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(meteorobs) Re: Dictaphone and astronomy


There's been a thread on sci.astro.amateur for the last few days about tips
for using dictation machines to record meteor (and other) observations. I
got this reply from another reader of s.a.a., and thought I'd forward it to
the list. Happy recording!

Lew

<< start of forwarded material >>

>Date: Mon, 08 Jul 1996 18:03:52 -1000
>From: "Brian L. Nestel" <blast@alohadot net>
>Reply-To: blast@alohadot net
>Organization: NESCOMP Computer Services
>Newsgroups: sci.astro.amateur
>To: Lew Gramer & Karen Simmons <lewkaren@tiacdot net>
>Subject: Re: Dictaphone and astronomy
>
>Hi:
>I've tried a small stereo casette recorder for meteors, logging WWVH on
>one channel from an old hallicrafters and voice on the other for the
>data. The problem is with the long tapes (120min)(one side 60min.if you
>can get them), they just are not dependable, the recorder will eat one
>once in a while plus you have to be one your toes to change them every
>hour, if you use shorter tapes (90min)you have to change them at a faster
>interval plus if you get meteors comming fast its harder to vocalize it
>than make a check mark, you can't use autoreverse because of the dead
>time and you also have dead time at the start of a new tape, it's easier
>to drop in a new tape than reverse one in the dark and you have to be
>sure the tapes are marked and setup to just drop in.
> I usually set up a 2" digital readout clock on the top of my truck and
>try to position myself where I am looking in the general direction of the
>radiant and the clock, so a quick glance gives me the time. WWVH is about
>a 1/10 of a mile from our observing site so if you have a loose filling
>you get built in timing.
>For this years perseids I am going to try to record a wide field video
>camera on VCR (EP) with stereo sound with WWVH on one channel and voice
>anotation on the other, plus paper.
>Aloha
>Brian
> ________________________________________________________
>|         NESCOMP         |          K.E.A.S.A.         |
>|    Computer Services    |Kauai Educational Association|
>| Box 73, Lawai, HI 96765 |  for Science and Astronomy  |
>| Voice/Fax 808-332-7709  |  Box 161, Waimea, HI 96796  |
>
>    "Chicken Little only has to be right once"
<< end of forwarded material >>

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Karen Simmons & Lew Gramer lewkaren@tiacdot net http://www.tiacdot net/users/lewkaren
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