What is your hobby?

[Major Tom]

I still prefer the purer form of wireless communications: trying to see how long one can reach out with a mere 100mW of power (that's DC input power mind you, not radiated power), making up for that ridiculously low level with gigantic antennas, and a super sensitive and selective receiver. And a lot of patience too!

Me too. I usually stay at the 5W level, though I did work Wisconsin the other day with 200mW. Today with 5W, I worked Uruguay, Tokyo, New Zealand, South Korea, Connecticut, Wyoming and Missouri. Fun stuff!

Is it QST that your project will be featured on? I can go read that at a nearby city library.

Not QST - a new edition of an ARRL book. I'll message you with the info.

About the RV, you must be wanting a new Lazy Daze. Old ones are more expensive than other brands, but not prohibitively so.

Nope - I'm thinking of a used LD, but am living on a tight budget due to my modest net worth. My standard of living is lower than that of most folk on this board, but most of the time, it doesn't take much to keep me happy

 

[Ronstar]

Nice.

Thanks!

Yes, agree with HFWR - very nice.

Small is fun for the reasons you mention, but I also find it frustrating - everything really needs to be near perfect, any little mismatch shows since you normally hold it up for close inspection. And I'm just not that good.

What tools did you use? I'm guessing band-saw to cut out the body, maybe a router to shape the fenders? But how do you get that tight angle that forms the seat smoothed, yet maintain a crisp line? Stuff like that drives me bonkers - I'd cheat and round it so I could get sandpaper or scraper in there (more like the fenders in that space).

Walnut fenders/ws? Birch body? Cherry wheels?

-ERD50

Thanks! Yes - a band saw to cut the body and router with 1/4" round over bit to shape fenders. The tight angle in the body was cut on the band saw , two band saw cuts meeting at the tight angle. I have a stationary benchtop belt sander and spindle sander that handle most of the sanding, but I had to sand the tight angle on the body by hand to get the crisp line. Walnut fenders, maple body. Don't know about the wheels - I got the wheels with the car pattern from toys and joys . I like their setup - they just give you the wheels and a plan. I bought the maple, but the walnut was leftover from other projects. I can see making a lot of these type of projects from scraps.

Thats a beauty. You'd do well at the craft fairs with a line of these wooden toys.

Thanks - I like making stuff, but I don't want to make/set up a booth and sit around all day. I have made things for people for $ before and the toughest thing about it was fitting their project into my schedule.

But then that would be WORK!

That's exactly right!

I can't see myself doing something like Ronstar has. I just do not have that patience, nor the skills. Or is it that I do not have the patience to develop the skills? Oh, whatever... I just do not see myself doing that.

Not much patience or skills involved - you just need the right tools.

 

[Dreamer]

Ronstar, that car is beautiful. You do great work!

 

[Moscyn]

I don't think I developed any new hobbies since I retired. So, having the same hobbies as before but now able to spend more time on them. I noticed tha most of my hobbies can be done solo but sometimes more enjoyable to do them with some company:-

1. Travel - by far my most expensive hobby but the way I look at it, I can only do this as long as I remain healthy and mobile.
2. Eating - can be food that I cook and also trying out new restaurants. Always on the lookout for a good deal.
3. Drinking - as in appreciating wine and coffee. Usually done together with eating.
4. Golfing - like to try out golf courses and sometimes combine golfing with travelling.
5. Watching TV and movies - all time favorite. Inexpensive too. This hobby is usually done solo, can't be distracted by people talking or commenting on the movie when I watch it.
6. Shopping - even if it is window shopping. I find that time flies when I shop and that's so much to see and learn. There are so many types of things to see - clothes, shoes, bags, electronics, cooking ware, books, cosmetics, home stuff, even grocery. So many products and gimmicks.
7. Reading - usually non-fiction and variety of topics. So much to learn and enjoy.
8. Do participating in forums, exercising, being active on Facebook, etc count? All these and more are part of my everyday life and makes the hours in the day so more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I have still not counted volunteering as a hobby. Does that make me a not kind person? When I volunteer, I just tell myself that it is something I should do but deep in my heart, I know it's not a hobby.......yet(?).

 

[Nodak]

Astronomy and fossil hunting. I used to do astrophotography and am working on getting back into it with digital equipment.

 

[Brdofpray]

Bird watching and cycling. Usually not at the same time.

 

[Alex in Virginia]

I just finished reading through this whole thread because I need ideas for indoor hobbies that could capture my imagination and hold my attention when it's cold, snowy and yucky outside.

Even though they were not specifically mentioned, going through the exercise got me to come up with computer wargaming, crystallography, and microscopy.

Anyone into any of those 3? Anything you would like to share?

Thanks!

 

[Tekward]

Anyone else play Strat-o-Matic baseball? I've been in the same local Raleigh NC league for 25 years. For background:
Strat-O-Matic fans have played game for 25 years - Toledo Blade

 

[dm]

Ive always enjoyed golfing. And since I retired I bought a older travel trailer and we added camping to the list. Another new hobby that I started last year is flying.

Back in my working day's I just didn't have the time to do much. Now I'm making up for the lost time.

 

[scrabbler1]

Anyone else play Strat-o-Matic baseball? I've been in the same local Raleigh NC league for 25 years. For background:
Strat-O-Matic fans have played game for 25 years - Toledo Blade

I have been playing Strat baseball off and on since 1973, a lot in the 1970s and 1980s, took most of the 1990s off, and returned to the game in 2006 (though not in FTF league play).

 

[imoldernu]

One of my hobbies is flying kites, but just as an amateur. Here's an 80 year old deaf man, who has taken the sport to a new level. The video is over 5 minutes... to see the man who's doing the flying, go to the 3:40 minute point. Nice music. Best at full screen.

"Romancing The Wind" - Ray Bethell - YouTube

 

[LeavingOhio]

1) I'm a distance runner (former high school and college runner and I've run 5 marathons (26.2 miles) and two ultramarathons (a 50 miler and a 40 miler up a mountain and back down)) and countless other distance races ranging 5 kilometers on up. I still run, but not anywhere near as much as I did before I turned 40. Both of my kids are successful runners in school, and I enjoy watching them. I also coach a summer track program for kids in grades 3-6.

2) I'm a musician (keyboards mainly but guitar also). I've played off and on in bands (blues and classic rock) for 25 years.

3) Since others said "investing" I'll throw that out there too as I'm definitely interested in it.

4) I like to solve Rubik's cubes and other like puzzles.

That's it pretty much, though I can see adding bird watching to that list when I do have more time. My parents are big birders, and I learned a lot from them growing up. I can see wanting to hike around and look for birds as long as they are in warm weather climates.