Other Hobbies of LPF

[green lasers rock]

I thought it would be interesting to see what LPF members are interested in(besides lasers of course). It seems no one only likes one thing. As I am making this thread, I will share mine.
My main interest beside lasers is small motor vehicles. I especially like motorized scooters. I have a fast electric scooter that has a loud stereo on it and I ride it almost every day I also use it to bring lasers to other locations for use. I also enjoy playing the game agario, particularly a modded version of it.

What other hobbies do you have?

 

[NightExplorer96]

Video games would be my other hobby! I've got to get more titles though. All I have is BF Hardline at the moment & it's getting awfully boring after playing it for hours a day. I also enjoy astronomy somewhat

-Alex

 

[green lasers rock]

Video games would be my other hobby! I've got to get more titles though. All I have is BF Hardline at the moment & it's getting awfully boring after playing it for hours a day. I also enjoy astronomy somewhat

-Alex

Neat, I can see why you are into astronomy as lasers can be useful for it

 

[Chrisbee]

My main 2nd hobby would be automotive.
I have several projects, including an '03 BMW 325i, '72 F100 short bed 2wd w/429C.I. big block, and the one I've been paying the most attention to lately, my '04 Mazdaspeed MX-5. I've done a crap load of work to this thing! Including a full Fox suspension upgrade, a bigger and better turbo upgrade w/ a stand alone aftermarket computer, bigger intercooler, bigger racing radiator w/higher flow fans, etc., etc. It's pushing around 250 H.P. right now, and handles like it's on rails! And if I ever get the funds together, I'll be beefing up the bottom end, and turning up the boost, to hopefully get around 300 H.P. out of it!

 

[green lasers rock]

My main 2nd hobby would be automotive.
I have several projects, including an '03 BMW 325i, '72 F100 short bed 2wd w/429C.I. big block, and the one I've been paying the most attention to lately, my '04 Mazdaspeed MX-5. I've done a crap load of work to this thing! Including a full Fox suspension upgrade, a bigger and better turbo upgrade w/ a stand alone aftermarket computer, bigger intercooler, bigger racing radiator w/higher flow fans, etc., etc. It's pushing around 250 H.P. right now, and handles like it's on rails! And if I ever get the funds together, I'll be beefing up the bottom end, and turning up the boost, to hopefully get around 300 H.P. out of it!

Neat modifications are always great.

 

[CurtisOliver]

As I am a product designer it is only natural to have a hobby in designing objects, but I also have a keen interest in the ideas of quantum physics.
Not exactly to everyone's taste as a hobby I have to admit. But to most people I know, neither is collecting and studying lasers.

 

[Richie89]

Street racing!! which is of course illegal :eg:
But I have a 2012 mustang 5.0 with MBRP race series catback exhaust and a Bama programmer dynoed at 417rwhp so basically love v8s and flashlights that's about it.

 

[Rivem]

I probably have a bit too many hobbies.

I'd put lasers into a broad category of electronics and technology which is in my career path (EE).

I like music, TV, movies, reading, and video games which I'd mostly classify as pastimes.

Making things in general is fun. I'd call myself a novice maker. Definitely like to build and fix all sorts of things.

I like cars, but I don't currently do much with them. Used to really be into 4x4 offroading. Still do go on trails occasionally.

I do however work on boats and go boating for fun. I love paddlesports and powerboats, and I'd love to try sailing. Currently working on a restoration of a very RARE and unusual boat.

One of my more major hobbies is astronomy. I usually do outreach a couple times a month and set up my telescope to share the cosmos. Might go into this area a bit with my career.

Farming with my family is also a bit of a hobby.

Science of all sorts interests me, but I mostly just read about it and stick to my own scientific field right now.

There are also some hobbies that are a bit on hold for me:

• RC flying. I moved into an area with several issues surrounding the hobby, but I might get back into it at university.
• Building computers. Haven't done it in five years. I stopped doing it for friends, and it's a bit too expensive to build what I want.
• Hardcore gaming. Just don't have the time to regularly play.
• YouTube. I loved making videos and used to post a lot as a kid years ago. Just too time consuming, and the comments were a bit too much as a kid. Might get back into it after I have to drop some of my other hobbies at the new uni.
• Flying. I was about to pursue a pilot's license, bit the person I knew that could help me do it affordably started having medical issues.
• Outdoorsmanship. Don't have a crew to do it with anymore.

 

[diachi]

Ham radio, got a nice "mobile shack" going seeing as I live in an apartment. Old picture, layout has changed somewhat, equipment is the same:

 

[Rivem]

Ham radio, got a nice "mobile shack" going seeing as I live in an apartment. Old picture, layout has changed somewhat, equipment is the same:

Awesome setup! You know, I've already had a license for a few years, and I still don't have any transmitting equipment.

 

[diachi]

Awesome setup! You know, I've already had a license for a few years, and I still don't have any transmitting equipment.

Nice one! Which license do you have? US system works a lot differently from the Canadian one.

Can be expensive to get into HF unless you want to go QRP and CW only... VHF/UHF is cheap if you go for one of those cheap Baofeng handhelds - but that's not as fun as HF!

 

[Rivem]

Nice one! Which license do you have? US system works a lot differently from the Canadian one.

Can be expensive to get into HF unless you want to go QRP and CW only... VHF/UHF is cheap if you go for one of those cheap Baofeng handhelds - but that's not as fun as HF!

I've got Technician, so only a little bit of HF. I was thinking I'd get into VHF/UHF, but it's pretty silent where I live. There are a lot of mountains too. I also have no space for anything other than portables. I've been thinking I'll upgrade to Extra this fall when I move though. I'll have access to a club's equipment.

 

[diachi]

I've got Technician, so only a little bit of HF. I was thinking I'd get into VHF/UHF, but it's pretty silent where I live. There are a lot of mountains too. I also have no space for anything other than portables. I've been thinking I'll upgrade to Extra this fall when I move though. I'll have access to a club's equipment.

Doesn't sound like the best spot for VHF/UHF which is unfortunate - though maybe you can work satellites? HF is the most fun IMO, although VHF/UHF certainly has its uses.

Should at least upgrade to General - that gives you a whole lot more HF privileges IIRC.

Technician really only gives you the 10m HF band unless you're into CW. 10m is a good band when we're at the right part of the solar cycle, but it's currently well into a down swing and won't be back for a while . I've made contacts to Mexico on 10M while driving out of Yellowknife on the highway with 60W SSB and a modified (trimmed an inch or two off the whip) CB magmount (K40) on my truck.

Contacted KC4TVZ a bunch of times on 10m too on the same road - he's always sitting on 28.425MHz and using a voice keyer as far as I can tell - he's my 10m propagation indicator and one of the few calls I can remember.

 

[Rivem]

Doesn't sound like the best spot for VHF/UHF which is unfortunate - though maybe you can work satellites? HF is the most fun IMO, although VHF/UHF certainly has its uses.

Should at least upgrade to General - that gives you a whole lot more HF privileges IIRC.

Technician really only gives you the 10m HF band unless you're into CW. 10m is a good band when we're at the right part of the solar cycle, but it's currently well into a down swing and won't be back for a while . I've made contacts to Mexico on 10M while driving out of Yellowknife on the highway with 60W SSB and a modified (trimmed an inch or two off the whip) CB magmount (K40) on my truck.

Contacted KC4TVZ a bunch of times on 10m too on the same road - he's always sitting on 28.425MHz and using a voice keyer as far as I can tell - he's my 10m propagation indicator and one of the few calls I can remember.

If I go for an upgrade, I'm going all the way this time.
Luckily, the tests have some overlap with lab classes in my field of study, so they feel fairly trivial. I'll try to make contact if I can get ahold of some gear.

 

[diachi]

If I go for an upgrade, I'm going all the way this time.
Luckily, the tests have some overlap with lab classes in my field of study, so they feel fairly trivial. I'll try to make contact if I can get ahold of some gear.

Quite right!

That's always helpful - although I don't imagine you'd have any trouble with the test even without the overlap.

As you said - club equipment is an option - that at least gets you on the air. Plus there should be experienced operators around and club stations are usually decently set up and in decent locations.

Might run into some grumpy old men on HF, especially on 40 and 80 (75 too?), I haven't personally but I've talked to people that have. If you ever do don't let it get you down - just spin the dial and move on! 14.313MHz is a shitshow, 7.200MHz can be similar.

Anyway ... should stop derailing the thread, I may need to post a ham radio thread.

 

[Sta]

I make 3d fractal animations. Stuff like this.

My computer is rendering these practically 24/7, it can only render about one minute of video per day. I set them up frame by frame.