Cheap way to start Zwifting

The ECQ has ended, and we have started wit the MECQ today.  Basically, some businesses are now allowed to open so that the economy may recover a bit.  However, there are a lot of measures put into place to somehow lessen the spread of the COVID-19.  Well, based on social media photos of some malls and major highways, seems like the spread is inevitable, and it won't be a surprise if a second wave comes anytime soon.

I now have two out of five days to work in the office and its a welcome change after two months of working straight at home.  Glad that I will still have time to do MY VIRTUAL RUNS, which has given me back my excitement in running.  And the guideline for outdoor running/cycling is to use a mask - I don't think this is a good idea.


And if you have read my previous blog, yes, after Virtual RC, I am now doing Virtual Run.  This is through Zwift, virtual training for running and cycling.  Zwift is free, you just need to register for an account and connect your equipment then you're all set.  They have a shop where you can buy equipment and merchandise.  I won't talk on these as I have no experience with it.  You can check it out at Zwift.com

Speaking of equipment, this is my rig, one of the cheapest way to start zwifting:

1. Core Fitness CT-55 Treadmill - it's not a smart treadmill (I don't want to call it dumb)
2. Garmin Forerunner 15 - Basic GPS running watch
3. Garmin Chest HR - its the ANT one that came with my FR15
4. Garmin Foot Pod - the old one and not the clip-on thing 
5. ANT dongle - got it from Shopee for about P500

What's good about my setup is that I have had most of them already, so the cost of setting up a Zwift-ready rig isn't upfront.  I bought the ANT dongle so I can connect and transmit running data to the computer, unto Zwift.  I also mentioned that this setup may be the cheapest setup you can go with to start zwifting.  Excluding the treadmill, my equipment costs about P7,500 from when I bought them.  If you want to get a similar set, here's my take on it:

Get results from both
watch and Zwift

• 2nd hand FR15 for about P3,000 - P4,000 (or you can skip the watch if you are okay in just using Zwift to record your data)
• The chest HR monitor, there are the newer Garmin ones you can get for about P3,500 for the Dual (Bluetooth and ANT) and about P2,700 for the Premium (ANT only).  If you're lucky to get the older one that I have that's bundled with the FR15 then it's better.  
• Garmin Foot Pod is not being sold already, last I heard is that it costs P3,500 brand new.  Try your luck finding a used one for a cheaper price as low as P1,500.  Alternatively, you can go with a Stryd, although this will cost you a lot with P14,500.  But this is the holy grail of foot pods - it gives A LOT of data that you can use to analyze your runs and improve.  I may not be a professional runner, but I did have my share of data analyses during my earlier running days.
• The ANT dongle is P500 at Shopee or Lazada depending on the platform you prefer, they are the same.

From the prices I identified above, assuming you got lucky in finding used gears with the old heart rate bundle, OR the just the Dual HR monitor, foot pod, and dongle, you spend around P6,000.  Or here are your options:

1. You can forget about all of the list above and just get a smart treadmill that will send the running data directly to Zwift via Bluetooth - not really cheap, but buying a smart treadmill is a smart decision. There is a nice smart treadmill from Coach Don Velasco, search for it on Facebook.
2. Get a Stryd and you don't need to get the watch, foot pod, and ANT dongle (actually you can forego the watch as mentioned above) - this is double the price of my setup, but this is a good gadget to have if you're serious about running.
3. If you go for either option 1 or 2 above and you still have money to spend, get the Dual Chest HR monitor so you can upload your HR to Zwift via Bluetooth

Easy right?  Actually, this will only interest you if you have a treadmill or in the process of acquiring one.  Just like me, Zwift added some excitement to indoor running with all the routes, challenges, training plans, and rewards that you unlock as you progress in the game.  And buying a treadmill isn't something that you do on impulse.  Most of the people I know who bought treadmills either sold it off or became a clothes hamper at home.  Buying a treadmill means you give your commitment to using it.  For me, I am deep into this.  Not just because I already have the equipment, but because I have found my love for running again, and this will pay off in the long run.  Keep healthy everyone, stay safe!

Zwift Running 101 Training Plan - 5k Tempo

Passing time on ECQ with Virtual RC

Still in the extended community quarantine with about 10 days to go before it gets lifted.  My wife has her shifts this first week of May so I get to go out in the morning to bring her to the office and in the afternoon to fetch her back home.  Those take up a good two or three hours a day.  And on the plus side, the cars get to run again which is a good tune-up as we go back to the office on the 16th. 

This has taken up time so I haven't been playing too much this week.  But I have been a bit consistent with this last week.  I have posted in a previous blog about me getting the nitro buggy out of storage.  While I enjoyed that, there is just not much space to run a 1/8 nitro buggy here at home.  So if I can't go outside to the tracks, let's bring the tracks INSIDE with Virtual RC!

VRC Pro is an RC Simulator, you can find and download it here.  The game has RC cars from buggies to touring to pan cars and short-course, and tracks of all sorts.  It has a free-to-play mode where you can do unlimited race and practice sessions with 10 cars though with limited modifications you can make and some usable 10 tracks.  Getting a membership opens up all features of the game.  I am still on Free-Play, but I am sure that with membership comes all the nitty-gritty stuff that goes with real-life RC.  

The QCRCCC club - which is the club in my previous playground in Circulo Verde, has been holding some official races here during this ECQ under the VRC-Ph banner, though I am part of the group chat, I am in spectator mode, learning from their chats and videos of the race.  They really are good, whether in real RC or virtual RC!

Going back, what's good about this game is that the actual transmitter and receiver can be used to play!  Although the game allows the keyboard and a controller as well.  But using the transmitter IS the best way to go.  Good thing I have a spare receiver (Again, two is one, one is none) so I didn't have to remove the one in the buggy.

Connecting the transmitter/receiver in the PC requires a USB Adaptor.  VRC sells these in the site bundled with a membership which is I think is a great deal.  But I got mine locally, from an ingenious RC enthusiast.  I got myself a Tignotech RC USB adaptor.  Actually, anyone with a knack in basic electronics can make one.  Though I didn't go through that anymore as I suck bad at soldering! 


Connecting the USB Adapter is easy, its as if you are connecting cables from the real thing.  Here's how the connection goes with the Airtronics (Sanwa) receiver.

Once everything's set up, turn on the game (Oops before that, just to let you know that its best to allow enough time to install the game.  The installer is just an installer and would have to download about 1.5GB of game files) and hook up the USB Adapter.  Your receiver should light up to let you know that it is paired with your transmitter, just like how the real RC does.

I won't do a heavy step-by-step on the game proper, its pretty straightforward - choose your preferred RC vehicle from the free ones, maybe do some modifications if you like (me I didn't, I just wanted to race!), then choose a track.  The track will ask you for the level of play, I just chose the middle with some in-game racers for a little bit of action.  When you're done, just hit start.

I will recommend though that you calibrate your controller first to make sure that it is zeroed out.  Then make adjustments as you go along.  Then during the game, familiarize yourself with some keyboard shortcuts, I'm sure the one you'll get to use more at first is the Space-bar (marshall assist) and the L-button (to refuel).  I've heard that 4-channel USB Adapters can assign buttons in the remote, I don't know about that, I am using 2-channel.

I like the game.  I think with more practice and if I dedicate time to play, I can go get a membership to get the full game features, and maybe give the VRC-Ph tournament a try.  We'll see about that.  So far in my one week of play, I am seeing a slight improvement in my driving.  For now, I can say that I am consistently BAD in driving both the real RC and virtual RC. But hey, I still love to play!

Here's a little bit of gameplay, if you're into RC, its a no-brainer, try this out.  Just get a USB adapter and connect your existing hardware.  If you're thinking of getting into RC, this is a good way to try it out.  Buy a used transmitter/receiver and a USB Adapter and start racing - its a bit similar to the real thing, only the real thing is a lot better with all your senses in play.  Enjoy the game!

The buggy run

Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) got extended to May 15, 2020 - these means more days to do housework, office work at home, market buys, cars, and motorcycle maintenance runs, and of course, our hobbies to keep us sane.

After a week my Shopee package arrived, and in it are a pair of glow plug starters.  I bought two since its cheap (and as with the EDCer in me goes - "one is none, two is one"), one is a standard rechargeable and one is wired with some kind of resistors so I just have to connect it to the batteries of my starter box and run the usual 1.2V needed for the glow plug.  This is a more longterm use compared to a standard rechargeable Ni-cd glow plug starter.

So I got the buggy out from storage, installed the shocks, tires, and all other components.  Brought everything to the roof deck, fired up the buggy and it started!  As with any other motorized engine, I was expecting differently.  After a few minutes of warm-up, I was doing circles and eights!

I may have done 2 tanks before I packed up. I removed the components and prepared them for storage again.  Time very well-spent.  And now, I'm sure to bring it over on my next trip out of town for some bashing.  Or maybe do a quick trip to CV tracks again if I should have more time with the New Normal.  Keep safe!

The next level of EDC - owning a firearm!

As I get deeper into the EDC lifestyle, I get to acquire the tastes and preferences of the community.  And the inevitable has come - I am now looking to own a live firearm!

The basic question is, what do you need the gun for?  The basic answer - for home defense.  The next answer is to discover its world!  We'll get to this some other time.  For now, I'm doing my work in finding gun ownership's pros and cons. And as it is with how I go about the things that interest me, I do my research.  And so far here's what I got as I go through the License To Own and Possess Firearm or the LTOPF: 

1. There is an online site by the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosive Office Office (PNP-FEO) where you can send requirements for online assessment.  This lessens the hassle of going back and forth to FEO because you have the wrong requirement
2. I need to undergo Gun Safety and Responsible Gun Ownership seminar and I have found a gun club where I can do this.  To me, this will make or break my intent to go through gun ownership as my questions can be answered here.  I'm looking forward to doing this.
3. Online application of PNP and NBI Clearances - meaning I will not have to spend a whole day for these.
4. Neuro-Psychiatric and Drug Tests are done in Crame and the results will be uploaded in the FEO account - this further lessens the waiting time as I just have to do the tests and leave immediately to do other things
5. The rest of the requirements should be easy as these are standard identification and proof of income.  These two are needed so PNP knows where the gun will be kept and if the applicant has the capacity to maintain the firearm.  This varies depending on the status of the applicant, so check out the full details here.
6. After all the requirements are done, that is the time that I'll schedule appearance to FEO in Crame to submit all the hard copies of requirements.  LTOPF will be released that day.
7. As for the costs, as of writing these are what I found that fit my classification, so this will vary per individual.  I also may have missed some fees and requirements, I'll be working on this continuously.  Best to visit this site for more information.
   

The LTOPF is just one of the prerequisites in owning a gun.  There are still the Firearm (FA) Registration and the Permit to Carry Firearms Out of Residence (PTCFOR) that you'll go through once you have a gun.  And these I think are best answered by gun stores and gun community.  But before a gun store talks to you, I would imagine that with so many people who "like" to have a gun but are too timid to go through the licensing process, gun stores will most likely entertain you better if you have an LTOPF.  I'm not sure as I haven't talked with any gun stores yet, but I came from the service industry and I know how to value their time in talking to people who are inclined and in this case qualified to buy.  We'll get through these as we first go through with the LTOPF.

So what's keeping me from getting the LTOPF?  Aside from the ECQ so I really can't do anything, these are my current inhibitions:

1. Once I dive into this, I have to do the LTOPF process every two years!  its not really a money issue, but more of a time and effort issue.  
2. So I dove in and already bought a gun.  In my limited knowledge as of now, I can only get a Permit to Transport (PTT) from the FEO for P200, valid for only 1 day to transfer the gun to the range and back.  Getting a PTT is again, as you guessed it, will take time and effort to physically travel to get it.
3. So I get PTCFOR for P6,200 so I don't need to get a temporary permit, but the application for one is much stricter and with a somewhat similar requirement as the LTOPF with the NBI Clearance, Neuro-Psychiatric and Drug test so again - time and effort.
4. I already have a PTCFOR, but its validity is for ONE YEAR, and I have to repeat the process and again, time and effort.

I understand that gun ownership is a privilege and not a right.  And I do get that stricter application requirement is needed to establish the qualified people to be allowed to own a gun.  But with today's technology, there are a lot of ways to improve the process to make the process more efficient to both parties.  

I also understand that gun ownership is a serious matter.  That is why I'm weighing in on this heavily.  I want to be 100% sure before I make the jump.  And one way to decide on this is to ask gun owners about it, which is what I'll be doing in the next days.

Did you go through the same concerns as me?  Let me know what made you go for it, I'll be most grateful to get first-hand info.  Cheers!

So far the closest to the real one that I have held - an Airsoft GBB