Carson

Carson

Member
Hello all. I'm a 28 year old computer consulting analyst, though the title is deceiving as most of my time on the clock seems to spent programming. I share a house with my wife and our one year old son.

Our house has a handful of X10 components. Trapped inside for the winter, my projects for this season include adding more automation devices, primarily lighting controls.

I have a small home network that can support up to seven machines though I only have three: an XP box, a OS X notebook, and another box that seems to change its OS monthly (I like to tinker). None are currently setup to control X10 modules, but that will likely change in the future.

I am often referred to as "the car guy" or "the computer guy." Among car people I am a "Ford guy" and among computer people, I am "a software guy." As a kid, radio control was my single most adictive, time/money consuming hobby, and I have never really out grown it as I still have some of those toys around. Now, I can add home automation to my hobby list.

I am glad to have found an active forum covering this topic. Some of my collegues and friends are interested in home automation. I'll definately inform them of this resource if/when they decide to start tinkering. Thanks to the administrators for creating and mainataining this great site.

Carson
 
Let me be the first (but probably not the last) to welcome you to the Cocoon.

This is a great place to ask any questions, beginner or advanced. There's a whole slew of people here at different points down the road of HA and everyone seems to approach it from a different direct.

Don't be afraid to post anything, on topic or otherwise. I brief glimpse around here and you'll probably realize we throw all kinds of stuff at the wall.
 
Hey carson... like you before i came here i was into RC's. I have built my own RC Helicopter and have attempted to fly it a few times. Have yet to actually get it off the ground. My nervs get the best of me. Its hard to see $1300 just floating above your head. I did eventually buy a real flight simulator but i have not had much time with it. Im hoping that once i get my Projection Theater done that i will be able to play it on my 100" screen. That should make it a little more fun than playing it on my laptop.

Wohoo today is the company christmas party!
 
Welcome aboard Carson! Micah pretty much covered everything already, so all there is left to say is "enjoy your stay!" B)
 
Oh and Friday Nights are chat nights on the IRC Channel. In reality its more like every night is a chat night on the IRC channel. I don't think I have visted the chat room yet when there was not someone there. In other words there is always someone there so come chat every night if you want. Fridays just happen to be the most busy nights.
 
There must be a connection between HA and RC. I too spent quite a few years involved with RC. Have a few choppers too Squintz! Knees still shake a bit when it's in the air. I remember initially learning how to fly it in the middle of the winter in a two car garage. Got pretty smokey in there! I used to go to the Toledo RC show every year with a flying buddy who flies in from Calif. He now owns a few full scale planes as well.

Maybe fly a bit this spring. Hope I can find the time.
 
David there must be a connection.. You know i don't have a clue how i got started looking for HA stuff but i do know i came straight from RC to HA. I wonder if i read it somewhere on an RC board.

Its a pretty big rush when you first lift those skids off the ground. Then your nealy shit yourself when its starts to lean in one direction or another. Those guys at the fields make it look so simple. I guess i should start practicing with the simulator again.
 
Is there a free simulator software package out there? I am still interested in doing this, but can't invest in it right now.
 
Another former RC guy here. Want to get back into the hobby (especially the RC boats now that I'm on a lake full time), but my radio equipment is 20+ years old and no longer legal. Someday I'll find the $$ to get a new radio and get started again.
 
jlehnert, I'm on a lake too, but seem to do less waterskiing now than when living in subdivision! Last year I had an RC boat on the water for about 5 minutes before realizing that the motor mount was loose which gave enough pause to put it away.

My radios are same situation. Not too worried about using them now and then since there isn't anyone using RC anywhere near. I am suprised that radios haven't dropped much in price. More electronic features, but same price. I would have figured there would be one Large Scale IC chip for all radios by now for $100 a setup.
 
I am suprised that radios haven't dropped much in price. More electronic features, but same price.
Yeh, that surprised the heck out of me also. Tons of now features. I think I paid ~$150 for my last Futaba back in the days of dinosaurs, and couldn't believe that things were still in that price range (or higher). I might try to get the old radio going, but after this amount of time, I'm absolutely sure that the nicads will have to be replaced. Probably will need to rebuild all the engines also. Nothing like castor oil that's been solidifying for 20 years to prevent an engine from running. :lol:
 
Paid $150 for my Controller about 3 years ago. The whole setup cost me about $1300 I have a .30 Raptor Version 1. Have not upgraded to the V2 yet but i hear they are nice. Did you guys frequent www.runryder.com. I wonder if we may have ran into each other long ago and just not know it.

Can wait until i get my theater done. All this talk about the RC's is making me want to get out the simulator again. Any of you have the Real Flight G2 Sim?
 
DavidL said:
My radios are same situation. Not too worried about using them now and then since there isn't anyone using RC anywhere near.
I haven't paid attention to the radio issue for quite a while.

Wasn't the problem going to be that other users were being given frequencies intermixed with the RC ones? So the problem was not just interference with other RC but also with construction equipment and the like?
 
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