texascavers Digest 16 Dec 2013 14:42:44 -0000 Issue 1899
Topics (messages 23165 through 23168):
Re: "Battle for Bats"
23165 by: Alex Sproul
Bob Cowell
23166 by: Jill Orr
a new cheap headlamp & a high-dollar one
23167 by: David
UT Grotto Meeting December 18th
23168 by: Andrea Croskrey
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Both 'Battle for Bats' videos are available on the NSS WNS page, for
easy reference. http://caves.org/WNS/ under Education and
Outreach.
Alex
On 13 Dec 2013 at 13:39, Jim Kennedy wrote:
Copies to: Cavers Texas <[email protected]>
From: Jim Kennedy <[email protected]>
Date sent: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 13:39:20 -0600
To: Mixon Bill <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: "Battle for Bats"
This is indeed a good video, but it is about two years old now. "New"
is too generous.
Jim
Mobile email from my iPhone
--
Alex Sproul
NSS 8086RL/FE
Acting NSS Webmaster
www.caves.org
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--- Begin Message ---
Old timers: Please send remembrances and stories of Bob Cowell for the
Caver.
Thanks, Jill
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--- Begin Message ---
I would like to call your attention to a new headlamp
that is under $ 10 ( add tax ), and is readily available at the
local Home Depot Store.
The Defiant 200 Lumen LED headlight.
This lamp blows away anything that was sold at retail back in
the 90's, or before. It is ready to go caving out of the box, to a
respectable cave, as long as you do not get it wet. Meaning, this
headlamp is suitable for large desert caves like in northern Mexico,
the Guads, and west Texas.
The number one feature that I do not like is the rim of the lens has
a very sharp edge exactly like those on lights designed as a weapon.
A creative caver could glue some kind of ring on it though.
What I do like is the headpiece around the light element is aluminum.
It has an overhead the helmet strap. The battery pack is on the back
and seems well built, meaning the latch is sturdy. ( But no O-ring )
The push-button switch is on the top of the battery pack, which means
you have to reach behind you to turn it on.
The swivel that pivots the light up and down, seems as sturdy as any
other lamp on the retail market.
The SKU # on the package is 1000016982
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-200-Lumens-LED-Headlamp-HD13Q418/204312856#.Uq1gIPRDsRA
I just walked around the yard, and the light is bright enough to use in a
large borehole passage, but does not have a dimmer setting.
Having 3 AA's on your helmet-mounted lamp is going to provide longer
light than the
cheezy lights that have 3 AAA's, which are more suitable as back-up lights
or for caving in smaller caves. Meaning this is a real caver's
light. Anyone
going on a trip to Grutas de Precipico needs a light at least this
good. There is
no excuse to go in a big cave with a cheezy headlamp, or what the old-timers
used to call, "twink-lights."
The package says 9 hours of light.
A creative caver could find a way to modify the headlamp to be water-resistant,
but not waterproof.
I read 4 reviews on the Home Depot sight, and they all agreed.
Next,
I will not be reviewing the new expensive one, the Caveman 3000. See
the specs for yourself.
http://www.naturalshine.eu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=147:caveman_3000&Itemid=117
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q5P2QFWVjk
Feel free to comment on that if you know if it is available in the states and
how much it can be purchased for, and if it is better than similar high-tech
headlamps. I do not see any practicality to it for most of the caves in
our region. It is designed for a dive in Phantom Springs or
Goodenough Springs,
etc, or for an expedition trip where you plan to camp underground for several
days, like in Cheve, or J2, or Huatla, or Lech, etc.
David Locklear
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--- Begin Message ---
Howdy Texas Cavers,
At this week's grotto meeting Dr. Ann Scott with be sharing some of her
fascinating work on the archeology of caves in Belize. Come join us for
stories on how caves were used by the ancient Maya "back in the day" in
this wonderfully karstic Central American country. If she can she hopes to
present a bit of her dissertation research on the use of sacred space among
contemporary Maya in Guatemala. Hope to see you there!
We will be meeting at 7:45pm in *Burdine 134*. This will be our last night
in this room as we'll be in the room next door (Burdine 136) starting with
the January 15th meeting. Follow this link to a map of where the building
is located on the University of Texas campus:
http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/bur.html
For information on Underground Texas Grotto activities, please see
www.utgrotto.org
Before the meeting, take advantage of Sao Paulo www.saopaulos.net for
happy hour specials. Attendance by cavers varies but this area is the best
place to park and meet folks walking over to the meeting. Then after the
official meeting, we continue with the decades long tradition to reconvene
for burgers, beer, and tall tales of caving at Posse East.
www.posse-east.com
Cavingly,
Andrea Croskrey
UT Grotto Vice Chair
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