In a message dated 4/28/01 3:08:52 PM GMT Daylight Time, danieo@............ 
writes:

<< I hope you get the free seismometer.
 It sounds like a good deal to me. >>

Hi Danie,

Yes, I did manage to get one. In the end so many people wanted one that only 
7 went to PSN members and I was one of them. The others went to universities 
and others. They are a very nice instrument so a lot of people wanted one. It 
remains to be seen how many people will get one going and recording 
earthquakes. I will try mine out standing in the yard before thinking about 
boreing a hole for it.

I didn't go to the AAVSO meeting this past weekend due it costing a lot of $$ 
and nothing of interest to solar people was planned. I checked the list of 
those who registered and there were no Solar Division people listed. No use 
spending a lot of money to go to such a meeting. 

I built a seismograph here in Florida using your idea of balancing a mass on 
a ruler as a spring. I use a plasterers trowel with the handle removed. This 
gives a tempered spring 14-inches long and 4-inches wide. I mounted it 
vertical and bent it down so the free end is horizontal. A lead weight puts 
the 90 degree bend in it. It has a free period of about 1 3/4 seconds. It's 
damped with a sheet of copper between some radio shack flat magnets. I only 
recently managed to get Alan Jones's Amaseis downloaded and set up and 
working so have only been recording two days. I am recording on a dedicated 
computer, an old 486 PC that I bought for $90 at a hamfest. I had trouble 
with drafts creating big signals but just got that fixed today. I covered it 
with a cardboard box to keep the drafts out and it seems to work quite well. 
The acid test will be can I record an earthquake. I'm waiting for a big one 
to see what happens. Hope all is well with you and your health is improving 
and you are getting lots of Southern Hemisphere variables for Janet.

Best regards, 
Cap
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