Basejumper.com - archive

 yo, just looking for some info on maybe getting some instruction on BASE. i live in Omaha, Ne. and it doesnt seem like anyone are base'ers here. i dont even have gear yet, but i am ready to learn. what to expect? wheres the best place to get gear? wing loading? best base canopy? rig? i'll take all the info u can give. Peace- Rob

RTFM - read the fu(#@$(% manual
... on the top of the page of course ;-)

Links:
http://www.dropzone.com/...etail_page.cgi?ID=64
http://www.dropzone.com/...etail_page.cgi?ID=65

What they are trying to say, albeit in a brash manner, is that you need to do alot of research on your own first. Use the links provided, they inturn will give you more links. Read as much as you can...

Edit to add:

Also reccomend while you are researching to get more BASE intended skydives (ie: on a big square canopy). 2-300... But you will learn that from your research...

PM me your email address

Check out www.basewiki.com, it has tons of information on BASE jumping, including extensive information for beginners.


No you're not.

dudes ...
either reply nicely or keep your opinions to yourself ..
way to many of you need the peace pipe ...
someone new wants to learn ... you were new once ... now you think your so great.
we all were new once
peace

When the original poster works out why Jaap made that comment, and why their initial post was imprudent, then they might be ready.

To the original poster: you might want to travel a bit. You'll get much better answers to these questions (and also ones you don't yet know to ask) in person from an experienced BASE jumper. Show some initative, resourcefulness and dedication to it and you might get somewhere. It's not for everyone - and it's quite right you should be deterred. You have to really want to do this. "Maybe" and "try" aren't quite good enough.

I'm not great, and I'm still new. Newer than all other people here. But I learned early on that life doesn't get handed to me on a silver plate. Surprisingly, people are more helpful when in fact you try to help yourself first. It's one of life's paradoxes, but very powerful.

 to all that gave me info, thank you. im done posting, but tell me if im wrong; it seems no matter what you post on this site,(or where you post it), someone has always got to try and knock you down. its called asking questions to get answers, to learn; not to be critized and put down. what is this place for if its not to help each other? Peace--Rob

you are right. this place CAN be rough. some of it is good natured ribbing. some isn't. one poster already asked for another to be kinder...

please also understand, BASE requires a certain toughness. you might carry someone out with a broken leg, you might be the one carried out, there might not be someone to carry you...

also, you must have confidence in your choices. if harsh criticism here rattles your confidence, you might want to rethink things. if you can argue that it is right FOR YOU, then you stand a fighting chance.

this forum has harsh realities. the realities of jumping can be far worse.

Rob here is my advice to you! I'm sure you figured this one out already but I will say it anyhow. Most jumpers that come on here are stupid ass punks that think there so fucking tuff and have nothing better to do then talk shit.................Well fuck them! Yea we sit around laughing at you guys get over it or get a life one of the two. Get your own jump buddies, objects and do your own thing and stay off here and you will be just fine......................Forget about all the people on here am i'm sure you will be just fine dude..........Good luck on your journey in this sport and if you need any help finding a first jump course or anything else send me a pm I will help you out......................Good luck bro and be safe! Come on guys go ahead start talking shit again its all good i'm going jumping...............

All right, I'll stop being a dick and try to redeem myself by offering some constructive criticism.

First, let me repeat Rob's original message.


Let's assume that it is in fact hard to find information on BASE jumping; Google doesn't exist, there are no introductory articles at the top of this forum, and you need a secret password to access BASE WIKI.

How then, could the message above be written? I'll take a stab at it...


Writing it this way sends two very different signals.

First of all, it explains that you have put in effort to find local jumpers and online material. Only when your own attempts failed, did you decide to come to this forum and ask us for help. Extrapolating this to BASE jumping, it gives me higher confidence that you are self-reliant person.

Secondly, it uses proper punctuation, spelling and grammar (cue Rhonda Lea to find the spelling mistakes in my writing). This shows a modest amount of attention to detail. Extrapolating this to BASE jumping, it shows that you may have or gain decent rigging skills.

Now many people will counter my point by attacking the reverse. Please don't. I'm not implying that people that ask for help from the get-go and write poorly will make shitty BASE jumpers by definition. I know a great deal of people whose writing is as crap as it gets, but they're incredibly experienced BASE jumpers. I won't name names. Conversely, I'm a decent writer but my BASE jumping is complete shit.

However, when you're a beginner and you don't have any credentials, you're going to need all the help you can get. For starters, that means putting in some effort and taking the time to write well. It tells the more experienced jumpers: "Hey look, this guy doesn't mind putting in some time and energy in the sport we love so dearly."

Treat it as a job-application. Are you going to send prospective employers a poorly written resume that doesn't list the work you've done in the past? My fellow jumpers will engage in an activity that is potentially life threatening, surely I'd treat them even better than I treat my employers.

All that said, I have to revisit our hypothesis that BASE information is hard to find. With this forum, its search feature, Google, the BASE WIKI, and so forth; there is really no reason to ask any of the questions posed in the original post, except for maybe one...


Hostile behaviour on internet forums from assholes like myself, and great camaraderie at the exit point from friends like myself. Rob; I look forward to shaking hands just before we make that two-way off a bridge some time, smiling.

I encourage everybody to read this: "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". Although targeted at computing related questions, it applies equally to forums on any subject matter.

Cheers

Jaap Suter

>>yo, just looking for some info on maybe getting some instruction on BASE. i live in Omaha, Ne. and it doesnt seem like anyone are base'ers here. i dont even have gear yet, but i am ready to learn. what to expect? wheres the best place to get gear? wing loading? best base canopy? rig? i'll take all the info u can give. Peace- Rob<<

Rob,

Keep in mind everything I'm going to say is predicated on the fact you are ready for BASE. No number of skydives can truly answer that question – only you can.

The first thing to do is read the BASE Fatality List at http://www.basefatalities.info/

At this point the List will leave you with more questions than answers, but they will be the right questions . . .

The next thing to do is find a Mentor. A Mentor is someone who helps people along in BASE. Armed with your questions raised by reading the List - query your prospective teachers until one of them has the most right answers. If you fail to find someone locally – and if your observation about the dearth of BASE jumpers in your area is correct – start contacting the BASE Equipment manufacturers.

These firms offer first BASE jump instruction and you get to use their gear too. With gear I think most people stay with whatever they are initially exposed to, but one of the cool things about the BASE gear industry is while small – there's isn't now, or has there ever been a shoddy manufacturer. We, all jumpers, can take a bit of pride in the fact that in 28 years of BASE - no jumper has experienced the worst because a BASE rig or canopy came apart. That's not too bad for a self-regulated industry.

In general these courses run about a thousand dollars and span two to three days. The subjects covered is all the research we'd wish people would do and don't. There's a bit about BASE history (it's nice to know why - as well as how) there's sizing up objects, and of course launching practice and the theory of canopy control in the BASE environment. Then there are the actual jumps themselves. There is also a subject called BASE Ethics. That simply means leaving the sport better off than when you found it.

Lacking any of that – pack up your car and move to Twin Falls. Get a job pumping gas, or whatever the modern equivalent of that is, and in two years you'll have 600 BASE jumps and be as obnoxious as the rest of us . . .

NickD
BASE 194

This sort of post reiterates that The fast food generation is wanting BASE more and more

All the info you need in one post and then pay your money, get a FJC and become a BASE jumper....

its that easy...........