Zlew

That is the plan. My gym is in the same parking lot as Best Buy, and I couldn't resist at least going in to take a look and get my hands on the cameras. I may need to research wide angles now. I have a .6x sony wide angle from my PC5 that worked great...but not sure how it will do on this camera.

Hey folks! I am getting back in the game, and am looking to upgrade my camera gear. I am looking at the cx150, and went to check them out today at Best Buy. I didn't notice a way to set it for manual focus (or infinity focus). Is there a way to do this on these cameras, or will the auto focus always be on? I used to hate auto focus because of the seeking the auto focus would always do between the horizon/ground and whatever you were shooting in freefall. The blurring in and out of focus drives me crazy. I used to always use manual focus, and tape my focus ring back to "infinity". What is the current procedure?

Just got it in the mail today. Not only was the free clip in there, they also gave me a free set of replacement batteries. Their service and customer retention policy is world class.

I was happy to get mine out of the way (had over 700 jumps for my first). What I really liked about it, was how calm and automatic it was. There wasn't an "oh shit!" moment. It was very methodical, logical, and training kicked it. I looked up, and it was clear I didn't have a landable wing (spinetto in a hard spin with lots-o-twists). It was like first jump course kicked in: is it square stable and steerable? Nope execute emergency procedures- and the next thing I knew I had a pretty white 7 cell above my head. No fear, panic, high heart rate, or even time to think about it. Not trying to be macho at all, just saying that I thought it was cool that those thousands of times I had gone through that procedure in my head...on the ground... on the way up... paid off so well.

An An-2?

They are a lot of fun, but they are also risky in a lot of ways. If you are ok with that... then go for it. My first attempt I learned some of the risks the hard way, and was lucky that I didn't get hurt. Cliff's notes version: On opening shock I was gone. There was no time for trying to hold on tighter or differently...one second I was there, the next I was 10 feet below. Lessons learned: I lost a shoe, so did the other guy. If my head would have hit his knee (even with a helmet) I would have been in bad shape. If my arms or hands had been in the lift webs, or chest strap I think I would have dislocated and or broken them. They are a blast when they work, but there are lots of risks and things that can go bad quickly.

I was going to order a new mounting clip for an old ProDyter and saw it had a price of $0 on their webpage. I sent them an e-mail asking if they were still available, and they wrote back with "send us your address and we will mail you one for free today". Customer for life as well. Z

Sounds like you are on the right track. I had the same problem. I used hot glue to fill in the button and keep it from moving. I always activate the camera from the camera itself through the d-box (cameye2, but I think the function is similar).

Douva: You did some risky and bold stuff, but it was at least calculated. I think most of us who have spent time in this sport for a while get to the point where we look back and think....man, I'm not sure I'd do that again knowing what I know now.... Hell, I was right there with you on our night, no moon cross country in the black abyss that are the hundreds of square miles of plowed cotton fields outside of midland. Jumping old rounds, crazy night jumps and cross countries were risky...but nothing compared to not even being skilled enough to fall stable, and doing a night, 130 foot base jump at less than 20 jumps. Z

I want to say his name was Matt. Everyone called him Hyperboy. He had less than thirty skydives at the time. It was November of 1998. A week prior to Hyperboy's jump, a group of us had met a Norwegian BASE jumper named Petter at the PD Free For All at Skydive Texas. Petter developed something of a crush on the female president of the Texas Tech skydiving club, so he came and spent a week in Lubbock, the flattest city on the planet, where he proceeded to jump off of or try to jump off of every object over one hundred feet tall. He then allowed a (probably less-than-sober) twenty-five jump wonder to jump one of his BASE rigs (direct bag assist) off a one hundred thirty foot grain silo. From what I recall of the video the hobbled Hyperboy was carrying around with him the following Sunday, he hit about a second after his canopy inflated. He had a broken foot, which had yet to be attended to by a doctor, but boy was he proud of that video. I think that may have been Hyperboy's last jump. I don't think I ever saw him again after that weekend. ________________________________ That's HIM! Bwa-hahahahaha... Every time I think of that, I can't help but laugh. Thanks for that in-put. You're right, about him being proud of that video. He thought he was a real bad-ass, after that. He was a funny ol' kid. I used to get a kick out of watching him around the DZ. He just couldn't quite get the hang of packing a Manta. As I recall, didn't he always get the short end of the stick when it came to the 'club's' jump money? Seems like, there were two in particular who would jump their butts-off and ol' 'Hyper-Boy', got what, if any, was left. I kind of felt sorry for him. Chuck Chuck: He was a fun kid to be around only because he was an idiot. He would have jumped without a rig if we dared him to. not even 20 jumps, doing a low alt. d-bag base jump at night... he's lucky that a broken ankle/foot was all he got. That could have gone real bad, and Peter should have been kicked in the sack for putting the dumb sob up to it. There was no "club money" that purchased any jumps. We all paid for our own jumps. I'm not sure what ever happend to him, but unless he got smart, he'd be lucky to be alive. To the origional subject: What to do in lubbock. Go to the depot. If you are there on closer to the weekend go get some Ellis!!!! Best drunk food ever. http://www.zlew.net/thoughts/?p=18 http://www.zlew.net/thoughts/?p=180 There are plenty of bars and clubs around. Tues. night is slow in any town, but there are always things to do. Zach

Hello boys and girls. I'm trying to track down some old Skydive Texas folks. If you were a SkyTex regular or know one, please have them e-mail me at Zach@zlew.net . Thanks Zach

I didn't say it was the reason we have it. The fact is that we have a sewage system for sanitary reasons, but western culture moves the restroom to a closed off area for social reasons. Why don't u see a crapper in the middle of a meeting room or out in the open? not only are they in sepearate rooms, but are sectioned off so that when more than one person is in there, it is still a priavate matter. It doesn't bother me if a mother tactfully feeds her baby in public. More and more you see people who seem to do it for the attention and shock factor. Changing a baby is a natural and needed thing, but I don't want to see you do it while I eat, nor do I want to see you rip your top off and feed your baby (both brests exposed with your shirt around your neck as this thread started). Like i said, it can be done in a way that's coverd up or at least discreat. Z

I dont know. yes it's natrual and we've done it since the begining of time...but the western world has progressed, and some things stay out of the headlights... I'm not going to get gross here, but there are lots of things that are natural and that we all do...and has been donce since the start of time that we don't want to see in public (enter the restroom). i think it can be done well in such a way that isn't bothersome. Having both brests exposed with your shirt aroudn your neck might not be as "proper" as being somewhat covered with a blanket or other shirt. z

i do'nt follow this board enough to know what everybody around her calls you or thinks of you. but i still think it's porn have a good Wens. Z

well said

i figured as much.... 4.8 ghz of processign power at 60%....must just be that bible study program u have in the background with all those Hyms and video's of....nevermind Z

Must be the downloads u have running (porn?) I have a single 2.4 P4 with 1 gig, and was only at about 20% (with a game running in the background) Z

Imagine a Carabou with turbine engines on it. Not exactly the same...but real close Z

We Killed JFK. We're also the reason that everybody thinks Texas still has dirt roads, everybody in cowboy hats, and horses everywhere (show Dallas). Z

206 isn't a radial.... looks like a 165 or 195

man its hard to see pics like that. I shot about 400 video's from that plane and must have 100 puls video jumps with that same image in the back ground. With out the wide angle u can see the pilots face.... such a cool place to be. Tandems usually didn't even know the plane was there. In the old days the pilots would stay with you for a large part of the jump. In the last few years it's just 10 sec's or so. Gunna miss that bird Z

thought you might like it. was the most up to date pic I could find. I spent 7 hours in that plane for the world record (something like 150 takeoff's and landings). Did my first jump out of it. Was on the last load (of paying jumprs anyway). Z

Skydive Texas Porter. World Record Holder for most take off's and landings in 24 hours. Only one of it's kind with that engine in it. 12 mins to alt. Lands before the jumpers do... BAD ASS plane.

He didn't say similaraties. And the comparision was made of two things that are pretty far away from being "alike".

With the exception of Cali, some might say, the US isn't a socialist state. Retirement housing isn't something that is a condition of beinga tax payer. In the US that is all private industry. So I can see how if geting retirement housing was part of the deal, you might want to have housing for everyone (even though that is sexist/racist/ gender and sexaul orien. biased....) but that's not the system in the US. I've never heard of the goverment giving housing for the elderly in the US. Does seem odd to spend 18 million on it. Maybe that is a tax break or land grant for a private company? Z