Bill Meara Graduates with Honors from James Madison University

Deep thoughts where Faraday lectured

He has been part of the podcast and blog since the beginning: Camera kites, video rockets and crystal radios.  Drones and exploding corn starch.  The Trivial Electric Motor.  Visits to Faraday's lab and Marconi's house.  Billy helped me wind toroids at age 2!. He went with me to hamfests in Virginia and in London. 

Toroid by Billy (at age 2)

Here are just some of the blog posts in which Billy is a key player: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=Billy


This video demonstrates Billy's early interest in biotechnology: 

And of course, he is the guy who says "Ooo!  That's awesome" in all of the podcasts. 

Yesterday was a big day: We are very proud of our son Bill Meara who graduated with honors yesterday from James Madison University. Bill earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology. In a few weeks he will be heading to Boston where he will start work at a neuroscience research lab of Harvard University.

2020 Virtual Graduation

Billy's mom, sister and dad watching the graduation 

Graduation:  Oooo! That's Awesome! 

Transit of Mercury, 11 November 2019, and a Transit of Venus and Some Sunspots from 2012

Above:  Transit of Mercury, November 11, 2019 as I saw it from Northern Virginia using a 4.5 inch reflector with image projected onto a white paper.  Elisa took the picture with her I-phone.  Arrow shows Mercury.  I almost missed it -- Billy texted from college to remind me of the big event. 

Above:  Transit of Venus June 6, 2012 as seen from Northern Virginia.  Billy (age 13) took the picture with his I-phone 4.  Venus is much bigger, much closer and much easier to see.  Near the bottom edge of the solar disc. 

  

Above;  Billy on November 12, 2011 with the 4.5 inch Tasco Reflector that was used on BOTH the Venus and Mercury transits (we projected the image on paper). On this day we were using our newfound solar photography expertise to take a picture of sunspots (our picture below). 

Ah, those were the days!  Many spots back then.  None now. 

Rocket Key-Chain Camera Video!

This project started almost 5 years ago when Billy, his friend Ben and I built a nice BIG Estes Model Rocket that Elisa had bought me for my birthday.  Here is the original post about this:
http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2012/09/video-model-rocketry.html

Building the thing was no problem, but finding a place to launch it was.  Model rocket launches are prohibited inside the Washington DC beltway, and when you get outside the beltway it is hard to find a suitable open field. Out rocket camera sat in a box.  We said "someday" for five years.

Yesterday I was going out to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia picking up Billy after the completion of his freshman year in college.  I decided that yesterday would be the day.  I used Google Maps to look for places with a big open field near the highway.  I recharged the key chain camera.

At the first of my possible launch sites we found lots of fields, but also lots of fences, and cows and horses who might not like our noisy rocket.  We were about to give up hope when I spotted a farmer at work.  I explained the situation to Randy.  He agreed to let us launch, but wanted us to do it from his nearby house so that his family could watch.  This was very nice of them.

After one failed attempt, WHOOOSH!  That D12-3 engine really pushed that thing up there!  The family loved it.   It was  great.  The parachute deployed perfectly.  Billy would run across the field to retrieve the rocket (you can see him running up to get it in one of the attached videos).  When we got home I was amazed to find that the little camera had worked perfectly on all three launches. 

The Waters Edge Rocket Research Society would be so proud of us.  VIVA LA WERRS! VIVA!

30th Birthday for the TRS-80 Model 100

We have one of these (I'm sure many of you guys have one also).  I'm not really a computer guy, but I've been holding onto this thing because 1) it has always seemed to me to have a very high "cool tech" feel to it and 2) I figured that Billy or Maria might someday take an interest.  Billy is now deep into his PC build, and is developing what looks like a computer-focused shack up in his room.  So the Model 100 has moved up there.  


Here is a nice interview about this machine:
 
http://www.thepowerbase.com/2012/04/trs-80-model-100-interview-with-john-r-hogerhuis/

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Awesome Video of Perseverance's Landing on Mars

When we watched the landing on February 18, Elisa kind of complained that they were using simulations -- like the rest of us, she has come to expect actual video of important events.  Well, now we have it.  Actual video of the parachute deployment, the decent, heat shield separation, dust from the Sky Crane rockets, the whole thing.   Wonderful!   See above. 

The full press conference is worth watching:

Here we learn that the placement of these cameras was inspired by the sports camera that enabled one of the NASA/JPL guys to watch his daughter's gymnastic back flip from her perspective.  As they discussed the images from the spacecraft,  I found myself thinking of my little Astrocam Estes rocket in the Dominican Republic, our kite-camera adventures in the Azores, and the key-chain video camera that Billy and I flew on a rocket in the Shenandoah Valley. 

We also learn that the parachute color pattern contains a hidden message... (see below for the solution, worked out by a fellow in France.) 

One of the JPL guys noted that we've all had a tough year, and he hopes that these images will bring some joy to people.  Indeed. 

And wow, there are microphones!  They show the mic in the press conference video, and they play audio of the sound of Martian wind. 

There was a nice shout out to Sojourner from 1997 (the year my son Billy was born).  

------------------------------

Someone cracked the code in the parachute coloration: 

"DARE MIGHTY THINGS"

and the JPL Coordinates

https://twitter.com/FrenchTech_paf/status/1363992051734478852

Jupiter

This image (by Michael Weasner) is very similar to what we see when we look at Jupiter through our six inch reflector telescope. Billy and I were up on the roof last night, looking at Jupiter and the moons. Sky and Telescope magazine publishes a nice chart showing how the moons will be configured each evening. Arnie Coro, CO2KK, in the most recent edition of Radio Havana Cuba's "DXers Unlimited" program mentions how easy it is to receive radio signals from Jupiter. I haven't tried that yet, but as a Knack victim, I feel the urge to do so.

We also watched OUR moon rise over Rome, and saw a satellite pass overhead. Saw some neat double-stars, and I taught Billy about averted vision.

Billy's Blog

The fellow who helps me introduce SolderSmoke mailbag ("That's awesome!") has launched a blog. Billy would really get a kick out of getting some visits and comments. Thanks!
http://thebillymearapage.blogspot.com

Still Photos and Slow-Motion Video from Shenandoah Rocket Launches

The above slow-motion video of launch #3 is pretty cool.    You can very briefly see a bit of the yellow parachute deploying. The best video from this flight is at the end, as the rocket floats over the farm buildings and comes perilously close to landing on top of one of the silos.  I put some snap shots at the end. Five other launch videos are available here: https://www.youtube.com/user/M0HBR/videos

SNAP SHOTS

Launch crew visible -  N2CQR with hat, Billy to his left. Randy's son (next to Billy) launches the rocket!

Smoke trail back to the launch pad.

MECO! And you can see the smoke trail up to the rocket

The view across the Shenandoah Valley.

Skyline Drive runs along that ridgeline

Here is a hunk of flame-proof wadding ejected by the rocket.

We were afraid it would land on the silo.  It was close.

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! And a smoke trail.  

Part of the deploying parachute is visible.

Homebrew Hero: Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE

I wanted to start off 2012 with something inspirational, and here it is: Ashhar Farhan's work bench. I was visiting his site yesterday and found lots of good info, good humor and, indeed, inspiration. Be sure to check out his RF generator project. And the page that gives his thought on tools and test gear. All of it is wonderful -- you'll find lots of evidence of Farhan's long-term case of The Knack, his efforts to put "soul into his new machines" (his kids are mentioned frequently in his descriptions of his projects), and his obvious qualification for membership in the International Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards. I really like Farhan's efforts to design rigs that can be built with parts available all around the world -- a JBOT amp of his design is percolating nicely in my 17 meter DSB rig, and has been crossing the Atlantic almost every day.

As we were throwing a football around yesterday, I told Billy about Farhan. I mentioned that he lives in Hyderabad -- Billy thinks that's one of coolest city names on the planet and plans to work it into the plot of a novel he is working on.

Here is the site: http://www.phonestack.com/farhan/

Three cheers for Farhan! Happy New Year to all!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20