DSE

No single element lens are considered as zoom-thru lenses. You can zoom, but the backfocus won't work. In other words, you can zoom through both single element lenses, but the focus point will be different at every point in the zoom.

On what camera are you using the Raynox? The width of the camera's wide angle should help you determine which lens to purchase. The 10/22 is likely your best bet, but info on your camcorder will help determine best/full/matching width between camcorder and still cam.

Congrats! Didja get your trigger sorted out, or are you buying one of Laszlo's/The ProShop switches?

thank you for that link, I was unaware of this particular mount.

That wouldn't have helped me with my problem, the silicone ring on my Altitrack didn't last so long. Protrack survived a 13,000 fall when my helmet wasn't properly fastened though. Skydivers are tough on gear. L&B provides awesome service and a great product.

For clarity, I have not blocked you from sending messages. I've blocked my email account from receiving your messages. I only have so much tolerance for unsolicited BS. If Skyride have "no problem refunding those customers" I'm not clear on why our local station has twice been out to do stories on Skyride and fraud, or why the local consumer advocate (as interviewed on television) had issues as well. Strange, the other television stations that have aired Skyride complaints have had the same experience. Look, the subject has been hashed to death. If Skyride was a legitimate broker then we'd not see the dozen-plus active threads on Skyride, we'd not see the State of Georgia, State of Utah, Skydive Arizona, and others going after them. We'd not see skydivers having this level of discussion. Until I see Skyride (as one small token) take down their Utah websites, I'll see Skyride and their representatives for what they are. Until then....Get their names from the news stories.

Right. So when Skyride sells a voucher into Utah, where we are, there are no DZ's that accept Skyride vouchers in our state. Nearest Skyride-accepting DZ is over 400 miles away. UtahSkydiving--Skyride website Skydiving Utah--Skyride website The student gets screwed when they show up at our DZ with a Skyride coupon and find that we wont' honor it. The DZ gets screwed because in the spirit of being decent, we end up spending half an hour with the crying victim who has two Skyride vouchers for skydiving in Utah, but she can't find a DZ where they can be redeemed. Then we got triple-screwed in one instance, because the purchaser of the vouchers called the police, and then a television station. So we have to spend time with the police and with the television reporter. Who didn't get screwed? Skyride. They have 500.00 of someone else' money for a jump that won't happen, and won't be refunded until the television station attacks them, and even then it's a "best hope" case. Do you suppose those victims have a positive opinion of skydiving now?

Bill, based on your comment above; I'm currently flying a Silhouette 170 and 190. Was considering a Stiletto 170. I've ordered a demo, but in the meantime, what differences should I be anticipating?

Very liberal compared to EU, according to websites talking about the shooting. Half of the country owns firearms.

And from 2006: · USPA Nationals Concludes at Skydive Arizona (updated 10/30/06) · Sanders Receives Gold Medal for Meritorious Service (10/02/06) · Skydivers Over Sixty Members Set New SOS Record (09/18/06) · Team Clean Air Establishes New Record (09/07/06) · U.S. Canopy Piloting Nationals (09/06/06) · World Canopy Piloting Championships Complete (08/28/06) · World Meets End in Russia (updated 08/18/06) · U.S. Wins World Meet (08/11/06) · Parachutes Still OK for U.S. Travel (08/10/06) · Older Jump Planes in FAA’s Sights (03/28/06) · Winter Board Meeting Completes (02/19/06) · World Team 2006 Claims New World Record (02/08/06) · IPC Meeting Completes (02/03/06) · FAA Rules in Skydiving’s Favor (01/25/06) · USPA Prepares for New Skydiving Records Program (01/20/06) · Canada to Host Para-Ski Championships (01/19/06) · USPA Comments Alter Caravan AD (01/12/06) · Collegiate Championships Complete (01/03/06) And from 2005: · The Canopy Piloting Nationals (12/26/05) · USPA Seeks U.S. Team Managers (11/17/05) · New CF World Record Completes (11/29/05) · World Cups Complete at Skydive Arizona (10/28/05) · Skydivers Should Oppose ADIZ (10/21/05) · Women Claim New World Record (10/03/05) · Moledzki Sets New Canopy Swoop Record (09/16/05) · USPA Nationals at Perris Valley Skydiving (09/12/05) · Ian Bobo Wins World Cup of Canopy Piloting (08/30/05) · USPA Opposed to Caravan Icing Equipment (08/10/05) · Judges Training at Nationals (07/27/05) · Drop Zone Claims Tandem Record (07/20/05) · U.S. Wins Four World Games Medals (07/18/05) · Freeflyers Claim Head-Down Record (05/03/05) · Tagle Claims Distance Record (05/03/05) · USPA Skydiver's Competition Manual Revised (05/09/05) · 60-Somethings Set Record (03/21/05) · Canopy Piloting World Cup Completes in Florida (02/12/05) · TSA Changes Waiver Process (02/01/05) In other words, look at news from USPA vs BPA in an identical timeframe. As far as the photo; Gee...the US Government accidentally shot the wrong side of Niagra Falls (the Canadian side) for a production promoting the US and tourism. Does that mean the US Government hates America? You see what you want to see, particularly when you've got a bone.

Then the USPA needs to change the D license exam, and need to change the SIM. From the SIM [edited to add] the links are to the Glossary in the 2007 SIM. I haven't read the competition manual, as I'm not a competitor. The D license exam also offers the relevant question. Either way, if the SIM is wrong, so am I.

so when you see someone engaging in potentially unsafe behavior that not only affects them, but potentially affects others, you should STFU? "Because it's gonna happen anyway...?" Is that what you're advocating? IMO, the world falls to shit when you become silent about that which matters. Chris seems to be gathering input, still making decisions, still considering. If he didn't have questions, he wouldn't have posted, unless he's got a seriously damaged ego.

No argument there.

Really? How so? Things that used to require a D now require a C/200 jumps. IE, 30k jumps at Davis. AFF is still 6 hours of freefall, isn't it? In other words, the requirement is 200 jumps, which used to be a D, but now is a C. However, a D license is required to participate in USPA competions, Tandem Rating, Pro Rating, in addition to other ratings. I'm not clear on how the D license lost "much of it's purpose" when it changed from 200 jumps to 500. If nothing else, didn't it gain purpose?

Really? How so?

Better watch out...get on the wrong side of Kolla, I'll bet she can kick your ass. She may be a small package, but so is dynamite.

Apparently you didn't get my meaning. The cork helps hold the camera in place so it doesn't shift around on the top of the helmet. You'll still need to drill a hole in the helmet for the thumbscrew to pass through. Hopefully you'll figure out that you want a fender washer inside the helmet to distribute some of the weight/angle from the camera/screw passing through the helmet and into the camcorder.

Another school shooting has occurred, this one in Finland. 7 dead thus far. The shooter posted a warning on YouTube yesterday.

Or purchase a thin sheet of cork and glue it down. Might cost all of .99.

So does my DZ. I read the entire thread, and I was talking exactly about the kind of DZ that wants sellers to bear responsibility for the accident, but not the DZ for selling jump tickets to the hotshot. So yeah, the jumper gets PO'd and goes away when/if he gets grounded. I say, good riddance. The loss of income for the DZ should be less than the repercussions of an accident, right? Furthermore, you'd protect your other jumpers from having to watch someone burn in. But that's not the issue. A lot of people say that regulations are not the key to protecting hotshots from themselves. The thread DSE provided indicates that better training might be. While I agree that training is a better indicator to determine someones suitability for a canopy than absolute jump numbers are, it is also a lot more difficult to measure / enforce. Somewhere in there, the additional point is that our DZO/manifest won't sell jump tix to the person jumping a canopy believed to be beyond their ability. One case in point, a guy who had done AFF at our DZ disappeared for a while, showed up at 100 jumps with a 135, I can't recall which make, and DZO wouldn't let him jump. He jumped one day on a rental rig, went elsewhere, and broke his leg at another DZ. No matter how few DZ's won't sell a jump ticket to that guy, there is always a DZ that will.

I'm the only one at our DZ using Vegas Pro 8. Everyone else is using Vegas Platinum, and doing just fine. Vegas Pro 8 has one advantage-scripting. At some point, I'll probably release the scripting tool I use for tandem vids; it really speeds the workflow for me, but it's not AT ALL necessary. Platinum should serve you just fine. Keep in mind that Platinum projects can be opened in Vegas Pro should you ever decide to go there.

Why doesn't the DZ management take a hand if people need to be protected from themselves? I keep wondering this time and again. As to the "old and wise enough"-argument.. apparently they're not. Our DZO does. More than one fun jumper has gone to a competing DZ because they haven't been allowed to jump a canopy or wear a wingsuit. In this thread folks discuss a letter he sent to Parachutist suggesting that someone who sells someone a canopy for which they are not qualified, should bear some of the responsibility for what happens (if it ever does) to the buyer.

I love my Talon FX so much, I'm ordering another. DZO and one of the AFFI's liked my FX so much, they ordered one. DZO's came the other day, it's so comfortable, it's got everyone wanting one. AFFI has two Voodoos currently. I know RI doesn't have the cachet for some that other rigs seem to have, but thrilled with mine.

*sometimes* you can insert a small screw into the hole, and thread it into the hollow of the TRS plug that's stuck. If the tongue on the camera connector is jammed against the tip or rings of the plug, this may not work for you.