The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: BAC on June 19, 2020, 04:35:13 PM
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What do you guys like to do when you’re not working or tackling the honey-do list?
I have been into photography since the 80s. Now that I’ve been kicked out of the photo industry (20 years experience doesn’t matter if you don’t have a degree, but I digress), I’ve been able to enjoy taking photos again.
Lately I’ve gotten into shooting film again. Oh how I’ve missed that! Don’t get me wrong, digital is the way to go for most things, but nothing compares to developing a roll of film yourself. The anticipation as you take the roll off the reel and gaze upon your negatives for the first time. I know it’s weird, but I missed the smell of the chemicals, too.
I’ve been scanning the negatives, but the next step is to convert the laundry room into a full-blown darkroom and to get an enlarger. Baby streps.
So how about you guys? What are your hobbies, or what would you like to try as a hobby?
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I read, always have.
Preferably history, after that pretty much anything but romance.
I dislike most women writers, and I HATE Russian writers.
If an American or Englishman had written War and Peace it would have been 400 pages or less.
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Like several others on here I'm a ham radio op. W4ADS. It's a hobby on the back burner for now. But one I will spend more time at as I become less mobile later in life.
Electronics in general and computers are also a hobby. Also held an FCC 1st Class Commercial license back in the day. I loved video engineering and lighting even though it was my last occupation it was like playing with toys all the time. I miss the equipment.
Working on a computer monitor for the reloading press. The problem is sensors that are small, rugged reliable and accurate... And cheap.
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Yep, ham radio. KE5JDJ....one day I'll work on my Extra Class. I actually got a GMRS license for the house too. I guess radio in general...I'm fussing around with the wifi today to get it into the front field...about 950'...I have a solid 500' now but I have a hill in the way so altitude may be my friend. I have a 5 ghZ bridge if I need it to send the signal out and then rebroadcast on 2.4 ghz.
Fishing, which reminds me, I need to get the boat motor in for service. Model trains...I have a G size locomotive and cars...waiting to finish the house in a year or so before I put it on a track outside. Anything on the tractor...gardening, bushhog, etc...which reminds me I am still waiting on the posthole auger to come in. Music...the stereo, etc. Fireworks and model rockets when I can...I have some rice paper hot air balloons I try to launch one every couple of days when it's not dry. Shoot...I even like cutting grass and building stuff.
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I read, always have.
Preferably history, after that pretty much anything but romance.
I dislike most women writers, and I HATE Russian writers.
If an American or Englishman had written War and Peace it would have been 400 pages or less.
tom loolk up thunder bellow by admiral flucky.
Other hobbies of mine are wood working, aquariums, building things in general and boats.
Oh ps i dont have honey due lists, i am very proactive about fixing things. Besides she knows better than to ask about home repairs that are not needed. The last thing i want to do is come home and go back to work
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TAB, I saw your post in Summer reading, sounds good.
As to the Honey Do list she's probably afraid you'll just tear it down build another one and call it "remodeling". ;D
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TAB, I saw your post in Summer reading, sounds good.
As to the Honey Do list she's probably afraid you'll just tear it down build another one and call it "remodeling". ;D
more like i will make her do it. The last time she wanted the bedroom painted i taught her how to do it. Its like the boot makers kids are always the last to get shoes made. People were always shocked that i do all this cool trick stuff in oyher peooles houses, but mine is plain jane and needs stuff done.
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Yep, ham radio. KE5JDJ....one day I'll work on my Extra Class. I actually got a GMRS license for the house too. I guess radio in general...I'm fussing around with the wifi today to get it into the front field...about 950'...I have a solid 500' now but I have a hill in the way so altitude may be my friend. I have a 5 ghZ bridge if I need it to send the signal out and then rebroadcast on 2.4 ghz.
Fishing, which reminds me, I need to get the boat motor in for service. Model trains...I have a G size locomotive and cars...waiting to finish the house in a year or so before I put it on a track outside. Anything on the tractor...gardening, bushhog, etc...which reminds me I am still waiting on the posthole auger to come in. Music...the stereo, etc. Fireworks and model rockets when I can...I have some rice paper hot air balloons I try to launch one every couple of days when it's not dry. Shoot...I even like cutting grass and building stuff.
Every time you guys start talking radio, I get the itch. The closest I've ever been to it is CB in the trucks.
Fishing - I used to love fishing, and I miss it. Got spoiled working at my Aunt and Uncle's resort in my teens. I later got a boat, but never really found the time. Now the boat sits in Minnesota trying to find a new home, and I am in Illinois wondering how to convince the wife it needs to join me.
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Wow, I just fell down a rabbit hole.
While reading about ham and CB radios I was transported back to the mid to late 70s, Punxsutawney, PA, sitting in my Dad’s Ford pickup in front of the house, talking on the CB radio.
Then I started thinking about Edmund Scientific and Heathkit catalogs. I always wanted to buy a stereo kit and build it, but never did. It would seem both companies are still around, or at least companies that own their trademarks are still around.
I seem to remember being in Radio Club in high school, but I don’t remember ever actually doing anything with radios in the club. Maybe I made the whole thing up in a fever dream. Have to text my brother to confirm, as I think he was a Radio Club officer, or maybe he wasn’t.
This stream of consciousness post was brought to you by Caffeine! Back to work.
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Fishing, fresh and inshore salt on occasion!
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If you aren't familiar with Laconia, It's between 2 lakes, with about a mile of decent sized river running between them.
I've been here 15 years and never went swimming till during the "Lockdown", I don't fish, or boat.
WTF am I doing here ? ;D
Been watching some of those Kayakers though, I might look into getting one of those.
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Every time you guys start talking radio, I get the itch. The closest I've ever been to it is CB in the trucks.
<snip>
<snip>
While reading about ham and CB radios I was transported back to the mid to late 70s, Punxsutawney, PA, sitting in my Dad’s Ford pickup in front of the house, talking on the CB radio.
Then I started thinking about Edmund Scientific and Heathkit catalogs. I always wanted to buy a stereo kit and build it, but never did. It would seem both companies are still around, or at least companies that own their trademarks are still around.
<snip>
Well by all means go get a CB ! ! ! ! I still use one occasionally. www.copperelectronics.com (http://www.copperelectronics.com) generally has a fair or the lowest price.
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Like a lot of others here I am a HAM operator (K4JWK). For some reason, there is some sort of mental link for a LOT of gun owners I know and HAM radio. I don't know why but they seem to be connected. Maybe connected by those that want to be prepared? Dare I say "prepper"!
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Why the two hobbies are related.
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Why the two hobbies are related.
Is there any male dominated hobby where that does not happen?
" my greatest fear is that after i die, my wife will sell all my 'toys' for what i told her i paid"
We have a dont ask, dont tell policy at my house.
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A decent smallie!
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They never stocked the lakes and streams this year.
The fisherman I've talked to said there were fewer but they are better eating.
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I miss fishing. Something i use to do all the time.
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Well quit designing stuff and go drown a worm !
Friend of mine has a son in San Francisco who says they are biting like crazy on the upper Sac.
Sent pictures too. ;D
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Judo is my first love, second would be fishing.
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I miss judo, but after 25 years of wreslting, my knees said no more.
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Tab in know the pain. I had labrum surgery a few months back. My right knee is jacked up and i need surgery for a torn neck muscle.
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Reading books, magazines, and all kinds of stuff online. I look up one word or something and the next thing I know it's 2 or 3 hours later and I'm on Wikipedia wondering how the heck I ended up on that page. I like listening to a variety of music but don't really listen like I did before I had a computer. I used to have no distractions while I really listened, but I just don't make time for it anymore. I have over 500 CDs and I listen to them when I drive instead of listening to the radio with all its commercials. I put a 10-disc CD changer in my other truck and I could drive to my dad's place in the U.P., drive around while I was there for a couple of weeks, and drive back home, about 600 miles round trip, listening to music the whole time without hearing the same song twice. I liked having it pick a disc at random and play every song on it at random before picking another one and doing the same thing. I just ordered a factory Delco stereo in this truck with a single disc player.
I spend a lot of time watching movies and TV now instead of listening to music. I've found a lot of shows online for free that are on premium channels and subscription services I don't have and they're better than what I'm paying to see. "The short-form mobile video platform Quibi released an adaptation called Most Dangerous Game starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz. It takes place in modern-day Detroit where a dying man named Dodge agrees to be hunted for sport over a 24-hour period to earn money to leave his wife and unborn child." I just finish watching that adaption of the 97 year old short story. It's 15 short episodes that probably total under 2 hours. I liked it better than one of the movie versions I saw before.
I like to ride my ATV but only go when my friends go, usually from around Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend or later. My days of riding all by myself are over. There were days I never even saw another person on the trails and it's long walk back to the parking lot, or a road leading to civilization, when you get stuck or something breaks. Once or twice I was was riding down a trail in the winter and met my friend riding his snowmobile heading the opposite direction. Not anymore. I had to buy a new quad after a close encounter of the tree kind. That was on the first trip with four new tires, a new battery, and new heavy-duty front springs. I wouldn't have put all that money into it if I new I was going to total it before I even got to the trails. :'( The new one looks like the second pic but with nearly every accessory I could get on it.
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Traded in some camera equipment and finally went full-frame. Got a Nikon Z5 mirrorless camera not long ago, and I’m loving it! It’s not super-deluxe on the video features, but I don’t shoot video. What it is is a solid, no-frills digital still camera with a great big sensor. Exactly what I wanted.
There are adapters available to mount just about any lens on the camera, too. I already have the adapter for Nikon SLR lenses, and an adapter for my old Olympus film camera lenses should be arriving within a day.
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A pro-photographer friend was just talking about going back to mirrorless from his usual DSLR.
To me the biggest thing would be the lack of mechanical motion from the mirror flip. Less dependence on the security of the mount and on motion correction.
If it ever makes it a higher priority I want one with wireless remote so I don't even have to hold it or push a button on the camera.
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A pro-photographer friend was just talking about going back to mirrorless from his usual DSLR.
To me the biggest thing would be the lack of mechanical motion from the mirror flip. Less dependence on the security of the mount and on motion correction.
If it ever makes it a higher priority I want one with wireless remote so I don't even have to hold it or push a button on the camera.
Most cameras have wifi now, so you can control them using your smartphone. You can preview the picture, adjust settings and take the photo without touching the camera. It will even transfer the image to your phone.
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Most cameras have wifi now, so you can control them using your smartphone. You can preview the picture, adjust settings and take the photo without touching the camera. It will even transfer the image to your phone.
Jesus,
Big brother doesn't even need to leave his bunker to look over your stuff. ;D