Iain Baird

Not many coats lighter than a down filled North Face.

I use a Down Coat in the Winter as it will compress in the spots where the vest needs to sit and stay puffy everywhere else. It's all a matter of taste and preference.

Based on previous conversations about amperage, cable gauge and different lemo plug amp capacities I have a new query. With my GPI II battery system if a thicker gauge post cable were to be used (16 AWG for power) and a larger lemo plug for both Upper junction (3B 308, 13 amp capacity) and Camera power out of Upper Junction box 2S.303 (15 amp capacity) would this scenario then only lead to the 10 Amp Breakers on the Sled popping any time the draw from the camera was too much?

I've found that a double net tends to work even better than a solid. In my experience a solid seems to create a swirl around effect whereas the double net breaks up the wind and makes more of a pocket to hide in.

I would hope that if any local IATSE were to ever go on strike that other unions and guilds would support us, not condemn us as greedy. An operator who works all year makes a very good living, some people would say more than fair. But if you are only getting a small amount of work then you rely on those good wages to make ends meet. The same is true for writers, those who work all year and are co-producers or executive producers makes tons of cash and don't deserve any more, but the staff writers (most of them) who maybe get one episode a year to their credit and have long layoffs between gigs are only hoping that they get paid well enough to get them through the thin times.

I realize this is an old thread but I just read it now and I experienced similar issues with my Marell level when in combination with the Transmitter (canatrans) and the recorder being plugged in at the same time. The video would only remain stable if only 2 of the three were plugged in. After installing a video D.A. (from VAC) the problem went away.

I hate to start a dispute but perhaps yours was an older version. I'm holding my post cable in my hand right now and the plug that joins to the upper junction box is a 2B.307 and the plug that connects to the GPI BATT II unit is a 3B.308 to mate with the ECG.3B.308 that comes with the GPI BATT II unit. When I bought my GPI BATT II unit it came with the 3B.308 and I didn't need to modify it at all for the MK-V conversion.

In fact two A/B batts at full charge give off +30v and then make their way to 24 so I'm not sure if the Voltage Amp would help.

Funny thing happened with the battery yesterday. All of a sudden it was working again. I had it open so I know that all the connections are true. I put it on the charger and it went through it's cycle, reached full charge, and when I went to use it, na da. Same thing again, oh well, between wire gauges and misbehaving batts, I've got voltage/amperage on the brain and it's time for the Dionic upgrade.

The MK-V conversion actually uses a 3B.308 to the 2B.307 which doesn't have the aux power run through it. So the Y-connector option is not available.

Thank you Eric for your very consise answer. I have used the F900 extensively with my MK-V post and have never had critical issues but notice that the camera will shut down if I don't stay one step ahead of the battery meter on the camera display. Once it's at three bars, I change batts. I also use 1 hytron 150 instead of the Hytron 50's. This being said what are the dangers with the MK-V post as I power the F900. I would also assume that if I presently have 22 AWG in my post, an upgrade to 20 AWG is at least a good start.

Now I am a bit confused. The cables I use to power a 24v camera (made by PRO) are Mogami 2549. They use a #22 AWG for the current. The #20 AWG is a bit bigger and rated even higher. The wires inside my Sled are either #22 or #20 AWG and they have a 24v current running through them. I ask this out of ignorance but how can the same AWG #20 not be good enough to run 24v up the post?

Another Update, CABLESCIENCE has since been in touch with me and they in fact do offer a few different coiled cables. Part Number: EC206RG179-CL 6 cond #20 AWG. plus one miniature coax 75 ohm (RG179) Jacket: Shiny PU Cable OD: .370" nom. Coil OD: 1.25" Retracted length of coiled portion: 13" (5-6 ft extended) Straight leads: 6" and 6" Qty: 1-4 $ 45.00 Each Option 2: Part Number: ECS226-CL 6 Insulated conductors, #22 AWG. (plus one bare wire touching Aluminum Mylar shield) Jacket: Shiny PU Cable OD: .250" nom. Same coil dimensions as above Qty 1-4 $ 27.00 Each

When I press and hold the reset button the display shows - 1 ,2,3, all four quarters of the circle meter as well as the top two bars of the charge meter. However it didn't change the results. I tried a twenty second hold just to make sure.

The battery is about 3 years old, and the contacts are very clean.

I have a Hytron 50 that is showing a half charge on it's display but no voltage is coming out of the battery. I've used a voltage checker directly on the contacts to confirm that it's the battery and not the shoe. When on the the charger, the charger doesn't recognize a battery is even present. Has anyone seen this before? IAIN BAIRD Toronto

A few notes, When Howard sorted out his spam settings on his e-mail account he was very helpful and has all the post cables in stock at reasonable prices. The People at CableScience were however not very helpful at all. They answered my inquiry very quickly and even called me the next day. But as soon as I explained that I would only be ordering one unit they've ignored my e-mails ever since. IAIN BAIRD

How much do they sell for? IAIN BAIRD

How about the Vest that offers both? I?ve been using my Klassen Dual Mount Vest for over two years and it?s been everything I hoped it would be. The excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail makes it both a thing of beauty and a rugged workhorse all in one. When I first met with Walter I knew the advantages of the back mounted vests but I had reservations about the overall width of the harnesses. Based on my previous experiences I knew there would be times that I would want a thinner profile when maneuvering through tight spaces. Walter had heard similar concerns from other operators and with help from Garrett designed the Dual Mount as a solution. I felt more comfortable buying the Dual Mount Vest knowing that it wouldn?t limit me in what I was used to with my previous Front Mounted. That being said, most of the time I use it back mounted, but on many occasions for a variety of reasons I?ve been able to seamlessly switch to front mounted. In both modes it feels equally comfortable and performs just as well, I couldn?t be more pleased. Thanks to Walter and his entire crew for making such a wonderful product who?s sole function is to make our job easier. IAIN BAIRD

A little bit of internet savy and I've found a source, http://www.cablescience.com thanks, IAIN

Howdy Folks, I'm looking to make a backup cable for my post and would like to use the same coily cable that's in it now. I have the MK-V four stage extendable post and the cable is actually 7 core (5 single, 1 coax) but would like to make an 8 core (6 single 1 coax) I tried e-mailing Howard but he has not returned back to me. Does anyone know of a supplier, for either version? cheers, Iain Baird

The 435 is also a pig for power (amps) so if you are doing any ramping, or high speed shots you'll need more power than the Master Series 12/24 converter can offer you. Unfortunately it won't even start if it doesn't find the power it wants. Lent equip makes an add on battery that couples two 12 volt batteries to give the required amps. IAIN BAIRD

I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. But wouldn't it be cool to know what sleds I've had, what my present setup is etc, etc. That where a real knowledge base begins, knowing where your information is coming from. If I knew who had a marell level, or a Tiffen monitor then I would know that those guys are the ones that I need to reach out to for information. And those are the guys you listen to when they offer their solutions. I've owned a master series sled but have never even touched a XCS ultimate, doesn't that define me a little? That's all I was suggesting, let's be open about our packages so that we all know who we need to reach out to with our problems. IAIN BAIRD toronto, on hanging in ireland

The best solution would be the option to change the default in the camcorder to input. Then everytime the sled is powered down, when powered back up it would not go back to camcorder mode. But unfortunately the camcorder has no such option. When in the on position and when it first gets power it sends a signal into the video line. At the moment Pin 5 remains unused, I've ordered some zener diodes with a 3.5 v resistence rating. So the worst that can happen is that I have a failed experiment, with a 5 euro cost ( thankfully I can take the hit ) . I'll update further. IAIN On another note Eric I am sorry if I sounded sarcastic with my 12/24 comment. Knowing the wiring of the sled very well, and having done lot's of personnel wiring mods to the unit, I felt like the suggestion was rather basic, and obvious. Iain Baird

The problem that I have Eric is when I first turn on the sled, with the DB III switch set to REC, both the camera and the camcorder send an image to the monitor and transmitter, because they share the same video line. I have to then turn the camcorder over to LINE INPUT to turn off the camcorder output. If I turn on the sled, I quickly switch the camcorder over and no one is the wiser, but assistants don't always know how to do it. It leads to head scratching and DP's yelling that the monitor is all messed up. I was hoping there was a way I could put a one way diode on the input and use the pin 5 on the plug as the output. Then even if the camcorder was playing the only way a signal could get through would be when the switch is in PLAY. Iain Baird Toronto, ON presently in Dublin