CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

You should make that your Xmas card image this year

If I ever sent Christmas Cards I would Ryan It's almost perfect for it as a bit of photoshopped snow would make it suitably wintery and seasonal

[CitroJim]

After Run Directing at a really quite lovely and magical Milton Keynes Junior parkrun this morning and being in a very happy mood, I went out for a bit of duathlon training...

A breakdown of each leg...

That was good, but even better was my overall training/health status

I'm delighted to see my VO2Max is up a point and my resting heart rate is now nicely stable at 50bpm

This, for someone who'll soon be 65 years old is not bad at all...

I'm now charging up my body battery

[mickthemaverick]

I'm now charging up my body battery

Presumably that's a AAA battery?

[CitroJim]

I'm now charging up my body battery

Presumably that's a AAA battery?

AAA size definitely... I like to think I have a bit more capacity than an ordinary AAA though, maybe an 18650

I do get compared to the Duracell Bunny quite frequently

[Hell Razor5543]

I do get compared to the Duracell Bunny quite frequently

Nah, the Duracell Bunny is nothing compared to the micro-nuke fusion plant that is CitroJim!

[mickthemaverick]

I'm now charging up my body battery

Presumably that's a AAA battery?

AAA size definitely... I like to think I have a bit more capacity than an ordinary AAA though, maybe an 18650

I do get compared to the Duracell Bunny quite frequently

I fear my tedious wit has fallen on stony ground this time, perhaps I should have said 3 A's battery?

[CitroJim]

I fear my tedious wit has fallen on stony ground this time, perhaps I should have said 3 A's battery?

You're going to have to explain that one to me Mick

[mickthemaverick]

Amateur Athletics Association!!

[CitroJim]

Amateur Athletics Association!!

Ahh, thought so after some thinking but no longer really relevant as for some time the original function of the AAA as a governing body has largely been subsumed into the devolved UK athletics governing bodies and continues now only as a charity to assist youngsters into athletics.

I'm a member of England Athletics - not sure there's an EA battery

[MattBLancs]

- not sure there's an EA battery

You'll have to make do with a simulator Jim
https://elektroautomatik.com/shop/en/se ... simulator/#


(No, I'd never heard of it, but it's amazingly infrequent that Google says "no results" (though admittedly you often get "did you mean?" From it!))

[mickthemaverick]

Amateur Athletics Association!!

........ and continues now only as a charity to assist youngsters into athletics.

That is what I assumed Junior Parkrun is all about !!

[CitroJim]

- not sure there's an EA battery

You'll have to make do with a simulator Jim
https://elektroautomatik.com/shop/en/se ... simulator/#


(No, I'd never heard of it, but it's amazingly infrequent that Google says "no results" (though admittedly you often get "did you mean?" From it!))

Nice one Matt, I like that

Amateur Athletics Association!!

........ and continues now only as a charity to assist youngsters into athletics.

That is what I assumed Junior Parkrun is all about !!

It certainly does that Mick although the emphasis is very much on fun rather that outright serious running - although many do take it very seriously

[CitroJim]

Polly, my Picasso had her MoT today and I had a lung health check, an initiative to check ex-smokers for early signs of lung cancers.

We both passed with flying colours Polly's good for a year and I'm good for at least 5 before my next routine check...

Zel popped round and we had a second attempt at enabling cruise on his Partner. Zel will have lots more to say about that Here, I'll just say we learned a lot of new knowledge

I then spent some time on the XM radio project...

First job was to extend the audio preamp board on extensions so I could properly diagnose it...

Tests have proved beyond doubt the tape head amp/Dolby thick-film module is faulty.

Despite finding a potentially suspect electrolytic on it, these modules are effectively irreparable. Game over perhaps but no, not likely, given the reason I'm doing this work..

My plan is to build a substitute module using NE5532 op-amps. It won't have Dolby functionality but I think that's a small price to pay. I looked at building from scratch but for less then the cost of individual components, ready-made preamp modules are available from eBay. Two are on order.

If that all works, I'll then look at adding Bluetooth to it, either in place of the cassette tape functionality or in addition to it... Fundamentally, it has a very high quality tape deck - as is the rest of the radio.

Watch this space

[CitroJim]

Unless Luke runs a very big ultra marathon tomorrow, it looks like I have this month's running distance challenge in the bag

[Rp0thejester]

I hope Luke doesn't attach his tracker to his wheel hub.....