What have you been up to lately?

[helicon]

Closing on my house in California in a couple of days. The home is being purchased by 2 attorneys. I've know for some time that this was the case and the asking price was nicely exceeded, but escrow has been a long process. Looking forward to finally receiving the $$.

[turboscrew]

Had my pre-op exam for Cataract Surgery yesterday. Seems I am a good candidate.

Right now I am essentially blind in my right eye and it should be a vast improvement I am told.

Scheduled for surgery second week of June!

I look at it as an investment to improve my Amateur Astronomy and RC plane flying

My dad had that surgery not so long ago, and was astonished how much better he saw after it.

[pakarinen]

Going to be watching myself closely for the next few days - my manager just tested positive for COVID. Luckily, I haven't seen him since middle of last week, but we'll see...

[Ylem]

I started planning for a new Shortwave antenna, it will be about 90 ft long and 30 feet tall.

Should help out with lower frequencies in the 120-40 metre bands.

[GCoyote]

Cloudy and cool with off and on drizzle but in a fit of optimism I dug out my summer clothes.

[UlteriorModem]

I started planning for a new Shortwave antenna, it will be about 90 ft long and 30 feet tall.

Should help out with lower frequencies in the 120-40 metre bands.

Classic dipole?

Shame Shorwave listening just aint what it used to be

[pakarinen]

I started planning for a new Shortwave antenna, it will be about 90 ft long and 30 feet tall.

Should help out with lower frequencies in the 120-40 metre bands.

I've wondered about SW antennas and towers. How do you install a new antenna? Climb up the tower yourself, have somebody else climb it, or assemble it while the tower is lying on the ground and then lever it up vertical?

Then how do you remove a tower / mast? Cut the base and let it fall like a tree?

[Ylem]

I started planning for a new Shortwave antenna, it will be about 90 ft long and 30 feet tall.

Should help out with lower frequencies in the 120-40 metre bands.

I've wondered about SW antennas and towers. How do you install a new antenna? Climb up the tower yourself, have somebody else climb it, or assemble it while the tower is lying on the ground and then lever it up vertical?

Then how do you remove a tower / mast? Cut the base and let it fall like a tree?

Just a long wire out to a tree, with glass insulators at each end, then a spark gap device.

Horizontal works fine for SW. I have a shorter one running N-S, this one will run E-W.

[Ylem]

I started planning for a new Shortwave antenna, it will be about 90 ft long and 30 feet tall.

Should help out with lower frequencies in the 120-40 metre bands.

Classic dipole?

Shame Shorwave listening just aint what it used to be

Sadly there isn't much on anymore. I spend more time tinkering with antique / classic radios.

There are some really odd things though, how about DXing Japanese fishing net signals?

[Unitron48]

Now that the days are warmer and sometimes sunny, I've gotten my 1999 Acura NSX out for some drives.

And have been building model rockets to launch with our Grandsons.

Dave

[turboscrew]

Now that the days are warmer and sometimes sunny, I've gotten my 1999 Acura NSX out for some drives.

NSX_May2022.jpg

And have been building model rockets to launch with our Grandsons.

ModelRockets_2022.jpg

Dave

Impressive rockets!

[turboscrew]

I've been studying my planetary/guide camera (Omegon veLOX 178C).
Nice that there's an SDK for it. Even if it's mainly binary libraries, there are header-files, example-sources and documentation. GOOD documentation and well-commented code.
It, sure, gives a lot of info how the camera actually works.

[Ylem]

Now that the days are warmer and sometimes sunny, I've gotten my 1999 Acura NSX out for some drives.

NSX_May2022.jpg

And have been building model rockets to launch with our Grandsons.

ModelRockets_2022.jpg

Dave

Go Big Bertha!

I've got a few around here, just recently picked up an Estes Interceptor to build.
That probably was my favourite as a kid.

[turboscrew]

Did some shopping for projects-to-come. Quite some rain on the way.
Also made some "sky-map" shablons.
5° FOV for the Cambridge Star Atlas, and 5° and 1° FOVs for the IDSA.
The 5° FOV IDSA shablon is a bit hard to see - the big plastic disk above the word "interstellarium".
I hope they are helpful for star hopping.

[GCoyote]

Repaired a bird feeder. Some of our local squirrels need to go on Weight Watchers!

Rather like this guy -

[OzEclipse]

I've had to postpone my astrophotography workshop. :Boo: :flame: :sigh:
It's a 3 night workshop and only 1 clear night this weekend on Saturday night.

It's raining tonight which should have been the first night of the workshop. Next weekend also predicted clouds and rain so I've postponed to one of the two new moon weekends in a months time.

I woke up an hour before dawn and seeing a beautiful red glow so I got out of bed and photographed this beautiful sunrise from my front desk.

Then ground some beans and made myself a cup of coffee. It's amazing how good a cup of coffee can make me feel about myself.
Don't know why?

.



Went out for a walk and stopped to chat to the "neiiiggggh" bours
Ok, full disclosure, there might have been inducements in the form of carrots involved

[Butterfly Maiden]

Sorry to hear about your postponed workshop Joe.

However, whatever you are drinking I want some. Firstly, your mug you are such a modest guy

Secondly, the horses - I love them - but "neiiigggg" bours - dear me :Stop:

[OzEclipse]

Sorry to hear about your postponed workshop Joe.

However, whatever you are drinking I want some. Firstly, your mug you are such a modest guy

Secondly, the horses - I love them - but "neiiigggg" bours - dear me :Stop:

The weather lately has been very cloudy so I have the participants primed with 4
contingency weekends lined up. This is just the first.

Saw the mug in a shop the other day screaming out "BUY ME"
"However, whatever you are drinking I want some."

Here you go, live large I say, 1997 NE Victorian Merlot.

[Butterfly Maiden]

Cheers Joe - hic

[Greenman]

Been otherwise engaged due to the weather and working on the garden. The village will be celebratingthe four days of the Queens Platinum Jubilee, on Saturday I will have a stall on the Fete promoting Astronomy as a hobby