Its one of those Sunday nights

[Al_Havemann]

It's possible I could become bored, not for lack of something to do though, more from not doing the things I'd rather be doing.

Lessee... what would I do, IF I HAD SOME FREE TIME!

– I'd hop on my bike - peddle out for a 4-5 hour ride in the countryside.
– Play with my surround system
– Work on one of my cars (they always need work)
– Take my 56' Chevy for a run (hasn't been out of the garage for months)
– Clean the garage (always needs cleaning)
– Work in the yard (always needs work)
– Go to Barns & Noble
– Work on some of my old radios
– Go roller blading
– Go to the library
– Go down to the local airport and see if I can cage a free ride or two
– Grab a backpack and hiking stick and go for a 5-10 mile hike in the woods
– Take the kayak and head for the inlet
– Take a model plane to the flying field and relax with the other guys, BS and maybe fly it some
– Maybe visit my brother
– Read a book
– Go trail riding
– Go play on my BMX bike
– Work on one of my telescopes

Could think of lots more - IF I HAD SOME FREE TIME!

By the way, what is FREE TIME these days anyway?

Al

 

[KC2IXE]

Al,
Based on your list - you and I have probably run into each other some time or the other - 20 years ago, I was a serious road bike rider, I'm a ham, I build my own telescopes, used to cage rides at Flushing Airport, used to hike the Catskills, used to fly U/C (at Flushing Meadows) and R/C (Mostly up in PA) aircraft. Never mind that my garage need to be cleaned so badly it's NOT funny

 

[Al_Havemann]

We ought to get together somne time for lunch - I work downtown - across from the Federal Courthouse 2 blocks up from City Hall.

I edited this to add some pictures. The Chevy I still own, the plane is gone now - too expensive to keep. Still got the Takahashi and all the radios though.

Al

 

[Al_Havemann]

Forgot to ask, where in NY do you live?.

Al

 

[KC2IXE]

Bayside Hills Queens - Right of the LIE and the Clearview. That's a NICE Tak - My boss has a smaller one and has been doing a LOT of astrophotography with it. I have a home made 8" Dob based around a parks mirror, and a Meade 2045

 

[Al_Havemann]

I have an 8" Dob too - commercial product, a SkyWatcher with an F4.9 mirror. Decent quality for machine made optics, focult test shows some scalloping but it doesn't effect the views any that I can see. It came with a Sky View plus EQ mount that the TAK is on in the picture above. I remounted it on a Rob Teeter Dob base. It's a decent scope but I don't use it much in NJ - too much sky lighting for the apature to have any advantage. The TAK blow it away most of the time unless I can get to a dark sky where the 8" can pull in some deep objects.

I just remounted the Tak on a Celestron Goto mount, I thought it would make it easier to locate deep objects. It works well enough but I guess I'm an old timer - the Goto just seems to be more bother than it's worth.

The TAK really shines when high magnification is needed. When Mars was closest I had a real good night with steady air and was able to use it at 380X, great views.

Used to have a 12.5 and a 17" but both were so big and heavy I never took them out.

Al

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

A lot of those things ain't doable on a sunday night y'all...

I used to fly R/C Airplanes, when I had a flying buddy and some disposeable income!

That was a Tripacer wasn't it?

My best plane was an Oldtimer High Wing. Would back up in a head wind, fly a LOOOONG time. Could land it at a dead stop with some wind!

Those were the days.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

 

[Jack_Crow]

Hi all,

You dudes might be a little stressed out.
A day off in a war zone ain't exactly fun. This base has nearly zero amenities. When the big deal is how to pave a basketball court, you know your in the sticks.

I was able to record some announcements for the radio station. Big deal. We now have a format for the chappel schedule.

If I can figure out how, Im going to use the text to speech converter in the computer for some of the station ID's. It sounds like that famous physics dude from the UK. You know the one with the book about the history of time. A guest announcer with pedigree.

Did some shoping for lighters at the local national mart. One of the guys on a gun rights board I hang out on wants some of these led lighters that show bombs coming off a jet and exploding. Got two of the type he wanted, one for parts, and one of a different type. I should be getting in some more tomarrow.

Scored some 5x20mm 5 amp fuses. Should have enough for a few months. Fuses are kind of rare here. Electrical devices would never pass UL testing.

Took a nap in the tent. Had a strange dream with my former dog. I had to put her to sleep April of 03. After 18 years the dog was not going to have any more good days.

The dream was a quick one. She was responding to my call the way a blind and going deaf dog can. I picked her up and put her on my chest for a pet festival. It was nice to see my old dog again.

Most dreams are confusised chaotic miserable affairs. So this is a rare one and must be remembered.

Have I bumed you out yet?

If all goes well the wife and I will meet for 10 to 14 days in europe this July. That might be fun.

Jack Crow in Iraq

 

[Al_Havemann]

Actually it's a Colt, the trainer version of the Tri-Pacer that Piper made. It's a PA22-108, same basic airframe as a standard PA22 but rated for 660 lbs only and equipped with an O235, 108 or 115hp engine instead of the O320 - 135,150,160 hp engines that were used in the 4 place versions.

Great plane!. It was my first plane and I owned it for 7 years, put over 800 hours on it commuting and what-not. I could get it off in 800 feet and initial rate would top 1400fpm. It had the big (55 gallon total) tanks and at 6 gph - your bladder would give out long before you'd run out of gas. Took it to Homestead, FL from NJ with only one stop. Flew it out to the Cayman Islands and back - never once had a problem with it other than the damn vacuum pumps - always had trouble with vacuum pumps.

I've owned five planes over the years but I really loved that reliable, rugged little Colt more than any other. It was built like a brick you-know-what and kinda flew like one too when the power was off, never needed flaps (good thing too, since it didn't have any).

I bought it with 2300 hours and it had been metalized and the finish polished smooth to reduce drag from the rivets. I flew that tough little plane through rain, sleet, snow, hail and air that was sometimes so rough that I had to fly with a barf bag strapped to my mouth - just about some of the worst conditions a light plane ever had to go through. It always got me home even though there were times when I'd touch down and the ice would crack off the wings and sheet across the runway. The stubby, forgiving Clark Y wings would lift a full load even with 2 inches of ice on the leading edge.

I wish I still had it.

Al