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I got mine on my 100th jump at Bridge Day in 1996 as the first jumper at the event after a few years of jumping. I'm still very proud of it. It was about the same level of difficulty as getting my Masters degree but not as difficult as getting my doctorate. It connects me in a way with my mentor Dead Steve Morrell (RIP), BASE 174, and other heros of the sport like BASE 1-4, BASE 36-38, and several others. The numbers are not just a US thing. They are going to a lot of non-US jumpers too. And they connect us to other jumpers from many different walks of life, like police officers, airline pilots, drug dealers, atomic scientists, astronauts, cosmonauts, plumbers, porn stars, etc. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

I would rather use a slider gate than a tailgate system. But I don't think either would be acceptable to an FAA examiner because it is not in the packing instructions. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Hey John, sorry I had to bow out. I blew out my knee last weekend. I think I'll be in surgery within the next week or two. Best of luck to you in your expedition. I will make it there within the next couple years. It's on my life list. Cheers! Chris Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

I would kill the guy who talks that smack to me! Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

This is soooo cool!!! If I can't buy one of these, I'll resort to making one! Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

I've jumped in winds in excess of 50mph from antennas. There are some key things to doing it safely... You are essentially launching into a relative wind, like on a skydive. If you do a short delay, your pilot chute will be caught by the wind and you will open in a downplane momentarily. I've had this happen with a 90 right and lost a lot of altitude in what amounted to a long arcing swoop. On a high jump, the relative wind at your back can pitch you headdown, similar to launching with your back to a prop blast. Knowing these issues beforehand and knowing how to recover is key to doing it safely. Winds down the wire are a different issue if the winds are very strong. On short delays, I wouldn't do it. On tall objects and a long delay, the wind will catch you and pitch you either 90 degrees perpendicular to the downwind wire direction or pitch you to orient with the wire. This requires actually flying your body to compensate. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

yeah, i was concerned about this too regarding the website rules and protocols. i thought the picture was pretty cool looking was the only reason i posted it. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

yes. it's meant to be disturbing. The choice was that creep or Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

The world's fastest elevator in the world's tallest building... Taipai is calling us... http://www.livescience.com/scienceoffiction/technovel_taipai101_050124.html Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

This is exactly correct. If I was cliff jumping all the time instead of antenna jumping, I would tune my brake settings. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Absolutely do not use microline on any base canopy!!! There is a specific reason they are never used on BASE specific canopies. Ideally you would to simulate the environment as much as possible so do not pursue this route. Microlines enhance asymmetries on inflation due to the lower elongation compared to that of dacron. This will result in severe off headings and line twists. Please refer to Todd Shoebothom at Apex BASE to reveal their testing on microlines. This lower elongation also overstresses the canopy substantially in the BASE environment. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

my deep brake settings seem to work consistently very well on every jump i do - very low, low, medium, high, and terminal. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Nick, we miss you and your stories. Start posting again! Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

That's hardcore. What a hot jumper babe! Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

IMHO, it's not your pilot chute, it is most likely your pilot chute packing method coupled with your spandex pouch and bridle orientation. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

When I landed in a tree and was chased by an alligator... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2050426#2050426 Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Go to the Consolidated Rigging Technical Library and start reading on canopy drills while on a skydive. Read, read, read... everything in the technical library. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

I saw a MIG-21 jet fighter ejection seat rig recently. To remedy the issue of the fabric sticking together in the huge variety of environments, they put talcon powder between the folds of the canopy. However, this seems too impractical for base jumping. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

the answer is yes. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

On some terminal jumps, a significant crosswind will act like a relative wind. Initially, the jumper will have to keep an active flat turn with the body to maintain a heading while transitioning to a track. I have had to do this on some towers with winds in excess of 50mph down the wire. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Good job. This is similar to a design used by accuracy jumpers in the late 70s and early 80s. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Thanks for the kind words Mr. 689. That trip was a lot of fun and it was a pleasure meeting you and the other Italians. I hope to get back there in the next year or two. Jumping with Space was also very cool. He's one of my heros. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

Is this a prison? Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

If Jimmy has been around since 1989, why does the number of years in sport say "15?" I made my first skydive at 19 in 1991 and my first base at 20 in 1992. Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174

The Bush administration is having a mass sell off of national forest land now. Everything must go, go, go!!! Buy your piece of Yosemite or Moab or New River or other jump sites while you can, I guess. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3651464.html Looks like a death sandwich without the bread - Steve Deadman Morrell, BASE 174