How to Protect Cables from Kittens and Cats

 

The thinner the cable, the more attractive it is to these beasts! This means cell phone charging cables and fiber optic cables are some of the most attractive to your kitten or cat.

I warn visitors that our kittens WILL bite through their charger cords if they leave them where they can get to them. And still, they get chomped. The first cable I will replace... the second, they have to buy their own!

So what do you do about this? The BEST solution is called split loom.

Split loom is a flexible plastic tube that is split along its length. It is used to gather and protect wires.

Note that split loom CAN be punctured by kitten teeth, but it is really hard to bite through. The best way to use it is to choose a size that is large enough to leave extra room around your cable. That way, the kitten may be able to puncture the split loom, but since the cable inside can move out of the way, the cable is not punctured or cut.

Installing the split loom can be troublesome. You need to be careful not to damage soft cables while putting them into the relatively sharp-edged split loom. They do sell tools for larger split loom to help put it on long cables. Look here for some tips on YouTube.

I've found that when kittens are young, I need to protect EVERY cable they can access. However, in my experience, older cats will usually ignore heavier cables like power cords, but your cats may be different. Power cords can be especially dangerous to a chomping cat, so be careful!

Below you can see I have protected all the easily accessible cables at my spouses workstation. Note that I have not left any cables dangling on the ground; they are all wound up and attached out of the way under the desk.

Behind the monitor:

Here is the back of the hubs:

Under the desk:

It seems like a lot of work, but if you do it well, you only have to do it once. After the cables are protected like this, we also also mist the cats with water if we see them looking to bite the cables. (But don't mist the cables or electronics!) They learn pretty quickly because the wrapped cables just aren't that attractive to bite anyway.

Just remember, your kitties are worth the effort!

Eye Charts - Landolt C

  

My eye doctor gave me a new contact lens to compare to my old prescription. So I decided I wanted a good eye chart to compare the new lenses.

A bit of research led me to believe the Landolt C eye chart would be the best for me. 

From Wikipedia:

The Landolt C consists of a ring that has a gap, thus looking similar to the letter C. The gap can be at various positions (usually left, right, bottom, top and the 45° positions in between) and the task of the tested person is to decide on which side the gap is. The size of the C and its gap are reduced until the subject makes a specified rate of errors. The minimum perceivable angle of the gap is taken as measure of the visual acuity. It is generally practiced in the laboratory.

The stroke width is 1⁄5 of the diameter, and the gap width is the same. This is identical to the letter C from a Snellen chart. The Landolt C is the standard optotype for acuity measurement in most European countries. It was standardized, together with measurement procedures, by the German DIN, as DIN 58220 (now EN ISO 8596).

Unfortunately, I couldn't easily find one of these sized for viewing at 10 feet. So I made one!

I can't guarantee this is made correctly, but I think it is right.

pdf file download

 

Quansheng UV-K1(8) Volume Knob Modification

 Quansheng UV-K1 (8) Volume Knob Modification (easy!)

Improving Volume Knob Resistance

The volume knob on these radios turns very easily. While this is convenient for casual use, it can be frustrating in other scenarios where the volume might be accidentally bumped down until it is too quiet to hear.

To solve this, you can add an O-ring under the volume knob to increase resistance. I tested two different sizes, both with a 15mm Outside Diameter (OD):

• 2.5mm Thickness: This size did not seem to add much noticeable resistance to the knob.

• 3.0mm Thickness: This size worked perfectly for my needs. While the knob isn’t difficult to turn, it now requires you to hold the radio in one hand while turning the knob with the other. This significantly reduces the chance of changing the volume by accidentally brushing against it.

Material Choice

Either nitrile or fluorine O-rings will work. However, if you operate your radio in cold environments, nitrile is likely the better choice. I used fluorine O-rings simply because they were more readily available at the time of my order.

Removing the Knob Safely

Removing the knob is the most difficult part of the process. It is not secured by glue or screws; rather, it is a "press-fit" (held in place by friction). To avoid damaging the radio, keep the following tips in mind:

• Use Non-Metallic Tools: Use a plastic or nylon "spudger" to pry the knob off. Avoid metal tools, as they can easily gouge the plastic housing or the knob itself.

• Support the Knob: Be sure to apply pressure evenly and support both sides of the knob. This prevents placing uneven stress on the internal electronics and the potentiometer shaft.

• Technique Reference: For a visual guide, [see this video at the 9:40 mark]. Note: Although the person in the video uses a metal tool and accidentally damages the plastic, his general technique for prying the knob upward is a good example to follow.

  

 Here is the o-ring next to the removed knob.

 Place the o-ring on the knob.

Hold the radio upside down and carefully place the knob on the shaft. Note the shaft is d-shaped and the knobs must be positioned correctly on it. Make sure the 0-ring is centered on the knob and not hanging off to the side.

 Squeeze the knob on the shaft until it is firmly seated.

 Done!