AndyMan

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Everything posted by AndyMan

  1. AndyMan
    I want to sew some kneepads into my jumpsuit. Does anyone know of some padding I can get at a typical craft store? Does Paragear have something better? _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  2. AndyMan
    The training at both Chicagoland Skydiving Center and Skydive Chicago are both very good. I really don't know anything about the student program at Skydive Midwest. Many people comment that CSC has a smaller, more intimate feel than SDC. I prefer CSC for this reason. Students who've jumped at both places tell me that at CSC they form a better relationship with their instructor, while at SDC they sometime feel like just a ball bounced back and forth between different instructors. Of course, your mileage may vary. You can't go wrong at either place, and will get good instruction at both. Both DZ's have top-of the line, new gear. Here on DZ.com, CSC has more positive ratings than any other dropzone. http://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/North_America/United_States/Illinois/index.html.. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  3. AndyMan
    The important question: Is CSPA a member of the the FAI? If so, then a CSPA COP holder should not have any difficulty jumping in the states, or anywhere else for that matter. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  4. AndyMan
    I don't think there's any need to tape down the flash. I use my built in flash in marginal light pretty often. It can be a life saver at dusk. The only downside to allowing the flash to pop up is that it'll slow your shutter speed to a max of 200, which may result in a bit of blur around the edges of flapping jumpsuits. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  5. AndyMan
    My local photography store (Helix) was more than happy to clean my camera for me, for free. You can seriously damage your camera, so if you do it yourself - be careful and follow the directions. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  6. AndyMan
    Oh good. I had a Tempo 210 in mine.
  7. AndyMan
    I had a Triathlon 190 in a J3 for many many jumps. Unlike the others, I really didn't have any difficulty packing it. I found it quite easy, actually... _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  8. AndyMan
    My Hybrid Highlander is limited to 112. It's odd that they'd pick a different number. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  9. AndyMan
    Can you record HD video to a standard DVD without down-converting? IE, can most standard DVD payers play HD content? _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  10. AndyMan
    In 7 years of living in my neighborhood, I've never lost power. I do not have a home UPS. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  11. AndyMan
    Personally? If I'm creating a video I'll use Premiere. My DZ's tandem operation uses an analog board. Most often I'm doing 4way video, which means I'm just dubbing down to a DVD recorder. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  12. AndyMan
    I'm more than happy to let other people give away their photos. I don't. I get some flak for it, sometimes. People complain when I charge for my prints when others at the DZ hand out 8X10's for free. The complaints don't really bother me - I'm more than happy to pull on my RW suit if nobody wants to buy my photos. Not only are those electronics expensive, but they're also quite heavy, so I'm happy to leave them on the ground. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  13. AndyMan
    I know Chicagoland Skydiving Center does not require an AAD. I don't think Skydive Chicago does, either. __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  14. AndyMan
    I haven't. I'm think the combination of a cloudy day and a slow shutter setting made some people in the group think it looked different, which led them to think something was wrong. The DVD plays at the same speed as the camera. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  15. AndyMan
    How slow on the shutter speed can you really go? I was guessing I shouldn't go any slower than 60 ? 2.8 was my largest aperture. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  16. AndyMan
    I tried my first attempt at serious low light photography last weekend. I was chasing a night CRW team, they had lights illuminating their canopies. I shot ISO 1600, 1/60th and F2.8 @ 24mm on my Digital Rebel. Predictably, the images were very grainy, but still darker than I would have liked. I did not use a flash because I wanted to see the canopy illumination. http://www.windycityskydivingteam.com/pics/29.jpg http://www.windycityskydivingteam.com/pics/27.jpg How do people deal with exceedingly crappy lighting conditions and still get good shots without a flash? I'm thinking as example, a shot in the Bombshelter in Perris illuminated only by glowsticks. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  17. AndyMan
    I have an odd question. Recently my 4way team came to me complaining that the DVD's I made of their practice sessions were "too fast". They said it seemed like it was in fast forward. At first, I just thought they were joking, because they've improved tremendously over the last month or so, and I figure they really are "that fast". They insisted they weren't joking, though... They say the DVD's are about 10-20% faster than they should be. When I watch the DVD I see about what I remember seeing when I shot it. To me, they really are "that fast". I burned the DVD using a consumer grade DVD recorder, connected via firewire to my PC-1000. First, does this make any sense at all? Is it likely a PC1000 connected via firewire to a DVD recorder would produce a DVD that plays 10% too fast? Second, is there any way to verify this other than showing the DVD and my camera side by side? Is there a timecode burried on the DVD somewhere? Thanks, _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  18. AndyMan
    My first "downsize" was not the canopy I bought. I initially trained on a 280. My first downsize was to a 260. My second downsize was to a 240. My third downsize was to a 220. Get it? The first canopy I bought was a 190 Triathlon. The size isn't all that meaningful, the important part is the wingloading. Wing loading = your body weight + clothes + gear / canopy size. A good wing loading for your first canopy is around 1.0. Many people buy their first canopy at 1.1. My Triathlon was loaded at 1.2, which many people consider pretty aggressive for a first canopy. It worked well for me, and I kept it for around 300 jumps. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  19. AndyMan
    Introducing CSC Rhythm. JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz, Laurent Beaudoin, Robert Chromy, and yours truly. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  20. AndyMan
    Students should be trained on gear that is functionally identical to gear they will purchase later. The only difference should Student vs Expert AAD, and canopy size. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  21. AndyMan
    I often get well over 100 mpg in my mid-size SUV. I know this because the dash meter maxes out at 99.9. How do I do this? By going down a hill, or taking my foot off the gas. Max mileage is meaningless. In other news, I'm also averaging 30 MPG in my full-size SUV. How? It's a Hybrid Highlander. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  22. AndyMan
    Congratulations! Welcome to the club. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  23. AndyMan
    I understand there was a time back in the dark ages when manufacturers wouldn't sell a tandem rig, they'd only lease them. I may be wrong here, but I think this is where the 'confiscate' thing came from. They'd just end the lease if they didn't like the instructor. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  24. AndyMan
    I do not. 3 years ago, the leading cause of death was from people hooking it in. The industry dealt with that problem through education, not regulation. The result was that last year had the fewest fatalities in recent history, both internationally and in the US. This year a new problem is surfacing. Education will be more productive than regulation. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.
  25. AndyMan
    I stand corrected on the 100 jump thing. PD says there's noticeable wear after 20-30 jumps, and serious degradation by "several hundred". http://www.performancedesigns.com/faq.asp#15. I suspect there are very few out there that do not fit this criteria. Unless the original poster has found one in pristine condition, a used Triathlon, Spectre, Hornet, Safire, Saber 2, Sillouette, or even a ZP Manta is probably a better choice. There are many affordable ones in good shape for people on a low budget. _Am __ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.