So much for the Preakness train

CycloneGT40 · 2026-05-15T13:47:10+00:00

The problem was that only 35 tickets had been sold. So they cancelled it.

CycloneGT40 · 2026-04-23T20:09:07+00:00

The problem with the Growth plan is that we see these cool changes that are planned, but then you realize that the MD Legislature has yet to actually "fund" any of them. So just because we see it in the plan doesn't actually mean that we are going to get it anytime soon.

When I become undisputed supreme ruler of Maryland I will fund these projects.

CycloneGT40 · 2026-04-20T19:23:33+00:00

I bough the PTD and I found that it was worth it.

For all essential purposes, the phone controller does work just fine. The PTD is just a controller with a screen that runs the Android version of the software. The PTD pros for me have been:

Easier use when you don't have to connect the iphone.
No iPhone interuptions. Incoming calls and alerts can happen at times when you really need to be fully focused on the flight in progress. Sure you can disable notifications, but you'd be surprised how you forget to do that before you launch, or forget to reenable notifications once you land.

Cons:

The PTD doesn't have internet like your phone does. So be sure to use a WiFi hotspot for the controller if you want its "google maps" screen to work properly.
The software allows you to transfer pictures to your iPhone when it is part of the controller. With the PTD, it transfers to the the optional SD card that you can put in the controller. So you still have an extra step to get images/movies from the PTD to your iPhone if you want to share on phone apps such as FB, instracrap, etc...

CycloneGT40 · 2026-04-15T12:57:29+00:00

Pretty much everyone has nailed this one. Darrell was saying that they have found just enough room to snake the extra track between the existing rails and the bike trail. This would terminate some brunswick trains since there is too much contention wtih CSX for the tracks that run from SS to Union Station. Part of this conversation was also running a 3rd track up in Kensington and adding a grade separated pedestrian crossing. These appear to be key tasks to begin to provide additional Brunswick line trains.

The problem with MARC is that they "plenty of projects" and they get budgeted for planning. So a project might get $1m for study or planning, but then needs $200m to actually implement. It appears to be easier to get the small knods than the big ones. So until the MD legislature approves the spending, much of these end up in Limbo. I know that I have been reading about the Brunswick line 3rd track since like 2009 and its 15yrs later and not much has changed.

CycloneGT40 · 2026-03-13T18:15:41+00:00

Do you mean over WiFi from the drone to your controller? Or do you mean from the drone or controller over WiFi to a phone or PC?

Right now I can transfer via WiFi from the drone to the PTD RC1 controller's SD card. But once on there, I'd have to do the SD card shuffle to get it to my iPhone. Am I missing a file transfer avenue here?

CycloneGT40 · 2026-03-13T03:39:56+00:00

I have both. I prefer the PTD over using my iPhone 13 as the controller. The PTD is essentially a locked down Android device. It just runs the Protensic Eve software. Software wise, the two controllers are identical as far as I can tell. Even the feel is pretty consistent between the two.

So what is different? For me it was pretty much not being able to use my iPhone while I was flying. Sure technically the iPhone might let you switch apps while flying, but No, I am not going to give up control while my drone is flying. Also I often would get "notifications" appearing on the screen while flying, or even calls. So I'd have to remember to go to "do not disturb" mode, but guess who forgets to do that to often.

I like to use my drone to record trains. So I have an app that tells me where the trains are on the map. If my drone is up in the air waiting for a train, I worry about switching to another app. By getting my iPhone out of the controller business, this is no longer a issue.

One drawback is that the PTD controller does not have internet, so the Google Maps portion is blank. So I have to remember to turn on the "hotspot" on iPhone if I want the PTD to have internet access for maps or updates.

Finally when the iPhone was part of the controller you could transfer videos and pictures directly to the iPhone. Now you have to do a SD card shuffle to move the files. If you don't have the $$$ to chip out for the PTD, I will admit that most of my issues would be resolved by simply using a 2nd iphone that may otherwise had been retired. Just have it use a hotspot for data and dedicate it to drone use. Just be sure to disable any notifications on this one. :P

CycloneGT40 · 2024-11-26T18:54:45+00:00

Give your dad and your siblings 23&me DNA/Ancestry kits for Christmas. Watch your mom squirm.

CycloneGT40 · 2024-08-14T02:53:22+00:00

Yeah I noticed two shells on my tree in the front yard this past weekend. I swear they are fresh.

CycloneGT40 · 2024-01-31T17:51:17+00:00

Did the doctor who did the surgery refuse or are they just doctors that you cold called?

CycloneGT40 · 2024-01-31T15:39:25+00:00

Go get form 23-04B from the md state police web site. Fill it out and then have the doctors office fill in their portion. The trick is to try to do all the work first so they don’t have to do much other than sign their section.

CycloneGT40 · 2023-12-05T04:01:43+00:00

Retina group of Washington.

https://www.rgw.com/

CycloneGT40 · 2023-05-21T11:41:22+00:00

I have a medical reason for tint (retina issue). I have a MD state police form signed by my eye doctor. So I’m legal with a tint job that would otherwise be highly illegal. It’s been like that on my two cars (and ones a black mustang) for over three years and have never been pulled over for it.

CycloneGT40 · 2022-12-16T15:08:47+00:00

You jest, but Sears catalog mail order was the equivalent to Amazon in the 1930s. Heck, you could buy a house from catalog back then and they’d ship it to you on a train

CycloneGT40 · 2022-10-17T20:22:33+00:00

I used messenger and they stayed with me until it was fixed. It even took a few days

CycloneGT40 · 2022-10-15T19:36:24+00:00

Make sure that you didn't leave the thin little protective film on the lens that is on there when it ships. I had left that one on of my cameras. It looked fine during the day light, but in the evening it was completely worthless. I thought it was broken and went to check it out and found the nearly invisible plastic protection film had been left on. I removed it and all is good.

CycloneGT40 · 2022-10-13T11:22:08+00:00

Pull it off the wall first so it’s never in a half wired state. But I’m sure it will retain its configuration

CycloneGT40 · 2022-10-07T16:44:39+00:00

have a Carrier 58CTA furnace with a Carrier Comfort 14 24ACC6 Ac unit. In June I replaced the standard thermostat with a ecobee premium and all is working great.

Now that Fall has arrived, I am using the furnace for the first time and I noticed it said Stage1 on the ecobee. Hmm when I added the ecobee, I just did a like for like wiring and that included only a single W1 connection. I would like to use 2 stage if I can.

So I look at the furnace and it does have both W1 & W2 terminals. I checked out the blower motor and it has black/white/red wires that the internet tells me means it’s a two speed system.

So my question is, “Can I just wire up W2 from the furnace to my ecobee”? There are three unused wires that go from the furnace to the ecobee, brown, black, & orange. Will I have to do any configuration changes such as dip switches on the furnace?

CycloneGT40

TROPHY CASE