I have a follow up question, only somewhat related.   When the sensor is =
completed, one of the first questions a novice might ask is "What can I =
expect to see"?     I know this would depend, not only the sensor, but =
many other things, like the location, and the other components of the =
station.
We all try to build the best one we can, using the ideas and materials =
we have.   This site is the best tool I have in my workshop.

The most common statement I have seen is,  "My sensor can see >7.0M =
anywhere in the world"   I have never complete a sensor which could not =
do this.
I view USGS sites, and find equipment costing thousands of dollars, pick =
up more and small events, then mine, but not not by much.
I also know, several of my ideas are not as sensitive as they could be, =
and some of the ideas simply don't work.   I learn a lot from both =
failures and successes.

Could someone state, as best as you can "What should I expect to see"?
Something like:
>6.8m anywhere in the world.
>6.m within 90 degrees
>5.m within 30 degrees  =20

All who have been doing this for a while, know what our equipment will =
see.   If someone, with really nice homebuilt sensors, would share these =
numbers, it would act, for me, as a benchmark.

Thanks, Ted
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Randy Pratt=20
  To: psn-l@.................
  Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 12:29 AM
  Subject: Re: Instument Quality


  Chris,

  I apologize for misreading your tone and intent.  It's an unfortunate =
attribute of email that it loses personality.  I agree that a school =
purchasing an instrument for instruction should have a high quality but =
I don't see that our schools are at that point or that caveman is =
recommending this as a school solution. =20

  Let me try to explain my sensitivity.  My son's middle school dropped =
earth science to meet state mandates for an increase in physical =
education hours.  We moved shortly after that to another state.  Here I =
became involved with the science fair and to my shock the largest middle =
school in the region did not participate.  When I inquired I found no =
contract for extra work outside the classroom hours so no science =
projects.  One high school science teacher explained to me that there is =
no time to fit any extra topics in order to meet federal and state =
curriculum guidelines.  The one teacher that did let me demonstrate a =
seismograph left the area and her job was cut.  A German exchange =
student I am hosting is near the top of the English class and shows =
better understanding than most others according to her teacher.  She has =
only been in the US since August so what does that tell you.  Our =
political mandates are dumbing down the best students.  It really is =
approved and budgeted science only and that leaves only individual =
interest.

  An old magazine article from 1960 something about a smoked drum =
seismograph stuck in my mind until I started to research in 1995 and =
build my first.  The Lehman article has been the basis for many on this =
list but few of us are using pipe fittings on a board anymore.  Maybe =
something simple like the caveman web page will spark other individual =
interest.  How well it functions doesn't matter if thinking is set in =
motion and the steps to reach something better follow.  That's where =
learning starts.  Think about what percent of aeronautical engineers =
started with paper airplanes looping into the ground and being refolded? =









I have a follow up question, only =
somewhat=20
related.   When the sensor is completed, one of the first =
questions a=20
novice might ask is "What can I expect to see"?     =
I know=20
this would depend, not only the sensor, but many other things, like the=20
location, and the other components of the station.
We all try to build the best one we =
can, using the=20
ideas and materials we have.   This site is the best tool I =
have in my=20
workshop.
 
The most common statement I have seen =
is,  "My=20
sensor can see >7.0M anywhere in the world"   I have never =
complete=20
a sensor which could not do this.
I view USGS sites, and find equipment =
costing=20
thousands of dollars, pick up more and small events, then mine, but not =
not by=20
much.
I also know, several of my ideas are =
not as=20
sensitive as they could be, and some of the ideas simply don't =
work.  =20
I learn a lot from both failures and successes.
 
Could someone state, as best as you can =
"What=20
should I expect to see"?
Something like:
>6.8m anywhere in the =
world.
>6.m within 90 degrees
>5.m within 30 degrees   =

 
All who have been doing this for a =
while, know what=20
our equipment will see.   If someone, with really nice =
homebuilt=20
sensors, would share these numbers, it would act, for me, as a=20
benchmark.
 
Thanks, Ted

  
----- Original Message ----- 
  From:=20
  Randy=20
  Pratt 
  
To: psn-l@.............. 
  
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 =
12:29=20
  AM
  
Subject: Re: Instument =
Quality
  


  
Chris,
  
 
  
I apologize for misreading your tone =
and=20
  intent.  It's an unfortunate attribute of email that it =
loses=20
  personality.  I agree that a school purchasing an instrument for=20
  instruction should have a high quality but I don't see that our=20
  schools are at that point or that caveman is recommending this as =
a=20
  school solution.  
  
 
  
Let me try to explain my =
sensitivity.  My=20
  son's middle school dropped earth science to meet state mandates for =
an=20
  increase in physical education hours.  We moved shortly after =
that=20
  to another state.  Here I became involved with the science =
fair and=20
  to my shock the largest middle school in the region did not =
participate. =20
  When I inquired I found no contract for extra work outside the =
classroom hours=20
  so no science projects.  One high school science teacher=20
  explained to me that there is =
no time to=20
  fit any extra topics in order to meet federal and state curriculum=20
  guidelines.  The one teacher that did let me demonstrate a=20
  seismograph left the area and her job was cut.  =
A German=20
  exchange student I am hosting is near the top of the English class and =
shows=20
  better understanding than most others according to her teacher.  =
She has=20
  only been in the US since August so what does that tell =
you. =20
  Our political mandates are dumbing down the best=20
  students.  It really is =
approved and=20
  budgeted science only and that leaves only individual =
interest.
  
 
  
An old magazine article from =
1960 something=20
  about a smoked drum seismograph stuck in my mind until I started to =
research=20
  in 1995 and build my first.  The Lehman article has been the =
basis for=20
  many on this list but few of us are using pipe fittings on a board=20
  anymore.  Maybe something simple like the caveman web page =
will=20
  spark other individual interest.  How well it functions doesn't =
matter=20
  if thinking is set in motion and the steps to =
reach something=20
  better follow.  That's where learning starts.  Think =
about what=20
  percent of aeronautical engineers started with paper airplanes looping =
into=20
  the ground and being refolded? 
  
 
  
Randy