's here, in Wisconsin, too !
    You don't even want to know how he recently got his Instructor's rating...same way his girl got her A, then B License & now going for Coach...scary :S



    He got it the same way most people get it, he worked for it. Come to think of it that's how his girl got her licenses and coach rating.

    I can't argue about him being "that guy" though.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  3. skygypsie

    "He" sure makes his DZ rounds...he's here, in Wisconsin, too !
    You don't even want to know how he recently got his Instructor's rating...same way his girl got her A, then B License & now going for Coach...scary :S



    He got it the same way most people get it, he worked for it. Come to think of it that's how his girl got her licenses and coach rating.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  4. Hahaha...um I guess it was. It was the one at the top of my screen so I assumed...shit! Made an ass out of myself again;)

    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  5. I'm pondering going from my XFire2 to a Katana but I was also thinking of possibly upsizing due to the fact that they don't glide nearly as flat. Does anyone know of a reason why I shouldn't?
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  6. When you pull on a control line (toggle/brake) you pull down just the tail of the canopy whereas when you pull on a rear riser you are pulling down all of your C and D lines on that side. Each one will affect the flight of the canopy in different ways. You may have gotten away with it on a large docile BASE canopy but you may not on a skydiving canopy. Better to just use rears.

    BASE jumping with under 300 jumps? I won't comment on that.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  7. Quote

    Saw a guy hook in a Pulse 150 on Tuesday and basically show his ass to all of the xfire / katana er al fliers (the pro guys training for Dubai gave him a look, too).

    As we walked through the crowd to packing he mumbled "talk to me when you're ready to dowsize.". Granted his daily wing is a sub 100 velo...but it was way impressive.



    I can hook turn my super flat flying Apache 150 in too but that doesn't mean I'm a great canopy pilot;)
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  8. I use power director 10. It's easy to use has lots of features including the ability to download sound files/music written specifically for the program, for free. One of the things I really like is that it renders video faster than the other editors I've seen. Output in several different formats or upload straight to Facebook or YouTube. I think I paid $80. I think v12 is the most recent. Never had a problem with it freezing or creating havoc with other programs. I think there are plug ins for music recording/editing programs too.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  9. Quote

    I bought a PEN E-PM1 last September/October right when they came out so I've had some time to figure out the quirks and here are my thoughts on it.


    Form Factor: Its form factor and weight are awesome compared with the standard Canon entry level DLSR that most skydivers use - you definitely notice the weight difference (I have a 4 year old canon). I have my E-PM1 mounted upside down on a carbon fiber plate that I mounted to my Cookie quick release plate - I'll try to get a picture or two posted and it makes for a very nice weight distribution with nothing to snag on the sides. The battery and card slot are on the bottom of the camera next to the tripod mount which would make it a bit of a pain for working photographer (I just jump for fun so it hasn't posed a problem) but I think you could probably make a cut or figure out a way to mount it that you could have easy access.

    Lens - The 14-42 kit lens is ok - but it is very cheap feeling and it extends out rather far when its at 14 mm - I haven't jumped it and don't ever intend to. I bought a Panasonic 14mm Prime and it makes the whole package very small and light weight and the panasonic feels much more solid. The 14mm on a 2x crop factor give you a 28 mm field of view which is wide enough for most stuff - if not they do make a couple of fish eyes.

    OS - I'm not a big fan of the menus and OS of the camera - there are some quirks that annoy me, but I've pretty much just got it set up how I want and then leave it and shoot so I don't really mess with it too much.

    Continuous speed/Photo quality - The continuous speed is up to par with most DSLRs and I've had very few issues with it. I get one or 2 more out of focus shots then I do with my canon, but it also fires a bit faster (and I think it may be user error more than anything else). The photo quality is good - not as good as a brand new DSLR, but definetly comparable to one a couple of years old - if you are upgrading you wouldn't notice a difference or it would be better.

    Down side. The only downside so far is the camera trigger port - it is not designed for Skydiving at all. It uses a proprietary olypmus connector. I managed to use a cheap adapter cord and a 2.5mm female to female connector to get my standard mouth switch to work so that wasn't a big issue, but the connector itself just isn't in there very solid and has started to come out midway through jumps. If they made a right angle connector you could tape it in, but I haven't been able to find any. I'm still working a solution for this, if I find anything I'll update.

    Recommendations: The Olympus PEN E-PM1 makes for an pretty good skydiving camera. I however would go with the Panasonic GX1. It is slightly heavier, and slightly bigger, but not by much. It has better sensor, but the biggest advantage is that it has a 2.5mm remote switch port. Cost can be mitigated as well - the GX1 is more expensive, but if you buy just the body and the 14mm Panasonic lens you will only spend maybe 50 to $100 more than if you bought the E-PM1 and the 14mm Lens. I'm going to try and get one in the next month or so to test out.

    I hope that helps out - Let me know what other questions you have.

    James



    How did the GX1 fair for a sky cam? I bought one due to the fact it had the 2.5mm port for a switch. Also picked up the 20mm prime lens since it has a larger aperture and would be nice for non skydiving photos. I found out after the fact that the jack is different and I will have to cut the jack off a wired remote and solder it onto the bite switch (not a big deal). I picked up a remote switch off amazon for about $4. It sounded like a better deal than the adapter sold by hypoxic for $40.

    I have taken quite a few photos to get to know the camera a bit. I don't know much about photography but am impressed with the photo quality. I haven't been able to get it in the air yet due to lack of proper camera helmet. In your opinion is that 20mm going to be wide enough for skydiving or should I get the 14mm as well? Have any recommendations for a specific setup or helmet? I'm from a small dz with a limited amount of professional experience to draw from.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  10. Quote

    I recommend avoiding the Brand X bag from square 1 (the second link). It just falls apart. Mine lasted less than 6 months before I had a major repair done. First repair also failed about a year later so I had a whole second piece of fabric sewn across the entire top for reinforcing and thats been holding well for about 1.5 years now. Only plus is the outer pocket for a jumpsuit and the log book pocket.

    The square 1 helmet bag works great for my factory diver and I throw my audible and alti in there too.



    AGREED! I have patched mine several times due to the poor quality china made cordura fabric. On to the next.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  11. I have owned a contour+ since they were released. I always film in 720p @ 60fps. I love the image this camera produces and most people who see the video comment on how sharp the video is in comparison to the hero2. The wifi feature isn't nearly as good IMO. I didn't even use it much and it eventually quit working. I originally had the contour GPS but due to unresolved firmware issues contour offered a trade up to the + when it was released. It seems firmware is the weak part of the company. Every couple weeks I have to reformat my sd card as well.

    I ordered the Sony because of the promise of better low light video and 120 fps. It has the same image sensor as the cx100-150. I have not been impressed with it so far. I think the lens in th WP case is the issue there. I have not used it without the case yet. I also don't like the Added bulk of the case and that it cannot be mounted to the side of my helmet without the use of an L bracket and cannot be mounted on its side since the lens won't rotate. Also I was not able to get it to play 120fps smoothly at normal speed even with a high performance computer. Possibly an issue with the video editing software I use. Also no audio can be recorded @ 60 or 120fps which isn't necessary for freefall video but under canopy and ground footage it's a nice feature.

    Bottom line: I'll keep all that I have for foot cam chest cam etc but will probably opt for the newly released hero3.

    Just my opinion
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  12. I went to Ben Franklin and bought a $2 metal crochet hook. (Plastic ones may have burrs on the mold parting line) Push it down through the elastic fold excess brake line and pull through with hook. Line is still held securely in place and I've never had a problem with the line not coming out smoothly or coming out early. I used to use a power tool but it took longer. A friend showed me this so I can't take credit for it. Thanks Deaner!
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  13. It depends on how heavily you load the canopy too. Things just happen faster with a higher WL no matter what the canopy is but they also happen faster with an elliptical. I fly a xfire2 139 @ 1.5 I've had off heading openings up to 180 but at my WL it is SLIGHTLY forgiving. The xfire2 comes with vectran lines so it will not go out of trim. I believe the KA's have spectra which will go out of trim. Something not always considered is twists in the brake lines. Make sure you get them out after EVERY jump. It only takes 4 twists to shorten a line 1/4" which will considerably affect openings. They also develop a memory so the longer you leave them the more they will want to twist back up especially with spectra. Just be smart about things and have some respect for how fast things will happen and be ready to react quickly and appropriately. Have fun and remember, a correctly executed 90 will kick the shit out of an incorrect 360 every time!!
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  14. Quote

    Quote

    Quote

    Did you ask for the pocket or is PF doing that standard now?


    I didn't ask. So I think it's standard now. :)First time I've seen it in a PF suit.


    I got it on my Ghost 3, standard. I wish it was a zipper. Then again, I appreciate having something instead of nothing.


    A few staples in mine seem to hold pretty well;) of course then you run into the problem of where to keep the stapler.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  15. I can tell you first hand, as can everyone on the plane at the time, that the release of expanded gas into the WS tend to stay in the WS. Sorry Simon & Priscilla that it had to be one of yours:P

    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  16. Just my $.02 but I learned on a T bird then went to an R bird after about 10-15 jumps. The R was VERY tiring compared to the T and therefore I saw a serious loss of performance. Don't know if this even pertains in your case but there it is.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  17. I never thought that I could feel the line coming out of the stows on a regular bag until I jumped a semi stowless. It was so smooth I thought something was wrong. I have a semi stowless bag from UPT and I love it. I use it on wingsuit and regular jumps. Very clean openings with no bag rock. I jump a wings and measured my container and stock bag then called UPT and they sent me the closest bag they make. This is the second rig I've done this with and had zero problems. I do not like the magnetic "party bags" as they could snag on something and cause an out of sequence deployment. I know a few people with the magnetic ones and they have never had a problem but the potential still exists in the ones I've seen. I do not have the wingsuit mod but the corners on a wings are only sewed about halfway so it's like a semi wingsuit mod.;) Hope this helps.

    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  18. Probably been asked but I couldn't find anything on it.

    Does anyone know of a compact camera with a 2.5mm jack for bite/tongue switch? I've seen the how to article about adding one to a Sony NEX 5/7 but I'm not that confident with my electronics skills. I've also seen one from Olympus but it is a USB connection and I don't know of any compatible mouth switches.

    I'm looking for something that will produce higher quality photos than a gopro/contour especially in low light.

    Any help is appreciated.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  19. I have an Apache 150 and I love it! It opens and flies like a dream. Very fun and snappy precise turns with a very nice smooth toggle feel. Glides quite flat so long spots are not a problem. Landings are fun and very controllable. Great flare similar to a sabre 2. It actually flies more like a stilleto than a sabre 2 but don't let that alarm you. Openings are very similar to a Safire 2. I CANNOT get this canopy to twist up. The most I've gotten is about 1/2 twist and then it flies itself out of the twist. I have about 150 jumps on mine including about 25 wingsuit jumps. IMO you can't go wrong with an Apache. You can fly it tame or you can do some really aggressive flying and it does both equally well. I'm even learning the basics of swooping on it. It has a short recovery arc and is very forgiving. Also slow flight in deep brakes is VERY stable unlike my pilots.

    Terry Pike is an amazing guy and will take care of you even with a used canopy. The first one I got was used and he was more than happy to spend about 1 1/2 hrs on the phone answering about 150 silly questions from me. He also gave me a hell of a deal on a new one with custom colors and I had it in my hands 2 weeks from when I ordered it.

    In short
    BUY IT!
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  20. I can't really give you a comparison but I just upgraded from the Havok to the REvolve. I use the flip up face because I wear glasses. The REvolve is super comfy and Bonehead will send you shims to make it fit better if you aren't happy the way it is. Customer service is second to none. If you aren't happy with the product they will do everything they can to fix it and if they can't fix it they will give you a speedy refund. Give them a call and they will be happy to explain it.
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley

  21. Quote

    I have been looking for an open face for sit flying since my havok tends to scoop a lot of air and rattle a bit. I am happy that I won't have to find extra room for a second brain bucket in my gear tote. Just ordered mine yesterday under the trade in program. Just wondering what the current delivery time is. Also like most everyone else I am waiting for a gopro mount. Any progress with the engineering?

    Holding my breath...



    I called Bonehead a couple days after ordering and, as I thought, they were backlogged and said that it would be 4-6 wks for delivery. You can imagine my surprise when I received an email with tracking number the next day (or two days later(crappy memory))!

    FedEx delivered it today! I took it out of the packaging and began to inspect. Flawless! There are so many improvements over the Havok.

    The first thing I noticed was the shell size. The Havok is a one shell for all sizes so it seemd rather large on me since I have a medium sized head. The REvolve, from what I am told comes in 4 shell sizes so it is much more low profile that the Havok. Mine came with extra liner inserts for all 3 pads. I tried it on and it felt a little loose on top of mu dome so I added the extra pad and it fit perfectly. My head measures the (22 1/2 inch if I remember correctly) max for the medium but head shape always a factor.

    Audible ports are accessed through flaps so no need to pull out liner for insertion/removal. Threw in my soloII and tried it on again. No problems. Can hardly tell it's there.

    Ladder strap is different than the old one and seems to have a stronger spring so the shield stays up with somewhat quick head movements. The Havok shield would tend to lower a few clicks when doing this.

    As far as the GoPro is concerned, I can't seem to find a place to mount it where it can be used with shield in any position, without making a large snag point on the side of the helmet. The best option I was able to come up with is attaching it where the ladder strap lock is screwed to the face shield. It would be slightly forward of the lock mechanism to leave room for operation of the latch but the camera would not be facing forward with shield up. I'm thinking I will probably go with a Drift and save the GoPro for other uses.

    The Havok was an innovation in the world of skydiving helmets and I loved it for what it was. The REvolve is the answer to most, if not all, of the issues that were found with that helmet over the years. Can't wait to jump it!

    Great Job Bonehead!
    "If I can't be my own, I'll feel better dead." Layne Staley