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Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

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Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#321

Post by joshmarinacci »

andrewhaupt wrote: post #257
biotinker wrote: post #181

I got myself involved with a nonprofit local group preserving local pioneer era apple trees. They've been DNA testing and cataloging the trees, and had all the info stashed away in google drive and onedrive folders. The founder was looking to step back so they asked me if I wanted to step up as project lead, which I did. I took the info and organized it into a nice wiki-style site with maps and descriptions so everyo…

Thats awesome! I'm doing apple stuff on the other side of the Cascades (Eugene), starting a cidery and trying to find rare varieties to graft. And doing little software projects like https://pomological.art/ . Would love to get in touch if you want people to propagate these varieties you're finding and would potentially be interested in sharing some scion wood!

You’re in Eugene!? Me too. I’d love to meet up some time to talk about your software over coffee.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#323

Post by ronjakoi »

I've been growing bonsai trees for about 13 years. It doesn't have anything to do with computers, so it's a nice counterbalance to my software job. I don't really even take pictures or videos of my trees, I want to keep the subject as analog and simple as I can.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#324

Post by AuthAuth »

KellyCriterion wrote: post #232
shivekkhurana wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fast fashion forces you to dress for the masses. Loose shirts, baggy pants and shallow pockets is not fashion, its cost optimisation for brands. I didn't want to dress up like a boy. Me and my friend were in Paris when we got inspired by the floor(fashion_sense). I was already working on my clothing, but that day we promised each other that we will not be underdressed anymore. He opted for off-the-shelf formal clothi…

Put it on Etsy and see what others are willing to pay! :))

they are customized for his body. if he started catering to a mass audience he'd be creating the exact thing he is avoiding

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#325

Post by ryandrake »

kacesensitive wrote: post #304
ryandrake wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was as confident as I could be. Had multiple tech counselors and A&Ps give it a good look over beforehand. Also had an emergency plan for every 100 feet of altitude post-takeoff. Did the first couple of flight tests in the vicinity of a minor (class D) Bay Area airport and then did the rest of them (including the riskier ones) over the central valley.

did you bring a parachute?

Nope. Given the canopy style of the kit (RV-7A tip-up) and a few build decisions I made (modifications to the original design), actually egressing in-flight would have been infeasible anyway.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#326

Post by microscoper »

embwbam wrote: post #74

Not sure if you were looking only for indoor hobbies, but I picked up Kiteboarding recently, and it is the most outrageously fun thing I've ever done. It's like being a kid and jumping off the house with a bedsheet, except it works. Most mistakes are laughed off by splashing in the water. I'm 3 years in and I can jump 7-10m then fly like a bird for 5-10 seconds without consequences. Even as a beginner, sailing around…

I always thought that looked fun but I would worry about being blown away up too high or into some obstacle like rocks

Is that something that happens to people?

Also how dependent is it on weather? Do you have to monitor the wind to know if its worth going out?

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#327

Post by testycool »

mastermedo wrote: post #68
shivekkhurana wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fast fashion forces you to dress for the masses. Loose shirts, baggy pants and shallow pockets is not fashion, its cost optimisation for brands. I didn't want to dress up like a boy. Me and my friend were in Paris when we got inspired by the floor(fashion_sense). I was already working on my clothing, but that day we promised each other that we will not be underdressed anymore. He opted for off-the-shelf formal clothi…

Was the talk recorded? I'd love to see it. No pressure if it isn't public.

+1 also very interested

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#328

Post by system2 »

cadr wrote: post #131
system2 wrote: post #76

I am trying to build microphone capsules in my garage. Trying to go below 14dB (Primo EM272 level), under 1". It is difficult but rewarding. I do not expect any financial benefits from it, even if I make it under 10mm, because it is very time-consuming. Big players already have massive factories doing 10,000x of what I am doing. This is the most niche tech-related hobby I have currently.

Ooh! What kind of capsules?

I am trying to dial down K67. I am thinking about gold plating myself for the diaphragm in the future, but I am not ready for the expense. It is the hardest part of the project because the sound quality mostly depends on the diaphragm quality, and the rest of the capsule is literally a container.

I started the hobby a while back when I tried to create an ESP32 field recorder, but the sound quality was terrible with the MEMS style micropones. I ordered the Japanese Primo mics (14db for 10mm is crazy), and said if Japanese dudes can do it, I can do it too.

I was trying to create a visualizer tool for my steps in the backyard with ESP32 microphones, which sync perfectly and analyze the sound locations with Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) methods. I got close, but mic sensitivity, even at 14db is not 100% unless I place the mics 30-40 inches apart. I am still working on that project, but that also got expensive because $28 for ESP32-S3 POE and $25 primo mic per node got very expensive quickly as I wanted to cover more areas. I hope to share it soon with HN.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#329

Post by linsomniac »

linsomniac wrote: post #301

I've been working on trying to help fill out the MeshCore network in our area for off-grid communications. Some of us are setting up solar powered, battery backed MeshCore nodes, they have no connection to power or Internet. You can use a small device (like a credit card or a small walkie-talkie) with a phone, or a blackberry-like device, to send/receive encrypted messages, chat on channels, or communicate on BBS-lik…

Part of why I'm doing it is my office has a nice, unused tower on top of it. The office itself is ultimately not that high, but the 20ft tower on top of the 3 story building helps a lot. I can JUST reach the 8ft TV antenna mast at my house, depending on tree vegetation (we'll see how much worse it gets as the trees leaf out this spring). It operates in the 900 MHz ISM band, so it can "punch through" more than WiFi can.
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