Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Since my latest metal detector design "hit the shelves" in the UK perhaps a week ago, my five top posts (according to Blogger) are all related to metal detector design. One of them has "gone stratospheric". Aspects of the design have been called "novel" and "particularly interesting".

Monday, January 30, 2012

Hillsong Sound Level

My new 2012 hobby is to discover the noisiest Church in town. So I kicked off with Hillsong last night. They are clearly in the championship league. The sound level frequently exceeded 110 decibels, and hit a top reading of 116.6 decibels. But I was seated in the back row -- so looking at the sound sources, and applying the inverse square law, it is safe to say that many congregants were exposed to well over 120 decibels. What does this mean? Firstly, the sound level is staggering. It is (at times) louder than a 747 passenger jet on take-off. Damage to one's hearing may occur within seconds. It is several hundred times the limit in draft provincial legislation PN14. OBSERVATION: My interest here is not a serious one -- it's just a fun new hobby. Let me not discourage anyone from attending Hillsong -- but do take ear-plugs along to avoid near-certain damage to your ears. (I did an IEC 61672 Class 2 measurement with acoustic C-weighting. My calculated maximum for Hillsong is 122.6 decibels). See also Hillsong Cape Town.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Latest Design


Yesterday I received the latest (February) edition of EPE magazine. This contains my first electronic design in a long time -- a sensitive, stable, minimalist metal detector. It has a few twists in the tail, among them two unorthodox search oscillators, an uncommon method of heterodyning, and the use of mutual inductance for detection (the Beat Balance principle). OBSERVATION: For those in my home town, the magazine will soon be on sale at the Waterfront CNA. You'll find my name elsewhere in the magazine, too.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

St. John Anglican


I attended three Churches this morning -- one of them the Anglican Church of St. John in Central Cape Town (pictured). This was well attended. There was a warm spirit, and much fidgeting, whispering, and smiling in the pews. As with many predominantly (almost exclusively, in this case) Coloured congregations, this one had an extraordinary mix of ages.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

French Champagne

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This week I received a bottle of French champagne from one of my publishers in Europe (see the image). It arrived with a letter signed personally by the publisher, several directors, and several unit heads. OBSERVATION: I'm suspecting that a recent design of mine revived their interest in me -- as well as that of another publisher who granted me Super User status in November. (However, as one says in Afrikaans: "Ek het die lus verloor.")

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Church "Clock"


Here's a Church clock with a difference. In fact, it isn't a clock at all. It indicates a few minutes to midnight, and the words beneath it proclaim: "The Lord cometh" (Jude 1:14). The "clock" is to be found on the steeple of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Haarlem, about 500km / 300mi east of Cape Town.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Old Hymn-Board


Here's an image with a difference. It's a hymn-board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Haarlem. It looked as though it was as old as the Church itself, which is 132 years. You may click on the image to enlarge to 100k. OBSERVATION: Churches older than about 120 years are relatively rare in South Africa.

Monday, January 16, 2012

St. George's Cathedral


Last night I attended Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral (pictured). While this has a reputation for liberalism, the Revd. Michael Twum-Darko preached a message that was packed with Biblical content -- describing in both grand and personal terms the mightiness and faithfulness of God. I thanked him for "a powerful and moving sermon". See also Favourite Photo [1].

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Lutheran Church Haarlem


Of all the local Churches I have seen, this is a gem, outside and in. It is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Haarlem village, not far from Uniondale. It was consecrated on the 14th of August 1880. An aged former caretaker still tends the garden. He said to me: "I have tended this garden for 37 years. How wonderfully God has blessed me." The image may be enlarged to 80k.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Hedgerow Of Roses

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I have previously blogged on the magnificent hedgerows one may find in South Africa -- very creative sometimes, as traditional European hedgerows may not work. Here is one I found in Misgund, in the Langkloof -- a hedgerow of roses. This was more than two metres / yards high. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 200k.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

African Jumping Spider


I photographed this cutesy thing in the Eastern Cape. It is an African Jumping Spider -- recently named one of the "Magnificent Eight Spiders of Africa". In its tiny little mind, it had an obvious fascination with my Leica (which is reflected in its eyes). Eventually it jumped my Leica -- but I jerked out of the way, and it missed. While African Jumping Spiders have a painful bite, they are (most of them) relatively harmless. You may click on the image for 100k detail.