When's the next podcast?

Twice this week I've been asked when I am doing another podcast. That shocked me since I tend to forget that anyone else bothers to check this blog.
I'm still planning on doing a regular podcast. However, I need to get a few things lined up first.

1. A mixer - The low mic volume on my test podcast drives me crazy. I used PodProducer to make that show, and for some crazy reason it causes all WAV/MP3 files to boom over the mic level no matter how the levels are set.
   My plan now is to get a small 4 channel mixer and hook it up to my Nomad Jukebox. This will also help squash the problems I was having with my system fan noise bleeding over the mic.


2. A way to record phone conversations - Now alot of people do this using Skype. The problem with this is you can only record one side of the conversation. The other side needs to be recorded seperate. Then you have to try and sync them up. It would be easier for me to get an attachment for my cell phone to connect it to my Nomad Jukebox. Then I need only edit one file. This means I also need to get a convertor for my Nokia phone, and a new headset.


3. Web space - My original idea was to use free web hosts, and start a new account for every MP3 I post. However, I learned after posting my test show that this is going to fail big time. In order to get decent sound I will need to encode at 128kb. That works out to about one megabite per minute. So a 30 minute show would be 30mb. Most free hosts don't allow files that big, and those that do cut off the site after about a gig a month worth of traffic. That means only about 34 downloads and then I would be cut off.
   So that means I need to actually break down and pay for web hosting. Ugh!

All together I figure I will need to save up at least $200 ($60 for mixer + $40 for phone gear + $100 for one year of web hosting) before I can make a serious run at podcasting. Unless I win the Powerball I don't see that happening before the end of the year.