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Worrying: Kiss of Death?

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  #351  
Old 23rd November 2019, 00:22
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I think the black hole would be a better model and I am sure someone in Pudsey is working to counter the modest egress allowed by Hawking radiation.
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  #352  
Old 16th December 2019, 11:19
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Been doing something in recent days I hadn't done in over 30 years. Taking a weather fax chart. Some may remember those smelly things on the bridge which often required a bit of delicate tuning. One Captain in CP Ships assured me the correct way to tune the fax was to listen for the sound of 'tearing knickers.' (I didn't like to ask how he knew what that sounded like.)

Well it's a lot easier these days. You download a bit of free software and then use the SDR to tune in and receive the signal (much easier with all these spectral displays) and away you go.

Also you can have black on white or white on black without choking everybody on the bridge.

So here's my effort from yesterday from Hamburg, also Northwood is still churning them out. The software will also decode several other signals including RTTY which I take just to remind me of what an OBS message looks like.

I might have to go out and buy an anorak …
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  #353  
Old 16th December 2019, 12:28
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is offline
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3 big monitors and no Stormy Daniels.
Why?
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  #354  
Old 16th December 2019, 13:56
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You can't have too many monitors.
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  #355  
Old 16th December 2019, 15:43
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Stormy fills two. Say no more.
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  #356  
Old 20th December 2019, 01:30
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Not sure if you'll need a Facebook account to see this link, but I'll put it up anyway. I've nearly hurt myself laughing at it ….

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1172...5935544467152/
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  #357  
Old 20th December 2019, 09:46
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Yes it does open to non members.
Verry interesting, but shtoopid.. It is an improvement on the original, admit I have to.
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  #358  
Old 21st December 2019, 08:48
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The Band is far too scruffy to masquerade as the Pogues, Bob can you get them to tidy themselves up?
As an aside I quite fancy the drummer, a Ringo look-a-like.
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  #359  
Old 21st December 2019, 11:05
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FAB …
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  #360  
Old 21st December 2019, 23:42
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What a way to spend a Saturday. Been working all day on a sound problem with a PC with regard to receiving telex via a website SNR. This one:

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

What this does is give you access to an HF (short wave) radio, although it covers the spectrum down to a few KHz. You can tune and select the modes yourself, it is literally like having a sophisticated SDR sitting right on your computer. You can download any number of bits of software that will decode telex, fax, even read Morse all pretty much free. But I could not get these programs to pick up the onboard soundcard despite the fact it's working fine in every other respect as I can hear the signals loud and clear.

As ever it turned out to be something simple, purely with the setup of Windows 10 Administrator account (which is disabled by default.)

Anyway once sorted I browsed around on what used to be the marine bands on MF and came upon this NAVTEX signal on 518 KHz (the sparkies will know about that.)

Sad b@st@rd that I am I took some weather and nav warnings …

I need to get out more ….
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  #361  
Old 22nd December 2019, 00:06
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Back when I was a lad and Dad was trying to get me to learn Morse I tuned into marine bands. I often came upon some weird swawking/clattering and thought ' How the hell does anybody read that.' Fast forward to Spectrum, Commodore etc - listened to the cassette tape:'Oh that's what it was, or something like it anyway'. I then tried a phone extension to the office Telex and it all became abundantly clear, it had just taken 30 years to figure it.
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  #362  
Old 22nd December 2019, 07:44
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is offline
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Bit confused myself, I thought Twente Enschede was a football club.

If you ground or earth the waterfall setting potentiometer and adjust the voltage between the ethernet link and the autonotch to 15 milliamps your problem will be solved.
website SNR's can be awkward buggers.
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  #363  
Old 22nd December 2019, 12:09
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Ahhh but football club could allow you to listen to New Zealand International Radio of a morning ? The transmitter is located at Rangitaiki, nearly 10,000 km distance. (From Utwente.)

The magic of the short wave ….
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  #364  
Old 22nd December 2019, 14:45
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PS I was able to listen to the Kiwi's on my own SDR but not as good a signal as the website. His aerial is a lot better than mine by the look of it.
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Old 28th December 2019, 22:42
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Calling all engineers.

Can anyone tell me what this blue thing is ? … at first I thought it was some kind of pipe bender … but that doesn't make much sense.

Appreciate any ideas ….
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  #366  
Old 28th December 2019, 23:51
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Yes Bob, it is used for laying floorboards.
Normally used as a pair. The teeth engage with the joist and the plate presses the edge of the board against the previous one laid while you nail it down. Think of it as a one sided joiner's cramp.
You also have a couple of carpenter's vices there - So chippy rather than engineer.
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  #367  
Old 29th December 2019, 02:02
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. Nice one
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Old 29th December 2019, 07:56
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is offline
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My vices are much more interesting than yours.
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  #369  
Old 29th December 2019, 09:41
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But I bet your vices are not the quick release type ES.
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  #370  
Old 29th December 2019, 10:30
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These aren't my vices. They belong to a mad Irishman who lives in my hometown and buys them at car boot sales for his collection.

My vices are kept in a secret file buried deep beneath the 'donut.'
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  #371  
Old 29th December 2019, 13:39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Engine Serang View Post
Bit confused myself, I thought Twente Enschede was a football club.

If you ground or earth the waterfall setting potentiometer and adjust the voltage between the ethernet link and the autonotch to 15 milliamps your problem will be solved.
website SNR's can be awkward buggers.
Is that the same as adjusting the plumber block temperature to 20 p.s.i and then paralleling it with the fuel oil clarifier?
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  #372  
Old 29th December 2019, 14:56
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is offline
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Quote:
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Is that the same as adjusting the plumber block temperature to 20 p.s.i and then paralleling it with the fuel oil clarifier?
Please use the SI system until Boris tells us otherwise. Remember temperature is in bars. But psi may be used for car tyres and inflatable doflingers, you know.
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  #373  
Old 29th December 2019, 16:32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClay View Post
My vices are kept in a secret file buried deep beneath the 'donut.'
On the subject of files; Occasionally some manager type person would appear in the office and one of the questions oft put was "Do you have any outstanding (case) files?"

After the first time I was ready for it: "Oh yes, you might like to peruse this one It's a real bastard." - Open bottom desk drawer and produce a monster 15inch blacksmith's file. - "Here you go, it really is outstanding isn't it?"

Pity it only worked a couple of time but it stopped them asking.
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  #374  
Old 29th December 2019, 19:07
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I think one can have a flat, or half round bastard. The definition of a real bastard eludes me.
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Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
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It is the duty of the wealthy man
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  #375  
Old 29th December 2019, 19:38
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real as opposed to imagined, virtual or imitation.

The form of words was just contrived to get the listener's attention. It is fair to say that they would not have been engineers or even a user of tools and probably did not fully comprehend the full import of what was being stated. A lawnmower was likely to be the most mechanical object that they ever encountered which may have required some attention other than as an operator.
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