Introducing The Netweather 2008 Storm Chase Teams

[Louby]

Full list of what I am taking this year, Lets hope it all fits in!

Canon EOS 350D

Canon Powershot Camera

Sony Handycam

Canon Battery Charger & 3 x Batteries

Sony Charger & 2 x 4 hour Batteries

15 x 1 hour Mini Dv Cassettes

1 x 2mg Memory Stick (520 Images)

1 x 1gig Memory Stick (265 Images)

Laptop

Baron System

Tripod

Remote Release Cable

2 x US to GB Socket converters

1 x 4 way Plug Adaptor

3 x 10 amp cigarette Power Sockets

Video Camera Suction Mount for Sony Handycam - Dashboard Mount

GPS Mouse Kit

GPS Mapping Software

Golfball, Marble, Softball

30 T-Shirts & Other Clothing - No laundry For Me!

Suncream

Caps & Shades (Very Important)

Weather Radio

Passport, Car Hire Agreement, Plane Tickets, US Dollars

70-200mm Canon Lens

18-55mm Canon Lens

10-28mm Canon Lens

Earplugs - YOU KNOW WHY IAN! :lol:

Would be good to see what the others are taking.

Paul S

and your own personal powerstation?

[Paul]

Tour 3 is now sold out - Gavin Plummer (Mammatus) will be joining the team for it, his bio will be posted up soon

[Paul Sherman]

Updated to Include Gavins (Mammatus) Biography who is joining us on Tour 3

Paul S

[Stu_London]

Shelled out six hundred big ones on a Canon 400 plus all the accessories yesterday and got my currency.

All ready to go except sorting my insurance and buying the sambuca/tequilla

[kold weather]

Wow £600 on a camara, well at least you should get very good shots then Stu!

Nearly time isn't it, the models should start to be able to give at least good hints as to the general large scale set-up over the plains shortly.

[Stu_London]

Wow £600 on a camara, well at least you should get very good shots then Stu!

Yes and if I can work out how to upload them I will post a few on here!

[Gorky]

I'm sure it's going to be worth spending that sort of money. I got a Canon 40D and have been very impressed by it. It it light years difference from my old Nikon Coolpix B) The quality of my pictures was the only disappointment from last year, but the memories of it are still clear in my mind so that is not a huge problem

[Paul Sherman]

Some really great news for everyone who is landing on Sunday 27th April, Peter Ellegard (Blackie) has persuaded the Dallas Tourist Board to lay on Evening Dinner for our Party for Free!!

The Menu looks fantastic but make sure you all bring something nice to wear as they look like they dont accept Riff-Raff, so thats most of us in trouble then

Menu Below - Mouthwatering!

http://www.opentable.com/rest_profile.aspx?rid=3301

Paul Sherman

[Paul Sherman]

Yeah yeah rub it in why don't you LOL :o

Martyn

I will save you a Piece of Fillet Mignon and bring it to the arrivals for you on Monday!

There could be quite a few Gust Fronts coming through the Dallas area on Sunday Night :o

[Nick F]

Casual elegant eh - or smart casual in English?

Does that mean I have to pack a pair of shoes and a shirt too? :o

[Paul]

Put it this way, I'm not!!

[Paul Sherman]

LOL

Neither Am I, going to put on my Black Shirt, casual Jeans and a pair of Trainers, if they turn me away I will eat my Cow in the Parking Lot!

Paul S

[Louby]

LOL

Neither Am I, going to put on my Black Shirt, casual Jeans and a pair of Trainers, if they turn me away I will eat my Cow in the Parking Lot!

Paul S

Gloves?

soo jealous, have a good trip all those going, keep safe and send us plenty of awesome pics!

[Stu_London]

Some really great news for everyone who is landing on Sunday 27th April, Peter Ellegard (Blackie) has persuaded the Dallas Tourist Board to lay on Evening Dinner for our Party for Free!! :lol:

The Menu looks fantastic but make sure you all bring something nice to wear as they look like they dont accept Riff-Raff, so thats most of us in trouble then

Menu Below - Mouthwatering!

http://www.opentable.com/rest_profile.aspx?rid=3301

Paul Sherman

Wicked!!

Looks like some lush items on the menu there

[ian cameron]

Right have just finished packing I know all a bit last minute but heres the list

2 hand held radios with all the trimmings ie MIB style ear peices ETC

2 radio units for the cars ( just like the ones you get in minnie cabs)

1 sat phone

cannon D300 camara + all the acceseries

samsung digital camara

camcorda

enough cloths so evan a women would be embarresed

15 CDs all types of music ( guys bring your own if you want a chioce)

some tea bags

Ian

[Jane Louise]

Have a great time everyone ...and please keep safe.

[Gorky]

Well, I'm now packed for my solo trip. Took a lot longer than I thought... The contents of my travel pack are as follows

Carry on Luggage all neatly stored in 1 absolutely brilliant Tamrac Expedition Camera/Laptop Case

1x Laptop

1x GPS Dongle

1x Webcam for live streaming

1x Car laptop AC adaptor

1x 4 way DC12 volt splitter

2x Car Power Inverters

10x spare fuses (to avoid problems like may 4th last year!)

1x microphone

1x mobile phone - US Sim card

1x Canon D40 Camera

1x Wide Angle Lens

1x standard Lens

(1x Telephoto lens to be purchased stateside)

2x CF memory cards (4gb)

2x Battery

1x Remote Timer Unit

1x Panasonic Camcorder

6x MiniDV cassettes

3x Travel Plug

1x Windshield Suction Mount

1x Tripod

1x Mp3 Player

My main case has:

20 days of clothing

Toiletries

Reading Material for quiet days

I really don't want to think about the prices I have spent on all this equipment. I'd estimate there is over £2500 alone in the hand luggage. Add in the price of flights/hotels/Car hire/petrol and this is an expensive hobby The good news is the equipment should be good to go next year without too much mroe investment at least

Edited April 25, 2008 by Gorky

[Paul Sherman]

Thought your trip was going to be expensive Nathan but bloody hell you must be broke.

Flights around £450

Petrol around £800 for an average of 400 miles per day or $70 to fill up per day!

Hotels around £600 - As we have single rooms on our tour the lowest we have found are $65 + Tax

Car Hre around £600 - At a guess

Spending money £500 based on around $40 per day

Add on the extra £3,000 to the £2,500 you have spent and £5,500 is a heck of a lot, you must have a nice Bank Manager

Have a good time

Paul S

[Mammatus]

Thought your trip was going to be expensive Nathan but bloody hell you must be broke.

Flights around £450

Petrol around £800 for an average of 400 miles per day or $70 to fill up per day!

Hotels around £600 - As we have single rooms on our tour the lowest we have found are $65 + Tax

Car Hre around £600 - At a guess

Spending money £500 based on around $40 per day

Add on the extra £3,000 to the £2,500 you have spent and £5,500 is a heck of a lot, you must have a nice Bank Manager

Have a good time

Paul S

It does add up Paul! Spent £1800 on the tour, £916.20 for return flights (BA) World Traveller Plus. £500 spending money etc, plus loss of earnings for 11 days. This is probably costing me £5000 in total.

Gav

P.s. Good luck Gorky, brave man going it alone

Edited April 25, 2008 by Mammatus

[Gorky]

Car hire is £400 (+ excess waiver possibly) Annoying just 3 hours before I booked it it was £336 (+ excess) on the same website... grrr). It will depend on how much the excess is as to whether I get it. I don't plan to go core punching Petrol should hopefully be better than with an SUV as I should get more mileage. My aim was to do the trip for £2000+ spending money (excluding equipment). I don't think I'll make that. Things like train fare to heathrow is £115 return

Going alone isn't so bad. I'm a little bit of a loner as it is to be honest It's win-win for this forum as there is 2x the chance of us catching tornadoes now!

Edited April 25, 2008 by Gorky

[Nick F]

Good luck Gorky, looks like you may have some storms around when you land tomorrow. How long are you there for?

I'm only half-way through packing atm, still waiting for the last of my clothes to dry overnight before finishing packing. Need to pop down to Sainsbury's first thing in the morning to get a few last minute things to pack, then will have the morning and early afternoon to make sure all is accounted for, then I'll be catching the train up to London late afternoon to meet Paul S at his shop, then staying the night at Heathrow before flying out Sunday morning. Wouldn't be a train early enough from here into London on a Sunday to get to Heathrow in plenty of time.

[Mammatus]

Good luck Gorky, looks like you may have some storms around when you land tomorrow. How long are you there for?

I'm only half-way through packing atm, still waiting for the last of my clothes to dry overnight before finishing packing. Need to pop down to Sainsbury's first thing in the morning to get a few last minute things to pack, then will have the morning and early afternoon to make sure all is accounted for, then I'll be catching the train up to London late afternoon to meet Paul S at his shop, then staying the night at Heathrow before flying out Sunday morning. Wouldn't be a train early enough from here into London on a Sunday to get to Heathrow in plenty of time.

Yes good luck Gorky.

I have quite a list of things I need to take. Just not sure where Im going to put it all. What lugauge are you taking Nick (ie hold-all etc), and what would you advise me to take maximum?

Must admit to being a little nervous flying out to DFW alone, as have never flown alone (Always with family) let alone to USA! Will be very pleased and happy to touch ground and see Nick, Paul and Ian! Hope all goes according to plan.

Gav

P.s. Maybe Paul or Ian can advise me?

Edited April 25, 2008 by Mammatus

[grab my graupel]

I'm not sure when I will be online during the weekend, so just incase, I want to wish all you storm chasers the very best.

I hope you guys have a wonderful time, and most importantly, you all stay safe.

Best of Luck guys

Brian

[kold weather]

Yep good luck to you Gorky as others have said appears to be some fairly decent storms about when you arrive tomorrow!

[Nick F]

Yes good luck Gorky.

I have quite a list of things I need to take. Just not sure where Im going to put it all. What lugauge are you taking Nick (ie hold-all etc), and what would you advise me to take maximum?

Not sure what max weight is for hand luggage on BA flights or whether you can take more than one item - but a look on the AA website it is one item, I'm taking a rucksack for my laptop which will also have my camera equipment in it too - plus other valuable items, don't trust those buggage handlers with my most valuable equipment from getting crushed or stolen/lost. Luggage going into Baggage hold is restricted to 23kg on AA flights.