[02:50] <MarkDude> Anyone able to tell if this bird is a Peregrine Falcon? https://plus.google.com/photos/105095769731159704550/albums/5627748242523559489?authkey=COCT7YWa-NuoHw
[02:51] <darthrobot`> Title: [Nature - Google+]
[03:04] <akk> MarkDude: No, not a peregrine. I don't have my bird books here, but probably a red-shouldered hawk.
[03:04] <akk> Nice pix of it! I've always had trouble getting good pix of them.
[03:05] <akk> Best I've gotten (not nearly as good): http://shallowsky.com/Birds/showbird.php?pat=Raptors/red_shouldered_hawk
[03:05] <darthrobot`> Title: [red shouldered hawk]
[03:09] <MarkDude> Aha
[03:09] <MarkDude> Ty akk
[03:09] <MarkDude> Makes sense.
[03:10] <MarkDude> The bird does not sound as impressive as I thought it would
[03:10] <MarkDude> Makes sortof a chirping noise
[03:10] <akk> Yeah, hawks make surprisingly un-fierce noises. :)
[03:11] <MarkDude> Bluejays sound tougher
[03:11] <akk> My mom used to work on animal documentaries, and she told me a story about when they needed to find a clip of the cry of the red hawk
[03:11] <akk> (I suspect she meant red-tailed)
[03:11] <akk> and they searched around and finally found it, and it was this wimpy "eep, eep" sound
[03:11] <akk> and I think they opted to put in some dramatic music instead :)
[03:12] <akk> Stellar's Jays actually like to imitate red-shouldered hawks.
[03:12] <akk> Which probably makes them sound very fierce to whatever bird-eating predator they're trying to fool.
[03:13] <akk> They used to fool me all the time, "How could a great big hawk be way up there at the top of that tree? Oh, it's just a jay again."
[03:14] <MarkDude> There is a mated pair of jays that come to my feeder, unlike the others, these two are quiet
[03:14] <MarkDude> Sorta nod to me to feed them
[03:14] <MarkDude> No need to alert other birds
[03:14] <akk> Nice!
[03:14] <akk> I like jays, they're so smart.
[03:14] <MarkDude> Yep
[03:15] <MarkDude> I like crows also- but more at a distance
[03:15] <MarkDude> hella smart
[03:15] <akk> Yep!
[03:15] <akk> I love watching crows and ravens practice flying.
[03:15] <MarkDude> but there is a reason they are called a murder of crows
[03:15] <MarkDude> They can chase of raptors in groups of 10+ here
[03:16] <akk> And then jays and mockingbirds and blackbirds chase the crows.
[03:16] <MarkDude> Yep
[03:16] <akk> And smaller hawks chase bigger hawks.
[03:16] <MarkDude> Circle of life
[03:17] <MarkDude> Aerial fights are insane to watch
[03:17] <akk> What's most fun, though, is seeing mockingbirds chase off cats and dogs. Those little guys (of both genders) are fearless.
[03:17] <MarkDude> The most aawesome, are hummingbirds
[03:17] <akk> Yeah, them too.
[03:17] <MarkDude> Jays will chase cats from tree to tree
[03:17] <akk> I still boggle that there's a whole working brain and heart and everything else inside that tiny body.
[03:18] <MarkDude> Squirrels just complain a bit, jays will dive bomb
[03:19] <MarkDude> brb
[03:23] <MarkDude> Pi event on Sat, I know you wont are not free for a few months akk
[03:24] <akk> Yeah, definitely not this sat. But maybe next month!
[03:24] <MarkDude> But, I wanted to see if we could get some input from you on goals part
[03:24] <MarkDude> We are gonna do a G+ hangout irc meeting Sat 3-4pm- for folks not able to attend
[03:25] <MarkDude> Chris is having us get some accessories
[03:27]  * MarkDude wants to see about starting with the flag waving wiring
[03:28] <akk> No guarantees about where I'll be 3-4 on sat, but send me the link and if I'm near my computer, I'll try.
[03:28] <MarkDude> http://raspi.tv/2013/how-to-make-your-own-raspberry-pi-flag-waving-demo
[03:28] <darthrobot`> Title: [How to make your own Raspberry Pi flag-waving demo » RasPi.TV]
[03:28] <MarkDude> Sure, if not we have a wiki page
[03:28] <MarkDude> I like the flag one- since not much is needed to make it
[03:28] <MarkDude> Using existing connectors first
[03:29] <MarkDude> Then I can solder up a storm
[03:30] <akk> Wow, the RPi can drive a servo directly? I'm surprised.
[03:31] <MarkDude> Yep
[03:31] <MarkDude> The way it does it is rather nice
[03:31] <MarkDude> Needs to be tuned to servo
[03:32] <akk> I would have worried about pulling too much current or getting back EMF or something.
[03:32] <akk> Maybe servos don't have a risk of back EMF.
[03:34] <MarkDude> The pin they use is isolated
[03:34]  * MarkDude is assuming
[03:34] <MarkDude> If it were variable - that might be an issue,
[03:34] <MarkDude> it's one speed only
[03:37] <akk> I didn't think anything was isolated in the RPi.
[03:41] <MarkDude> Well you remember how I qualify my technical opinions;
[03:41] <MarkDude> Think of me as a less charming Jono
[03:42]  * MarkDude knows Community 1st, the rest comes down the list
[03:42] <MarkDude> My real tech is actual electronics and soldering type stuff, as well as having a Ham license N6TBD
[03:43] <MarkDude> So the Pi has been good for me to learn, especially with ARM having a great future as near as I can tell
[03:44] <akk> Yep, certainly looks like it has.
[03:44] <akk> Intel's dropped the ball on low-power chips.
[03:45]  * MarkDude had not been thinking of EMF on that level, more so looking at it like straight electricity, and it would dissipate at such a quick rate vs distancce
[03:45] <akk> I was warned about that being an issue if I tried to drive motors or speakers directly from an arduino.
[03:46] <akk> And AFAIK the RPi is much more delicate than an arduino -- certainly it's far more sensitive to overvoltage.
[03:47] <pleia2> yeah, people have toasted their pis by even using the wrong charging cable
[03:47] <MarkDude> Ok, though servos are almost operated by relays
[03:48] <MarkDude> the voltage to trigger is not always related to operating device
[03:48] <akk> Really? I didn't know that.
[03:48] <akk> I'd seen warnings against using big servos on arduinos, but that a small one was probably okay.
[03:49] <MarkDude> 5V from battery only goes to the servo).
[03:49] <MarkDude> In this project
[03:49] <MarkDude> its using it as a pass thru in effect
[03:51] <MarkDude> The ground is protected enough-
[03:52] <MarkDude> From what I have read tho- what you are saying is true
[03:52] <MarkDude> I think some of the switching can be done with simple switching relays. for some pretty neat more complex projects
[03:54]  * MarkDude was thinking of emailing for Pi gatherings to DVLUG list, and one other Local ML
[03:54] <MarkDude> RM be damed
[03:54] <akk> I tried to use relays for my shark project, and had a lot of trouble (partly it was just finding the right kind of relay)
[03:55]  * MarkDude kids of course.
[03:55] <akk> and ended up having better success with transistors, once someone showed me how to use them.
[03:55] <MarkDude> Well yep
[03:55] <akk> MarkDude: As long as you say the RPis should run debian and not ubuntu, you might get away with it.
[03:56] <akk> Just don't say the u-word on too many of those LUG lists. :)
[03:56] <MarkDude> Its almost as if we could gather enough transistors - we could make a computer
[03:56] <MarkDude> :D
[03:56] <akk> Whoa, you think? :)
[03:56] <MarkDude> Well, Debian of some sort, Fedora for server - and sumthin like Puppy or whatever develops as stable
[03:57]  * MarkDude would like SELinux working for server
[03:57] <MarkDude> Geek points
[03:58] <MarkDude> What other list? Berkeley lug?
[03:58] <MarkDude> Bug Jack?
[03:58] <MarkDude> :D
[03:58]  * MarkDude should see if paulproteus is interested in such things, or just the next Geeknic
[03:59] <MarkDude> Relays make a very satisfying geeky awesome click - its neato
[04:00] <akk> True. Also, I love those great big relays with the transparent covers where you can see the levers moving.
[04:00] <akk> Dunno if they make those any more, but I had one when I was a kid.
[04:00]  * MarkDude is thinking of doing this like Univac
[04:01] <MarkDude> Add blinky lights for NO reason
[04:01] <MarkDude> You can get them at Ham swap meets
[04:01] <akk> It's even better when there is a reason. Like on connection machines, where the lights indicated which processor was active.
[04:01] <akk> blinky lights FTW
[04:02] <MarkDude> Yep
[04:02]  * MarkDude has stack of them waiting to be used in projects
[04:02]  * MarkDude likes the center part of Radio Shack. The DRAWERS
[04:02] <akk> There are other parts of Radio Shack? :)
[04:03] <akk> Though I usually get stuff like that from Halted or Anchor. I only go to RS if it's Sunday and everyone else is closed and I can't wait.
[04:03] <MarkDude> The manager knows my routine, wander first- looking for bargains, then the drawers
[04:03] <MarkDude> Its an addiction
[04:04]  * MarkDude wants to see what we can do with LCD fun also
[04:04] <akk> LCDs are fun but a lot harder to wire up.
[04:05]  * MarkDude actuall started wiring ICs
[04:05] <MarkDude> like chips in boards
[04:05] <akk> Another cool but usually pointless thing, then: wire-wrap.
[04:05] <MarkDude> if you were good, you just needed heatsinks
[04:06] <MarkDude> OMG
[04:06]  * MarkDude is adding that ot BAMF/Pi todo list
[04:06] <MarkDude> in colors
[04:07] <MarkDude> Its actually useful for some things- like marking the deadly wires for solar panels- or other fun
[04:07] <MarkDude> Mostly it looks cool
[04:08]  * MarkDude needs to post pics if his Pi and post it later
[05:12] <bkerensa> mm