Author: ruminator

Camper Work

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Repaired… or rather replaced. The pressurized gas cylinder on the startboard side of the camper failed. It spit out its oil through the bottom seal. So, I ordered a replacement and replaced it Friday.

Yesterday, Saturday, was spent on camper repairs. When I arrived at the Walker River Paiute Tribe research station a couple of weeks ago, I discovered two problems with the camper. The bracket/brace that the front portion of the shower was affixed to had released from the front bulkhead of the camper’s hull. That meant it could not be raised. Because I was at the research station, I was going (and did) use the shower and head in the main trailer. So, this was not a fatal problem.

The second was that the bracket/retainer of the rear bulkhead of the camper’s hull had parted from the camper’s floor and side panel. I did not want to lose the bracket, so I “borrowed” some zip ties from a colleague and attached the bracket to the rear bumper bracket. That way I figured it would not readily depart from the camper on my way home.

I also noticed oil leakage from the pressurized gas cylinder (lift) I use to make raising/lowering the roof tractable by hand. Yes, I press it up from the ground. The linear actuator was a bad design and after two of them failed, I chose to move to a different solution.

I ordered replacement cylinders and replaced the starboard unit. The port unit is fine (for now).

So I hooked up the camper to the 4Runner yesterday and hauled it over to my buddy’s place. We surveyed the shower panel problem and came up with a solution. One of the screws had sheared, so we replaced it with a bit stouter screw (same size; better quality) and added one screw to each half of the bracket. Coupled with a little construction glue, I think that problem is solved.

Then we attended to the rear bulkhead. The manufacturer had affixed the bracket/molding that retains the entire rear bulkhead of the camper to the unit with four screws. The port-side pair had separated although the starboard pair held.

When I discovered this, I just shook my head in disgust. Clearly, this was insufficient strength to hold the entire rear bulkhead of the hull together. There was insufficient shear strength and the flexing of the system when underway finally broke the weakest link on the port side.

We talked about the solution for a few minutes, then started the repair. We added a handful of screws to the bracket and it was pretty easy to slide the panel into the bracket slot and get it reassembled.

That was after I spent a half-hour cleaning the old caulking from the back panel and bracket. All it took was a little elbow grease and a bit of acetone.

I still need to caulk the rear panel. But, I backed the camper in a little too close to the garage door to do it today. I will do it before I head out to camp on Friday. It will take only a few minutes and I can do the final job while filling the potable tank or over a beer.

In all, the work required a bit more than six hours of labor. I would not be able to do this without the help and knowledge of my buddy. As a result, I bought supper at El Charro Avitia. I had a very good Carne Asada Burrito and a couple of Margaritas in celebration of a job done.

The camper gets better each time we do one of these jobs. We repair a weakness in the design/construction of the unit. I cannot believe how poorly they are designed and assembled.

I sat down on the sofa with The Girl when I got home. However, I immediately crashed. I think I put something on Netflix to stream, but I have no idea what it was. When I woke about 2100h, I had a black screen facing me and The Girl had gone to her mat to sleep. So, I shut down the house and wandered off to bed myself. I was whupped.

It was a good day. Good work was done. Fellowship was enjoyed with good friends. Life is good.

Last Winter

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I think I made this capture using the Nikon F2 and the Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 (I think) on Kodak Gold 200. But, the truth is that I do not remember. I am not even sure of the location, except that it was in Southwestern Missouri on a road trip to Arkansas for the day.

Older Son and DiL had a day off while I was there early this year. We took the day to drive down to Johnsonville, Arkansas (I think) to go to the Duluth Trading Post store and to go the kids’ favorite bookstore there.

On our way to Arkansas, I noticed this state park. I cannot remember the name. It was cold but not frigid. The Girl wanted out. Although there was a leash-law posting, there was nobody around the park. So, we carried a leash, but we let her run off-lead.

I also cannot remember what camera I carried. At first I thought it was the little Contax TVS. But as I write I am not so sure. It might have been the Nikon F2 and now I think it was.

It was cold. The head was closed. But, it was still a good day. And, the capture will do.

Life is good!

The Fox

ruminator
After supper with Jimmy, I drove downtown for a short photo walk. The Fox looked good in the evening light, so I made a couple of captures. Sony A7Sii, CZJ 35mm f/2.4 Flektogon at f/4. SOOC

I think quite a lot of the Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f/2.4 Flektogon lens. It is a good walk around lens and I had it affixed to the Sony A7Sii when I walked downtown Carson City after supper with my friend Jimmy.

I was hoping to catch the lights lit at Cactus Jack’s or The Nugget casinos, but no joy. Still, the capture of The Fox is good enough.

Life is good!

Remainders: 28 September 2024

ruminator
While camping north from Toulon, Nevada, I was awakened by a bright light early in the morning. The waning Moon was shining through my camper window. I picked up my iPhone and made the capture.
  • I forgot to post this, but there is a DC Power Transmission Line that runs from the Oregon/Washington border to Los Angeles. I was unaware that direct current was in use for power transmission. But, it has some advantages. Cool!
  • Someone mentioned that the reports of eye irritation/damage might be from a infrared laser, such as the PEQ-15. This could be malicious or just an error.
  • I might have posted this before, but I am working with the JS8Call mode (ham radio). The JS8Spotter utility has a lot to offer in support of JS8 operations.
  • This set of JS8Spotter videos is an introduction to using the tool.
  • I need to visit Burney Falls. Maybe I can do it this fall before the snow flies.

Home Again

ruminator
Last night I stepped outside of my camper to look at the night sky. I made this capture with my iPhone 13 Pro Max and it is SOOC.

I spent most of the week in Northern Nevada near Summit Lake collecting topographic data to refine one of my hydraulic models for my client. Our definition of the small channel was lacking and we had unused budget, so I lobbied for collection of more detailed channel geometry.

And so that is what I did. I had a new helper and she is excellent. She has no surveying experience, but learned to follow my direction rapidly and has a better attitude about field work than most of the technical people I have worked with. She is definitely a keeper!

I left the site later I needed to and hit traffic just west from Lovelock. A semi-truck van caught fire and was burned out on the shoulder of I-80. The trucker had separated the tractor from the van, so there was no apparent damage to the rig. But the van looked a total loss.

Traffic was backed up a mile or so. It was moving, but slowly. This cost me maybe 20 minutes.

The sun was falling behind the mountains and I was very tired after a week of exercise. Also, I had caught enough insects on the windshield that the light was causing difficulty seeing.

I was getting desperate when I hit the Toulon exit. But I seemed to remember a place to dry camp not far north from the Interstate. Driving up Wild Ass Road (yes, that is the name) I leaned out my window to improve my vision. I found a pull-out and then realized I had been there before. My friends sometimes camp there.

I turned the rig to face downhill, parked, and got The Girl out for a respite. She immediately eliminated, which was a good thing (for her).

It took a little longer than usual to deploy my camper. I guess I was pretty tired.

But, with the house setup, I opened a beer and a bag of chips for a snack. I also discovered that the refrigerator had reset itself sometime during the day and everything was warm. So, I did not trust most of my food. It was no matter, I was not particularly hungry. I simply wanted to settle down, decompress a bit, and go to sleep.

I fed The Girl and she hopped up on the bed and settled right down. I finished my beer and had another while sending text messages to friend and family.

I stepped outside to empty my bladder and noticed the sky. Unsure whether or not my iPhone might capture the scene of the trucks passing below us on I-80 and the evening stars, I made the capture anyway.

I was fairly astounded at the result, above. The Orion Constellation is clearly visible. I will take it.

I slept hard last night and rose when the eastern sky brightened. After a coffee and a short constitutional with The Girl, I recovered the camper and we headed home.

I stopped briefly in Fernley and had breakfast at the Denny’s inside Terrible’s Travel Center. I took The Girl most of my bacon.

We drove out the remaining hour and arrived home late morning. I think we were both glad to be home.

After unloading my few things and getting rid of the trash from the trip. I took her up near Spooner Summit and we had a good hike together.

The remainder of the day was spent recovering. We napped and snuggled. It is good to be home.

I am grateful, very grateful. Life is good.

Remainders: 21 September 2024

ruminator
This is a “standard” test shot of my Lucas plushie using the Sony A7Sii and a Konica Hexanon 35mm f/2.8 lens at f/2.8 (wide open). This Hexanon is one of my best 35mm focal length lenses and is better than the Vivitar 35mm f/1.9, the Soligor 35mm f/2.8 (by a lot), and the Hexanon 35mm f/2. I need to compare it with the Nikkor glass in my collection.

OK, where in the Internet will I go this week?

  • I have a need to install Python scripts (sometimes). Package installing provides utilities to accomplish this.
  • I think I need to assemble a VHF/UHF radio for field operations. Armaloq has a frame for my Kenwood TM-V71A that will provide protection and relocation of back panel connectors.
  • I might have posted this before, but exiftool is an excellent (but complex) tool for editing EXIF data in image files. It is a command line utility, which no one likes anymore. (Well, except for command line geeks like me.) The exiftoolGUI Python program provides a GUI for the tool. This website provides a few examples for using exiftool from the command line.
  • In futzing about with some vintage lenses, I went to the Camera Wiki to look up the Konica Autoreflex T camera.
  • That led me to Rick Oleson’s website because he has some information about Konica cameras and lenses.
  • This Ago Film Processor is on my list of possibles for processing my own film.

Well, it is clear that I was puttering with my lens collection a bit. That led me down a rabbit hole.

Test Image: Soligor 35mm f/2.8

ruminator
This is a test image captured with the Sony A7Sii and a Soligor 35mm f/2.8 lens at f/8. Post processing comprised only a denoise pass with PhotoLab.

Some time ago, like maybe a decade, I actively collect lenses for the Konica AR mount. They were mostly Hexanon (Konica) lenses, but a few third-party lenses made it into the mix.

I carried an old Soligor 35mm f/2.8 adapted to my Sony A7Sii a couple of times this week on walkies. Then I made a few captures with it at my worktable.

Aside: I also carried a Vivitar 35mm f/1.9 for a day or two. I have more thoughts on the latter for later publication. In fact, I will write a 35mm shoot-out for those 35mm lenses in my inventory. I learned a few things by shooting some test shots with them. This entry is a mini-review of the Soligor.

My impression of the Soligor is not particularly favorable. It is reasonably sharp, but nothing outstanding. However, it has poor flare resistance. This is evident in the image above even though the lens is stopped down to f/8 for that capture. It is bad. It is worse wide open at f/2.8.

So, although the lens was probably an alternative to the much more expensive Hexanon issue (at the time), I think it is not a good alternative.

The capture at the bottom of this entry is from the Vivitar 35mm f/1.9 at f/8 with the same camera and same post processing. The difference between the two images is striking.

This was fun. I remain grateful and life is good.

This is a test capture made with my Sony A7Sii and a Vivitar 35mm f/1.9 at f/8. Post processing comprised a denoise pass with PhotoLab.

New Notebook Cover

ruminator
A new journal cover arrived this morning. This will carry a Field Notes notebook and a small folio with a couple of pockets that I made. Shot with Sony A7Sii and Nikkor 35mm f/2 at f/8. No post processing.

I ordered a new journal cover last week. It was from an Etsy store called Dogtown Portage. It is a Field Notes size cover made from a nice supple leather. There is plenty of room for two Field Notes notebooks and a small folio I made from cardstock that has a couple of pockets to carry a few business cards and the day’s receipts.

It will likely last forever. It will also develop a nice patina as I carry and use it.

It is a replacement for a much stiffer cover that irritates my leg when carried in a cargo pocket. That cover will probably go to one of my kids.

The image was made with my Sony A7Sii and a Nikkor 35mm f/2 lens at f/8. I did no post processing but for reducing the size of the image.

I enjoy making my Every Day Carry (EDC) work better for me. A notebook is an absolute must as well as a good pen.

Life is good. I am grateful.

Berries: Sony A7Sii and Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro

ruminator
Test shot of berries on some landscape shrubbery. Shot with the Sony A7Sii and a Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro lens at f/8.

On Monday I carried the Sony A7Sii with an old Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro affixed to the camera. It was a test run with a lens my buddy Jimmy loaned me. I made a few captures on walkies and shared one of a yellow jacket and rose a couple of days ago.

On our circuit through Carson City to the Station 51 park and back, we came across a shrub (“Bring me a shrubbery!”) covered in orange berries. I doubt they are edible or the birds would have carried them off. But, the color made for an interesting capture with a macro lens.

The Girl sniffed around a bit as I worked the subject. It was a quiet day on the Nevada DOT grounds. The overcast made the orange really pop.

The subject worked, The Girl and I made our way home to get on with our day — she a long drink from her bowl and a nap… me with a dry shirt and a push on some paying work.

It was a good day. Time spent with The Girl is time well spent. Life is good.

Testing Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.7 Planar

ruminator
Testing the Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.7 Planar. Shot with Sony A7Sii at f/4 (probably). No post.

I carried a Carl Zeiss (aus Jena?) 50mm f/1.7 Planar affixed to the Sony A7Sii while on walkies the other day. I was curious about how the lens would render a few subjects.

The Planar formula is quite old, being developed by a Zeiss designer before 1900. However, it is an excellent design as the image above demonstrates. My instance is quite sharp, the colors are rendered well, and the out of focus areas very smooth.

I need to find a subject with specular reflections in the background or some lights to see how those will render. I like the lens.

Walkies were good. The weather is cooler, as evidenced by the overcast. Life is good.