Closed | Good inspirations are always invaluable. In China I noted at least three such ones for me.
Talking timer
In Laiwu, USA guys were using Apple iPod Nano as talking timer. At least for training, but perhaps for contest also, seems to me it’s smart idea. Since long time I was using loud talking timer, but time modes were limited to “hardwared” ones, control buttons were not easy to find and whole device was a bit hard-to-handle. However MP3 players like iPod Nano gives you freedom in all aspects. I selected Philips GoGear Raga instead of iPod Nano and recorded F3B duration and F3B distance timing/talking.
While at training I fly mostly alone, MP3 player helps me a lot. Still I need to solve one boring thing; headphones cable. If Raga would have Bluetooth everything would be solved, but it doesn’t have. Ok I have to live with wired headphones, in meantime.
Aussie Knob
At my Graupner/JR MC-24 I was always missing easy to reach radio button for free mixer definitions. Sliders at central panel of MC-24 were always useless, at least for me; hard reach, no control of position and after years even hard to shift/slide. Steve Keep and John Skinner from Australia brought nice idea-Aussie Knob. I dissasembled Profi Trim (more or less no use for me) and used one potentiometer (10kOhm). Just discovering new functionality of my old MC-24.
Short white tube is used for touch sensing of knob center position
Simple turnaround
Since ever we were using more-or-less complex systems for F3B turnarounds. Steve Keep showed me his simple pulley and after my home return I made a few tests. I was really surprised by smooth function of such simple device. Just watch…
…and compare with “standard” system