podcast anyone?

[Shug]

I have often thought about it .... but I know it takes a real and regular commitment to make it happen. There-in lies my problem!!!!!!!
Shug

[Bumper]

Welcome Rylan, so sorry to hear about your personal troubles: that's a bummer. Still, I've got a few episoded I haven't listened to yet, so hopefully you'll be back in full flight before I run out of them!

I also have no idea about what kind of gear is needed for podcasts. Can anyone enlighten me? Do you need a studio? Can it be done with an iPod as the recorder? Is there software for editing? How do you upload a podcast, and where to? Perhaps if we can anser a few of these questions, we may be a little closer to undertstanding what's required to get it all happening...

I'm guessing with the wonders of VOIP it wouldn't matter where in the world the host lived as phone calls would be fairly cheap. There are so many interesting (read kooky) people in the hammock world I reckon there'd be no shortage of people to interview.

Another option to consider: how about a video podcast? I absolutely love Shug's hammocking/hiking videos. They are a great way to learn.

[Rylan]

The podcast talk last weekend motivated me to publish another one of mine. It is a continuation in a conversation that James (Jolly Green Giant) and I recently had. There is some hammock talk. Nothing educational. Shug warned me against trying anything educational I'll talk soon with Shug and I'm sure hammocks will surface. Shrek & I will talk and I'm sure hammocks will come up then too but we won't make fun of him for getting sick on the last hike! If anyone wants to talk about hammocks we can make a podcast and publish it on my current feed but I don't want to take someones hammock podcast idea and run off with it

SuperTramp, too funny! Really if you like Golden more than myself it's ok. He's a pretty good guy too.

Ok, how to podcast? I can't write out instructions. As I thought about trying to I realized it would be a book and there are books out there but I can answer questions and hit it generally. I mentioned a studio I have access to. It isn't a necessity. When talking to someone on Skype I prefer video for the nonverbal part of a conversation and Skype can only video two people. Mike has several computers in the studio so several could skype together. He also has a mixer for the audio. There's software to record video or audio from a skype call. I've been playing with some. It's not perfect but it's a start. When I record a podcast with a skype call I record the discussion on the computer. I also record just the other person with my H2 and I record just myself with my iPhone. Then I'll take the best recordings and mix it all together with audio editing software.

Next you need a server to store the audio files. iTunes doesn't store the files it only directs the iTunes client on your computer where to get them from. Then you make your "feed" which is an xml document which is how you as the podcaster communicate with the iTunes store. -This is begining to sound like gibberish isn't it??

There are services to handle a lot of what I'm talking about. Libsyn (sp?) can host podcasts and there is a service, or several maybe where I think you can call in do a recording and use their tools to publish it. Blog Talk Radio is the name that pops into my mind but I'm not sure.

There are several ways to record a conversation. If the people are together a field recorder like the H2 is good but iTalk makes an iPhone app that is very good also. The H2 can record a regular phone conversation it just requires something to connect the phone and H2. Kent (AT Hiking, The Podcast) does his that way.

Any help or have I just made things worse? It sounds like a lot and I guess it is but after doing it for awhile you just progress on through it.

[Bumper]

Clear as mud Rylan! But I think I get what you're saying. It's an exciting idea though...

[Trout]

I sounds like a great podcast topic!

[JackRabbit]

One possibility is instead of having one person doing the podcast, it could be many community members taking turns. Whenever someone comes up with a topic, they record an episode. This would take the stress off of any single individual. Just a thought.

[tonejones]

shug you should do a podcast . as much as we enjoy your videos i think you will be well recived.

[Shug]

shug you should do a podcast . as much as we enjoy your videos i think you will be well recived.

That is nice .... but remember ..... I am lazy and unmotivated! An under-achiever me!
Stay tuned though.
Vague enough?
Go ginger!!!!!

[RePete]

I think JackRabbit has the right idea. One person in charge of posting the podcast but many contributors. Someone from each hang could submit audio as well and anyone who has an interesting interview or insight. The possibilities are nearly endless. Man I need to get back into listening to podcast. Used to listen to hrs of podcasts everyday at work until headphones got outlawed. Might just have to test and see if that rule still applies.

[Trout]

Here's an idea that SouthEasternBackpackers use: At the hammock hangs, tape conversations around the fire with various topics and break it up into Episodes for different topics.

If you had hangs that were going to be base hangs, then you could setup discussions during the day or ideas or guest speakers. The discussions could be taped and edited for various topics. If you had hangs that were going to be basically hikes, then say campfire discussions could be taped and edited. To make Episodes somewhat "themed", then moderators could be selected/volunteered to lead this or that episode - i.e. ask the questions, introduce the speaker... what-have-you.

If the forum had someone with the skills or the desire to learn.... they could head up a forum section on the forum where they would be posted.

This seems like a way to have the forum experts and even noob engaged and participating on a podcast that spreads the "love" - a.k.a. work. Also, possibly a way to encourage the use and knowledge of hammocking - see hammock makers as possible sponsors (and discussion people). <wink>