docjohn

No but he received the USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Achievement in 2002. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Wuffo's are interested in your skydiving for about a millisecond. Then they want to talk about their favorite subject.....themselves. So I just let them. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I'm still jumping a Sony PC-105. You can get them for under $200 if you can find one on eBay. Tempting to get a CX-100 but the learning curve in HD video editing is holding me back. One of these days I suppose........... Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I lost a close friend to a bag lock malfunction. His Cypress had just been mailed out for its maintenance so he jumped without it. Yeah, I know, shit happens but this was terribly ironic. I used to own 2 Cypress's. Now I own 2 Vigils. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

You can look at it as 'time honored traditions" but can also be called "old guys who are resistent to change". (I get to say this because I'm an 'old guy', USPA member for 34 years). I've often wondered why we don't change our name to USSA: United States Skydiving Association. I'm a skydiver, not a parachutist. I'd also be open to a more modern looking insignia. No disrespect to our founders. But its nice to keep up with the times. Just my "old guy" $ 0.02 (Now that I've hung my ass out in the wind, I'll put on my flame retardant suit) Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Stay in shape and stay current. I turned 56 this year and made 275 jumps last year. (Plus bicycling 1,000 to 2,000 miles each year. ) Thanks to an ACL tear this year, I'll be jumping in a knee brace from now on, but otherwise I have no intention of slowing down any time soon. You don't stop jumping because you get old.....you get old because you stop jumping. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

PC 105's are going for under $200 on eBay. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Yes, a rear floating vidiot can catch a drogue in the face. In fact I have a nice video of it happening to me rear floating on an Otter. Fortunately the drogue didn't catch on anything and the rest of the dive I'll post the video if I can find it. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

You cranked out 100 dives in your 1st 4 months! You rock buddy! Congrats! Keep it up!! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

What a great letter! Thanks for posting it Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Does anyone know what a caterpillar club pin looks like? I've been trying to find an authentic one for many years. There's many on eBay but I'm fairly certain that they not authentic. See attached photo which I think is a fake. Anyone know how to identify the real thing? Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I think its a very legit question. I'm going to my first tunnel in February (Denver) and didn't think about tipping (but I will now). I'd hate to give a guy a buck only to find out the traditional tip is $5 or $10. Lighten up, Bill! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Very nice photos. I just started jumping my Rebel XTI, haven't jumped it at night yet but I was wondering what settings to use when the time comes. Good job! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

My 1996 Javelin with about 1200 jumps on it now has a bad B-12 snap (see photo). Despite the gate problem, it doesn't look like it can accidentally come unhooked but I've grounded this rig until its fixed. So can just the gate be replaced or does the whole B-12 have to be replaced? Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I believe that the 'reserve pin' that you mention is the pin that is attached to the RSL lanyard. It does not and is not supposed to go through the reserve RC cable housing. The RSL reserve pin is routed through an eyelet on a terminal swage at the end of the reserve RC handle and then through the closing loop for the reserve container. The reserve RC with the terminal swage does pass through the housing, provided the RSL pin is not caught on the housing in a perpendicular fashion. IOW the RSL pin must clear the eyelet on the terminal swage in order to allow the reserve RC to be pulled through the housing. If the RSL pin does not clear the eyelet then a potential RC stop exists when the eyelet is pulled up to the entrance of the housing. . Correct! I had a cutaway with such a system and had the same result: ripcord wouldn't come out of the housing. I had the RSL disconnected (crw jump) so when I cutaway, pulling the reserve ripcord successfully pulled the pin but then the ripcord came to stop as it tried to pull the pin sideways through the cable housing (pin is attached to the RSL, not the ripcord). With this system, the reserve ripcord will come free only if the RSL pulls the pin (the RSL and pin stay attached to the cutaway main) . Without RSL activation, the reserve ripcord is trapped. I didn't realize that system was still around. Its a very unsettling feeling when your reserve ripcord encounters a stop. But by then the reserve container should already be open. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

It was Jimmy Davis. I don't know what DZ it was but he rode it out of a tailgate aircraft. Had a mal on the first attempt when a line snagged the handlebar. He eventually successfully landed it while it was still running, cutaway and kept riding. I have the video somewhere. Its an episode of that cheesy 1970's TV show called "That's Incredible!" If I can dig it up, I'll post a link to the video. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

What about the lifespan of miniDV tapes? I have miniDV tapes going back to 1999. Tranferring them to DVD would take 13 gigs per tape (hour long tapes, 3.6 MB per second) Thoughts? Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Thanks See you at 9:30 dzbum :) Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

No dropzone.com poker tonight? Thursdays just won't be the same...... :( dzbum Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

omg!!!! That was sooooooo COOL!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU John Storey and Joni for your great instruction! I'm ready for more! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I'm there. Look for DZbum Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I'll take you up on that offer! Thanks! I'll find you Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

Do you know if there will be anything for wingsuit wannabees? I'll be at Couch Freaks and would like to try a wing suit but would like some instruction. I hear that an Intro Suit would be the way to go but that Tony Suits won't be there. Any advice? I'll be there wednesday. Thanks! Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

I also suspect this is an auto focus issue. BTW, I've been using the sports mode on my Rebel XTI. This past weekend I switched to all manual settings: ISO 200 shutter 400 f stop: 10 (bright sunny day) (which is pretty much what the sports mode was choosing for me anyway) The results were very good so I also then went to auto focus and had excellent results. Its important on exit to keep to shutter release pressed down to allow time for focus. Next weekend I'll try same settings with ISO 100. my 0.02 Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

and of course, the Yo Mama's will be there. See you there!!!! (Anyone up for a high speed Sky Van pass?) Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video