One the way back down the Ash Canyon Trail, I paused to make this image of Washoe Lake. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-24 13:26:36, 5.79mm, 1/160sec, f/9, ISO-100
The Pudding has a lot of interesting topics that are presented in such a unique fashion. It is worth a look.
I am working on my Linux computer again. The instructions for installing R are found here.
I found another (old) set of instructions that include R-Studio here.
I do not recall if I wrote about it, but I am working with an install of Linux Mint. It is used by a number of amateur radio operators whom I trust and Jason, KM4ACK, uses it as the base for his ham radio software distribution.
One of the issues I am faced with is migrating a long list of Evernote notes into my Linux system. Evernote has abandoned development for the Linux OS, so another software is going to be necessary. It might be Obsidian. I found a thread on migrating to Obsidian from Evernote here.
Another set of directions is found on the Obsidian website, here.
I have a copy of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights produced by National Center for Constitutional Studies. It is pocket sized and very well produced. It is recommended.
I added a contact page to my weblog using Contact Form 7.
I added a plugin to add data from the EXIF files in a digital image to add data to my photograph captions using EXIF Caption and EXIT Details.
Grayl makes excellent water filtration systems for hikers. They also make a pack system that looks interesting. This is serendipitous given I just wrote about my milsurp patrol pack.
This is a test frame using the new Adobe Labs Indigo camera app. I did some light post-processing in PhotoLab7. Captured with iPhone 13 Pro Max, 2025-06-24 07:17:31, 5.7mm, 1/30sec, f/1.5, ISO-100.
My last iPhone upgrade was from an iPhone 11 Pro Max (I think, and iPhone 11 for sure) to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. I have not upgraded to the latest and greatest, and probably will not. That is a topic for another essay.
I also have tried any number of camera apps in my iPhones over the years. I was just reading through a recent email from DPReview about Adobe Lab’s new camera app, Indigo. I have not wanted to give up completely on the iPhone camera, but the quality of output is generally unsatisfactory. So, I decided to give the new Indigo app a chance.
The result of my first shot is the example above. It is a grab shot of my coffee mug, dust, residue, and all. I did a little post processing in PhotoLab7 to slightly improve the aesthetic.
From what I see, Indigo has promise. I will be doing more testing and grab some of the RAW images that it produces for post processing and review.
I do not care for Adobe’s change to a subscription model. For that reason, I eschew most of the their products. It does not matter to me whether they are the standard or not. I have alternatives that serve my needs. Indigo might be the exception to my rule.
I shot this just after sunset while walking The Girl a couple of nights ago. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-21 19:42:27, 18mm, 1/50sec, f/4.9, ISO-800, SOOC JPG.
I will have a review of the Olympus Tough TG7 after I have more experience with the little camera. Based on my initial use of it, I have a good impression thus far. But, I need more experience to fully form my opinion of the little camera.
My use case for it is a field camera that I use to document my project work. I could use my iPhone, but better images can be made (I think) with a purpose-built tool. I spent several hours researching weatherproof or weather resistant cameras, particularly those that will fit into a pocket. I ended up with a TG7. It readily fits into the back pocket of my cargo pants.
I made this image Sunday evening while taking The Girl on our evening excursion. I wait until the Sun falls behind the Carson Range, then we head out for a half-mile walk once it cools down a little. Both of us benefit from the outside time.
The light was falling just enough that the sign made an impression. So, I paused, let her sniff at the nearby brush a bit (to leave pee-mail), and made this capture.
I have since learned I should dial down the compression a bit and/or shoot the Olympus raw format and post process the result. I will try both of these approaches for some upcoming test shots.
But, the SOOC images that I am getting from the TG7 are pretty good, in my opinion. Perhaps I do not have the critical eye of other photographers.
After the pause, The Girl and I headed home. She asked for her evening treat. I had mine, too. Then we hit the sack.
This is my current carry on our hikes. I have two 2-liter bottles full (on the start), a bit of emergency equipment (knife, saw, fire kit, snack, boo-boo kit, bug spray, head net, emergency blanket and tarp, and a compass), and my GPSr. Captured with TG-7, 6.37mm, 1/80sec, f/2.5, ISO-160, SOOC.
About a year ago, I found and bought a milsurp MOLLE II Patrol Pack. I have a number of backpacks in my inventory (too many) and have been through a few more. I keep coming back to milsurp because of the MOLLE system, which allows me to hang pouches and equipment from the pack readily. I like having pockets/pouches to stow gear and the PALS webbing makes it easy to hang gear on the outside of the pack.
The pack came without a stiffener/pad combination (a sort of frame), but the seller was kind enough to send along a set he thought would fit. I struggled to get the frame into its pocket, but made it happen. (This was expected.) But, I thought the frame was a little too long for the pocket. Nonetheless, I used it for a year (at least) before deciding to cut a little from the bottom.
A couple of weekends ago, I set up a folding table in my side yard and pulled out the frame. I carefully measured the pocket dimensions (three times), then decided to remove a half-inch from the bottom of the frame. I drew a line with a Sharpie at the cut and used a pair of electrician’s shears to make the cut. I then rounded the bottom corners to reduce the likelihood of abrading the inside of the pocket.
It was fairly easy (now that I know the process) to reinsert the frame and try on the pack. The curve that had formed at the middle of the rucksack/frame was much reduced. I decided to wear it for a while before removing any more material.
The last few outings with the pack were much improved. The bottom edge of rucksack no longer digs into my lower back a little. I think it is where I want it to be, but will continue monitoring to determine whether another adjustment is needed.
These pack are relatively rare. I had to hunt for mine. I think they were issued in the 1980s as part of the infantry pack system (see here). Because it is long discontinued and there is quite a bit of demand for milsurp packs, they are not cheap (I paid about $100US for mine) and are not common. However, I think they are worth the search.
I tried a MOLLE II Assault Pack, but found the extra size and the thinly padded straps to be not what I needed or wanted. With a reasonable loadout, the straps dug into my shoulders too much and so the pack was abandoned. Fortunately they are not expensive (or were not at the time). I also had the large ruck for a time, but it was not carryable for me.
I have also been through a number of civilian packs over the last few years. My favorite is an Osprey Stratus in the 20-liter size. It is very comfortable, if a bit small (the 36-liter is much larger). It will work well as a day pack or for an ultralight enthusiast.
As much as I love the suspension and comfort of the Stratus, the hip belt interferes with the EDC on my belt and the bottle pouches on the sides are a little small for my stainless Nalgene bottles. Therefore, I gave up on the Stratus (still have it though) and continued the search.
The milsurp canteen pouches (although not matching in ACU) readily carry a 1-liter stainless Nalgene bottle and I have one affixed to each side of my pack. The front pouch, intended to carry a standard protective mask, holds an assortment of small gear. I keep a small boo-boo kit, headnet, fire kit, mylar emergency blanket, snack, tea kit, bug juice, and a number of other small items in this pouch. The main pouch has room for overnight gear if that is needed. I generally have an emergency tarp/blanket in the main compartment and not much else. I do sometimes store a cover if the weather is cool or inclement. I removed the parachute webbing from my sample.
The shoulder straps are comfortable enough for light to moderate loads. I currently carry about 20-pounds of water and gear. I think they straps would be less comfortable once I passed about 30 pounds.
In all, I think this pack fits my use case. It is a keeper.
Found a bit of broken granite on the trail. I like the texture of the rock juxtaposed with the pine cones and needles. Captured with TG-7, 11.09mm, 1/500sec, f/5, ISO-100, JPG with black and white conversion in PhotoLab7.
While hiking with The Girl a couple of days ago, I came across this bit of broken granite on the trail. The combination attracted my eye because of the interplay of light and texture. So, I paused for a few minutes to make a capture and corral The Girl. (Maybe that order should be reversed.)
I enjoy the rock outcrops of the Carson Range in the area that we are hiking. There are a couple of large outcrops that we have visited and will visit again. Perhaps they will provide some additional images.
At the turn-around point, we break for water and a quick rest. The Girl posed for me. Shot with TG-7, 12.73mm, 1/125sec, f/3.9, ISO-200, JPG SOOC.
I have been busy enough with trading and work lately that there is not enough energy left at the end of the day to post anything here. That does not mean that I am inactive, though.
The Girl and I continue to hike daily, generally up near Spooner Summit where the air is cooler and there is less traffic. We also get in an evening walk most days about dusk here in town. We have a half-mile loop that gets her outdoors, gives an opportunity to eliminate and sniff around a bit. She might bark at another dog if we encounter one. And I get away from the desk or whatever has me occupied.
I am exercising the Olympus Tough TG7 on our outings. I want to learn to use the camera and test its capabilities. So far I am impressed. It performed for me in the field during out last field walk. I am still working on that field report and will be including images from the camera in my report.
I am researching Graphene OS for a new phone. Although I have been aware that Bit Tech is snooping around in our data, it was only this last year when Apple and M$ kicked off their AI craze/affectation/love affair/infestation (choose your favorite object) that it became a real concern. It should have much, much sooner. But, it is what it is.
What I realize is that it is going to take some time to extract myself from the data suck. I am working on a Linux test bed to determine if I can operate in a Linux environment and still function. I think it will start with the phone and then work into the computer. I am due for a new phone number now that it is out in the wild and I receive many (too many) spam calls.
Anyway, here we go…
The ARRL Field Day for 2025 is approaching quickly. We have a place picked to camp, play a little radio, and fellowship. It looks like there will be some shade and some water. My hope is that the insects are not too bad. It will be good, regardless.
The Girl posed for me a couple of days ago. I made the capture. I am grateful for her, and so many others. Life is good.
We stopped on the way back down the hill so I could make this capture. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-20@12:29PST, 18mm, 1/400sec, f/6.3, ISO-100, SOOC.
On the way up the hill to our hiking spot near Spooner Summit, I noticed a plume of smoke rising from the Pine Nut Mountains. I made a mental note to stop on the way home to make an image or two. Then, on arrival home (or at a convenient parking spot), I would load up my fire watch app and find out more about the fire.
The location is some miles from home, so I am not concerned for my place and my things. A lot of south Carson City would burn before the fire got to my location and that would be very unusual. The risk is pretty low.
On the way home, just an hour or two later, I was shocked at the increase in the size of the fire. The plume had grown tremendously and it was clear that the fire was raging. The dry winds that blew in early Friday morning were not helping.
I paused at a turn-out on eastbound US50 and stepped out of the rig to make a couple of photographs. A few other motorists were also pulling out to gawk and take snapshots.
When we got home, I got The Girl settled in (she is always ready to nap) and checked on the fire. It is called the Connor Fire and began as a structure fire that spread from the house to the wildlands and got away from fire fighters sent to work on the blaze. It had abruptly spread to about 2,000 acres (~3 mi2) and the winds were rapidly spreading it. Assets were on station and being called in.
I noticed that the trend was not northerly, but to the northeast farther into the Pine Nuts. The good thing is that there are few domiciles in that area. The bad thing is that the terrain becomes rougher.
I hope folks are alright.
Edit Sunday Morning: At this time the fire had an area of about 20,000 acres (~31 mi2). I learned later that the Connor Fire is burning a burn scar from a previous blaze. That means there is reduced ground level fuel. I hope this means that it is more easily extinguished.
This is my new Olympus Tough TG-7. It will be the camera I use specifically for field work. It replaces a Panasonic ZS-40 that is not weather, water, and dust resistant.
This little camera came into my inventory last weekend. It is the replacement for an aging (and not well) Panasonic ZS-40. The latter served as a travel and field work camera for a several years, but was set aside a couple of years ago because of my dissatisfaction with its image quality.
I pulled it from storage a couple of years ago for a big field project. I found it inferior on a job site because it is susceptible to dust and sand. In fact, I thought it was damaged by a few grains of sand in the lens body. However, it seems to be working.
I did an important field walk a couple of weeks ago. I did not make any images or field notes. I should have. I did not want to use my phone as a camera. I should have.
What this told me is that I need a purpose-built tool for making images when I am working in the field. I need to ramp up my field notes as well, and back them up with images. So, that is my self-chastising for this failure.
That set me looking for a suitable replacement for the Panasonic and for my iPhone. Aside: I think the latter might be on its way out as well. More on that another time.
After a bit of research (a couple of hours), I decided that the Olympus Tough TG-7 might be an appropriate candidate. It is waterproof, dust proof, and drop resistant. (Supposedly, it is drop proof to two meters.) I chose red because it is more readily visible than black and less susceptible to solar heating.
After a few test shots, I ordered additional batteries and a lens hood/filter adapter. I will keep a UV filter on the camera despite it having protective glass over the lens.
I am carrying it on daily outings so I can learn to use it. It is quite capable and has a reasonable zoom range (optical). I am taking it to the field next week for its first thorough test as I need to document an extensive field walk on new projects.
My initial impression is that this is a solid compact camera. Despite the small sensor size (1/2.3 inches), the image quality seems much better than it should, based on previous experience. The SOOC JPEGs look good and I have posted several on this weblog already (the Daily Doggo being the most recent).
Not that the camera needs another review, but i will post my thoughts on the camera for my use-case later this summer, once I have more experience with it. There are lots of technical reviews out there, so I will provide a more subjective review based on my experience with the TG-7 in field use.
I think this is a good purchase and well worth the cost. We will see.
Now The Girl is ready for her daily outing. I think I will hit Subway for a breakfast sandwich and we will go up to our Spooner Summit site and get in a good hike. Then I can attend to completing my preparations for several days in the field.
A serendipitous capture of The Girl apparently sticking her tongue out at me. Shot with Olympus TG-7 and SOOC.
We are hiking up near Spooner Summit on USFS lands these days. The heat, ticks, and other hikers drove us from our routine at Silver Saddle Ranch to elevation. Well, mostly it was the ticks that made me move higher.
Ticks are exceptionally bad this year. In fact, it is the worst that I recall. I am not sure exactly why this is the case nor do I know if this is an anomaly, a periodic occurrence, or a trend. I just know that I removed more ticks from her (and me) this year than any other I recall.
The hikes up near Spooner are better for me anyway. I thought that she needed to walk on the flat as she still favors the injured leg. But, her vet assures me that her surgery is healed. So, her favoring of that leg must be residual soreness or psychosomatic. She hurt for so long that it might have become habit.
She loves the Spooner hike. There are abundant chipmunks to entertain her. I am still reluctant to let her chase hard and I am also reluctant to let her get more than about 30 meters from me. The last year and change of rattlesnake and coyote encounters has me gun shy.
I am carrying my milsurp Patrol Pack II. I have two canteen pouches affixed to the sides. Each of these will hold a 1 liter Nalgene bottle nicely. I keep a few emergency items in the pack as well, just because.
I am carrying the little Olympus TG-7 on these walks now. I want to familiarize myself with the camera (learn to use its features). That means practice. I have field work coming up and that will mean putting this equipment to work. That is the reason I bought it.
On this particular outing she asked for water at our turn-around. I always pause at this location for a water break anyway. She loves to roll around in the DG and gave me the look in the header image. I was ready and made the capture.
The little Olympus makes better images than I expected. They are far superior to the Panasonic ZS-40 that I used to use. That camera, while handy, is not well-suited to field work and does not make very good images.
I love the look The Girl gave me. Well, I love The Girl.
Again, the Speedmaster Triple Date with a blue-striped NATO. This strap is ribbed nylon and is nowhere near as comfortable as the seatbelt nylon NATO straps.
I made this image a couple of weeks ago. My wrists do not get along well with bracelets because of a protruding bone. A bracelet causes the watch head to bump the bone, which irritates the skin.
I never noticed that this is different than most wrists. Hmmm… I suppose I am unique.
