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NSS Online Cavers

A space for those who support safe caving and cave conservation

Connecting Cavers with Cavers!

White-Nose Syndrome

The DC Grotto is maintaining a page with updated information on White-Nose Syndrome. Click here to read it.

In late April several newspapers incorrectly reported that WNS was suspected in a West Virginia cave. The WVDNR and USFWS sent a message to cavers clarifying what was actually found. Read the message here.

Caves, Caving In The News

Idaho's "Lost" Caves Offer Miles of Underground Mazes

There are miles of them scattered across Southwest Idaho, caves hidden deep beneath the earth.

via KSAW TV

Mystical Phong Nha Cave

The entrance to the unique Phong Nha Cave system in central Vietnam Phong Nha Cave, also known as Troc Cave, is a treasure of nature and a natural wonder.

via Thanhien News

Cave rescuers free trapped crag woman

Cave rescue experts were flown to a Lake District crag to free a woman who was trapped for eight hours.

The 33-year-old climber got her kneed jammed in a fissure on Gimmer Crag in Great Langdale about 12.30pm on Tuesday. Attempts by Langdale-Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team to free the woman were unsuccessful, and specialists from the Cave Rescue Organisation were called to help.

via grough

ltınbeşik Cave a hidden beauty

Altınbeşik Cave in Antalya's İbradi district, which has potential to become a very significant nature tourism spot with its charming beauty, has been unable to draw tourists for the past 15 years due the lack of a development plan. Recently projects have been launched to make the cave and its environs more accessible to tourists.

via Turkish Daily News

Coal mining threatens Meghalaya caves

Even before the caves in Meghalaya can reveal clues to climate change, rampant mining is destroying their wealth.

via Down To Earth Magazine

Cave death inquest 'lacks information'

An inquest into the death of a man on a cave expedition in Thailand has been hampered by a lack of "detailed information", a coroner has said.

John Cullen, 24, from Solihull, was among eight people who died when a cave flooded on 13 October 2007.

via BBC

DOE goes cave hunting to pump carbon underground

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $126.6 million in grants on Tuesday to test carbon capture and storage in underground caverns.

via News.com

Listening In on a Bat Cave

A mysterious disease called "white-nose syndrome" is striking down hibernating bat populations in New York State.

via NPR

France reveals British WWI cave camp

France has reopened a labyrinth of medieval quarries under the northern town of Arras which the British army converted into an underground hideout for 24,000 soldiers during World War I.

via BBC
 

Blog Posts

MACA Restoration

Well, last weekend May 3rd-4th I attended the Mammoth Cave Restoration Camp again. As always it was a good time, we spent Saturday cleaning out old boards from Colossal Cave, and Sunday we removed garbage from an old sinkhole on the property of Diamond Caverns. My buddy Rick and I got to travel to Kentucky a day early and see Lonestar Preserve...thanks for getting us in Shani. //Dave//

Posted by Dave Ruth on May 8th, 2008 at 5:20am — 2 Comments (Add)

NSS Convention 2008

Hey Everyone .. dont forget to register for the 2008 NSS Convention! Abstract submission deadline is approaching - May 17th. Check out the new videos and photos from Florida. It's a lot more then beaches and theme parks. www.nss2008.com

Posted by Cara Gentry on May 5th, 2008 at 12:58pm — No Comments (Add)

2008 Speleofest Guidebook

I picked up the 2008 Speleofest Guidebooks this morning. The book looks great. Those color ADs from the SCCI & PMI make the inside fron and back cover stand out. The T-Shirt design is on the front cover with Howie Harness on the back. Thanks to all the vendors, area actractions and local merchants whos ADs appear thru out the book.

Posted by Steve Gentry on May 5th, 2008 at 12:15pm — No Comments (Add)

El Capitan Training

I had some extra time on my hands this morning so I thought I'd post something. We are headed to Valhalla this weekend to rig a haul system and to get some newbies on a heavy rope. A heavy rope? At Valhalla? Yep. Someone will be on rope at the bottom, clipped in just off the floor of the cave to simulate the rope weight associated with a long rappel. They'll have to get used to going over a lip with big spacers (it feels like rappelling on 7mm rope) until we give you the weight. Don't forget… Continue

Posted by Dirk "The Dirtman" Siron on May 2nd, 2008 at 8:57am — No Comments (Add)

part of a little cave poem

But the caves are the only sane thing in life. I need them. Time will come and go. They will remain there changing, shifting, resculpting themselves. My footprints will be trodden over and my name forgotten. I will have had thier pleasure. Even if it is in solitude I will have them for as much as they have me. I came from their dirt and some day I will return to it.

Posted by Susan Wilkinson on May 1st, 2008 at 10:19pm — No Comments (Add)

Latest Posts From Cavechat.org, the official NSS Discussion Board

Re: Problems with the STEN battery?

potholer wrote:If there's a circuit board in a lithium battery pack, it's likely a protection circuit against overcharge and overdischarge, (both of which can lead to unpleasant consequences), and in a multicell pack with cells in series, the circuit might also be doing some charge-balancing (to prevent one cell becoming overcharged if it reaches full charge before one or more of the cells in series with it). A circuit might also do some kind of protection against excess current draw.


The circuit does all of the above.
Actually Li-Ion batteries need special care - DO NOT dent/crush them - they will vent flames/explode
NEVER EVER recharge a Li-Ion battery that is below 2.1 volts - they may vent flames/explode - fortunately the protection circuit does this - it does not allow it to be recharged if it is over discharged.

My original sten battery died and my charger also died - it would no longer charge a Li-ion battery

Since then I have learned a lot about Li-ion batteries and their dangers...

Re: Problems with the STEN battery?

Ive had my Sten about 3 years and I had one battery crap out on me. I thought that it was impossible to over-charge the battery. I still have my AA battery pack that can attach to it but I dont know how one would keep it dry since it's wide open

Re: Walls Questions

I'm going from memory here, but could you not get absolute depths simply by:1. complie survey2. Goto the Segements tab3. Click Details/Rpts. button in upper right4. Click coordiantes button.I think that this should give you the XYZ of every station.Aaron

Re: Problems with the STEN battery?

If there's a circuit board in a lithium battery pack, it's likely a protection circuit against overcharge and overdischarge, (both of which can lead to unpleasant consequences), and in a multicell pack with cells in series, the circuit might also be doing some charge-balancing (to prevent one cell becoming overcharged if it reaches full charge before one or more of the cells in series with it).A circuit might also do some kind of protection against excess current draw.Did you contact the manufacturers?

Problems with the STEN battery?

Has anyone else here had any issues with the Li-Ion battery that comes with the Sten? I've had 2 crap out on me now for reasons that aren't entirely clear to me.

Both times this has hapened, I had run one battery down and was going to change out to the spare. When I pulled it out of my cave pack and battery bag, there was no blink upon plugging it in and I got nothing. Current test at home shows no juice at the plug. :doh:

I think it may be in the connector at the end of the wire, but the one battery that I tore apart (looking for a broken connection) seemed to be broken somewhere at the circuit board (what is that in there for, anyway?).

Anyone have any ideas? Anyone have a good alternative to the 8.6V Li-Ion packs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
-Rich
 
 

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Forum

Petty Johns Map
3 Replies

Does anyone have a good map of Petty Johns Cave, in GA? I want to blow it up big and laminate it.

Tagged: pettijohns, johns, petti, petty, map

Started by Tony Johnson. Last reply by Tony Johnson Apr 29.

Who is going to Stoningtons Caverns Grand Opening April 26th ?
4 Replies

Who all is planning on attending the Stoningtons Caverns Grand Opening near Springmill park in Ind. the April 26th ? Does anyone know if people can show up there Friday night and camp? Shelly Wolf

Started by Shelly Wolf. Last reply by Susan Wilkinson Apr 22.

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