Articles written by Richard Mudhar
All 118 articles written by Richard Mudhar
Category: Saving Energy
One of the simplest steps a household can make to save fuel is knowing how far they can drive for a dollar, pound or euro. Knowing this can change driving patterns. more...
Category: Analog & Digital Audio (general)
Good audio techniques to make a clear recording that is easy to listen to rather than the low-fi muddy sound and background noise often found in audio on web sites. more...
How to Wire a XLR Plug: Balanced Professional Audio Connections use 3-Pin XLR Connectors
Category: Music Studios/Recording
Wiring balanced audio 3-pin XLR connectors is straightforward but it is important to get it right, else phase errors may occur. more...
Category: England Travel
The Triangular Lodge takes the viewer aback - the power of three is embodied in every angle and dimension of this physical expression of the Trinity and Tresham's faith. more...
Category: Video Software
Video conferencing can reduces costs and make better use of people's time but getting it to work between companies is not always straightforward. more...
Category: Video Software
Seeing other people at a distance with video conferencing can be a better experience than regular phone conferences, but it depends on getting some basic details right. more...
Category: HIFI Stereo
Network music players make it easy to play any CD stored on the music server hard disc. No more lost CDs - like an Ipod for the home stereo. more...
Category: Mobile Audio Devices
The Edirol R09HR is a small handheld all-in-one recorder and stereo microphone that records onto SD cards with no moving parts. more...
Category: HIFI Stereo
Many consumer audio items offer the choice of Toslink optical cables or coaxial cable digital interconnects. For short (1.5m) runs they are comparable for most uses. more...
Devil's Dyke and Fleam Dyke, Cambridgeshire, UK: Anglo-Saxon Defensive Earthworks Still Stand Proud
Category: England Travel
These dykes show the impressive capabilities of the Saxons, who often get a bad press with their rule being considered the Dark Ages in Britain more...
Category: New Age (general)
The story of Peter Caddy making the sandy dunes of Findhorn bloom is remarkable, both in what he achieved and how he describes it was done. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
The Standing Stones of Callanish are a powerful and evocative sight, visible from a distance on a piece of raised ground near to the sea. more...
Category: England Travel
Unlike the more common windmill, a Tide Mill uses the rise and fall of sea level for power. The power source is more reliable than wind, though hours are not fixed. more...
How to Wire a MIDI Cable Using DIN Plugs: Make up DIY Synthesiser Digital Interface Connections
Category: Music Technology
MIDI cables are readily available in standard lengths, but for short lengths and rack wiring it sometimes makes sense to wire up bespoke lengths on-site. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
The National Trust for Scotland opened a new visitor centre at Culloden in 2008, showing the big picture behind this decisive last hand-to-hand battle on British soil. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
This enigmatic carved Pictish symbol stone shows scenes from an unknown epic battle. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
Plug-in-power was introduced in the 1990s with MiniDisc, but poorly matched microphones and recorders can deliver poor results, particularly with loud sounds like music. more...
Category: Music Studios/Recording
Mastering audio is an art, and Bob Katz has been doing it since 1971. In this book he shares his knowledge for anyone wanting to get the best sound for their music. more...
Category: Analog & Digital Audio (general)
The jack plug (phone jack in US parlance) is a very common audio connector, but is wired in several different ways. Identify the differences to get a good connection. more...
Category: Music Studios/Recording
Recording sound at home often sounds boomy and coloured because of room acoustics. These can be improved with small changes. more...
Tips on How to Save Electricity in the Kitchen: Efficient Cooking and Washing Methods Cut Costs
Category: Saving Energy
Cooking smarter in an all-electric kitchen saves electricity and reduces costs, as heating uses a lot of energy. more...
Category: Coffee
The best coffee starts with freshly ground coffee beans, but the grinding process need to be even for the best results. more...
Category: England Travel
Lavenham is a well preserved medieval wool town, famed for its blue broadcloth between the 14th &16th centuries, accommodating many antique shops and tea rooms. more...
Category: TV
Britain is digitising its broadcast TV network. This article compares several different ways of receiving broadcast TV to help viewers choose the right method. more...
How to Reduce Home Electricity Bills: Measure Power Consumption with an Efergy Power Monitor
Category: Saving Energy
Measuring power consumption in the home using a real-time power monitor is the start to making real savings on electricity bills. more...
Microphones for Wildlife Sound Recording: Select the right Equipment for the Sounds of Nature
Category: Recording Engineering
Microphones used in wildife sound recording have more in common with the types used for outside broadcast and film/TV sound rather than music recording. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
The tiny Panasonic WM61electret microphone has a response extending to around 60kHz. Some manufacuturers of bat detectors use these capsule for low cost bat detectors. more...
Category: Audio Editing
Audio Editing software prices range from free to thousands of dollars. Audacity is a free open-source audio editing package that runs on Windows, Macs and Linux. more...
Category: Electrical Engineering
Basic soldering skills help musicians and road crew to make minor repairs on site to keep the show on the road. more...
Category: France Travel
Alcohol duty in Britain is much higher than it is in France, so British visitors to France can often buy drinks cheaper than at home. more...
Category: England Travel
Glastonbury Abbey has a good claim to be one of the oldest Christian sites in England, the first church probably built here in AD63. more...
Glastonbury Tor, Mystical Heart of England: Holy Hill of the Ancient Isle of Avalon
Category: England Travel
Glastonbury Tor is the highest point in the Isle of Avalon, a place of ancient mysticism and linked with the legend of King Arthur. more...
Worldwide TV Standards NTSC PAL SECAM: Differing TV Systems mean Incompatible Tapes and Equipment
Category: Video/Film Technology (general)
Three TV standards are used worldwide for standard definition TV, making tapes from Europe unplayable in America and vice versa. more...
Category: HIFI Stereo
Imagine the ability to select any CD without leaving the listening armchair. Home Music Servers are to the living room what the Ipod is to the traveller. more...
Category: Music Studios/Recording
Piezo pickups and contact mics have a bad reputation for a harsh tinny sound. Match them right and the tinniness can be solved. more...
Category: Nutrition (general)
It is not just the alcohol, but also the carbohydrates that contribute calories. Beer contains more carbohydrate than wine for an equivalent alcohol content. more...
Category: England Travel
Paintings like The Hay Wain and The Mill Stream made Constable well known. The National Trust looks after Flatford Mill where visitors can walk in Constable's footsteps. more...
Category: England Travel
The sandy beaches here were a training area before the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War 2, where 749 men lost their lives in the Operation Tiger tragedy. more...
Category: England Travel
A working monastery is rare in England, because of the Dissolution in Henry VIII's time. Buckfast has been restored and is used for its original purpose. more...
Goetheanum, Basel, Switzerland: Rudolf Steiner’s Visionary Architecture Expressed in Concrete
Category: Switzerland Travel
The Goetheanum was designed by the 20th century visionary and spiritual scientist Rudolf Steiner. It is one of the earliest buildings to extensively use cast concrete. more...
Olympus LS10 Audio Field Recorder: Handy High-Quality All-in-one Microphone and Recorder
Category: Digital Audio
This ergonomic one-piece stereo recorder from Olympus, with inbuilt microphones makes interview recording and audio field recording a breeze. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
Professional mics are often remote powered using P48 phantom power along the cable from a mixer. They offer better quality and more of pickup patterns than consumer mics. more...
Quedlinburg, Half-timbered Historic City: UNESCO Heritage Medieval old Town Centre in Saxony-Anhalt
Category: Germany Travel
This attractive town is compact, with a wealth of old medieval half-timbered buildings lining the large market area. more...
Power A Laptop in a Car: Run a Portable Computer off the Automobile Battery on Long Trips
Category: Computer Hardware/Accessories (general)
Laptop batteries only give a few hours of running time before needing a recharge from AC mains power. Here are options for when more running time is needed in a vehicle. more...
Communicate with Your Cat through Massage: Improve the Health and Happiness of Your Pet
Category: Cat Care
Go beyond simple stroking and cuddling with this easy to learn cat massage. Deeply relax both yourself and your cat. more...
Moon In My Room Astronomical Nightlight: Review of this Educational Toy showing Moon Phases.
Category: Kids' Toys
This remote controlled astronomical science toy for children aged 6+ displays the phases of the moon, and doubles up as a battery-powered night light. more...
Protecting Garden Birds from Cats: Stop Cats Killing Backyard Birds in Your Garden.
Category: Wild Birds
Here are some tips to lower the risks of cats killing garden birds. It is depressing to see this happen. Some simple precautions improve the odds for your backyard birds. more...
PMR446 & CB, 2-way Radio in the UK: How to Legally Use Licence-free Two-way Radio in Great Britain
Category: Radio Technology
Two-way radios (walkie-talkies) are a great way to keep in touch when using mobile phones is too expensive or impossible. more...
British Garden Birds: How to Identify Common UK Garden Wild Birds
Category: Wild Birds
The birds in your garden add welcome colour and life. This is a guide to more common visitors to a suburban garden, which children and adults alike will enjoy observing. more...
Bawdsey – Birthplace of Radar: Where Robert Watson-Watt Developed Radar, First Chain Home Station
Category: England Travel
Bawdsey Manor in Suffolk, England. This historic site offers a pleasant walk along the shingle beach, and is part of the Suffolk Area of Natural Beauty. more...
Motorola HT820 Bluetooth headphone: Review of Bluetooth Connected Stereo Wireless Headphones
Category: Mobile Audio Devices
Bluetooth stereo headphones offer excellent sound but getting them to work with a regular Bluetooth PC is not straightforward. Here is what you need to know to get going. more...
Bluetooth Wireless Headphones: Listen to Your MP3s without Wires and Skype Hands-free
Category: Mobile Audio Devices
Roam up to 30m from your PC while listening to your favourite songs, or Skype with friends using clear Bluetooth stereo. more...
Tréhorenteuc, Broceliande Gateway: Val Sans Retour, Legendary Land of Arthurian Mystery in Brittany
Category: France Travel
Visit the attractive Val Sans Retour at Tréhorenteuc, a good base to explore the forest of Broceliande, and the myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. more...
Category: England Travel
Enjoy an excellent family day out at West Stow and the surrounding country park in the East of England where history is brought to life. more...
Shoot Photos for Success on eBay: Great Pictures Make Auction Items Stand Out for Profitable Sales.
Category: Digital Photography
Improve your success on eBay - make your items stand out by shooting good clear photographs so bidders can see what they're bidding on. more...
Choosing and Using a Camcorder: Get the Right Video Camera for your Application
Category: Video Cameras
There are many video camera formats now. This article outlines some common uses for a Video Camera and helps you select the right Camcorder format for your intended use. more...
Thornham Parva Church, Suffolk: Visit St Mary's for the magnificent Retable and old Wall-paintings
Category: England Travel
The attractive thatched Norman church of St Mary's at Thornham Parva near Eye in Suffolk, UK is a jewel well worth a visit. more...
Colorful Photos With a Polarizer: Shoot More Vivid Outdoor Photos Using a Polarizing Filter
Category: Photography Techniques
A polarizing filter helps you take more vivid photos outdoors by controlling contrast and reducing reflections and flare. more...
Minsmere RSPB Bird Reserve: A fascinating Family-Friendly Wildlife treat on the Suffolk Coast
Category: England Travel
Enjoy the sights and sounds of thousands of birds at Minsmere. The trails are easy and most hides overlooking the lagoon are accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs more...
Category: HIFI Stereo
Hi-Fi enthusiasts can save money and boost quality by omitting a traditional pre-amplifier, feeding the CD player or Ipod to their power amp via a passive volume control. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
Most mixers and audio inputs are single-channel 3-pin XLR sockets. A simple Y cable breaks out one stereo XLR 5 pin socket to two 3-pin plugs. more...
Category: England Travel
Eye, with its castle mound and half-timbered architecture is a compact size well suited to exploring by foot or bicycle. more...
How to Choose A Separates Hi-Fi System: Spend Wisely And Get the Best Sound System For The Money
Category: HIFI Stereo
Separates are still the way to get the best sound beyond the budget market, but contrary to popular belief it is not just the loudspeakers that determine audio quality. more...
Category: Bird Watching
Birdwatching demands a lot of optical equipment, and the need to take them out into the field means weight is an issue for many people too. more...
Category: England Travel
Ipswich is a one of England's earliest continuously settled towns, with a long history from the Anglo-Saxon foundation through to modern times. more...
Simplify Life and Save Time and Money: Living Simply Means Having More Time for What Matters
Category: Self-Awareness
It is the human relationships and how life is lived that makes for happiness and a life well lived, not material purchases. more...
Category: England Travel
The Museum of East Anglican Life is a family-friendly attraction covering 78 acres. The museum shows how people lived in the primarily rural region of East Anglia. more...
Category: HIFI Stereo
Vintage European audio equipment does not always interface well with modern gear, understanding the differences helps match it to give of its best. more...
Choosing a Microphone Directional Pattern: Select the Right Pickup Pattern for PA or Recording Sound
Category: Music Studios/Recording
Microphones vary in how they respond to sound coming form different directions. Using the right pickup pattern for the subject gets better results. more...
Category: England Travel
This well preserved castle was built in 1165 to keep the rebellious Earl of Suffolk, Hugh Bigod, in check. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) have nested at a disused quarry in Huntly for several years. See them easily at this Forestry Commission family attraction. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
Clava Cairns is a peaceful ancient setting of prehistoric passage graves and standing stones near Inverness. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
The enigmatic Picts left many carved symbol stones in the early years AD. This is one of the later types, easily viewed in Edderton churchyard. more...
Category: England Travel
Castlerigg is the most visited stone circle in Cumbria, a region which is host to a number of other large prehistoric stone circles. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
Visit this remarkable limestone cave system, which has been inhabited sporadically from prehistoric times. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
A microphone in the open makes a visual statement, not always ideal. Binaural mics look just like in-ear headphones, reducing impact for field and urban recording. more...
Category: Digital Audio
Many people own analog(ue) audio media from many years ago. Here is how to copy these cheaply to CD, preserving them for the future or getting them into iTunes. more...
Stereo Microphone Techniques: Guide to the Pros and Cons of Different Methods of Stereo Recording
Category: Music Studios/Recording
There are several ways of using two or more microphones to record stereo in the field, each with their different strengths and weaknesses. more...
Electronic Lost Key Finder Gadget: Sonic or Radio Locator Saves Time and Mad Morning Searches
Category: Home Owner Tips
Use a sonic key finder to keep tabs on errant keys, wallets or other small items that are essential to daily life but are so easy to lose from one day to the next. more...
How to Reduce Home Electricity Usage: Plug-in Power Meters can Help Reduce Power Bills.
Category: Saving Energy
Measuring the power drain of equipment used in the home is the start to prioritising what needs using less, or what appliances should be switched off when not in use. more...
Category: England Travel
Bury St Edmunds Abbey is where Cardinal Langton and the barons met in 1214 to swear an oath to make King John accept the conditions of the Magna Carta. more...
Category: Music Technology
Pure Perfect Sound Forever was promised with CD, but misguided mastering is destroying the sound of CDs for short-term commercial gain at the expense of listenability. more...
Check Before Bailing out of Fixed Rate Mortgage: UK Nationwide Building Society May Herald New Trend
Category: Home Mortgages
With interest rates falling borrowers may want to bail out of fixed-rate deals by paying an exit penalty. Check with your lender that you can take another deal from them. more...
Pure Digital Flip Solid State Camcorder: Easy to Use Simple Video - Perfect for YouTube
Category: Video Cameras
Pure Digital's Flip camcorder is the size of a mobile phone but delivers surprising quality for around US$150 , even in low light typically encountered indoors. more...
Category: Wild Birds
Birds need all the help they can get when raising young, even in a nest box. Here is a selection of tips for success. more...
Category: New Age Beliefs
Perelandra, the author's 45-acre private nature reserve, embodies her unique take on working in balance with elemental nature beings. more...
Category: Analog & Digital Audio (general)
Sound recordists and Podcasters looking for a low cost recording solution can use the computer they already have to record their programmes. more...
Category: Germany Travel
Baden-Baden is at the northern end of the Black Forest, and is the site of the famous thermal waters for which the town has been known since Roman Times. more...
Category: Scotland Travel
The stunning carvings inside Rosslyn chapel are worth seeing on their own merit, and readers of the Da Vinci Code will get an extra frisson as they recognise the site. more...
Category: England Travel
Glastonbury is an interesting town with a strong New-Age/Alternative living feel to it, and the pilgrims have been coming to the Abbey and Tor for generations. more...
Category: England Travel
Drink the Chalybeate Waters of the Chalice Well and absorb the Peace and Restfulness of this Spiritual Sanctuary. more...
Category: Mobile Audio Devices
There are several options to connect an Ipod to a home stereo, ranging from cheap to the awesomely expensive. Each has their place, depending on performance needs. more...
Cold War Modern Exhibition London 2008: Review of this fascinating display at the V&A Museum
Category: Special Art Gallery Exhibits
Cold War Modern is a fast-track survey of how the post-war period influenced the arts and the design of posters, clothing and everyday objects. more...
How to Wire a RJ45 Ethernet Plug: Cabling Ethernet using standard T568A Wiring Color Code
Category: Computer Networking
Wired Ethernet gives the best network security and reliability, even in the home. Making up the ends means cables can be run through small 1/4 inch holes. more...
Create a Wildlife Pond: A Pond is the Single Most Wildlife-Friendly Addition to a Garden
Category: Organic Gardens (general)
A wildlife pond is an excellent addition to a garden. Frogs will eat common garden pests like slugs. Birds like robins and blue tits will appreciate the insect activity. more...
Category: Environmental Activism
Cheap oil is running out and climate change means we need to reduce carbon emissions. These imperatives will mean great changes to society. more...
Category: England Travel
Totnes has a well-preserved Elizabethan centre, overlooked by a Norman castle. It has a strong alternative and green community, pioneering many eco-initiatives. more...
Category: Crafts (general)
Finding and crafting a Yule Log is a Christmas tradition that can involve your kids in the magic of the holiday season with no shopping required. more...
Category: Germany Travel
Cadolzburg Castle near Nürnberg in southern Germany is a compact and attractive castle from which the Hohenzollerns governed Franconia in the 13th and 14th centuries. more...
Category: Video Cameras
Camcorder microphones generally deliver poor sound quality, which can be improved using an external microphone. more...
Category: Recording Engineering
Using a professional microphone to record audio gives a significant boost in sound quality and the choice of directionality patterns to suit the subject. more...
Externsteine, Teutoburger Wald: Amazing Natural Rock Formations in Northern Germany
Category: Germany Travel
These natural rock outcrops are a remarkable sight. in Northwestern Germany near Detmold. The sandstone pillars rise from an otherwise unrocky landscape. more...
Category: Germany Travel
Friedrichroda is an attractive little town in the Thuringer Wald region of Germany. Of particular interest are the mineral waters. more...
Category: Germany Travel
This crystal cave is worth visiting for the stunning crystal caves and mining history. It is a good family outing, as long as everyone is happy to go underground. more...
Category: Energy Conservation
Follow these tips and improve gas mileage by a quarter by simply driving differently. No modification is needed to the car, just to the driver. more...
Feeding Birds Mealworms: Help Young Birds in the Nest Survive with Mealworms
Category: Wild Birds
Mealworms are a complete food for nestlings, a compact package containing both food and water. more...
Feeding British Garden Birds: UK Garden Wild Bird Feeding and Nest Boxes
Category: Wild Birds
The birdcare industry offers a bewildering array of supplies to attract garden birds. This is a guide to the different types of equipment and how to use them. more...
How To Clean A Birdfeeder: Seed Feeder Hygiene Minimises Disease in Wild Birds
Category: Wild Birds
Using common household items makes it easier to clean bird seed feeders. Feeders concentrate birds in one area; regular cleaning reduces the likelihood of disease. more...
Avebury Stone Circle: Largest Prehistoric Megalithic Circle in England
Category: England Travel
Wander freely among the stones at this World Heritage site, a stone circle so big it includes a whole village. more...
Prehistoric Megaliths of Paimpont: Ancient Masterpieces in the Broceliande Forest of Brittany
Category: France Travel
Step back three thousand years in time to visit these prehistoric sites that were already ancient when the Arthurian legends were drafted. more...
Carnac Rows of Prehistoric Stones: Unique Megalithic Alignments Stretch Several Miles in Brittany
Category: France Travel
Walk back through thousands of years of history among the remarkable rows of thousands of stones raised in prehistoric times in this attractive part of France. more...
Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Normandy: Normandy Alabaster Coast Seaside Town of High Cliffs and a Dark Past
Category: France Travel
Enjoy the impressive limestone cliffs of this attractive fishing port and ponder on the reasons for the humiliating WWII British surrender here. more...
Category: Saving Energy
Mark the correct level and boil only the amount of water you need for your tea or coffee - the time and cost savings add up over a year. more...
Camcorder Formats: Summary of the Pros and Cons of common Camcorder Recording Formats
Category: Video Cameras
There are many video camera formats to choose from. This short guide to the various types of camcorder helps you select a range appropriate to your needs more...
Introduction to John Dee: Astronomer Royal to Queen Elizabeth I
Category: Great Scientists
The legacy of Dee and Kelley, Enochian Magick and Enochian script continues to fascinate many to this day. more...
Audio Field Recording Guide: How to Capture Everyday Sound Effects and Ambience Outdoors
Category: Digital Audio
Learn how audio location recording in typical outdoor locations can enhance home-made podcasts and video recordings. more...
Sutton Hoo, Burial Ground of Kings: Visit this unique Ship Burial and see fabulous Saxon Regalia
Category: England Travel
Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge and only an hour or so from London is the site of mysterious low mounds, , traces of the prestigious 7th c Saxon ship burial of King Raedwald more...
Travel Adapters and Power Abroad: Plug in safely - Using Electrical Devices with Foreign AC Power
Category: W Europe Travel (general)
Use electronic devices with foreign electrical power. Check these things to make sure that your laptop and digital camera chargers work properly abroad. more...
