iPhone camera apps – Page 27

Speyside Way Equipment

18 August 2011 / Backpacking, Camping, Outdoor Gear, Travel, Walking / Aviemore, camping food, coffee, Golite Jam 2, iPhone camera apps, lightweight backpacking, lightweight backpacking food, lightweight walking, outdoor gear, Scotland, tea, walking

I am keeping a careful track of the equipment I am using on these lightweight walks, so afterwards I can assess what worked, what didn’t and what I did not need to carry next time.

My rucksack – it was called retro at the campsite last night, and that’s true it is. Using it on these walks is at the limits of its capabilities. It is not comfortable. I added the hip belt (about 25 years ago), it is not padded nor does it put this heavier load load onto my hips. So a new pack is – I really want a GoLite Jam – there was one in a shop in Aviemore but I think I can get one much cheaper online.

The cooking gear is very light and performs well – although if it is very windy it needs a bit more shelter than the wind shield provides.

The tent cost me less than £20 in the end of season sales last year – it performs well, gives lots of space and once I had changed the heavy steel pegs for titanium ones it is not overly heavy. But looking at Emily’s tent last night I can see the advantages of a specialist one man tent. The extra space I get in my tent is because it can sleep two – so I am now looking for a one man tent, that will save weight straight away. Her tent packed away very easily this morning – mine I have to fold exactly right to fit in my backpack. I also want a tent with a much better porch than on the Bedrock 2, in really bad weather it gives no space to use, even, my small meths stove let alone a backpackers gas stove! (I know it can be dangerous to use a stove in the tent, but we all do it – so just take extra care!)

The food was enough for me – but the weather was not cold, I think if it was colder I’d add more.

I did not use the monocular, didn’t use it last walk either so I will not bother to pack that again.

Other than the repair kit, FAK and other medicines, I used all the items in sundries bag.

Replace the steel pegs with Ti ones.

Did I miss anything – not that I can think of.

Update

Yes there were a couple of things that have now come to mind

I must put a couple of my business cards in the iPhone wallet.

Take 50ml less meths

Update – 23/8/2011

I have been using the mug/stove today on the beach near Dornoch – the windshield worked to allow me use the stove in a medium wind, however the stove consumed about twice the fuel for one mug of tea and two instant noodles as it does when used in a sheltered location. I will have to take that into account for “windy” trips.

I think I will look around for a lightweight pot lifter to use with my Ti mug when using it as a pot – the handles can get hot, and using the cloth bag protect my fingers can be difficult. It could also be used to lift the mug lid when it is hot.

Grantown on Spey to Aberlour 17-18 August 2011
Day 1 – 14.5 miles
Day 2 – 12.5 miles

Karrimor Hotlite 30l sack
2x 3l side pocket
Karrimor 1100 sleeping bag
Silk liner
Air mat in black plastic sack + 2x elastic and 2x mini bungees
3x dry sacks
Belt lens case for brewkit – ease of access on the trail

Coleman Bedrock 2 Tent
12 Ti pegs
4 steel
white bin liner – to pack the tent in if wet on the second day (it was)
Plastic sheet/sit mat 60cm x 30cm

Cooking
Ti stove inc copper mug support
2 fuel tablets -emergency fuel
100 ml meths
100 ml meths
50ml meths

Half aluminium wind shield
Stove board/stand
Ti mug and lid
Beaker with lid
Small brewkit in neoprene case – 4 teabags, 1 Indian tea, 15mls dried milk and 2x brown sugar
2x lighters
High absorbent cloth – drying up
Pot sponge
5ml washing up liquid
Small LMF spork
Folding spoon/knife
Wide mug
Cutting board – plastic 5cms x 12cms

Headlamp
iTorch – led wind up
FAK includes hotel sewing kit
Safety pins, gaffer tape, needle and thread, cable ties and paracord
Two clothes pegs

Light weight North Face jumper
Spare walking socks
Spare underwear
Hat, headover and gloves

Small wash kit and high absorbent cloth

Camper SAK
Leatherman P4 Squirt
whistle
LMF fire steel
Compass

2l Camelbak
75ml SIS bottle in belt case
1l Platypus roll up bottle

Nano iPod and headphones in neoprene case

iPhone 4 with extended battery
Booster battery for iPod/iPhone
Aquapak
Monocular
Headphones for iPhone
Swisscard
Money £10
Pencil and notepaper
Personal medicine
Sunglasses
Cricket hat
Compeed stick
Lip balm
Sun stick – factor 50

Trail food for two days
Glucose tablets
1x spice oat cakes
Nutella and Italian crackers
Salted cashew nuts
Banana chips
2x 2in1 coffee for brew stop

Lunch
Can of tuna and sachets of BBQ sauce

Evening meal/Supper
Noodles
Tomato cup a soup
Salami
Instant custard
Tea and coffee
Italian crackers and jam
Hot chocolate

Breakfast
Instant Porridge with dried milk and jam
Cereal Bar
Tea and coffee

Lunch
Salami
Italian crackers
Indian tea with 100mls Rice Drink

SIS Rego – 50g
2x Boots orange energy tablets
SIS PSP Energy- 50g
1oz whiskey

Spare food
2x cereal bars

Wearing
Rohan vest
Lightweight long sleeved polartec shirt
3way Crag Hoppers
Northface Boots
Walking socks
Underwear

High Tech Notes

iPhone 4 – 32GB

Protected from the weather in an older version Aquapac – I was able to use the phone in the rain but unable to use the camera as the reverse of the case is not transparent.

I had two extra power options.

An extended power pack jacket which I kept fitted to the phone and a spare booster recharger which I did not need to use. If I need to use this booster I have to remove the power jacket first.

Things I used my iPhone for;

* Making and taking phone calls, texting and emails – built in apps
* Browsed the web – built in app
* Camera – both the built in camera app and Camera+, and reviewed the photos with the built in app
* Navigation – MemoryMap both 25k and 50k maps with the Speyside Way marked (I downloaded the gpx files from here http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk)
* Writing this blog – using the WordPress app, to which I wish they would add basic text formatting
* eBook reader – Stanza app
* I watched a movie – I have the no longer available VLC app
* Checked the weather – built in app
* Taking notes – built in Notes app
* Reviewed a quote one of our engineers sent me – Documents To Go (PDF, doc and xls files)
* Remoted into a server to discuss an issue with one of our engineers – Mocha RDP app

I used an iPod Nano, third generation, to listen to music, podcasts and a full screenplay version of Isaac Asimov’s Fantastic Voyage whilst walking. I keep it in a neoprene case, in an inside pocket of my Rohan Vest to protect it from the weather. It can be recharged using the same booster pack I use with the iPhone.

Speyside Way Equipment Read More »

Great Glen Way

16 August 2011 / Photography, Travel, Walking / Golite Jam 2, Great Glen Way, Inverness, iPhone camera apps, iPhone photography, River Ness, Scotland

Having dropped Jeremy and his friend off in Inverness, so they can spend some money, I am doing a few fast miles along the River Ness using some of the Great Glen Way path.

River Ness, Inverness

Before setting off I quickly checked out the two largest outdoor stores in the city centre. I still need a waterproof case for my iPhone, transparent on. both sides so I can use the camera – I could have got an Aquapac,but as the previous PVC free model I got has deteriorated, so much I cannot read the screen of my iPhone through it anymore I did not want to waste my money. So it looks like for my overnight backpack trip tomorrow I will be using a zip lock food bag to protect the iPhone from the rain whilst taking photos.

I would have bought a new pack for tomorrows trip – but I have my heart set on a Golite Jam and I could not find one. There were several rucksack special offers that almost tempted me but I had to keep reminding myself that the Jam weighs less than 900g!

Great Glen Way Read More »

Do you use a PC?

14 August 2011 / Business, Technology / Aviemore, iOS, iPhone, iPhone camera apps, IT Support for Lincolnshire, Octagon Technology, Scotland, tea

I read an interesting article on the BBC news site last night – referring to Dr Mark Dean, who was part of the IBM team who worked on the first PC.

Read it here

I have been away on holiday now for over a week and have been able to keep up with my work from my iPhone:

* it is a phone – holding all my contacts database and client info (securely – you cannot take the SD card out of an iPhone)
* I keep up with my email on it

To the basic out of the box software I have added:

* Documents To Go (to deal with MS documents – opening and creating them)
* GoodReader for PDFs
* the files are kept online in my DropBox

Battery life can be an issue when camping. I have a cradle in the car which keeps the battery topped up when driving – and it plays the iPod in the phone through the car stereo. I have two extra batteries – a pocket sized, booster/recharge battery and an extended jacket battery.

I also have a power inverter for use in the car so I can use the Apple plug to charge both of these batteries when camping – and at the house in Aviemore.

A complete office in my pocket – a small pocket today. In 1996 when we came away on holiday I needed a bigger pocket!

* Psion Series 5 PDA, with a box of spare batteries and a mains psu
* 56k dial up modem for use at the timeshare
* Ericsson SH888 mobile phone with a built in data modem – car charger and charger for the mains
* data stored on memory cards – I think I had a couple of 1 MB and 2 MB CF cards
* no media player but I did read books on the Psion

Other things I have used the iPhone 4 for this holiday

* Stanza book reader app – I have about three hundred books on the phone so I have plenty of choice
* It is the only camera I have with me – I use the built in camera app and I have purchased Camera+, I really like the split focus and exposure points in this app
* I have watched videos and listened to podcasts and audiobooks on it
* I have used Google maps, MemoryMap and Navfree for navigation – we found Jimmy Chungs in Edinburgh with it
* browsed the web in full colour and with video and sound – although I did not keep up with the news as it was Thursday when I caught up with the fact that Britain had suffered days of rioting!
* and I post to the blog using the WordPress app

So do I use a PC – yes – but do I always need it, no. The screen is small on the iPhone but iOS is more than capable of supporting my business – the bigger screen on the iPad would be good for some jobs but it is not pocket sized.

Replace my PC with an iPad. No I cannot do that, there is just so much software available for Windows OS and that’s what I need – the Windows PC strength is it’s flexibility. I know a number of people who have Mac books – who will tell me how great they are, impressive hardware, no viruses, etc etc etc, and in the next breath they ask, can I help them to set the Mac up to run Windows as the need to run some Windows software on it!

One final comment – my company supports PCs, so selfishly I hope they don’t disappear, but as it says in the article they are no longer the single driving force for technological change. At Octagon we support a variety of tablets and smart phones, as clients now have these devices and find them very convenient and with the latest OS releases very easy to use – also they are fun!

Do you use a PC? Read More »

Weekend Trip to Woodhall Spa pt3

20 July 2011 / Lincolnshire, Outdoor Gear, Walking / coffee, iPhone camera apps, lightweight stove, outdoor gear, tea, walking

Below is the kit list for the weekend

Coleman Bedrock 2 tent
Pole
Ti pegs
I did not use any of the bags the tent components came in. The inner tent and fly were refolded and packed in the main pack compartment at the top. Pegs went in the pop stud packet they were sold in and went into the pocket with the spare clothes. The pole went into the middle of the sleeping mat roll.

30l Karrimor Hotlite pack circa 1986
2x Karrimor 3l extension pockets
LowePro small lens case (brew kit)
LowePro bottle case – Inc 600ml Sigg bottle and drinking cap
2l Camelbak

Self inflating sleeping mat – black sack to pack it in and 2x small bungee cords

Karrimor lightweight sleeping bag – in stuff sack
Fleece sleeping bag liner
Both these items are packed in a drysack

In a 5l litre drysack
Light fleece jumper (very warm)
Fleece hat, head over and gloves (for extra warmth)
Spare underware and walking socks
All this clothing goes inside the head over to make a pillow
This bag was compressed into one of the extension pockets

Lightweight raincoat

Kitchen/brewkit
Ti mug and aluminium lid
Ti stove – inside the burner three solid fuel tablets and the copper mug stand
Plastic beaker with lid
Lighter
Small brewkit in neoprene case contains
* 5x tea bags in ziplock bag
* 15ml bottle of dried milk
* 2x sugar
* Lighter
50ml bottle of meths
Small LMF spork
2in1 coffee sachet
2x cereal bars
Poly bag for rubbish
The above is packed in the lens case and was secured to the pack

Half sized aluminium wind shield
Hardboard stove stand
Both of these items were packed in the second extension pocket

110ml meths

Folding knife and spoon
Wide plastic mug
Heavy duty plastic sheet – packed under the bungess hold the mat onto the pack (these bungess were a good place to dry things under, whilst walking, on the second day)

The following items were all packed in a 2l drysack and carried in the other extension pocket

Petzl headlight
Small FAK including hotel sewing kit and toilet paper
Pocket pack of tissues

Miniature wash kit
* hotel soap
* 15ml toothpaste gel
* folding tooth brush
* comb
* small mirror
* 50cm square hi-absorbent towel
* Hotel sachet shower gel
* hi-absorbent cloth 20cm square
All packed in the case the towel came in

2x plastic clothes pegs
Hi-absorbent cloth for drying up
5ml washing up liquid in hotel bottle
1/4 washing up sponge
Small repair kit
* 1m gaffer tape wound onto a stoppered tube
* inside the tube two needles, thread and 1m of thin string
Two large and four small cable ties
1.5m paracord
LMF Scout firesteel and striker
Sun screen stick
Compeed stick (not used!)
Emergency plastic poncho – heavy showers were forecast and I had no pack cover
1oz single malt whiskey

Food

Two zip lock bags packed in the main sack
One containing the food and drinks for the first evening – and a 50g pack of REGO
The second contained the breakfast, drinks and trail snacks for day two

Total weight of pack including water and food was about 24lbs or 11kgs

In my pockets

iPhone with extended battery back fitted (allows for a complete charge and 25%)

I used the iPhone as
* a phone, email and text
* as a eBook reader
* with Memory Map for navigation
* to watch a movie on

Aquapak – for the iPhone – see note below
iPod Nano and headphones in a neoprene pouch – I used this rather than my iPhone to listen to whilst walking

LowePro PDA belt case (used as a wallet and kept in an inside zipper pocket) containing
* Money
* Debit card
* Frensel magnifier
* Camping and Caravan Club membership card
* Paper and pencil stub
* Emergency iPhone charger
* Swiss card
* Two plasters for quick access

Sun hat
Lip balm
Sun glasses
Tissues
Trail snacks
On a length of paracord
* Camper Swiss Army knife
* Leatherman original P4 Squirt
* lifeboat whistle

Wearing
Northface hiking boots
Three way Craghoppers
Lightweight long sleeved shirt
Walking socks
Underwear
Rohan vest

Note
Unfortunately the Aquapak I bought two years ago to use my phone camera in, has deteriorated so I can no longer see either the screen or use the camera through it – I am back to using my original Aquapak (over five years old) which does not have a transparent back, so to take photo I have to take it out of the case, that means no photos in bad weather. To be green Aquapak removed some plasticisers from their cases making the softer – I will never buy another. So I am on the lookout this summer for a new weather proof case for my iPhone – one in which I can use the camera.

Weekend Trip to Woodhall Spa pt3 Read More »

Weekend Trip to Woodhall Spa

12 July 2011 / Outdoor Gear, Walking / backpacking, Camping and Caravan Club, hiking, iPhone camera apps, outdoor gear, tea, walking, Woodhall Spa

I am intending next year to start backpacking again, so as part of my training for the West Highland Way I decided to walk from Fiskerton Bridge to the Camping and Caravan Club site at Woodhall Spa, overnight there and then return the next day. It would be a good test for the gear and for me.

I am planning to get a new lightweight backpack for next year (something by GoLite) but for this trip I used a Karrimor pack I bought about 25 years ago. When I got it I made some adaptations to the bag, I added patches to take extension pockets, added anchor points to the lid, padded the bottom of the pack and added a 50mm unpadded hip belt. With the extension pocket the volume of the pack was about 36l, a little less than I think I need but it would do.

I carefully packed the gear, choosing only what I needed, but was detirmined to be as comfortable as possible so when people look at my packing I am sure they will say “why”.

One thing my old pack does not have compared to modern packs is fittings for a water bladder, so I simply had to slide my CamelBak between the bag and the tent, and then feed the tube out under the lid. I used a velcro cable tidy to secure the drinking tube to the shoulder strap.

I secured my sleep mat to the top of the pack using minature bungee cords I got from B&Q. I had a LowePro water bottle holder fitted to the belt. As you can see for the photo the bag was well stuffed and I ended up fitting a camera lens bag to the back of the pack, which has been adapted to hold my small brew kit, including stove, fuel and trail snacks – this was something I would need at lunchtime – however I did add extra security to this by securing it with cord to the pack.

To save weight and to ruduce the size of this small brew kit I have cut down an aluminium wind shield I bought – at the moment it has five plates but I am considering removing one when using it with the mug. The windshield was essential as on the riverside it was reasonably windy and the meths burner without it would have been useless. (The copper stand – see earlier post – worked well.)

I had made up two bags of food for the trip one for the evening and the second for breakfast the next day primarily consisiting of commercial dehydrated food and snacks, but it did include a can tuna – I will post a menu list later. One of the reasons for menu packs was to carefully see how filling the food was and to measure the amount of fuel I will need on future trips.

I used solid fuel to make my tea at lunchtime – this was a mistake as it makes both the stove and mug dirty, which means before repacking them they needed cleaning, on the second day I used meths, much cleaner so packing up was easier. I’d still carry a couple of tablets as spare/standby fuel.

The small hardboard board under the cooker is essential to protect the grass which was dry and to give the cooker and mug some more stability, although after this trip I have cut another piece the same size as the panels on the windshield to make it easier to pack. A sheet of black heavy duty plastic doulbes as somewhere to cook, saving puting utensils on the ground and as a sitmat during day on wet rocks and benches. The roll up bottle means less trips to the water tap when in camp and adds little weight or bulk to the pack.

I added KFC BBQ sauce to the tuna – but I should have packed a pepper and salt sachet as it could have done with some seasoning as well.

to be continued…

Weekend Trip to Woodhall Spa Read More »