On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 03:55:10 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

One of the problems with a 1 gig camera memory card is that it is possible
to take virtually unlimited pictures at OSH. If you figure it takes a
minimum of 1 minute per pic to look at, adjust, and save -- and I took 250
photos -- we're looking at a minimum of four hours just to save the pix onto
my computer!

I shoot more than that a week and that's not at Oshkosh. Each image
averages between 5 and 6 megs compressed raw as an NEF. Expanded to
TIFFs they are 30 to 35 megs. Going to OSH (which I missed this year)
I'd figure on probably two gigs for each of the first 3 day. Then I'd
be down to about one gig.
When I shot 35mm I carried two Nikons. An F8008s and an F4s along
with 3 lenses in addition to the ones mounted on the cameras. I
rolled my own using Ektachrome or Fuji ASA 100, 200, and 400.
E-6 took 10 minutes per batch whether I processed one roll or four at
a time. Negatives, using the Unicolor, or similar process took the
grand total of 3 minutes. (it didn't allow much time to make mistakes)
I didn't like to do batches of more than 2 rolls as the time to fill
and drain became significant portions of the processing times.

Then they must be resized, captions added, webpages created... Sheesh, in

Batch process the resizing as well. Web pages can be done from
templates. I created my own. (I hate Front Page with a passion as it
is the prime example of bloat code) I can usually do a page in plain
HTML using about 10% of the lines required by FP. OTOH if you create
the page in straight HTML, then FP will let you do it the way you
want EXCEPT for line formatting. It uses at least three to five lines
to format every single line in the page.

the old days, I sent the film canister into the processing place, and a few
days later -- voila! -- I had my pix... But I digress.

I find it easier now and I can automate each of the batch processes. I
can also automate the owner, or copyright notice. The only thing I
can't is the custom text and that amounts to drawing a rectangle and
typing in the text.

Each 35 mm negative or slide made a minimum of a 60 meg file.

I pop the card out of the camera and into the card reader. I copy all
to one computer and *move* all from the card to the second computer.
I run photoshop CS in batch mode to create TIFFs, Then resize to a
standard screen size, or display size, and to a standard large
thumbnail. Otherwise if I want real thumbnails the system will do
that for me.

I will have a full write-up on our Oshkosh experience in a day or three --
with pix -- but I want to make a few points about OSH while they are still
fresh in my memory.

Now that is difficult to automate. Hell, it's difficult to depend on
my memory when it was yesterday.


The Best of Times:
***************************
1. Our Iowa City fly-in pool party was a real gas, and -- with temperatures
approaching 100 degrees -- the pool was actually *used* throughout the day,
rather than being merely a pretty prop. (And stay tuned for pix of the
DOUBLE CANNON-BALL JUMP, executed by none other than our own Jim Weir and
John Osterhout!)

2. FREE BIKES! Goodwill (yes, *that* Goodwill) has revolutionized Oshkosh
for us. Here's how:

They have built a new Goodwill Store adjacent to the North 40 camping area.
On our first day at the show, we hiked over to the Pick N Save for supplies,
only to walk past dozens of used bicycles -- all on sale for (get this!) $10
apiece!

These weren't junkers -- there were 10-speed racers, mountain bikes, bikes
for the kids -- and all in good working order. Needless to say, we
immediately picked out four of them, paid our $40, and spent the next seven
days riding our bikes EVERYWHERE, in comfort, speed and (sorta) style.

In fact, we only rode the internal North 40 bus once, and that was only to
be sociable with folks who didn't have bikes. It was ASTOUNDING how much
this single act saved our feet and legs -- Oshkosh was never better, and my
feet were barely stressed by the end of the week!

When Joyce has gone with me we have always taken our bikes.. We can
usually beat the traffic into and out of the grounds to the shopping
center although you really have to hustle going north past the end of
9/27 but the traffic was never any problem and if it's close to the
ending of the air show the roads going out of the grounds can get
really exciting such as the one across the south side of the north 40.


Then -- best of all -- on our last day, we returned the bikes to the
Goodwill store, and they gave us a receipt for a $40 tax write-off! Free
bikes for the week!

I'd probably have brought them home. :-))


3. THE SHOW. I've grown pretty jaded with the Oshkosh air shows, after 22
years. And with the loss of the "Masters of Disaster" it promised to be
pretty lame.

I haven't gone that many years and a rarely pay any attention to the
aerobatics unless it's some one I really enjoy watching. I used to
love that Hawker Hurricane (as I recall that's what it was) flying to
the Phantom of the Opera. Another favorite, which really surprised me
was the aerobatic routine in the sail plane.


Not! Although not technically a part of the air show, the arrival of "White
Knight" with "SpaceShipOne" on its back, ranks high up as one of the most
thrilling moments at OSH. The Concorde arrival, the Voyager fly over, the
first appearance of the F-117 Stealth, and the SR-71 in OSH are the only
events that come close.

I have a beautiful shot of the SR-71, the tanker and the F-18 in
formation in the upper left of the frame with the American Flag
bisecting the frame from the upper right to the lower left. That is
one of my favorite photos.
Of course there is the year I sent in a dozen rolls and they all came
back contaminated with little black spots. That was the year they had
the big formations of war birds. Only about 10% of the photos were
any good.


Global Flyer was pretty cool too -- and the flights of "Glacier Girl"
brought a tear to my eye. (And, best of all, the pilot wasn't babying that
ol' P-38. There were some high-G turns, steep pull-ups, and a few "Heritage
Flights" with dissimilar aircraft -- all of which must have had their
insurance agent crapping his pants... :-)

Now that I'd like to have seen.



4. THE PEOPLE As always, Oshkosh was about airplanes and the people who
fly them. And what a bunch of people they are! For an entire week we were
immersed in the whole aviation experience, and the people we met -- from the
84 year old former WASP, to the Usenet lurkers at the rec.aviation party, to
Paul Poberezney himself -- EVERYONE was outstanding.

This extended to celebrities as well. One morning we found ourselves eating
breakfast at the Hilton, one table away from Harrison Ford, his kid, and his
wife, (who everyone tells me is Callista Flockhart? She looks starved!).

I am proud to say that -- with the exception of one guy and his son, who
begged an autograph -- NO ONE bothered the man. He was able to eat his eggs
and read "Airventure Today" just like the rest of us, enjoying the fly-in
and not (for once, I'm sure) being "Han Solo" or "Indiana Jones" for the
public. (This was truly a test of character for my 14 year old son, who
idolizes the man, but he came through without making a scene!)

5. The REC.AVIATION PARTY. On Wednesday night, we held our third annual
cookout/party at our campsite in the North 40. With the incredible help of
Jim & Tami Burns, and the inimitable Montblack, we were able to feed and
entertain 50 people from all over the world. Chris Blythe and his son were
there from jolly old England, Blanche Cohen was there from Colorado, the
Allison Brothers and the Weirs were there from the Left Coast, and Margy
Natalie was there from the Eastern Seaboard.

I gota make one of those parties! :-))

And folks were there from everywhere in between. Jim C, Edwin and Jim were
there from down South, Aaron Coolidge was there from, well, wherever Aaron
was from, Eric Rood was there (with some little French girl pilot who he
SWEARS is just a "friend" :-) -- and dozens of others were there from all
over the country.

It was a wonderful, happy, special evening, and everyone had a great time --
especially Mary and me!

The Worst of Times
*********************

1. No Bikes on the Grounds. I understand that bikes amongst the planes

Did they do away with the "bike coral" just outside the gate?

could be a disaster -- but why not a "bikes only" path from the western part
of the North 40 (say, roughly near the shower building) running straight
South to the Ultralight area?
snip
All in all, griping aside (and they are small gripes, indeed) it was our
best Airventure yet. Packing up our tent and pulling the plane out of the
emptying rows in the North 40 becomes harder each year, and this year was
especially difficult. We just simply did NOT want it all to end, and it was
with a thick lump in my throat that we said goodbye to Oshkosh for another
year.

Ahhhh...Maybe next year. I used to arrive a week early and stay until
nearly the end. Unfortunately, as I get older I find myself laying
under the wing and watching, rather than walking around. I can't
handle the heat when they do have hot days and my back can't handle
the standing.

I've missed it for the last few years.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


Only 51 weeks till OSH '06!