Davids Jewish Traveler and Hacker
Camping Kashrut and Halacha
After speaking to a kolell rabbi from Seattle I have decided to look for a posek to ask about LED flashlight use during shabbat. The Idea that they are not mucksa is based on LED's not being hot only meet one of the 2 required charachistics of fire in halacha unlike an incandescent filament inside a lightbulb (hot like fire even if not on fire IE: hot sparks of iron when struck by flint, and producing light)
During the Kesser Israel campout we set up a 1.5 mile eruv arount the camp making carrying on shabbat possible. I carry a smaller portable eruv backpacking it consists of 10 bamboo sticks 4 ft long strapped to my pack and a spool of nylon twine for the string on top. Epoxy squirted into the tops of the bamboo secures the nails. The twine wraps around the nails making it appear to sit on top of the sticks which must be at least 10 tevachiem tall.
When biking to schule I use the "T'fidanit" Tefillin Carrier http://tefillin.co.il/ made by tefillin Bet-El to carry my tefillin and tallit. It is super tough and is desined for soldiers in the field, the downside is its weight. While I have carried it backpacking in the future I am planning to find a lighter tupperware type container.
For kosher backpacking foods I like to carry Osem foil pouched entres, you just need to boil them in a pot and the are almost all parve. While working with the K-ofK I was an inspector at the oregon freeze dry plant. Many of the freeze dry vegetables and fruits are prepared in the kosher chambers but not always. I hope to get some kosher lot numbers at some point and post them here.
For warming food on shabbat I think a bed of coals covered by a short steel cake pan for a blech this needs to be tested.
For car/bike camping the pyromid cooker is a treat to use. It makes excelent heat and folds to less than 1"x12"x12", is made of sheet stainless steel, fits in a tote bag. Burning American style briquettes for best performance many other fuels can be used. I like to use Diamond strike-a-fire lighting bars (1"x.33"x6" compressed wood fiber and parafin with a striker head in 8 packs)
HAM Radio thoughts
A few weeks ago I got my MJF-4125 Power supply for my Icom 706 radio. I believe this a perfect match for my needs. I don't notice any 60 cycle noise on any bands. There is a switch on the back for 110 or 220 volt systems. It can produce 23 amps at 13v and can peak at 25 amps. It is small enough to zip tie to the top of the radio along with a no-ground adaptor plug and lighter socket plug for power emergencies. I am thinking of getting a MJF mini-mite manual tuner (I have a big Icom IC-2 auto tuner now)as this will travel easier. MJF has a reputation of good products but terrible QC, otoh they allow self repair without voiding the warranty.
I am really loving the idea of a tuned random antenna, although someday I may make nice tuned dipoles for several frequencies so I don't have to pack a tuner everywhere. I LOVE this little Icom 706!!
I am now playing with psk-31 a digital slow speed multiple user on channel in rtty mode It allows data in even higher noise situations (better than voice but not as good as morse). I am using the crashy kpsk in mandrake linux, I just patch a stereo cable between the mic jack and my Icoms headphone jack, in the future I will set the VOX to instant on the Icom and run a stereo patch from the speaker form the computer to the mic jack on the Icom so I can have half duplex communications.
- The plan for PSK31 activity has always been (since PSK31 started) to concentrate activity starting from the bottom edge of the IARU RTTY bandplan, expanding upwards as activity increased. The exception is in the 10mts band in order to give non full privileges ham to meet. It was defined as 150 Hz above it. Keep in mind that all you need is about 100 Hz as channel separation.
- These recommended frequencies are in accordance with the IARU bandplan for region 1. There may be differences for regions 2 and 3
1838.150
3580.150
7035.15 for region 1 and region 3, and 7080.15 for region 2 *
10142.150
14070.150
18100.150
21080.150 (although most activity can be found 10 kHz lower)
24920.150
28120.150
* This is due to the fact that the 7 MHz band is much wider in region 2 (the Americas), and the IARU bandplan reflects this.
It is quite difficult for a big guy to find a Bicycle fork to fit him when your weight is 230 lbs, wears a 40-50 lb pack and he likes to bounce up/down curbs. I spent some time researching and speaking to engineers before I found the solution to my shock fork woes. I finally decided to go with the Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3. This shock appears to be strong as an ox and I have yet to bottom it out. I am completely happy with it so far. I must plug the guys at Pricepoint.com they have the best price by $30 on this part and were quite nice as well, I paid $260. I did the headset replacement and tube cut at my friend Ben Leppes as he is quite mechanically inclined and has all the tools available. In exchange for his builders knowledge and tools I maintain his Linux desktop machine and other techy stuff.
My Handspring Visor Deluxe is in hacker heaven now. This device when carried with a flash card reader, pocket keyboard, and wifi cartrige was quit a capable little gadget. I had to use it exclusively after I smashed my laptop on the way to Israel last year. It would run for a month on 2 AAA batteries and the wifi pod had an internal battery. This device was my way to SSH into my server from school, a phone book, had my tefilas and several e-books, and allowed me to get onto IRC and surf the web. Not bad for a tiny 33mhz dragonball processor. Now after resetting the visor freezes and pixelates out when a springboard module is inserted. :^(
I am to inherit a Sharp Zaurus which will put considerable power into my hands at the expense of having to charge up several times a week. The zaurus has a embedded Linux os which I am quite familiar with and can be flashed with a new os openzaurus which is totally free and open. If I can figure a way to harness the storage of my terrapin mine to use in the zaurus I will have quite a powerful pocket gadget.
Another bike post is rattling around in my head. After again blowing out my Rock Shox Air Judy SL Fork, I have gone on a quest to find a replacement long life, field maintainable front shock fork for my bicycle that could withstand the demands I place on it. I weigh 104kg (230lb) and regulary bike with a 50lb (22kg) pack on. When doing my urban commute my usual way of riding is to run off curbs and steps (checking for pedestrians) rather than getting off and ruining my knees by walking downhill. I am in contact with Marzocchi a motorcycle and bicycle shock manufacturer it looks like the Dirt Jumper 3 with the largest spring and air assist will just be strong enough for the job. I am currently looking for a used fork of this type to send in to the marzocchi service center for a rebuild for my heavy weight. The downside to thie Dirt Jumper is it will cost around $3-400 installed :^(
When traveling if you are willing to put up with the risk and hassle of getting your bicycle into/out of the airline system you can really save some money on cabs or car rental. I absloutly love my 2002 Gary Fisher Tassajara w/disk brake bike. Dont be the sad guy/girl and loose your bike it may be the nicest one in town depending where you stay, I park in well lit public areas or better yet private homes or protected courtyards, I always use both a U lock as well as a kryptonite cable through the wheels, I always carry a spare key in my wallet with a neck string so I cant easily loose the spair. A way to camoflauge the value of your bike is by covering it with stickers and tape/wire it makes it appear much older and will divert the eye of theives.
I am currently considering adding a part time gas motor for when I am in places without a car, 35mph sustained sounds nice to me when I am wiped out. Some schools of thought buy into the 4 stroke honda gx31 motor others just use a 2 stroke and don't worry about the noise or exhaust. Some advocate friction on the tire drive others will tell you to use a chain or belt drive. I dont see electric being a usable option for me because while in the city if you dont like to peddle they are great, I am thinking more of rural big hill assists where the power plugs are far between, and bike batteries weigh too much to drag them up a hill after they die, besides I like to peddle when it is possible.
Bike Specs: Fisher silver grade aluminum frame, Rock Shox Judy front fork and seatpost, Hayes cable disk brakes, and Shimano Deore drivetrain. In the bike under saddle pouch I carry
Tire levers
Crank Brothers bicycle tool (screwdrivers, Allen drivers, spoke and chain tools in a fold up gadget)
First aid stuff (4x4 gauze, tape, Arnica Montana anti bruise/muscle, codeine/muscle relaxant, Vivarin, Neosproin, Bandaids)
Spare mobile phone batery
Cliff bar (OU kosher!!)
10 pack bus/light rail tickets
Tube repair kit
Spare tube
Cash and change
On frame:
Bicycle pump
Water bottle
LED flashers (red and white)
Marwi Nightpro headlamp with totaly redesigned/rebuilt battery pack and more powerful bulb
Seatpost suspended tailrack (I need to figure out a way to keep this from swinging into the tires)
