87SupraT

Overall, a pretty amazing video

http://www.d3company.com/img/base/video/Base_firstplay300106.avi

Nice, find, that is quite a bit cheaper. I have been messing around with it and the cordura has been staying together fairly well with just cutting. Only time it posed a problem is when I started sewing really close to the edge, it would start to fray, sometimes. I didn't want to waste my support tape material to do the edges, so if I had, I think it would have held up just fine. I am going to invest in a hot knife anyways, make things easier. Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it. Dale ~Dale

Alright, I am probably going to order one soon. Thanks for the information, appreciate it. Dale ~Dale

I wonder if they sell tips at Home Depot or something for a soldering iron that are wedged? If not I may want to get one of these hot knifes, even messing around with it,I don't want it to be sloppy as hell. Looks like it would definitely get the job done. So would I just use the hot knife for webbing and cordura, or can I use it for the ripstop? I figured since the name it wouldn't continue to tear on, but it may get extremely frayed on the ends. My question is, can I use it to cut the ZP Ripstop? The Ripstop I have is ZP ripstop. So I shouldn't have too much of a problem when sewing it? I am going to mess around with the stuff today, see what happens. Thanks for the replies. Dale ~Dale

I bought some materials to play around with this sewing machine I am borrowing. I was curious, do you just cut the cordura and ripstop with scissors or a soldering iron, something that seams it off so to say? Rip-Stop I am guessing you can just cut with scissors, but will the edges of the cordura start falling apart when handled before stitching support tape around it? Thanks. Dale ~Dale

Downloading.......... seems that many other people are too though, going kind of slow. ~Dale

I got bored waiting for my next semester to start. I warn you ahead of time, I was pressed for materials, so creativity took over. Materials: Pop Rivets Paper Magnet Rocket Recovery Parachute (Main) $10 Wal-Mart Car for Electronics Duct Tape Postal Box Trash Bag and Nylon String (Pilot Chute) Here are the pictures of it: http://mkiiiperformance.net/fun/fun.html Here is the video: http://mkiiiperformance.net/videos/parachutedrop.wmv The first drop in the video is actually the 3rd, the first two the electronics failed, seemed to get out of range. The first drop in the video, was just the pilot chute folded and thrown with the contraption, it seemed to stick on the top of the box and opened about a foot off the ground. The second drop was RC'd, my friend signaled it just as it left my hands in hope to be in range. Dale ~Dale

901 for me, so he can break 2000. ~Dale

Alrighty, I appreciate it. I don't plan on walking it..... ~Dale

Ahh k I understand where you are coming from now. As it is hard to show honesty through text on a monitor I will try my best. I am pretty scared right now to do my 3rd jump(Eventfull Landing on my 1st), I have finally acquired enough money to purchase my AFF package. I can assure you I won't be jumping from anything taller or doing handhelds. Only reason I think of this is because the danger is very low and it would fun since I am bored as hell waiting for the semester to start. The B.A.S.E. Gear, I purchased it because it was very cheap, I have been studying about B.A.S.E. for almost 2 years now and hoping to get my Rigging License this Spring. I learned how to pack reserves from online manuals and got this setup so I can learn to pack B.A.S.E. rigs with a tailgate and tail pocket, it is all for exposure. I am trying to be as knowledgable as I can before getting into it. After I get my A I will be jumping a big 7 cell from then on out until I have met the required jump number and mental mindset, then pursue a FJC. This is my plan, and I plan on working it. I don't own skydiving gear, but I pack parachutes at my local DZ so I am fairly familiar with it. My posting history, I am a very technical person, I like to know how and why something works, and the unexplainable. Sorry if my past posting has scared you, just trying to learn as much as I can. Sincerely, Dale ~Dale

Dexter, I have a Reactor 1 Container and a Cruiselight 220 fitted with a tailgate and tail pocket. I know the Cruiselight isn't B.A.S.E. specific but I don't ever plan on doing a "real" B.A.S.E. jump with it. I jump from this bridge during the summer all the time with a couple not so feet first plunges , so "IF" I try it I should be fine, but there is definitely still a possibility of getting hurt. There is also going to be someone below me in the water with a raft, as soon as I land I would cut the canopy away and gather it and put it in the raft. Dploi, Under 25'?! Did it have time to inflate or were you kiting it and stepping off? Clif, Thanks for info, 1.5, that makes it worth while

Heh, nice, were you flying fairly quickly from you T shap clothes pin contraption? Kiting and stepping off had popped into my mind too, and the part of Texas I'm in is too flat for launching off the ground . Clif, heh alright a CWAD got it. If I planned on doing it anytime soon it would be off a bridge(That I jump from during summer.) 60 feet above water, so not much of ride, rather pointless too, just wondering. Dale ~Dale

I know the only true way of knowing is trying it out, but I am hoping someone can help me out from experience. My understanding of a Tard; the lines S folded in one hand, canopy in another, jump and throw the canopy above you and let the lines leave your other hand. What if someone roughly the length of your lines above you held a pack preped canopy by the packing tabs and pilot chute attachment point(Or dead center of the center cell), then the jumper jumps, and the prepped canopy is released from assistance hands upon line stretch. The canopy would be grasped with two hands, one from each side to help prevent a 180. How soon do you think the canopy will be flying? Sorry if it seems I am rambling on, just typing it as I think of it. Thanks. Dale ~Dale

"I'm B.A.S.E. jumping baby" LOL ~Dale

I couldn't find clips effect properties, I am pretty new to Adobe Premier. I do see how to deinterlace the cip. What benefits are there to deinterlacing it? I havn't captured video with Premier yet, I am trying to edit existing clips I have. I don't own a nice camera at the time, working on getting a PC105. I am just editing existing video clips I have already. The clips I am using though are 320x240, so I figured Premier would resize it when I am trying to compile it as 720x480, but I guess not. Thanks guys, I am still tinkering with it. Dale ~Dale

I see, well I don't know how to describe it then. The video resolution says 720x480. It really is that size but the the actual video is probably 320x240 and it is filling in the rest with just black. So when I full screen it the 720 is sctrectched so much and the little 320 video is only strecthed to 500 something max. I can't get the video to fill the entire 720x480. Does that help a little more? Dale ~Dale

Anytime I export my sequence I always get a black margin around the video. So when I full screen it the video is barely bigger than it's orignal size. I have tried exporting as movie and using the media encorder. I did WMV, MPG, and AVI formats. MPG1 gave me the best quality per file size, but I still have these black margins keeping the video from fully resizing itself in a media player. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks. Dale ~Dale

Thanks, that answered my question

I am looking for a decent beginning camera. It would be used for everything, not just skydiving, and also able to fit in a sidemount on a helmet. Anyone know some good model numbers I can search? Also I would like the option of getting a wide angle lens for it too. Thanks. Dale ~Dale

Give it to me, so I can make it remote controlled

Truthfully, I am still scared of the responsibility as soon as my foot leaves that plane. I got banged up on my 1st jump and broke my tailbone. Took the wind out of my sails, but I managed to make myself do a 2nd jump to see if it was for me. I live 5 hours from my dropzone during summer and december. As a solution I have become a fulltime weekend packer and the DZ is keeping all the money I make in their account out there. It will keep me from impulsively buying something dumb I don't need :). Being out there alot helps to reassure myself to start again. Dale ~Dale

[Reply] 87SupraT, just be sure that you get some practice in before you try to implement the theory. An internet forum is not a good place to actually learn to BASE jump. I completely agree with you, I don't wish to learn to BASE jump from the internet, but possibly pick up some theory/gear knowledge. It is hard to find someone that will accept me to ground crew because of my low number of jumps :/. This is really the only way to learn about it the right way, correct? [Reply]Did you fly your elliptical? Where did you build it at? I am interested in building parachutes as well. I built it in my dorm last year, and yes I kited it about 50 feet above me for awhile :). Not too maneuverable at the moment, it needs to be relined with the proper trim. Ripstop nylon is quite expensive, so I used the lightest non-breathable fabric the sewing shop had. I have some pictures of it; if you like I can send them to you. ~Dale

Don't let the jump number blind you. Just because I haven’t jumped a lot, doesn't mean I quit learning about it all. Body flight and parachuting has consumed me for the last year and a half. I have become obsessed with it all, why, I don't know. I haven’t jumped for about year so it can't be that, maybe just my fascination with it? I am about to start working towards getting my rigging certification, and I pack parachutes every weekend on my local DZ. I have designed and built my own elliptical parachute, but I don't plan on jumping now, maybe sometime down the road when I have the experience and on a 3 parachute system. So I feel I have a "Basic understanding of skydiving gear". I do plan on pursuing BASE, but much later on, after I have the canopy experience and the right mind set for it. I watch/analyze jump videos, just to help me better understand what/why/how something happened. This idea about the container design came the other day, shared it with Jaap, and decided to post it to see what others thought. Would it work, not sure, that is why I ask. Like I said before, I don't speak from experience, I am asking here for feedback from experienced jumpers and more knowledgeable people. Thanks for the support and feedback guys, I will let yall know if I think of anything worthwhile :). Dale ~Dale

Again I don't speak from experience, just thinking. I see what yall mean on the extra hard openings. I didn't mean fully inflated canopy, but maybe the center cell catching air already. The slack in the lines could creat a whip like reaction and the jumper will be on the end of it, so it wouldn't be good. So what really needs to happen, is some how create something that keeps the left and right riser line sets from twisting, but at the same time if one is loaded more than the other to compensate on the other. Sounds like body position will always be a factor. Or just quit packing off-heading pilot chute openings . This dual tailpocket idea sounds interesting too