tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post4699673700131939705..comments2024-03-27T18:30:37.287-05:00Comments on AE5X: A perspective on taking expensive rigs outdoorsJohn AE5Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-44762902208521593172021-12-14T15:32:35.411-06:002021-12-14T15:32:35.411-06:00Mamiyas and film - I rememeber those days! Mine wa...Mamiyas and film - I rememeber those days! Mine was a C330 TLR. My favorite breakfast place in Ridgway has a sign on the wall that says "If you're lucky enough to live in the Rockies, you're lucky enough". I agree.<br /><br />73,<br />JohnJohn AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-22985756275728430372021-12-14T15:26:19.792-06:002021-12-14T15:26:19.792-06:00You know, I've never thought about the inconsi...You know, I've never thought about the inconsistencies in my own thinking...caring 'oh-so-gently' with the KX2, and slinging many times that much dollar value in camera equipment over my shoulder as have hiked the Colorado wilderness (I get to live here). Over 30 years ago, I schlepped a Mamiya RB67 medium format camera many miles into the Weminuche wilderness to shoot it in B&W Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-29300658268311018422021-12-12T19:31:39.288-06:002021-12-12T19:31:39.288-06:00John - I'll do that! They have their quirks, a...John - I'll do that! They have their quirks, and I've read of significant problems with some, but I've been very pleased with mine.<br /><br />Meanwhile, my KX3 maintains permanent residence on my shack desk. Not that I'm worried all that much about damaging it - I've occasionally used it in the field - but it's the nicest (and smallest) full featured radio I can imagine K0RGIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13910636453038616192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-6097579600039160662021-12-12T15:03:13.878-06:002021-12-12T15:03:13.878-06:00The law of averages was bound to catch up with Ala...The law of averages was bound to catch up with Alain at some point - he probably spends 100+ days/year at photography. I doubt a camera cage would have protected his camera any more than one would protect a radio. Here's one for a popular pro camera:<br />https://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-cage-for-nikon-d850-2129.html<br /><br />Zero real protection from that $100 gadget - but it probably John AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-6652354450522114152021-12-12T14:07:08.123-06:002021-12-12T14:07:08.123-06:00Alain Briot explained why he never carries his cam...Alain Briot explained why he never carries his camera on a tripod anymore, after he picked his up and slung the tripod over his shoulder, only to have his medium format camera and best lens go flying off and crash into a boulder along the trail. The deal is that you can't always depend that you remembered to tighten the tripod mounting rail (arca swiss style) before moving the setup, and allDave Newhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14606866637455669041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-44173817306955355512021-12-12T09:04:13.111-06:002021-12-12T09:04:13.111-06:00Good morning Thomas,
Yes, I thought about the pho...Good morning Thomas,<br /><br />Yes, I thought about the phone analogy. Mine lives in my back pocket when I'm out & about, the center console storage area when I'm driving. I never give its protection a 2nd thought and I doubt many people do with theirs either. The glass used for phone/tablet screens is really not fragile and neither is that on the IC-705. I can't count how many John AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-68248496384251631062021-12-12T08:30:57.736-06:002021-12-12T08:30:57.736-06:00It's so funny you bring up this topic, John. I...It's so funny you bring up this topic, John. I was just speaking with a fellow POTA activator this weekend and he admitted that the only radio he takes to the field is his X5105, "because if I drop it, I can get another for $550" he told me. Thing is he has an Elecraft KX3 with roofing filter and side panels (almost identical to my own) but can't bring himself to take it to the Thomas Witherspoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15569671939920232000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-23254105902647368572021-12-11T18:36:33.352-06:002021-12-11T18:36:33.352-06:00Good point, Tony - if you want to protect the fron...Good point, Tony - if you want to protect the front of the radio, a cage is a necessity. What I'd like to see is some sort of L-shaped cover that screws into the 1/4" socket on the bottom of the rig and extends in such a way as to attach a cover to the front of the radio. It could be easily removed for operation, then put back into place when the radio is being transported. Much less John AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-91704323411911522542021-12-11T14:09:27.073-06:002021-12-11T14:09:27.073-06:00I think the main issue with the cages, is that it&...I think the main issue with the cages, is that it's the best that can be done with the design of the 705 - there simply aren't places on the side for panels to screw into like with the KX3.<br /><br />I've got the side handles and cover for my KX3, and it's saved my bacon countless times. Once I dropped it in the security line at an airport, and it definitely prevented an Tony AE0KWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-47473342788295042002021-12-11T13:22:58.361-06:002021-12-11T13:22:58.361-06:00Free range and no MSG in my radio! If you ever dec...Free range and no MSG in my radio! If you ever decide to sell your SG-2020, please let me know.<br /><br />73,<br />John<br />John AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-42965573716283889812021-12-11T13:14:43.739-06:002021-12-11T13:14:43.739-06:00Hello Mike - I agree that the plastic cover is hel...Hello Mike - I agree that the plastic cover is helpful in protecting the knobs and, of course, the side panels are needed for this. But the cage thing...it's just radio bling or eye-candy. We have useless doodads for cars and (especially) trucks - I've bought a few myself in my younger years, but pretending that a cage protects a radio is a bit of a stretch. Remember "bras" for John AE5Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06884676867006975179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-65127223938199859582021-12-11T13:03:25.657-06:002021-12-11T13:03:25.657-06:00Love those "free range" radios! That'...Love those "free range" radios! That's part of the reason I like to use my SG-2020 in the field. It's built like a tank, so normal bumps won't hurt it. And, if I were to somehow damage it, it wouldn't be much of a monetary loss. I long ago amortized its cost.K0RGIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13910636453038616192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1142737426092510126.post-29366412054188426602021-12-11T12:49:45.604-06:002021-12-11T12:49:45.604-06:00Good afternoon John, yup I remember hauling our Ni...Good afternoon John, yup I remember hauling our Nikon's around with pricey big ass lenses and no protective anything. As for a radio my old KX3 had only side handles and a plastic cover for the screen when in transport. I have seen some ops not even peel off film that is over the LCD for years. <br />73, <br />Mike <br />VE9KK VE9KK https://www.blogger.com/profile/04720839744779758420noreply@blogger.com