Activity for Toby Speight‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How likely are you to be injured by falling shot from a game shoot? Falling birdshot stings a little, but I've never known it break the skin. It's no worse than having a 5p piece dropped on you from a couple of feet up. If you're on a public footpath, guns may not legally be discharged within (IIRC) 50 yards, so shot shouldn't reach you - and the shoot organisers w... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to repair worn hiking boot eyelets If appearance isn't important, you may be able to get away with stitching a new loop to the remains of the old. It will be fiddly, and not amenable to machine stitching. Another possibility, if it's not already too late: clear flexible hose, such as "platypus" style drinking tubes can be threaded i... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Did any lighthouses provide directional navigation signals? Well, firstly, there's generally no need, given that any reasonable navigator carries a compass, thereby allowing the direction to be determined. With two or more known lights in sight, a simple resection gives the vessel's position. However, some lights are set up to give rapid indication of wheth... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to look for when purchasing a ~70m rope for canyoneering? You need to be looking for semi-static rope, as used by cavers for SRT, usually of thickness between 8.5 and 11.0 mm. It's normally sold in 200-metre reels, though most retailers will cut to a specific length for you. The only difference to caving rope is that some specialist canyon ropes are desig... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Cycle of actions and voice signals on a multipitch climb For Great Britain, with both climbers beginning at the foot of the next pitch, with leader L and second S: LOn belay: I'm tied to the rope and prepared to climb SClimb when ready: I am now belaying you LClimbing: I know you're belaying me; expect to pay out now LSlack (or rope colour), Take in, or ... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Cleaning the sipper pipe of a hydration pack An effective technique that I have used in the past for removing mould growth is to clean it using ice. Ice expands inside the tube, giving it very effective scouring force. Start by threading some wire through it, and use that to draw some cotton and then rough string (e.g. a bootlace) that's lon... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is a flare a good fire starting tool? A flare is designed around producing light or smoke for a long period (often 30 seconds or more), rather than heat. If a flare is all you have, then it may serve as a fire-making tool, but I wouldn't carry them with that purpose in mind - better to use that weight allocation for waterproof matches a... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it OK to throw pebbles and stones in streams, waterfalls, ponds, etc.? Some places are more sensitive than others. It can be hard to tell whether some innocuous-looking pebbles are a critical habitat for creatures you don't see, but a good guide is to look at how much natural movement of material there is. The side of a fast-moving stream (even one that's dry right no... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there an easy way to remember if you add magnetic declination to magnetic bearings or true bearings? A mnemonic rhyme I was taught as a teenager (in a region with westerly declination) is Grid to Mag -> Add Mag to Grid -> Rid Doesn't help those with easterly declinations, of course (including here, in a few years' time...) (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there an easy way to remember if you add magnetic declination to magnetic bearings or true bearings? If you find it hard to remember between adding and subtracting, you might have more success with a visual approach. This works for me: I have a spatial memory, so it takes effort to remember lists of instructions; perhaps that's the case for you. Assumptions I expect you have the usual kind of co... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the difference between the Norwegian fjord and the Scottish sea loch? In short, just the name. Fjord is of Norse origin, loch of Gaelic. They are the same feature, formed when glaciers debouch into the sea. In both countries, you'll find varying scales, from a few hundred metres in width to several kilometres. (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to cut a climbing rope? If you don't have an electric hot-knife, it's possible to heat a (sacrificial) table knife in a flame until it glows, and use that to make the cut against a wooden block. It doesn't need to be sharp, just hot. I find that I normally need two cuts (with the knife heated until glowing slightly red ea... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Any actions to take with GPS rollover? GPS track logs can be shifted in time using GPSBabel's track filter: Example 4.8. Time-shifting a track with the track filter The following command line will shift all tracks to be one hour later. gpsbabel -t -i gpx -f in.gpx -x track,move=+1h -o gpx -F out.gpx I expect it will work to a... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What needs to be clipped to the climbing harness, and how to carry all additional gear? Given that you're top-roping, very little needs to be on your harness when you're actually on the route. In fact, one of they joys of top-roping is the freedom from all this clutter! Everything else can be stashed in your pack - I normally clip it all to a short sling, so that I can quickly grab it... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I keep my group together? A good rule I was taught as a teenager is that each person must keep contact with the person behind them. Importantly, don't try to keep up with the person in front - if they are following the rule, it's up to them to slow down or stop so that they maintain contact with you. This will naturally con... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How do I keep my group together? Although I'm primarily asking about caving, this is a problem that exists in any activity that moves through the landscape: walking, cycling, kayak touring, etc. A natural tendency when on the move is for the fastest members of the group to end up at the front and for the slowest to trail behind, an... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you take field notes at below 0 °C, without freezing fingers? With suitable preparation, photography can be more useful than you currently realise. The trick is to make yourself some props to communicate the data you need: For species identification, make a set of "cards" (use plastic, really - panels cut from the side of 5-litre containers work well for me)... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are some common mistakes to avoid when trying winter camping for the first time? Common mistakes, some of which I've made: Unfamiliarity with equipment - this isn't specific to winter camping of course, but if you've used all the gear before in milder conditions, then there's obviously less that's new to you. So if you're using a different tent to summer, make sure you've spen... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When backpacking, what gear should go in the brain(top most compartment) instead of the main compartment? The top pocket is a good place for things you don't expect to need, but must be quickly/easily accessible in extremis, by touch alone, without opening your sack: things you must be able to get at without soaking the rest of your stuff or losing it in a gale, and that you might need before you can fin... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to prevent breath steam diminishing light power when using a headlamp? Cave photographers have to deal with a similar problem, where thin steam that's normally invisible can be seen in photographs taken with flash. Steam is composed of fairly spherical droplets of water. These act in a similar way to road studs of the "cat's-eye" type - they reflect light directly bac... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: To activate PLB if you know search and rescure are looking for you but there is no emergency? If you are overdue, and the search party know you have a PLB, the fact that they have not received an alert from it suggests either you are merely delayed, and will turn up soon, or you are so incapacitated that you could not use the beacon (probably already dead - sorry!) However, if you activat... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How much of a temperature difference does a reflective sleeping pad make? This is an unsourced quote, I'm afraid, but perhaps relevant. Reflective foil is very effective, reducing radiated heat loss by 97%. That's almost all of the 5% we lose by radiation. In other words, IR reflection is useful only when you've almost eliminated conductive and convective heat loss.... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are there any statistics on how many PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) activations are real as opposed to frivolous? In 2003, the International Maritime Organisation stated in 2003 that fewer than 1 in 20 alerts related to persons genuinely in distress: 1.4 False alerts in the IAMSAR Manual are defined as: Any alert received by the SAR system indicating an actual or potential distress situation, when no suc... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Offset in compass Higher-end compasses have a north arrow that can be rotated relative to the baseplate - usually with a screw adjuster somewhere around the edge. The grid lines on the baseplate remain in a fixed position, so that the arrow can point to magnetic north when the lines point to grid north. On your pict... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to take a bearing when the geographic coordinate grid is not aligned with true north on a map? You need to know whether the magnetic declination you have was measured from Grid North or from True North. If you have a Grid declination, then you align the north arrow of the compass with Grid North (the frame of the map) before adjusting for declination. If you have a True declination, then you... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What could be the cause of condensation on the tent floor? Breathing is the largest single source of moisture in a tent, followed by cooking. A common mistake is to close the tent completely, without providing ventilation to (sufficiently) carry your moist air out, and allow drier air from outside to enter. I've found that when I've had condensation proble... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do some parts of the world really have 12 hours of daylight each day of the entire year? Imagine for a minute that the Earth is perfectly spherical, that sunlight arrives "from infinity", and that any given spot is either lit or unlit. Then, at any given time, exactly half the surface is in "daytime" and the other half in "night-time". The line separating the two is a Great Circle - a ... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you aim a signal mirror? Your signal mirror is likely polished on both sides, with a hole in the middle to help you aim it. Although the principle is simple, it's fiddly and takes a little practice. With the mirror in roughly the right position, arrange for its shadow to fall somewhere suitable (e.g. flat rock) so you can ... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the warning call for falling rocks in your area? North America English Canada / United States "ROCK!" (pronounced /rɒk/) French Canada "ROCHE!" (pronounced /ʁɔʃ/) Europe European Alps "CAILLOU !" (pronounced /ka.ju/) It's French but also sometimes used by non-francophone climbers and hikers in the Alps.... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Question	—	What is the warning call for falling rocks in your area? I was inspired by the question "What should one do when climbing if someone above you yells ROCK?" to ask what the equivalents are around the world. So, what would I shout to warn someone below me of falling rocks? Equivalently, what word should I react to when I hear it shouted? I've created an a... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Tent or hammock safer from lightning? As always with such general questions, "It depends". In a lightning storm, you should always get well clear of any trees. The reason for this isn't that trees are necessarily the most likely place for lighting to strike but because, when they are hit, the water inside tends to boil, exploding the t... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I use one or two trekking poles? If you get a pair, you can choose whether to actually use one or both for a particular day. I recommend that you buy a pair well before your expedition, and use them enough to you learn your preference. If you never want to use both, you still have one you can retain as a spare. Personally, I foun... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What safety equipment should I carry for sea-touring by kayak? Here's what I normally take with me on these trips at the moment. I can divide them into what's needed before, during and after an incident. Avoiding trouble clothing and food (including drink): as with any outdoor activity, it's important to avoid fatigue and hypothermia. Poor decision-making i... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Question	—	What safety equipment should I carry for sea-touring by kayak? What equipment should I carry in case of emergency on a coastal kayaking trip? I normally do short trips (1 week or less) around the islands of northwest Scotland. I tend to travel solo (sometimes no friends are available; sometimes I just prefer to be on my own). I don't go more than ten miles (18... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it dangerous to rope together on an ascent of hard packed ice? It's impossible to say from a photograph whether something is "safe" or not. Many factors come into play, including the experience level of the climbers concerned. For all we know, they may have been roped together for a glacier traverse, and chosen to stay roped up for a short section well within ... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are Dolphin sightings seasonal or serendipitous? My experience relates to Common Dolphin, but likely applies to dolphins of other species, too. Although dolphin may be seen at any time, you are most likely to see them in proximity to food. So if their prey is migratory, they may follow the prey to some extent; they may also change prey as differe... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do polarized sunglasses protect against UV? Polarization alone makes no difference to UV protection where it most matters: the interior of your eyes, especially your retinas and vitreous humor. Although the polarized glass blocks a proportion of incoming light, the proportion of that light which is UV is (roughly speaking) unchanged. The rea... (more)	—	over 7 years ago