REMOTE CONTROLLED Cars Make A Fun Hobby

If someone is interested in radio controlled hobbies, they almost always start with a car. Unlike a boat or a plane, cars usually won’t be completely destroyed if they fail. It is very easy to make a basic radio controlled car, but as you do it you will discover that there is a huge amount of knowledge that can be gained. As you gain this knowledge, you can start to use advanced techniques to create cars that are stronger, faster, or more efficient than your previous ones. You can throw one together in a few minutes, or you can spend months creating an amazing car with superb speed and handling. The amount of effort you put into it is entirely up to you.

Hyper 8 Radio Controlled Racing buggy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are just starting with radio controlled hobbies, it is probably wise to just buy a pre-made radio controlled car. You can buy these in toy shops almost anywhere. It may be slow and clumsy, and it may not satisfy your technological urges, but it is a good place to start. Play with it for a couple of days, and then take it apart. Look at the way the motors are connected to the wheels, and look at the general architecture of the car. After you understand it all, you will have much better luck when you start to build your own. You may even be able to use a few parts, such as the body of the car or the radio equipment. The motors will probably not be as strong as you would like.

After you have gained this essential basic understanding of the way that radio controlled cars work, you can start on whatever you want your next project to be. For most people, their goal is to build a model car from wood or plastic, install the electrical components, paint it, apply decals, and basically get it looking as good and performing as good as possible. Others may want to build an incredibly fast remote-controlled car to show off to friends. No matter what you want to do, you will only be able to achieve it if you take it one step at a time and learn everything there is to know about remotely controlled hobbies.

Many different resources can help you out along your way to becoming an expert in radio controlled hobbies. You will probably be spending a lot of time researching all of the different information that you need. You can find it all over the internet, including many different tutorials. For more specific questions, you can go to community groups and forums. This is where people from all over the world gather together on the internet to discuss their hobby, support each other, and brag about their latest accomplishments. Usually, they are very welcoming to newcomers, especially if you are very clear and polite in asking your question.

Radio controlled cars don’t have to be without competition. If you want to put your car up against those of other enthusiasts, you can find many different races and exhibitions around the world. Just do a quick internet search, and find out what the nearest option is. You might have to take a weekend trip, but it will be worth it to be around those who are as passionate as you about what you are doing. These meetings may include races or just a good old convention to share tips and tricks with other radio hobbyists. You would be surprised at the large amount of information that you can learn from the people who go to these events.

Starting a new hobby may be daunting at first since there is a wealth of information that you probably know nothing about. However, if you just get started with the basics and use all of your resources that are at your disposal, you will be able to succeed.

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Basics of a Wireless BURGLAR ALARM System

Safety and convenience – these two factors are the major reasons behind every family’s choice on having a wireless burglar alarm system in their home. Compared to the standard burglar alarm system which is connected using different wires, the wireless alarm utilizes radio waves. Having so, this lessens the many scattered and displayed wires inside your home.

Picture of a burglar alarm detection point. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More convenience, as well as savings, is brought by the wireless alarm since you do not need to hire an electrician, also, the equipment can easily be attached on a wall area of your choice as long as you properly adhere to the manual guide included in every package. 

It will be handier that upon installation of your wireless burglar alarm system, you have an adept knowledge of the equipment’s composition.  

Humans have a brain. The brain is considered the control center of the entire body. When some of the humanity’s geniuses invented equipment, they formulated brains for it. The control panel is the brain of a wireless burglar alarm system. Just like human’s brain which sends messages to and receives stimulation from all parts of the body. The control panel is responsible for disseminating signals to the system’s sensors which then creates an “alarm” sound.  

The keypad serves as the heart of your wireless burglar alarm system wherein it is responsible for letting your system function or destabilize. The remote keys are alternative to keypads. Remote keys are normally used in long distance for the system to effectively function. 

Other parts of the wireless burglar alarm system which you should get familiar with are the magnetic contacts, contact sensors, cameras and monitoring devices.  

The magnetic contact is a switch which determines the space between the switch and the magnet. Whenever the space between the switch and the magnet goes beyond its normal measurement and the system has been turned on, an alarm sound is evident. Space heightens when individual attempts to open a door or a window.  

Some wireless burglar alarm system has built-in contact sensors. Motions or excessive heat is being detected by this type of sensors. Contact sensors are commonly used where there are fewer chances for individuals to be present in a certain area in the home or in an establishment. Another supplementary device in the system is the “monitoring service” which detects signals from the control panel. When a burglar enters your home and the system has detected it, an alarm will then manifest. The monitoring service will be the one responsible for calling emergency institutions such as 911, a police station or even the hospital. Thus you are guaranteed that during urgent situations immediate help will come its way. 

Cameras can also be available with this type of alarm system for additional surveillance which may lead to greater protection. The transmission of video information from the cameras will go through a wireless signal which will identify people coming in and out of your place. Thus you will have an easier time to distinguish who your visitors are the culprits.   

There should be no second thoughts when safety is the subject matter. You cannot sacrifice your own as well as your family’s protection over anything else. With sufficient knowledge about the security equipment you have at home, such as the wireless burglar alarm system, you are providing utmost protection that you and your family deserve.

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Great Americans - Asa Gray (1810 - 1888)

Great Americans - Asa Gray (1810 - 1888)

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The Importance of Properly Preparing for a RV Trip

Are you interested in taking an RV trip?  If you are, you will want to take the time to properly and fully plan for and prepare for your upcoming trip.

Mercedes-Benz O 508D (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As nice as it is to hear that should properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, you may be curious as to what the importance of doing so is.  After all, you may only be interested in visiting the next town over for a day or two.  Even in these types of situations, with short RV trips, it is still important to properly plan and prepare. 

One of the many reasons why you are encouraged to properly plan for and prepare for your upcoming RV trip, no matter where you are going or for how long, is because of safety.  If your motor home breaks down, will you be able to get assistance right away?  Those who own their own RVs are encouraged in invest in RV insurance or at least roadside assistance.  For those renting RVs, it is important to determine, ahead of time, if roadside assistance is included in rental fees.  When traveling, it is always best to prepare for the worst.

Another reason why you should properly plan and prepare for your upcoming RV trip is for your loved ones.  When you take the time to do the proper amount of planning and preparation, your loved ones can take comfort in knowing that you are safe and out of harm's way.  This is ideal if you have children who will be staying behind.  In fact, you may want to create a mini itinerary for yourself to leave behind; include what stops you plan to make, when you will check-in, as well as when you will return.

Perhaps, the greatest reason why you should take the time to properly plan for and prepare for an upcoming RV trip is so that you can have a good time.  If your planning and preparation are rushed, you may find yourself missing important supplies.  For example, what would happen when you went to take a shower and realized that you forgot the towels, and so forth?  Not only can this result in additional expenses on the road, but it is also a huge inconvenience.

In conjunction with improving your overall satisfaction, proper planning, and preparation, for an RV trip, reduce the amount of worry or concern you may have about doing so.  For example, by creating a checklist in advance and going through that checklist before your trip, you can make sure that you have “all of your ducks in a row.”  This is likely to provide you with a sense of comfort and security, which can help improve your chances of having a truly fun and memorable RV trip.

As highlighted above, there are a number of reasons why you should take the time to properly plan and prepare for your next RV trip.  The good news is that it is relatively easy to properly plan and prepare for an upcoming RV trip.  For example, make a checklist of what items you would like to pack, which items you will need to buy, stops you would like to make along the way, and so forth.  Traveling by RV can be fun and exciting, but it can also be dangerous and frustrating if the proper steps are not first taken.  

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ATV History

The ATVs (all terrain vehicles) we know today had very humble beginnings in the mountainous farming regions of Japan. The muddy mountain roads became difficult for the farmers to travel during spring thaws and were almost impossible to drive over with conventional vehicles or big machinery. The Japanese, always a culture to modify and tinker with something until they could improve it, created the three wheeled ATV. This vehicle did wonders for helping the local farmers. The ATVs were less expensive than the larger farm vehicles and it proved to be an excellent little workhorse. 

Honda Ranger ATV (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Japanese didn’t stop there, though. ATV manufacturers took it a step further and realized that they could market these ATVs to Americans. America had nothing like the ATV and the first ATV arrived on our shores in the early 1970’s. Honda was the forerunner of the ATV, and had a proven track record with motorcycle sales in America, having introduced the Honda Cub to millions of Americans only a decade before. The successful marketing slogan “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” came at a time when bikers had a bad reputation and proved to people that the average Joe could enjoy motor sports as well. By the 1970’s, Honda had a reputation for building reliable, state of the art machines and their ATV was no different. This time the marketing scheme would be to show people how thrilling recreational ATV riding could be.

Over thirty years ago the Honda US90 made its debut and was called the ATC90. Oddly enough, the initial intent of the ATVs may have started out at the opposite end of the spectrum from Japan’s working class ATV, but in the end, the results were the same. After gaining popularity as a recreational vehicle, the ATV soon became popular as a working vehicle as Americans began to realize exactly how versatile this little three-wheeled vehicle could be.

The ATV proved to have several advantages for the working class man. First and foremost, the ATV was cheaper to operate than a tractor or pickup truck and during the gas crunch of the 70’s, that was a big plus. The ATV was also easier to maneuver in tight spots and could travel over practically any type of terrain.  The only problem people found was the tires. The tires of earlier ATVs were low-pressure and while this worked fine on mud or sand, the tires punctured easily when going over sharper terrain, like a harvested field or sharp rocks. Overall, the ATV did work that no other piece of heavy equipment could do. The original tires weren’t repairable either.

In 1975 the hubless wheel design was replaced with steel hubs and a wheel lined with a tough fabric on the inside. More durable plastic fenders were added. This time they produced fenders in bright colors for better visibility out in the bush. As the ATV’s popularity grew the Japanese engineers didn’t stop their research and development. They had a good thing going and they were determined to make it better. Their engineers went into the field to see how the ATV’s performed and started gathering data to help with the next round of modifications.

By the 1980’s, ATVs had gone the same route as dirt bikes and motorcycles. The ATV’s were being used as a utility vehicle and for racing. More and more people were buying ATV’s for riding off road trails and competing in races similar to motocross events. By 1985 ATV usage had gone from only 30% in the 70’s to the whopping 80%. In 1988, Honda made another groundbreaking leap with the ATV’s design, the introduced the FourTrax 300 and a second model called the FourTrax 300 4x4.  Up until this point the ATV still had the three wheels, now Honda added an extra wheel and gave the ATV four wheel drives, which provided more stability and power. They also fitted the FourTrax with a four stroke single cylinder engine which was air cooled and gave it a five-speed transmission, automatic clutch and a maintenance free drive shaft. Honda also thought to give the FourTrax an extra low gear for hauling particularly heavy objects as big as 850 lbs.

Today, ATV’s are fully ingrained into our way of living. You can find ATVs on the dirt bike trails, on farms, on construction sites and a host of other places. Now countries all over the world are discovering the same thing Americans have; the ATV is a fun and efficient vehicle for handling a wide array of jobs in almost any environment.

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Shooting Stars

If you are a serious astronomy fanatic like a lot of us are, you can probably remember that one event in childhood that started you along this exciting hobby.  It might have been that first time you looked through a telescope.  But for many of us, it was that first time we saw a rain of fire from the sky that we eventually came to know as a meteoroid shower.

Photo of a part of the sky during a meteor shower over an extended exposure time. 

The meteors have actually occurred several seconds to several minutes apart. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the time when you see the first one, it’s easy to remember the movie “war of the worlds” or some other fantastic image of aliens entering our atmosphere in droves to take over the planet.  But with some guidance and explanation of what was going on, we eventually learned that these showers were not at all threatening or any kind of invasion.  For the most part meteoroid showers are harmless, part of nature and very fun to watch.

So what are these strange lights in the sky?  Are they aliens invading from Mars?  Are the comets coming to start the next ice age?  Or perhaps asteroids burning up as they enter the earth's atmosphere.  The answer to the above questions is no to the first and “yes and no” to the other two.

A meteoroid is actually a small piece of space rubble, usually dust or small rocks that come from either a comet or the break up of an asteroid in space and that eventually plummets toward the earth.  We say “toward the earth” because the lights you see are the friction of the atmosphere burning up those small space tidbits and creating a spectacular show for all of us as they do so.  A particularly exciting moment to witness is when a meteoroid breaks up or explodes on entry.  A meteoroid that explodes is called bolides.

There are some interesting details about the life of a meteoroid that make the viewing of shooting stars even more fun.  To be seen, a meteoroid only needs to weigh as little as a millionth of a gram.  But the thing that makes them so spectacular to see is the tremendous speeds they reach as they enter the atmosphere.  Before burning up, a meteoroid will reach between 11 and 74 kilometers per second which is 100 times faster than a speeding bullet.   

We tend to think of t seeing a shooting star as a freak event and we associate it with superstition (hence, wish on a lucky star).  But there are actually thousands of them every year so it really isn’t that rare to see one.  In fact, scientists tell us that over 200,000 tons of space matter enters the atmosphere each year and burns up on entry.  

Comets are a big source of meteoroids because of the nature of those long tails.  A large amount of dust, ice, and other space debris gets caught up in a comet’s tail as it moves toward the sun.  Then as the comet moves away from the sun in its orbit, tons of this matter is thrown off into space to disperse.  As the Earth moves in its routine orbit around the sun, it often crosses through clouds of this discarded matter which becomes one of those “meteor showers” that are so popular for viewing.  

These showers of shooting stars are pretty easy for astronomers to predict so you can get into position to see the excitement at just the right time of night and be looking at the right area of the night sky.  Usually, the astronomy magazine or site will give you a general time and location to be ready to look when the meteoroids start to fall.  

Now keep in mind, this is a phenomenon of nature so it may not observe the time table exactly.  Also, note that there is a notation system for where the meteoroid shower will occur based on what constellation is its backdrop.  The section of the sky to focus on for the show is called the “radiant” because that is where the entering meteoroids begin to glow or radiate.  The radiant is named after the constellation it is nearest to.  So if the meteor shower is going to occur in the constellation of Leo, then its radiant will be called Leonid.  This will help you decipher the listing of asteroid showers in the publications.

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Astrophotography

The principle of operation of an equatorial mount to keep a telescope pointing
in the same direction. The black spots denote rotation axes seen end-on.
The green telescope is rotated at the same rate as the earth but in the
opposite direction, while the red telescope is not driven.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Astrophotography can be a rewarding pastime for some beginner astronomers.  Conventional 35mm cameras, Schmidt cameras, and CCD or Digital cameras can be used to take your spectacular pictures.  

The right pieces are needed to make this a success.  You will need a shutter cable for the 35mm, an equatorial telescope mount to help with tracking your object for up to an hour sometimes.  A “T” mount to help align the camera with the eyepiece holder, and a guiding eyepiece to help keep your object in the center of your frame. 

There are many ways to pursue this hobby.  One is by using a camera mounted to the side of the telescope.  Another has the camera on the back of the telescope, using the scope as a guide.  The last is to use a camera that is attached to a movable mount on a tripod.  If you use these, please make sure your camera is steady and firmly attached with no vibrations or shaking. 

If you are just starting out, take your digital camera and select some constellations to snap.  To set your digital camera up, check your aperture and sensitivity settings.  Also, check your shutter speed.  All of these should be set to where more light can be focused especially when taking pictures at night.

Focusing means doing the manual focus on the camera or digging through the many menus until you find the right one and set it to what you want.  Then try to shoot something far away to see if the setting you programmed works.

White balancing is usually by default.  At night, the default setting will the sky to a brown-reddish color.  If you are going to incorporate long exposures of the night sky, try setting the balance to Tungsten.

  

After you take several pictures, transfer them from the camera onto the computer.  Sometimes they come up grainy, try reducing the size down by increments and you should soon have a clear picture.

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