Wayne Dowler

I get what you want to do - just not sure it will get there. Yes you buy a walkie talkie, but you really don't need to modify it, just make that caller's circuit. Midland seems to be the best choice, as they have separate channels/outputs/inputs for talk and receive. I use Uniden and can't seem to get that circuit working with them. I think because both functions are on a single plug and not enough separation. Just my thought. A lot of us have foregone the music function in the circuit and use bluetooth speakers and our phones or Ipods. Mounted on tripods, they can be placed out in front of us for team listening. As a demo flier, radios are just part of my everyday flying kit anymore. At a festival I'm putting on my radio pretty early and just wear it all day. It will take someone that knows more than I, to go your route!

There looks to be a mark on the bridle leg going from nose to outside LE. Move up or down from there. Use it as a centering mark or a reminder of "neutral". Pull that line tight and the pigtail leading to lines should "unlock" to be adjusted. After adjusting, milk the pigtail knot to lock it in. It should be a double larkshead, you have to get the loop part back down to the bottom of the knot to lock it. Otherwise it can still move. Put that leg from the inside back to the other knot. Best I can give you, more a quad flier these days

That's a lotta panels!!!

Dreaming or hallucinating?? Believe THAT when I see it!!! I'm taking a nap while I wait!!! LOL!!

It's ancient, but it works for what I do most times. I might try using my son's and see if it opens with his!

OK - that is 2 different numbers so far, anyone else?? My point is most dual line kites are not much fun to fly over 20-25 mph. Need to be vented to survive. But that venting may make them feel sorta "mushy", and harder to trick. When I flew a lot of dualies, wanted good, but not overpowering winds. Now that I fly the Phoenix quad, my upper range has expanded. With an X/V, 25 mph is no problem, with gusts - easy 35 mph. Hoping on some Mega vents for the team this year, like to see what they will take!

Top end?

10 - 15 mph is close to the bottom of it's stated wind range? Probably why you could get away with some of that. You'd be surprised at what you can learn about your kite, flying in the bottom of it's range. You really do have to "feel" it, sometimes coax it. It's not all "yank and spank"!

40mph??? Time to go get a cold one or a hot cuppa in my book!

For all the kites: it is all about what you "feel". Long ago I started disregarding the stated wind ranges given by the maker/producer. The question needs to be " Should I fly this in these conditions", not "What does the box say?". It's all a matter of learning your stuff, watching, feeling, knowing. The question I ask is - What is best in these current conditions? I'm not "trapped" by the numbers any longer, but use my best judgement on what is "right". I set up what I think will work, but will change if I guess wrong. That's why most of us carry multiple sails. When I flew Revs exclusively, I would be one of the first to go to a more vented sail among my team. Now that I fly Phoenixes, I find myself caught in the middle. The Phoenix has a little more venting from std to f/v, it means I can still be on a std when others might go mid. But again - it's all a "feel" thing. My question would be - OK, the box says X mph. Just because it says I can - Should I?

Could also be my machine is old and way out of date too. But it works - sorta!! Pentium laptop, Windows 7, no extras, very basic.

I'm pretty much in JB's corner here - I'm not so worried about weight as I am kite. To me it is all about what produces the "feel" that I like, not hung up on the weight. My Zen is a veritable tank, weighing in very hefty. My SUL feels like a feather - guess which I want to fly more? The Zen has a bunch more sail area and the frame I'm using is very efficient in using wind. Gimme the feels!!!

Sorry - my old machine failed to open file!

Right now, almost everything we do is in someone's head or written down on shreds of paper. Yes the knowledge grows with more folks being "callers" and having to remember the moves. But having a place setup to go to for info or to refresh the memory - works for me.

The idea of creating a "library" consisting of the different moves might be possible. Some fliers just can't "get" a routine down through animation only, they have to fly it to understand it. But it can be a tool for cataloging most, if not all our standard moves.

Just received word - " I used After Effects to make my animations". It is an Adobe product and should still be available.

Have a message in to him on another format, we'll see if he answers me. I remember he had the kite shapes saved with colors. He had to establish a horizon to separate sky and ground. And I remember him talking about importing the music to lay over the animation . But I don't recall the program used, that he knows.

Watty did a whole routine once, several years ago. It was to Queen's "We are the Champions" tune. Don't remember the software he used, but I questioned him and he threw a quick 2-3 maneuver sample together reasonably quick. But that program would now be a dinosaur in the computer world. Try this, hope it still works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YanEQ60dr3c&feature=youtu.be

Pretty darn awesome looking, if you ask me. Good looking!

Define - "very windy". Those kites work best in 5-6 mph on up, maybe more depending on pilot skill. What line weight and length are you using? You can use too heavy a line and bog things down, even though it "feels" like more wind. Look at things to see - did the lines sag up to the kite? Just because a certain line came with the kite doesn't mean it works in every occasion. I hope this doesn't come off too harshly, I went through much the same in my early flying years. Wrong kite or wrong lines for conditions frustrated me many times. Over about a 3 year period, I started putting it together, using the correct sail and/or line set in the appropriate winds. Ended up with 3 kites and 3 line sets - a Prism Ozone for light wind using 50#x50' lines, a Flexifoil Stranger using 150#X60' lines, and a Prism Alien on 90#x60' lines. Tendency back in the late '80s to '90s was short lines, especially at fests to accommodate more fliers on the beach. Now somewhat longer lines are the norm - 80-100'. I encourage you to try different adjustments, different weight lines, just experiment with trying different combos of equipment, to find what works best for you. IMHO YMMV

Not sure when introduced, but I started getting them in the 2012? and on era. Green bands are 2-3 years old now.

I still have gold ones in my old Rev 1 from the late '90s. Just one set of "greenies" my diamonds. Everything else is silver label.

OLD rods were gold, then they went silver, then they added the green bands to the silver labels.

Bazzer Poulter - used to sew the "B" pro line, but struck out on his own. I fly 5 of his sails.

LOL!!!