tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51035054934909914292024-02-19T20:24:42.509-05:00The Ticking MindSasquatch, Bigfoot, Cryptozoology, Field Research, Audio Analysis, Vocalizations, Interpretations, and after all that...Life in general. It's a lot of stuff in a little box. The learning process never ends.....Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-88548293799064345012014-11-19T23:31:00.001-05:002014-11-19T23:31:56.353-05:00EV so far....<p dir="ltr">Its been cold at night and now we have snow. I let myself get into a bit of range anxiety with my electric car. If you don't already know, I recently ( well a few months ago), purchased a Smart Fortwo ED (Electric Drive). Completely electric, no engine. The range anxiety started when I noticed the battery performance took a bit of a hit during the colder temps. To be expected, batteries do not perform as well during cooler climates and then you have the added draw of your accessories such as your heater and defroster, maybe your seat heaters too. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So, as I mentioned, to be expected. <br>
But where the real range anxiety lies is when we get into the real winter, -15c or lower, over a period of time. Or what if we have cold snaps, -20 to -30c? That will be the real test but I'm comforted by the fact that work has chargers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So far so good. Great traction control system ( found that out today, in addition to the ABS system). A good ride on snow and slippery icy surfaces. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The only issue which will just take time to learn, is going back to rear wheel drive with a vehicle that has a load of power / torque on acceleration. Stability control kicks in but you still have to work with the car, in some situations, back off the accelerator a bit. <br>
Other than that we are doing OK. </p>
<p dir="ltr">More to come!!</p>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-88734694515393251392014-11-04T12:18:00.000-05:002014-11-04T12:18:49.542-05:00Grid-Tied<div dir="ltr">
Grid-tied solar systems are not a common dinner-table topic but it has caught my attention after reading some fascinating material about the concept, installation, costs and end results. At home, our typical consumption is anywhere between .3 to .8 kw according to our energy meter. Of course, things like our dryer drive that up when we cannot use the clothesline.</div>
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Doing some searching, I found that I can pickup a 250 watt solar panel for under $300 </div>
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<a href="http://www.solarwholesaler.ca/shop/250-watt-jinko-60-cell-polycrystalline-solar-panel-skid-price-249-00/">http://www.solarwholesaler.ca/shop/250-watt-jinko-60-cell-polycrystalline-solar-panel-skid-price-249-00/</a></div>
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Quite a deal, but 250 watts wasn't going to make it worthwhile, but perhaps 4 of these would, if not more, generating a peak of 1000 watts, or an average of 34 amps, it would easily drive a grid tied inverter of at least 300 watts or more. Take a look at this or similar on Amazon. </div>
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AGPtek 300W Grid Tie Grid-tie Inverter With LED display For Solar Home System MPPT function <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00BXZOFQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_jcNtub074XPYT">https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00BXZOFQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_jcNtub074XPYT</a></div>
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Will this sort of technology run a whole home? While its possible, its not feasible because you would need the storage component, being batteries. Expensive, heavy and takes up real estate. The grid-tie merely supplements the hydro utility, reducing the draw from them. That means our typical standby can be reduced (or possibly) eliminated. At least while the cells are exposed to sun. High draw items will still need the utility system.</div>
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Is it worth it? I'm still working on the math and logistics, but it seems promising. Stay tuned.</div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0Dundas, Dundas43.26651 -79.95687tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-32341179582163057222014-09-09T06:23:00.001-04:002014-09-09T06:23:26.987-04:00Power in the fieldSome of you may find the use of a generator while out in the bush a great convenience. Some might choose to go battery or solar, but whatever you choose, the point is, you have the ability to keep your equipment running when necessary.<br />
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I personally prefer solar and storage batteries, but sometimes they just don't cut it. Inverters draw power even when not in use and batteries are heavy, so hauling them into the bush can be quite challenging.<br />
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I came across a Walmart brand of generator, intrigued, because is was a pure sine-wave inverter generator, meaning clean, 110v power at the outlet. What fascinated me the most was the size. Can be easily carried with one hand and it's tiny, given the output - 800 watts constant, 1000 watt surge.It can actually handle 900 watts constant without any issues. Did I mention it's tiny? Indeed it is - Take a peek. I used a 3.78 litre jug of vinegar for comparison.<br />
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Now the problem that many might come across is the constant noise that one of these make. Yes, they can be loud. This one is rated at 62db which is not bad at all, in fact, after planting it in the bush, behind a tree and running an extension cord, it becomes a barely noticeable hum. But the real point is that you only run it when needed and as I mentioned, I would rather go solar with a storage battery than use a generator, but sometimes solar is not quick or powerful enough. Large arrays of panels are extremely expensive and cumbersome. So I end up bringing a small panel, a small storage battery and run my chargers off that. Battery gets a little too low, panel can't keep up, I fire up the generator and charge the battery then shut it down. If it's a real aggressive energy consumption day, such as burning the midnight oil and needing to light up the camp, yeah, the battery will run the inverter for a period of time, but even with CFL's or LED lighting, they will eventually push the battery to it's limit and shut down. Time to fire the generator up. </div>
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I've used lanterns, candles, efficient LED lighting, laptop, recorders, etc but frankly, the convenience of just being able to plug in has it's benefits and caveats. I think the first thing is noise, followed by smell, the fact that you are not "roughing" it and you might miss something - that weak sound off in the distance, you would never hear it. I totally agree, but it's merely a camp maintenance tool for me and I would never consider going the entire duration running one of these. Just when needed. There is ample opportunity between run times to get stuff done and to absorb the reason why you came to your location to begin with. </div>
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-37789903047200382072014-07-11T02:53:00.001-04:002014-09-09T06:28:56.883-04:00Mercedes Benz<div dir="ltr">
Mercedes-Benz recently released an electric version of their Smart Fortwo car. Their website in Canada was not behaving very well so I could not find out many details about it. I am seriously thinking of a change, lighten up the pocket book in regards to commuting. That extra $$$ could go a long way. <br />
Any thoughts or comments about EV's? </div>
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**UPDATE** Sept 9, 2014</div>
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Took in enough information to take the plunge and buy one of these. Incentives and overall cost really worked out well for me. For the few weeks I have had it, I am enjoying it more and more. No more gas, a savings of several hundred dollars a month. Has enough range to get to work and back, and I can charge at work (we have charging stations).</div>
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Wonderful little piece of engineering. Will keep you all posted, winter (sigh) is approaching and while I was assured the car will be fine, I am curious, more than anything else, about how it will do. Yeah, I bought a winter tire package from the dealership so that area is covered.......</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0Isola Superiore, Isola Superiore45.900864 8.520251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-18103154357266859712014-07-11T01:41:00.001-04:002014-07-11T01:41:31.467-04:00Beautiful<p dir="ltr">I just married the love of my life last week, now spending time in Italy. Sometimes you have to push things aside to make the more important things in life come to fruition. When things begin to come together the way that you planned, you really set your sights on the end result. It was a perfect wedding and we're having a perfect honeymoon. Sitting on a balcony in Villa on an island in the Northern Italian Alps, I couldn't ask for anything more, nor could my wife. Such a beautiful place, we've been here before, and knew that this was one of the most picturesque and perfect destination for our honeymoon. <br>
As I am blogging this, I am reminded of some of my past posts about my book and my radio show. I did promise to bring the show back on the air sometime ago, and I realize that has not happened. I have no excuse for it except to say that sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes there are things that are more important than hobbies and passions. When you travel to another country with different cultures, you begin to see the uniqueness in your own, something that you probably take for granted , only because of routine. It made me reflect on what I do on a daily basis, and some of the things that I have missed out on, opportunities and chances, but I do not feel like I've been cheated, rather, I'm trying to make a life and a living for myself and of course my wife. Hobbies and passions will always be there, it's making the time for them, to fit your life, so that you'll be comfortable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The radio show will come back and the book will be written. In fact, the book is pretty much ready to be released. I've gone through it over and over again, & I keep making changes to make it perfect , well, at least in my mind. Perfection might not necessarily be something that I follow, but in this case, this will be permanent, so I want it to be as good as possible. The radio show, I'm still thinking about content, I know other people do radio shows with consistency and have been able to do so for some time, but uniqueness is something that I've always strived for in order to convey my own thoughts and opinions rather than a cookie-cutter format. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I've never felt more enthusiastic and enthralled about starting a new life with my new wife and getting back on track.</p>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-84687711553435396632014-05-12T23:39:00.000-04:002014-05-12T23:39:00.814-04:00Pushing the limits - Wind Mobile <a href="http://www.windmobile.ca/" target="_blank">Wind Mobile</a> offers a pretty appetizing deal on "unlimited" data for devices such as smartphones and tablets.<br />
Trouble is, they are only nested in areas that have a considerable population density. If you look at their coverage maps, coverage is available throughout most of Canada, but their "unlimited" zones (what they refer to as home zone) is limited. Their "away" zone, they charge a flat fee for each service you use, such as texting, data , voice. Think of it just like roaming on a foreign network, which is weird nowadays as roaming is considered as your communication option outside of Canada, but certainly not within. Perhaps this is how they keep their margin low and can offer such attractive prices.<br />
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I love the idea of having unlimited data no matter where I am in Canada. In particular, two things come to mind. No overage charges and being able to remain connected no matter where I am. I would love to post in real time when I am in the bush, which I have in the past, but sometimes it's hard to do. Coverage is sometimes spotty. Data might drop, the iPhone that I currently use, on occasion in poor signal areas, comes back and says "cannot send message". Not often, but it happens.<br />
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Now imagine if your paying for the roaming data access, at $1/mb. These sort of inconsistencies might cause a bit of stress. I know, it's not a lot but it does add up if you were planning on being out for a while, wanted to download or upload large emails or stream something like video. It all adds up.<br />
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Very recently I became aware of the fact that the material on some websites that the vendors produce, might not necessarily reflect the actual usability of devices in certain areas.<br />
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I have a friend who messages me every so often, I told him that I was getting a new tablet with 4G / LTE service capabilities. He asked which carrier I was going to go with. I told him that I was still trying to work it out but mentioned Wind, with hesitation, knowing that they have limited coverage for their "unlimited" services.<br />
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He was quick to point out that they underestimate and understate their coverage to ensure that potential fringe customers are reduced at their checkouts. He gave a great example, having been with Wind for a short period of time, he noticed that once he left Barrie, northbound on Hwy 400, his Wind network switched to the "away" provider (roaming) about 2km north of Horseshoe Valley Road. Ok, so now he was paying per use for all services. He was heading to Coldwater and the phone only clicked back once to Wind, albeit for a few moments, then flicked back to roaming on the other network.<br />
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Coldwater had no Wind coverage. None. Zilch. Or at least he thought. He remembered me telling him about the repeater option for fringe areas, something that was a modest investment, but frankly he needs to be connected, like me, for work related purposes. He got himself a AWS (LTE) booster from Ebay at a reasonable price, considerably lower than retail. He played around with the external directional antenna, finding a sweet spot and within a few seconds the system made contact with the Wind service and there you have it! Wind service was online.<br />
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The blue dot at the top of the map below represents my friends relative location. The blue outline towards the bottom represents the typical extent of the signal.<br />
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So, if network coverage is a concern and you need it, don't give up right away and hand your money over to the major carriers. Do a bit of research. You might be able to stretch that dollar and stretch that signal!!<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-19246682076580592732014-05-12T12:13:00.001-04:002014-05-12T12:13:21.538-04:00LongevityFor obvious reasons we don't setup trail cameras that face directly toward the sun. Falsing and a memory card filled with useless images in addition to quickly depleted batteries are not considered a good outcome. But for those who have played around with trail cameras, such as yours truly, no doubt have come across a time when the setup was not perfect and you had tons of pictures of "nothing".<br />
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Well, in some situations, your camera may be exposed to the sun, but not necessarily looking right at it. That's half the battle. Unfortunately, there is now another component to consider. Weathering.<br />
The camera shown below has been quite faithful. Albeit, it does get some sun exposure, the results of weather are obvious. The latch above the lock loop has broken right off. The plastic is pretty brittle.<br />
The latch just below the lock loop is ready to go. Once it does, I will have to use the lock loop with a nylon tie wrap or twist tie.<br />
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Mind you, this camera has been out since January 2011. If you notice the cord at the bottom, this thing is being fed by a solar panel and gel cell battery, which have not required maintenance since it was first turned on. (Yes, it's still running).<br />
I figure the camo tape job I did on it is acting like a sunscreen for the rest of the camera. Had I left this camera where it was initially deployed, just outside of Parry Sound, the condition of it might be a lot better, for the location was shaded by a healthy canopy of trees. I only removed it because I was planning on a trip to a potential area of interest and I wanted all the equipment I could get my hands on. The trip never happened, but during the waiting period I decided to put camo tape on the camera to help it blend in. This is when I started to experiment with the solar panel. I am impressed.<br />
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When it comes to longevity, think about your setup. If you have the intention to leave a camera out for an extended period of time, consider its exposure to the elements. I recall a fellow who left a camera out for a very long period of time, to find that tree sap had made it's way down the front of the camera, obscuring it's view. A shame, really, but you might not think about things like that. The "birdhouse" roof is a neat idea, covering the top of the camera, with a slight overhang of the roof to shield the front. Small leaves, branches glued to the roof. Anything to make it blend in as best as possible, while offering protection.<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-7609818992269201202014-03-31T13:04:00.000-04:002014-03-31T21:40:52.467-04:00Hybrid human? <p>Curtis is a friend of mine who I don't get to see very often.  A short time with him, walking through his lot near the Gibson River, he told me about a noise he heard some time ago. Not just any noise, but a "snap", then a "crack". This did not last a day, it went on for weeks. Or so he remembers.</p>
<p>Curiosity got the better of him, having heard this for long enough, he decided to venture into the bush to find out what it was making the noise.</p>
<p>We stopped, shortly after he told me about his mid day stroll into the woods. He looked up, covered his brow with his hand and peered into the distance.</p>
<p>"There" he said. I gazed and saw a cedar tree, uprooted, lying against another tree.</p>
<p>"I reckon it was the winter. Ice in the roots. Lot of trees coming down."</p>
<p>I didn't completely buy that excuse, there were still several trees upright looking healthy.<br>
"Maybe just wind", I said, followed with "Yeah, it's been a hard winter"</p>
<p>"Did you hear it come down?" I asked.<br>
Curtis paused, turned and looked at me.<br>
He chuckled.</p>
<p>"If a tree falls in the woods......."<br>
I stopped him before he could finish.</p>
<p>"Ok, I get it. So how do you know this is what it was?"</p>
<p>"I saw it. Right in front of me. Like it was waiting for me to see it."<br>
"That would be rare", I said.<br>
"It was", he replied.</p>
<p>Like I said, it was a short time with him. I had an appointment to deal with, knowing that I was tight on time, left his lot with a promise to return.</p>
<p>Got a phone call later that night. It was Curtis. We chatted for a bit, a computer program I told him about was giving him some trouble. We fixed the issue pretty quickly and I chatted with him for a while afterwards<br>
"What do you think about me putting a camera on your property, you have a good amount of wildlife up there"<br>
His answer was not what I expected. </p>
<p>"You can put out whatever you like but if your still looking for the monster monkey your not going to find it in these woods".</p>
<p>"But you told me you believe it exists? Didn't you? I could swear you said that you share the woods with something"</p>
<p>"I do", he said. "But its far greater than a monkey or ape. Its a wise man of sorts. This thing is on a different level of intelligence. A different plane altogether. We are none the wiser."</p>
<p>Now, Curtis realizes that I post stuff every so often about experiences, asking if I could quote him, knowing that he would let me use the recorder on the phone to make sure I got exactly what he was saying. I think he was a bit humbled by this. "You can't tell me that its just man and beast. There has to be something else. Too much difference between us".<br>
I knew what he was saying, in fact, mildly concurred.</p>
<p>"You mean something in evolution or another form of human?"<br>
"Humans are not meant to be outside. Whether its evolution that caused this, having a roof over your head and trying to avoid getting wet, I doubt it. We are born in water. Why can't we survive outside?"<br>
"Something between us and some sort of ape. Hybrid. That seems to be a good term. I'm kidding about your monster monkey. Bigfoot isn't right though. It more human. Smart human."</p>
<p>A refreshing perspective.</p>
<p>I told Curtis I would post this after his approval. He consented, but reiterated, its a hybrid smart human, if  anything.</p>
<p>I asked, would it matter if it looked more like a ape? Would you call it a human?</p>
<p>He said "when I say the word cat, do you immediately think of a housecat?"<br>
"Yes", I said, "I do".</p>
<p>"So what happens when you see a 200 pound Puma in your backyard?"</p>
<p>Yeah, I got his point. It is perspective. </p>
<p>Thanks for the chat Curtis. And thanks for letting me post.<br><br><br><br></p>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-36692486889640478182014-02-12T11:50:00.001-05:002014-02-12T12:11:16.058-05:00Every so often....<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe07.html" target="_blank">"Narcissistic Personality Disorder". </a> (Click to view link)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isn't that a way to open up a blog post? I felt it fitting to post this because of two very contrasting emails received over the past few days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An acquaintance of mine, Len, messaged me while he was stationed in the Dunchurch area. 4th year of owning a small chunk of land where he is slowly building a cabin to retire to, staying in a small RV while onsite. He quipped about the cold weather, citing that if it keeps up, the timber will be rotted before he even gets a chance to drive nails through it.</span><br />
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I concurred, telling him that it was pretty cold down my way, the hydro and heating bills will not be appreciated. Realizing how quickly I responded to his message, he caught me online and we chatted back and forth in Messenger, of note, he mentioned that he had been going through propane very quickly and he might consider a small heat box (as he put it), if he could figure out how to vent it properly. Basically a small wood burning stove, very small, in fact. Similar to that below.</span><br />
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With wood being plentiful on his lot, this seemed like a very good idea. He would still need propane but would certainly reduce his consumption while remaining warm.</span><br />
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During our chat about the stove, he mentioned something that I could picture, very vividly, almost made me feel right at home. To quote "leaving the window cracked just slightly to circulate the air as the stew simmered on the stove." Citing a childhood recollection, he was mentioning how his mother would do so and as he came home from school he could smell the stew before he even entered the property.</span><br />
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I could smell that stew. I knew that stove would make an excellent addition to his RV, but also a great slow cooker. On that note, we ended our chat and made an effort meet up, possibly in spring, for some R&R.</span><br />
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Skimming through more of my emails, I came across another one that made me chuckle. The opposite of what I had just experienced, hence the post title "Every so often". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, Narcissistic Personality Disorder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Several years of being humored by early morning or late night rants finally tired me out. Before I even finished reading the message, it was sitting in my trash folder. I chuckled, thought to myself that I wasted a few moments of my life again with this diatribe garbage, then looked back at the meaningful message and ensuing chat that I just had a few moments ago. What a difference. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Email is like a newspaper, if you don't like what you read you turn the page.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I did. And while doing so, I went through other messages, finally cleaning up my inbox, realizing how much time was wasted on frivolous communications. Block users, unsubscribe to mailers. Spring cleanup had come early. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Len called me back on messenger about an hour later. I told him about the "spring cleaning", funny, he said he was tired of junk as well, but deals with it, Google Gmail is pretty good filtering out crap but some stuff comes through. He's subscribed to Sanebox, I tried it, I like it. Working on the trial right now. But that wasn't the reason for the call. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He asked "Do you have a fireplace?". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hesitated...."No, why do you ask?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"If you ever need wood, if you get one, help yourself. I should have mentioned that earlier. Guess it's not a big deal though if you can't use it."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"No", I said, I can't, at least not right now, but we have a firepit in the backyard. I'll take you up on that in spring."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Not a problem", he said. "Have a good one".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hurry up spring! Enough of this winter!</span><br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-81785220611907070952013-12-27T14:44:00.001-05:002013-12-27T14:51:15.565-05:00Coming soon....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been working on a composition that relates to all of my experiences in the bush, searching for answers. In addition, there are some theories and conversations with those who have been a part of the discovery and learning process when it comes to the search for the elusive species we refer to as Sasquatch or Bigfoot. Yes, I do know there are many other names, but for brevity, I think we can leave it at that for now. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As one of my friends pointed out to me (with permission to quote);</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"It is refreshing to see how effectively you can paint a scene in your mind, as you move forward, you come to realize that the story has </i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pleasantly grown</i><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> the way you expected it to."</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He was commenting on a section that I sent to him to review for accuracy, should I have left out any parts or misrepresented anything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I should have a firm date soon, publishing efforts are already in progress for print and electronic distribution. Just awaiting the ISBN clarification and distribution channel once it is obtained.</span><br />
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-4651873874297465222013-11-14T07:45:00.001-05:002013-11-14T07:45:37.449-05:00Reviving a weathered camera.Took a lesson from my own books and decided to be patient - really patient with a trail camera. So much so that when I went to retrieve it I really felt that it was going to be a wasted trip. Inside the cam there were obvious signs of moisture. A mess. The external battery was still intact, buried in the battery box under a mountain of leaves. The solar panel was still attached to the tree, mind you, it looked like something was playing with it. It was angled in a funny way. Maybe a raccoon or squirrel.<br />
The memory card had green fuzz on some of the contacts. I have not tried to read it yet. It's currently in a sealed container with rice and silica gel packs.<br />
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This camera has been out for almost 2 year. Yes, 2 years. Why did I wait so long? What was the point?<br />
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Having used this camera before (I have a 2-pack of them) I knew that with the right setup these things can go pretty much forever, using renewable energy and a good external battery.<br />
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The display was still on, mind you some of the elements in the LCD were flickering and some were not even showing up at all. I thought it might have been because of a low voltage situation but the low battery LED was not on. Maybe it was beyond that or burnt out.<br />
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Not being able to read the display very well, I can only guess that the picture count said 1248. Now if that is the case, then the memory card is still able to be "read" by the camera, meaning we might have a good chance of downloading the photos. It will stay in the dehydration setup for a while, then I will try and communicate with the card.<br />
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Wish me luck!<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-80270542290365781162013-10-01T20:40:00.001-04:002013-10-04T08:12:25.216-04:00No to techno.A chat with a friend, adamant to remain disconnected from technology so he gets his 24 hours of "life" per day, only recently started carry a cell phone because of health issues.<br />
Never touched a computer except for when he worked for a few months at a gas bar, quipped that the Lottery machine was about as close he came to operating one.<br />
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Having worked with him several years ago, I took an interest in his carpentry skills and always tried to keep in touch, albeit few and far between when we would actually be able to hookup and chit-chat.<br />
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It was not until recently that we chatted, I asked him why technology does not work to his advantage. Banking online, staying in touch, being able to say "I'm ok" or "Happy Birthday". No, he still goes to the bank, never been online. Fumbles to text message when his kids bug him to do so. Snail mail is the preferred choice of communication. I'm left scratching my head - how can this be efficient and give you your 24 hour day?<br />
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He merely replied "I don't need to count the hours in a day. If I do, I'm on a schedule. I'm retired, I do not have a schedule. People are dying far too early because they need to pack that extra hour into their day."<br />
"If a cell phone or computer buys me an hour of time, what did I push aside to gain that?"<br />
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I told him he should be a philosopher. So true.<br />
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-19899999118424843382013-09-08T00:48:00.002-04:002013-09-08T14:47:44.980-04:00Camp - Just a nice camp. Refreshing....Relaxing!!!Take a peek at the pic below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPSb7mgDkgEtv2gSG7w2ACozXGC1nWaeP_dUrAZjrDtpUYbuKiEkJD9oUDv-M4b45Dz2Uu-ihZm3VRRp20HwWH4DkyL6IyKC21eo7nPnfcD-M05RAZXSTU3EYMa_rSpWERSscmza3GFUD/s1600/IMG_0862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPSb7mgDkgEtv2gSG7w2ACozXGC1nWaeP_dUrAZjrDtpUYbuKiEkJD9oUDv-M4b45Dz2Uu-ihZm3VRRp20HwWH4DkyL6IyKC21eo7nPnfcD-M05RAZXSTU3EYMa_rSpWERSscmza3GFUD/s1600/IMG_0862.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Looks pretty good, right? Yeah, it was fantastic. Great week out at camp. </div>
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We bought a new barbecue with a propane feed hose to the tank you see in the pic (below). It worked great the first night. Thereafter, nothing. I feared the tank was empty but the weight did not seem to be at that point. I know what a 20lb empty propane tank weighs. Hooking up our stove confirmed that the tank still had gas. Believe it or not, it was a defective hose. That is disturbing but mind you, could be as simple as a grain of sand plugging the valve.<br />
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We had two tents setup, one for storage (the one on the left) - and on the picnic table is the BBQ and hose</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdpdUb8-7pkjU4EnOh63Z2531zbdpHAtzEpUlfZCEB3Dh9ICgTjCDq-BMBZl3a2bYQIWjRx3mjpUqbFdNBEvotyaQ5VwpGpfvvFzF1m6xFe0Q5nTmk6CSQ8LUS3xexuduTSjfVsTWzdKp/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdpdUb8-7pkjU4EnOh63Z2531zbdpHAtzEpUlfZCEB3Dh9ICgTjCDq-BMBZl3a2bYQIWjRx3mjpUqbFdNBEvotyaQ5VwpGpfvvFzF1m6xFe0Q5nTmk6CSQ8LUS3xexuduTSjfVsTWzdKp/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bikes were brought up on a "Allen" bike rack and it really is fantastic. $~50 on Amazon.ca and this thing carried two mountain bikes for the whole 400+ km trip. No problem and highly recommended.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGrwsoOQ9cGwCU2n08Eu5gZJM1PXjhwqhlxTDA26r-rhBnmhjZ0PWkL0nF0lzUYx_49sN8GhbC3B28CMERhsgop6_HLWfE4flyQ2yGoT8tzsButeUEhyphenhyphenU9usIzmHFchSGhi8KePHrA0IN/s1600/IMG_0874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGrwsoOQ9cGwCU2n08Eu5gZJM1PXjhwqhlxTDA26r-rhBnmhjZ0PWkL0nF0lzUYx_49sN8GhbC3B28CMERhsgop6_HLWfE4flyQ2yGoT8tzsButeUEhyphenhyphenU9usIzmHFchSGhi8KePHrA0IN/s1600/IMG_0874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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http://www.amazon.ca/Allen-Sports-Deluxe-2-Bike-Carrier/dp/B00ASSQYK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1378610084&sr=8-2&keywords=allen+bike+rack</div>
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Site was fantastic. Private. Quiet. Could you ask for anything more?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsSgj0mBSrNL0GVVPhRRc_ToxAhiVMSH3HFPfkMF6aoz9VOXRbL1fvR9PwSP1bOyJ8N4FRSc9pDdDIKMJZFXvAzmYebSNQZxT9lLHPSASGJz7PSpF0HNQuGJittH5oN6H2hprJ7KdIT44/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsSgj0mBSrNL0GVVPhRRc_ToxAhiVMSH3HFPfkMF6aoz9VOXRbL1fvR9PwSP1bOyJ8N4FRSc9pDdDIKMJZFXvAzmYebSNQZxT9lLHPSASGJz7PSpF0HNQuGJittH5oN6H2hprJ7KdIT44/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And why pay for a hydro site? Don't want to have to keep starting the car to charge the battery because you are using the cig. lighter. Don't want to have to start the car at all.</div>
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So.....this is all we used and it worked perfect. iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, lanterns, etc. All were powered by a battery and solar cell.</div>
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5 watt panel into a utility battery.</div>
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Now, can I ask about lighting? We have two LED lanterns, crank or USB chargeable. They offer both features. They work well, provide ample light, but last for a far shorter period of time than expected. Mind you, given the fact it was a rechargeable resource, I know that capacity becomes lower the more that you charge the battery pack. I have used these lanterns for several years and maybe that is the reason.<br />
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I would love to see a solar area lamp with a replaceable battery pack, sure, proprietary battery pack, which seems to be the norm now, but preferably, just AA or AAA batteries. Enough to light up a picnic table to the point where you could read a book but not be overwhelming.</div>
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This post will be updated a few times as I have video and other pics to send but I tell you, it was refreshing. Very refreshing.</div>
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Those who have read through and said "Ok, where the heck did you stay??????"</div>
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Six Mile Lake Provincial Park. Great place. Great Time. Great People and a great setup. </div>
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Are we going back again? Indeed. </div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-47220110995591109332013-07-26T07:46:00.001-04:002013-07-26T07:46:03.284-04:00RoutineI have not used an alarm clock for several years now. I get up at the same time, give or take 10 minutes, every day. It's the same routine. Pack my lunch, catch up on email and news, have breakfast, etc....then out the door.<br />
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Habitual behavior gets to the point where you don't even have to think about a lot of things that you do. It is like your body is driving you on autopilot. You are aware of your activities but accept it as a daily routine of what you are supposed to do.<br />
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Now you throw in variables. Let's take something that you do not do everyday but it needs to be done. Like taking garbage and recycling to the curb every Thursday. Does the time gap catch you off guard? It's been a week since the last time you did it, is your mind trained well enough to make that trip to the curb part of your routine?<br />
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In some cases yes, but we are in the age of information overload. More often, it takes trigger points to make pull us back into our element and get us on track. Simple things, like looking at a calendar, "oh it's Thursday", or a simple conversation "Can you bring the kitchen garbage out?" - things start to kick in and you are again reminded of what you are supposed to do.<br />
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It is said that everything you experience is stored in your memory. It's just a matter of being able to recall it.<br />
Which brings me to the point of why I am posting this.<br />
If you do something with repetition, a daily task, a daily routine, you are probably not as prone to remember exactly what you did.<br />
For example, Do your daily routine. For me, I end up being at work for the day after my routine is done at home. At lunchtime, think back about what you did in the morning - you can easily recall. Now put some detail into it. Try it - were there dishes in the sink? Where was the cat? What did you pack for lunch? How much toothpaste is left?<br />
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Some can answer. Some cannot. Yet it is a daily task. Your body is on autopilot, just doing it's thing.<br />
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Now take a situation that is out of this world. You see a horrific accident as you drive to work. You vividly remember it, for days, months or years to come. On that day, think back about your regiment. How much toothpaste do you have left? Did you empty the dishwasher? At that point it might be a blur. Your "routine" was thrown off.<br />
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Or was it?<br />
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You still did what you had to do in the morning. You still made it to work. You are doing what you always did yet something remains that is the focus of your attention - the accident.<br />
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Things sometimes happen fast. I see a lot of accidents and unusual things on the way to work. I have been trying this theory that you can build your memory by viewing something that you do not see every day, then recalling something that you do every day. Some detail about it. Then refer back to it later. Even if it's something as simple as a license plate number from a hot looking sports car, then referring back to what is on the topshelf of your fridge, what you had for dinner the night before. When was the last time you vacuumed.<br />
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In time, I think it has helped me remember details. Why is this important? Well the benefits are obvious but just think about those reports we have seen from people who cannot remember much about their experience(s).<br />
Have you ever seen a newscast - "suspect was driving a silver sedan heading northbound on Main St."<br />
Great. That accounts for about 1600 residents who live on Main St. It's the details that count.<br />
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Happy Friday!<br />
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-83467123136060379232013-07-09T11:43:00.002-04:002013-07-09T11:43:47.220-04:00Quiet...Thank you to those who have written in about my recent silence with the Blog and Simply Sasquatch Radio. It was not intentional. There is a time and place for everything and sometimes the timing just doesn't work in your favour - your are caught off guard with things and before you know it months have past.<br />
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Simply Sasquatch Radio is not dead. No, in fact, it is coming back very shortly.<br />
As for the blog - well, here I am posting!<br />
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My last trip took me to a place just outside of Sudbury back in May. It was a good trip and comfortable, since we had a pair of motorhomes to stay in. Could have roughed it and do the tent thing, or sleep in the truck, but the convenience was to appetizing to pass up.<br />
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This past trip taught me a lot about the dangers of being alone, especially when using a ATV. Never drive alone. Always have someone with you on another machine. And make sure at least one vehicle has a winch. We learned that. Several times over.<br />
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This trip also taught me that trails are not maintained by anyone in particular, at least where we were. They are just groomed by the traffic that passes through. Large obstacles, such as fallen trees, are typically pushed or pulled aside but nothing really more than that. ATV's are quite capable of navigating some pretty intense terrain.<br />
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What I really enjoyed was the fact that is was very private and quiet. We did not see one person, except for traffic on the road, which at best, was minimal. We covered a lot of ground and took in the sights. A great trip.</div>
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Happy Summer!</div>
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-38026344673708145972013-02-18T21:31:00.001-05:002013-02-18T21:31:16.969-05:00Back to SimpleOver the past several months I have logged quite a few miles travelling. Whether it be work related (Montreal) or heading to sunshine and surf, I have enjoyed the paces of learning what works and what doesn't when it comes to the convenience and quality of digital cameras and camcorders.<br />
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Some of you might have just paused for a moment and said "what about field trips and bush camping?"</div>
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Yes, they are also pertinent, yet not as prevalent as what they have been in the past. It was supposed to be a year of exploration but alas, that year, good 'ol 2012, came and went so quickly that it feels like we lost it. </div>
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Getting sidetracked....but here we go. Have you ever "fumbled"? I call it that - specifically when you want or need to take a picture or video and you have the equipment but it needs to be set to "this" or "that" or the lens is not the best so you have to stand back and compose. Maybe it just takes a while for the darn thing to turn on and focus?</div>
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Those "my god! - that's awesome, I need a picture!!" moments. By the time you drag out your SLR or video cam, the moment is over. </div>
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Well, technology is certainly working in our favor. Imagine, being able to pull a camera out, aim and shoot. No prep, just set it on AUTO and that's it. Smart enough to figure out the scene, the action, set the best capture method and there you have it. A great pic, with the camera waiting for the next one to be taken.</div>
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RAC, or Rapid Action Cams are basically point and shoot cameras that offer great resolution, fantastic image quality, image stabilization plus a boat load of other features. RAC is a term that I made up because I can think of no other way to describe such a camera. How about maybe just a simple "Point & Shoot" ? Sure, but in my case, I am a little bit more picky with the features that I want.<br />
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This might seem like an odd post, given that I have not posted for some time, but hear me out. With Christmas holidays, New Years, Some vacation time that I took, there was one thing in common. People were taking pictures. There were some with SLR's - No doubt some fantastic photos and those cameras certainly have their place. Some had video cameras (Sticking my hand up in the air - I did photo and video with a JVC-HM1 HD camcorder). Some had a simple point & shoot. </div>
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When I was in the Dominican Republic I noticed a couple that were reviewing pictures on a small camera that had a beautiful large screen. Excellent photos. Standing beside them waiting for the bartender to attend to our thirsts, I turned and looked - before I could inquire they left, and I was left with "What type of camera was that?" It was only by fluke that they happened to be in the line to get into the New Years buffet,I noticed it was a <b><u>Canon PowerShot Elph 320HS</u></b>. (cont'd below)</div>
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I was impressed with the size. The lack of buttons (in lieu of a larger screen, turns out all the controls are touch-screen based).</div>
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Impressed with the fact that it was a 16.1mp camera with full 1080 HD movie recording capabilites (albeit at 24fps, with 30fps on lower resolution), 5x zoom (not that 5x is a lot but given the size of the camera, that's pretty good).</div>
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Built in WiFi to transmit your photos to Facebook, Email, Canon Image Gateway. What a nice little camera.</div>
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I forgot about this camera up until a few weeks ago. I did a technical survey that was quite long in duration. In return for my time, I was to receive a gift of some nature, which I did - A Canon Elph 320HS camera. Go figure. </div>
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Cameras like a lot of light. This camera is no different. It makes the best of the situation in good lighting conditions but makes up for less than ample scenes where you just can't make it any better. </div>
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I recall a photo I took many years ago, with a digital SLR - my Olympus Evolt. Hard shot, poor lighting. It was my backstop, having the ability to rest my shoulders against something and I ended up with very minimal blur. Fast forward to today, I don't know how it does it but this camera works great with the image stabilization and lighting situations. And, it starts up fast.</div>
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Convenience? Yes. Good image quality? Yes. Video - Yes. Tiny size, very tiny. In the end, is it back to simple? Just a point and shoot? Yes, in some cases, it just works. Canon. Nikon, Pentax - They have been in the business for some time now. Yeah, true, the have put out a few lemons but you are not going to know until you try. </div>
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In very few steps, I have a 16 mp camera locked, loaded and ready to shoot even some pretty challenging scenes and it does so quite well. And I tell you, if you do not want to take my word for it, but it, try it, if your not happy, just return the darn thing.</div>
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I don't feel like I am as "ill-prepared" when I am out now and it's my own darn fault for not being ready to take that million dollar pic.</div>
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(For those who have inquired about the iPhone - yes, it takes great pics and video. The case, on the other hand, leaves a lot to be desired, as does the compression codec and lack of image stabilization.)</div>
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If you get a chance to try out this camera, you might be impressed. And if you come across one that really strikes your fancy, don't be silent about it. Let us know!!!</div>
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-40134555533455167212012-10-10T07:39:00.002-04:002012-10-10T11:41:29.612-04:00Using an RVI have been tossing around the idea of getting a small RV for the sake of making the transition of "outdoor" living a little more comfortable. Some of the OWFR members have had nothing but praise for their RV's and I can personally understand that putting a solid wall between you and the great outdoors carries a load of security and makes you feel a lot more comfortable. As readers or subscribers of this blog, how many of you have had positive (or negative) experiences with outdoor living, especially those who might have an RV?<br />
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I'm not talking about a huge 30+ foot bus. I am talking about something that could comfortably accommodate 2 people and carry all the essentials we would need to live a weekend or week in it. Oh, and when I say "RV", I mean motorhome. Not a trailer. Mind you, given the right setup, a trailer might be feasible.....<br />
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I mentioned "comfortably accommodate 2 people"<br />
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I've seen the Toyota line of RV's. The Sunraider, Dolphin, Seabreeze, Mirage. They are great. Exactly what I am talking about. Trouble is, try to get your hands on one. If you start to read up on these you very quickly begin to realize that the quality and reliability of Toyota stands quite clear. These things just keep running.<br />
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Well I have looked and have come up empty handed except for a few postings which, after calling, the thing is sold or it is several hundred km's away.<br />
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So how about this guy?<br />
Built on a Ford chassis. This is about the max size I would go. Remember, some trips are to locations where the road is poor and would best be described as "bush" camping. Needs to be maneuverable. (cont'd below)<br />
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Why the sudden interest in a RV?<br />
Couple of reasons. The last time we went to camp the truck was literally packed with equipment to make camp comfortable. Totes. Tents. BBQ's. Big water jug. Coolers. Typically with an RV, you have a duplicate set of everything. You have cutlery. Water tank, stove, oven, fridge. Bedding. Everything can be ready to go (within reason) so it makes it easier to do that trip, whether it be spur of the moment or meticulosly planned.<br />
Wear and tear. Ever wonder why some RV's last so long and are well aged? Because they are not driven everyday. Saves wear and tear on your daily commute vehicle.<br />
Return on investment. Suppose you were not in a position to use the RV for a period of time. Get some of your money back. Rent it out.<br />
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I'm disappointed that Shane M pulled his micro-blog off the net. Nowhere to be found. It's been at least 3 years now and I can find little reference to his daily meanderings about rural life. He painted a picture of being nomadic. He travelled around the province, poking his head into Manitoba and Quebec but ultimately returning to Ontario where he finally setup "camp" north of Iroquois Falls. Small RV. Well stocked and prepared. He found a piece of crown land off a poorly maintained trail; he followed the trail until he was at a junction point where he could travel no more. While his motive was unclear at first, he went on about his experiences, running our of water. Leaks and how he fixed them. Making a deal with an ATV'r for a Jerry can of gas every week or two for triple the cost. That same ATV'r also did a smoke run for Shane, bringing him a carton every so often. As you can probably expect, Shane and this fellow became friends.<br />
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His postings were sincere as they showed the good and the bad about daily life in the bush. Would you expect to wake up every morning in a nice bed with fresh linens and then walk over to the stove to start the coffee, the whole time you are "inside"? Sure, it's possible - but he addressed all the underlying components.<br />
I remember a quip, and Shane M, I might paraphrase for I don't recall the exact verbiage.<br />
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"It is getting colder. I lied there in bed thinking about where I left my sandals. Floor is going to be cold. Have to open the windows to get rid of the condensation when it gets warmer. I need my sandals. Have to start the generator for coffee. So much work for a cup of mud."<br />
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LOL, that last sentence made me smile. To think, you are in the middle of nowhere. You woke up in a proper bed, with walls surrounding you. Lights, sink, stove, coffee maker!!!! So what is left? To enjoy the great outdoors.<br />
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J <br />
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-20729550443297467812012-10-10T00:20:00.002-04:002012-10-10T00:20:27.805-04:00Left SourI renewed my XM radio a few weeks ago, having come across a great deal which I felt comfortable with. For those who don't know, XM is NOT totally commercial free as you would expect. No, for those who like the news and talk content, you are getting commercials. And some of them are really stupid. Let alone the fact that in many cases they don't even apply to Canadian subscribers.<br />
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If you just listen to music, commercials are not a real problem. They have a bit of DJ chat every now and again but not that often.<br />
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So I was in the mood for some tunes and I was scrolling through the channels to hear the end of a sentence "never never never getting back together". I paused to listen, to hear the same thing sung over and over again. "We are never never never getting back together". Taylor Swift. And I thought garbage was meant to be placed in bags and left at the curb. Well somehow they managed to transmit it through the radio.<br />
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How the heck can an artist be happy something like this ? Does it really boil down to having teen fans who don't care as much for the artistic qualities that some artists really try to promote? In this case, I think not. It's just a driving beat. You could probably play it for a whole day and the kids wont get tired of the repetitive dribble.<br />
Scratch that song and station off my list.<br />
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So the last post was May. Long time eh? Lot's of stuff has happened, I've posted some info on the past few SS radio episodes; wanting to keep this a short post while I create the next post explaining some of the stuff I have brought up, be sure to keep an eye out.<br />
Cheers,<br />
JJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-91727941483116784162012-02-07T07:24:00.003-05:002012-02-07T07:24:51.876-05:00Tether....I was driving to work one morning and my daydreaming brought me to my blog - having not posted for some time now, I figured it was something that was dead and should probably stay that way. Then I started to read some of my past posts; it was at that point that I realized the span between posts only means that life has got in the way. Why would I be upset about that?<br />
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Well, I know a fellow who is somewhat tied down by technology - openly admitting that he cannot leave home without his tether - a black box that rings or chimes every so often to arouse his attention. On occasion, he might look at this box, maybe even type on it, or better still, talk into it. It's attached to his belt, carried everywhere. It's apparent that it has become a part of his life. From different perspectives it all turns into the same thing - convenience and accountability. If you look at a typical office worker, 40 hours a week, or 8 hours a day - nowadays that commitment is shot right out the window. Yup, work has literally been increased to the point where you cannot describe it in hours, no, it comes down to "when do you have some free time"? People think about your obligations and responsibilities - then, as a secondary thought, they think about you.<br />
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Did I mention that there is no such thing as a 24 hour day? That went out the window long ago. Every day works itself into the next, it just makes things easier. How did that happen? I suppose technology screwed us over at some point (pardon the expression), but if you are going to spend your hard earned money on a smartphone so that you are "connected", cramming more time into your day by doing electronic tasks, haven't you just added to the pile of stuff that you already have to do? Yup, goodbye 24 hour day. Now, you are not only "personally" accountable, you are now accountable to people who you only speak to on a message board or through Blackberry messenger or text messaging. <br />
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And you wonder why people get so burnt out and stressed. I suppose it's as simple as hitting the "OFF" button, but just try it...I dare you.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-84128226724166861692011-09-12T12:30:00.001-04:002011-09-12T12:30:46.949-04:00Back to the channel…..<p>This weekend Tim & I will be heading to the Lost Channel area. What makes this trip different than others is the fact that we will be trying to maintain a stealth-like existence whereas in the past, we were using ATV's to cover a large amount of ground in a very short period of time. Having a better understanding of the area from past trips, we know what to expect in the way of terrain and wildlife. The idea is to draw in whatever might be out there, to a decoy camp that is setup to monitor the surrounding area. As you may recall, we have a fantastic audio recording of "the breather" which has sparked much interest in this area and it will remain a prime candidate for future investigation until the origin of that sound is discovered, and even then, it will remain a major area of interest. <p>The drive to this place will be somewhat different this time around (at least for me). I will be coming in from the east, above the top of Algonquin Park, along Hwy 17. If things go as planned, Tim will already be at the site (of which we have yet to determine the exact location), and he will relay the coordinates to me via text messaging or voice call. There are several trails in the area and without a proper recon, we are unsure of the condition of some of them based on the data that we have, some of which is out of date. One other dilemma we have to deal with is the ability for us to even get a cell signal in this area. In the past we have had to use a repeater to get an adequate signal. Probably have to do the same again. For this, we use a Wilson Dual band amplifier with an external antenna. This is a full power 3 watt booster with a cradle that has a built-in stripline antenna, used to send & receive to the phone and to rebroadcast within the general area (so that passengers in the vehicle can also take advantage). The actual circumference of the coverage or "mini" cell system is about 20 feet or so. <p><strong><u>Wilson "Signal Boost" System</u></strong> <p><img src="http://www.magicwireless.ca/Images/WilsonSignal%20Boost%20Repeater%20Kit.jpg" width="500" height="226"> <p>Having been in this area before, we know that the weather can act up quite quickly, rolling off of Georgian Bay with some tenacity. Since we will be slightly further inland, we don't expect any issues but will be keeping our ears open for the weather alert system, in case of any unforeseen events. <p>Our camp setup has already been somewhat planned out, for our own benefit and for the sake of sourcing out wildlife that might get a little curious - in particular, fox, raccoons and bears. For this trip, we have planned our camp setup in such a way that we have sheltered ourselves not only from the elements but also from potential invaders. By using portable PIR alarms strategically located around the camp, we will be warned of approaching visitors and react accordingly. It might seem like a drastic measure but what it really boils down to is the ability for us to be alerted should we have the visitor that we really want to visit, hopefully it will do so and we can catch that infamous breathing sound again. Highly doubtful, but one can wish, right? <p><strong><u>Here is the proposed camp setup</u></strong> <p><strong><u></u></strong> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcDgnVA_ybg7O7ldRP8IO2TOwatKpfzJc3cLAYWPq6RCNeowd_3FYwURWcNv_HXzCSzgDmKqTDeuIaf9HSa1wz1sIlMsIrsWF0MElOvWEI9tLVj_mL-CkXQ6pfZ6_vF-iUMtVQ_KC_Vtd/s1600-h/Camp%252520Setup%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Camp Setup" border="0" hspace="0" alt="Camp Setup" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdVZrCX1goh6fL3cndJ_d8HfGriClhlNA6LA0imvY4oN5ZNxm8oGS_Go-e1lJAcfI8d5gYhfb7Uef7FIEAIB4R2BVT_f2XFsPneVhmR95YrCS1L592E9EmVKRpjdMvFOiCVi-Z49MM-Os/?imgmax=800" width="503" height="424"></a> <p>We intend to do a broadcast of SS radio from the field, providing we have a signal, should be a good time. <p>J Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-42766822905192606812011-08-31T15:27:00.001-04:002011-08-31T15:27:41.954-04:00Home in the bush<p>Tim recently wrote about the use of hunting blinds, not specifically for hunting, but more for observation / recording. I suppose they may also offer some security if it is a tree stand type of blind, or a tower blind. The idea would be that it would keep you out of harm's way when it comes to the critters running around the forest. (You can visit Tim's blog at <a href="http://thewildernesshunter.blogspot.com">http://thewildernesshunter.blogspot.com</a>) <p>Convenient timing to bring up blinds, on one of my recent episodes of Simply Sasquatch radio I spoke about the use of a blind in the field while I was on a mini-trip. A home made setup - basically a small nylon shelter with a camo tarp over it. A little warm in the summer but it does the job. Problem is, when there is wind, it can be noisy. Not a good thing when you are trying to hide your presence or do some localized audio recordings. (Recall the infamous "breather" audio clip from Still River, you could hear the tarp blowing around). <p>If I were to select a blind I would ensure it was big enough for two people. In addition, I would also want to be able to rest / lie down in it if I had to. It would have to be weather resistant - at least waterproof and be able to be setup in a short period of time. People who frequent the same area for hunting or wildlife observation may benefit from a permanent homemade platform like this:</p> <p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="BLIND1" border="0" alt="BLIND1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJCZL4i-glrYMIJK4DTusX5mgnj-GF1VV38pNFHiWBh9fC6Syya3VUzzo07UusMWVqrgJMG-Y9JJ7ilhEJbC3iuSLGZTypN-NJwjgyVJg5blB4wp22Dr03nTe9pLcozTcxidsKtUON7jI/?imgmax=800" width="377" height="264"> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Pretty neat eh? During inclement weather it would be easy enough to tarp this thing , possibly even insulate it with some styrofoam. The point is, it’s an easy setup and with two people would probably not take too long to make. Thing is, what if you are transient, always moving around and having to carry your gear around? I guess you have to look at portable blinds. One such blind manufacturer that interests me is The Altan Safe Outdoors series ( <a title="http://www.altansafeoutdoors.com/index.html" href="http://www.altansafeoutdoors.com/index.html">http://www.altansafeoutdoors.com/index.html</a>). In fact, as of writing this, Home Hardware has one of their blinds on sale until September 10. It’s called the “Hideout” and it is $50 off <a href="http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Outdoor-Living/Sporting-Goods/All-Season/Hunting/Accessories/BLIND-HUNTING-HIDEOUT-CAMOFLAGE/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I7638048?Ntt=Hunting+Blinds">http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Outdoor-Living/Sporting-Goods/All-Season/Hunting/Accessories/BLIND-HUNTING-HIDEOUT-CAMOFLAGE/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I7638048?Ntt=Hunting+Blinds</a></p> <p>For $89 I think it’s a great deal.</p> <p>Here are a few pics:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJZw9x_dT5Zf0nTATMZd1OkfXJRvmAnH7o7I8IKxfK_d1NQUhCwqMAEttIJjQuPjn0w5nzrHtjFMknFjMlRNGhAjvQWaNXUGYgLMMYX7kfLUjFpS3dRJOb3AmWcbjHRkOweNb7O0cpeZ8/s1600-h/hideou1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="hideou1" border="0" alt="hideou1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXjbxwtjBYsnnGzKYtFq4wLyTcM8ezEPQFIkzrkP8KqlA-arPxSLLWT7t1PnV3ydtMuTEced2zmesYyteLxkHkGI6r5cQihFSXkilK4_EflZurzV5OXwgdozMWGJZk25MBAgVWZfQE9A4/?imgmax=800" width="363" height="313"></a> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrTgdFYRR8toElf1qZTOU3JuytSEFYvnyrQXwMhx6YzkNUnJ_flZYrywbjActBhIWRCPAecpSudJjSghnAQZVvm21xexy5_ALKAnrwHcftY9pocGyaTNDhdwqu2xBBHIkJ4yTV3jPqo-X/s1600-h/hideou5%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="hideou5" border="0" alt="hideou5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26nkG6FWi8rUz4VoH6_AqKQG1qeffCrB0amsbI2GsLX88UN55A6gAaFcDY9koDtQyYIfe0q9c0KDW9JhBspzlsQLjZVYQJMM3nK_hTAyZP8PBOfDoqhJye7mX3dESM5JsOmXEFuygCVsi/?imgmax=800" width="355" height="349"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>The question remain about safety and security when using a ground blind, ESPECIALLY when it is hunting season. It only take a few yards distance to lose sight and perspective, since the blind is camouflaged, it would be very easy for a stray bullet to pass by. you should definetly be cautious when you are in active areas.</p> <p>One idea I have thought of is the use of warning posters to indicate your presence. Such a poster, which I have created, <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7rSVb5zOmT9MTJmYjJmYzItZWEzZC00MjFlLWJkNzctMDZkYjJkZGEyYzJi&hl=en_US" target="_blank">CAN BE FOUND HERE.</a> Feel free to use it as necessary. </p> <p>If your not armed and your worried about critters, the use of air horns, bear spray, tripwires with bells attached can be useful. Of course, the obvious – knifes, hatchet, etc are still very useful. Especially for those who do not carry / own a firearm.</p> <p>Be safe out there!</p> Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-44902539457723835742011-08-29T22:51:00.001-04:002011-08-29T23:46:34.193-04:00Alternative power - Everything you need in a simple setupBatteries are really a nuisance to deal with when you head out for the weekend and find yourself changing back and forth between sets that you think are still good and one's that are questionable or dead. New LED lighting technology can make a set of batteries last a long time - easily cover a weekend with no problems, but eventually the batteries do die out and your left without light. Or whatever else you use your batteries in.<br />
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Solar technology has come a long way but we are still not seeing the price drops - at least yet, until it really catches. - in household consumer level stores (I.e. Walmart, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, etc), you are still going to pay several hundred dollars for a panel that might give your 40, 60, perhaps 80 watts. Ah hell, might as well just grab a few packs of batteries right? Yeah, I would do the same, but now I am starting to rethink this after a few experiments that have been quite positive.<br />
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As you know, providing there is sun, solar can operate quite a few things directly, but the majority of setups involve charging a battery bank while the sun is out and having your load run off the batteries. Seems easy enough, but what is realistic?<br />
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First - Don't have a closed mind. If you need area lighting while it is dark, think about your other options. I have seen packages of those garden / walkway solar lights on sale for really low prices - For example, I got a set of Westinghouse solar garden lights with two solar spotlights for $24.99, regular $69.99. A great deal, but moreover, a great way to light up your camp, with the spotlights being used for task oriented areas (eating / cooking / reading). They do last a pretty long time. Off during the day charging, on at dusk. Place a couple of the LED heads inside your tent or trailer and you have some nice subdued yet capable lighting that costs you nothing but sunshine.<br />
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Panels work well too and while people cringe at the cost, look at the alternatives. Quite often Walmart and Canadian Tire put their solar stuff on clearance or sale. You can get a 1.8 watt mini panel with alligator clips and screw terminals for $9.99 when on special. I've seen 15 watt panels at Walmart for $20, on clearance. Hooked up to a rechargeable lead acid battery or gel-cell, this will provide ample power to drive a strip of LED lights and charge a cellphone. (12 volt cig. lighter adapter cord for the charger)<br />
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In a pinch, you could also charge your high power spotlights, computer, iPad, etc. It's supply and demand. It's easy to setup and will last for a very long time.<br />
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So what about devices that use regular AA or AAA or any other type of battery? Your still stuck buying them, right? Yeah - perhaps - but look at what is available. There are a few electronic stores in Mississauga, Dixie and Matheson to be exact, that sell all sorts of stuff. A lot of it is cheap "crap" while some is considered very useful. One such item is a battery charger for AA & AAA battereies. A rapid charger, comes with a 110v adapter but also works off 12v power (with included 12v cig lighter adapter). Perfect. Run that off your panel and you are set. Just need a set of rechargeable batteries, something that I am sure we all have.<br />
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Markers are a good idea. What are markers? Well if you look at a airport at night time, there are lights all over the place, the landing strip is a prime example. They use red and white lights to indicate specific areas and boundaries. Placing one or two LED marker lights by your camp, perhaps in a tree - just a soft glow light, may assist in locating when it is dark and you need a visual queue or reference. Why you ask? Well, sometimes you just need to get your bearings and you would normally flick on your flashlight and scan the area, something you may not want to do if you are actively trying to be quiet - stealth like.<br />
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A few cheap panels bought on sale, hooked into a 12v gel cell or deep cycle battery, will provide a weekend of care-free power without breaking the bank.<br />
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An interesting side note to this is the rejuvenation effect on some batteries with a slow trickle. I tore apart a UPS once after the battery indicated a failed situation. The battery appeared dead and would not take a regular charge via plug-in battery charger, but after 2 days on a small solar panel it was up to 12.4 volts. I followed up with a conditioning charge via my "smart charger" for the next 48 hours and the battery has been great ever since (still using it!!) Funny, you would figure that the UPS would have a small trickle charger and monitors in place to keep the battery in prime condition but obviously not - perhaps because they want the sale of a new battery? C'mon.....(Actually...it did last 4 years. Yeah ok I got my money's worth).<br />
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Keep an eye on solar products and grab them when they are on sale - you will find panels indispensable after you begin to use them and become familiar with how you can benefit from them. You won't be sorry!<br />
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Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-90030635227049755642011-07-27T00:35:00.000-04:002011-07-27T00:35:07.921-04:00Everyone's own way of doing things.....Everyone has a level of expectation when it comes to your own way of doing things - but in the eyes of others, that effort might not be good enough. If you set the bar at a certain point and say "I want to at least accomplish this" - your goal is set. When others look, they might reflect back upon their own goals and personal expectations and say that they are doing better.<br />
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Self improvement is something that we can chase after to make you a better performer. This is the basic principal behind education and actual work / hobby experience. I cannot say with 100% confidence that I am the best I can be - in fact, I don't think that many people can say that without having that little glimmer in the back of your mind saying "I wish I was like that person" or "I wish I could do that". We all have ambitions, dreams, etc. Making them work for you personally is a different story. You have to want to do it.<br />
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I look at some people who have really put a great effort into researching our "ever changing" great outdoors and I admire them for doing so - it helps to form some of the culture & behaviour when looking back at ourselves and others.<br />
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Why is this important? I think because we begin to take things not necessarily for granted, but we begin to make them habit.. Here's what I am eluding too.....Driving home one night, I stopped at the side of the road in a rural area because I saw eyeshine - as luck would have it the nightscope was in my jumpsack and I had my audio recorder with me. While I didn't really see anything, the point is that I was semi-prepared. Now, for someone who is a newcomer or not as informed as those who are, that eyeshine might have been ignored and the car would have just kept driving past. I'm no expert but all it takes is just a little bit of experience, education, wit and a desire to work with new things and you might find yourself a new interest. If the mere topic of BF is enough to make you squeamish.....Take another look - perhaps through anothers eyes. Ask questions - poke around.<br />
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I've received emails from my Simply Sasquatch listeners and my blog viewers saying that they appreciate the introduction to such a field / hobby / interest and some of the experiences it might bring. I really do appreciate the responses and I hope I can help you find your place on this shrinking planet. As I click "Publish Post"...it becomes available to the entire world. Something we couldn't do not so long ago. Information travels fast and there is a lot to share, even though sometimes it feels we have put everything on the web......then something new appears on the horizon.<br />
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Don't be shy or scared to try new things. You may gain the wisdom and knowledge that will be deeply satisfying, plus being able to extend your experiences to others may spark a fire within them. <br />
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TMJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-63284096291601944882011-07-07T00:26:00.000-04:002011-07-07T00:26:56.435-04:00Absorbing change....Talk about circumstances, I have found myself in a position that really lets me see things in a different way. Actually - that should be plural. Yes, different WAYS. I've been on both ends of a situation or conversation and I can see how things, in most cases, end up turning out before it actually comes to fruition.<br />
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As a perfect example, do I heed my own warnings or wisdom? I like to think that I do but here I find myself trudging out into the bush looking for answers about things I think you might already know about. Even though I have committed myself to promoting safety in the field - curiosity, ambition and desire always wins us over. It is the reflection and review of past experiences that opens our eyes to some of the things that we have (or will) go through which consistently drives us to our goals.<br />
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Now something has changed and I know it is for the better. I'm perhaps a little bit wiser, more responsible, more committed to self preservation and most of all, more committed to longevity in things that I believe in and hold dear to me. "Off the cuff" seems to work for many and might do so for some time. Structured, methodical approaches to things also work, usually for the better - and this is what I have learned. If you take the time to think stuff out, it might make things much more clear. If not, move towards your thoughts, goals and ambitions at a slower pace so that you can begin to absorb and appreciate the outcome.<br />
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I havent blogged as often as I promised I would and now I realize one of the reasons why - my life and the way I live it is very important to not only myself but to the others around and with me. Blogging doesn's take too much time but it does if you really have to think about what you want to say without just putting a couple sentences out there about last week's news. Nope. That's not me. I want this to be fresh, genuine, straight from the heart and it will be just that. It's a Tickingmind of ideas, thoughts and opportunities.<br />
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To my followers, friends & acquaintances, I thank you for your patience and your patronage. My forthcoming blogs are hopefully going to be well received and I trust that growth is inevitable, not only in spirit but in knowledge and wisdom - the three cornerstones of a truly sociable and open environment.<br />
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Good night folks, will be posting again soon.<br />
TMJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103505493490991429.post-18578277417484549792011-03-18T00:40:00.000-04:002011-03-18T00:40:27.009-04:00Garmin 2360LT. A dud? I think so...It would seem that Garmin has the upper had on mobile navigation. I assume that they have also cornered the outdoor market as well, with their handheld devices. The word GPS and Garmin seem to click & stick together.<br />
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I had the opportunity to try out a Garmin 2360LT unit and I really hoped that I was going to be treated to a pleasant commuting experience by this device. This is one of the newer offerings from Garmin and it comes with lifetime traffic and a free map update up to 60 days after first satellite acquisition.<br />
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What interested me about this unit? A few things at first, before actually being able to put my hands on it.<br />
-Voice command (since in Ontario it's illegal now to play around with electronic devices while driving)<br />
-Bluetooth<br />
-EcoRoute<br />
-Traffic Trends<br />
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So away we went, first trip. Ok, a bit buggy. Without going into details, I plugged in the unit and found that I had a few software upgrades to do. Ok, fine - done. Back into the car.<br />
Routing, at best, is mediocre. Yes, it will get you from point A to B, but sometimes in a very weird way.<br />
My profile was set to bring me home using the fastest route, without U-turns, toll highways, off-road and ferries.<br />
Traffic trends and the traffic receiver were on.<br />
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The first route was wrong. So wrong. For the "fastest" route it had me driving through a major city to the south end of it, then jumping on the highway for the majority of the trip home.<br />
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I can see the highway bit, but when the traffic system shows a delay in the area planned out, you would think that the GPS would re-route. I can think of several ways to navigate the area of congestion. Nope, I had to deal with the traffic jam.<br />
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And how about those phantom ramps and backwards highway entrances and exits? The entrance to our local highway, according to Garmin, is on the other side of the road (opposing traffic) heading down the ramp that brings the offramp highway-people into the city. Perhaps this was the "suicide" mode because if I followed the directions I would surely be in a bad situation.<br />
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Voice command - A welcome addition but lacks in accuracy and features. Get's bogged down and sits there with a spinning hour glass. Ok I just asked it for the nearest Canadian Tire. It sits and spins. And spins. One of the SLOWEST route calculation / recalculation I have dealt with. Disturbing.<br />
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It's supposed to learn my driving habits and places that I go and build upon it, of which I have yet to see. For example, it ALWAYS suggests one particular route when I know that the route I take is shorter and quicker. <br />
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Trust me, this is not the end. I am putting this unit to the test. I do not want to see people spending their hard earned money on something that could have been had for less than half the price. Stick around, part two will be out in a little while and you can judge from there.<br />
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JJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993990072820284513noreply@blogger.com0