What I did today -instead- of Rocketry.

[Cl(VII)]

Went bushwalking up that steep trail to the transmission towers that look over Melbourne. Over 1000' of vertical. Will be feeling the legs tomorrow.

Went out with the father inlaw, brother and sister inlaw and my wife and daughter to a pub for a Father's Day meal. Nice.

That sounds like an awesome day.

 

[OverTheTop]

That sounds like an awesome day.

It was a good day . About 12degC and sunny helped too!

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Pickpockets are so damned clever these days. Took my kids out the other night - when I got there my wallet was full of cash and BAM! Twenty minutes later it was empty...

Sounds like Airfest. Hid enough money in my sock for food...

 

[jqavins]

door when set (ran a functional test and it worked). Plan on using it with a 12VDC wireless controller module I already had, but have concerns about duty cycle since the controller isn't momentary... it's two separate switches for ON/OFF, and I don't want to burn up an actuator by energizing it too long. I'll come up with something.

As simple as a big heat sink maybe? With a sun shield for the heat of the day?

Or

It isn't be too hard to make a little circuit module which provides a pulse when an input line changes from low to high, i.e. an edge detector. Use a two input AND gate. The "close trap" line goes to one input. (You'll need some sort of level shifter from the 12 v to 5 v, for this application a voltage divider should be fine.) It also goes to an inverter, with an RC delay at the input, and the inverter output goes the the other gate input.

When the signal has been low for a while, the gate sees low from it and high from the inverter; output is low. When the signal rises, first the direct input goes high so the gate's output goes high. Then once the cap charges, the inverter output goes low and the gate goes low.

The gate's output drives a BJT or a MOSFET to fire the actuator.

EDIT: Or, come to think of it, there's probably an inexpensive chip to do the same thing. But after a little Googling I haven't found one.

Also, what I described can be done with a single quad two input NAND chip, by using two of the gates as inverters

 

[Hobie1dog]

did a dumpster run in the condo complex looking for a proper box to send the Big Bang cannon to my rocket scientist friend.

 

[jqavins]

Sitting at a beach on Presque Isle, just outside Erie, PA. My wife's and my anniversary weekend, we try to visit a new place every year. This year it's Erie.

 

[Antares JS]

After watching the first season of The Sandman with my wife (great show!), we decided to bust out Etherfields, a board game about adventuring through dreams.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Got my son to remove the 12V rectifier holder from up underneath of the closet countertop, as I need to install it underneath of the big metal desk now, all the ham radio equipment will be at the big desk. It's a big project for me with lots of cables.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I moved the plastic containers with all of the spray cans into the bottom of the closet, along with my gig bag, and the Mirage subwoofer moved out of there and hooked up in my bedroom system. This is what my upstairs neighbor is going to hate.
I removed the 30 amp electrical rectifier and the electrical switch to the 2M/440 radio as I don't need it anymore since I have that in the Kenwood HF transceiver.

 

[jqavins]

I must be dreaming. I'm imagining a time when, if your windshield wipers weren't working so well, you could buy something called a "refill" to replace the rubber and you didn't always need a whole new blade. And it seems like - I know, I know, crazy - when you did need to change a whole blade, you didn't need any advanced skills to do it.

Wouldn't that be nice?

(In case it wasn't clear, I put new wiper blades on the car today.And I'm curmudgeon.)

 

[Cape Byron]

I must be dreaming. I'm imagining a time when, if your windshield wipers weren't working so well, you could buy something called a "refill" to replace the rubber and you didn't always need a whole new blade. And it seems like - I know, I know, crazy - when you did need to change a whole blade, you didn't need any advanced skills to do it.

Wouldn't that be nice?

(In case it wasn't clear, I put new wiper blades on the car today.And I'm curmudgeon.)

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p...Vlw4rCh1TeQTmEAQYASABEgIOafD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[OverTheTop]

I have noticed some new cars now you actually replace the whole wiper arm each time. Dumb idea.

 

[jqavins]

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p...Vlw4rCh1TeQTmEAQYASABEgIOafD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'll have to look again, but I don't think the blades I just took off, or the ones I just put on, are refillable.

 

[tsmmiller]

Today was Mrs day for directing myself and BIL. Our job. Clean all the windows. Started at 10am, finished a a few minutes after 7. BIL is much smaller than I am, so he got all the 30ft off he ground windows while I played ladder duty.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I must be dreaming. I'm imagining a time when, if your windshield wipers weren't working so well, you could buy something called a "refill" to replace the rubber and you didn't always need a whole new blade. And it seems like - I know, I know, crazy - when you did need to change a whole blade, you didn't need any advanced skills to do it.

Wouldn't that be nice?

(In case it wasn't clear, I put new wiper blades on the car today.And I'm curmudgeon.)

I think part of the idea is that as well as replacing the rubber wiper, you replace the "bow" (or whatever that part is called). Today's windshields have a lot more curves to them than previously, and the springyness of the bow is lost over time, requiring replacement to keep the wiper in contact with the glass.*

I've had the problem with the past few cars in that nothing I do seems to get the wiper to stay in contact with the area of the windshield right in front ov my eyes. Above my eyes gets wiped clear, as does below my line of sight. I think I've fixed this by going with a 1" smaller blade. Seems to work.

*or I could just be making this up...

 

[Hobie1dog]

I disconnected the ham radio and 12-volt rectifier and got all of the cables from the back and moved both of those down onto the floor so that I could move the tool organizer to the right. Now the big monitor is going to be in the middle and the smaller monitor over on the right hand side to fill up the whole back wall. So it should be pretty good when I get done. The big TV is going to display the PC and the smaller monitor will be the ham radio display. Also moved the iMac which has a white spot in the screen now and put it over in the ham radio closet and I will have to see if I can retrieve anything off of it at a later date.
I'm tired now

 

[Cape Byron]

Told dad jokes to the real estate agent. Laugh if you want commission, punk.

 

[Cape Byron]

Saw this on the Book of Faces...

Seems like a good idea.

https://st2-systems.com/st2-brake-m...azNQg3rMlYD5H5J9wvxBPiXsJm0EZKvX2Y-mP621_9bvA

 

[OverTheTop]

Seems like a good idea.

Should improve things.

Another easy improvement is to change the brake lights to LED. They illuminate around 50-100ms sooner, helping with reaction times in drivers behind.

 

[teepot]

I had a friend come over to help me put security cameras. He is an IT guy so he got to set up the DVR, monitor, lap tops and phones. I did the manual labor. I put the cameras up. It was 104F while I was outside. I would put to up two and then take a 15 minute break. I was done before he was. Played with the kittens.

 

[jqavins]

*or I could just be making this up...

It makes sense, but for two things. First, as the springiness deteriorates, eventually one needs to replace the blades, but one should go through a few refills before that's necessary. Second, if shortening your blades, i.e. taking a bit off the ends, helped get the middle into better contact with your glass, it indicated that you had too much springiness.

I'm tired now

Sounds like you made it to when anyone would be tired, so I guess that makes it a good day.

Saw this on the Book of Faces...

Seems like a good idea.

https://st2-systems.com/st2-brake-m...azNQg3rMlYD5H5J9wvxBPiXsJm0EZKvX2Y-mP621_9bvA

I've thought of that every time someone in front of me slows down quickly without the brake pedal. So someone figured out a way. Good. Maybe I'll get one.

EDIT: Darn! it's a motorcycle accessory, not for cars.

Another easy improvement is to change the brake lights to LED. They illuminate around 50-100ms sooner, helping with reaction times in drivers behind.

Maybe I'll look for conversion bulbs to do that, too. A good practice in tight traffic is to look through the vehicle in front of you (when possible) to the brake lights in front of that. Saved me from more than one accident. Learned it as a result of the accident it could have saved me from. (I was rear ended, but likely wouldn't have been if I'd been able to give the driver behind me more warning. Or I might have had time to bail out onto the shoulder, which would also give the driver behind me a lot more warning and space.)

 

[lakeroadster]

I must be dreaming. I'm imagining a time when, if your windshield wipers weren't working so well, you could buy something called a "refill" to replace the rubber and you didn't always need a whole new blade. And it seems like - I know, I know, crazy - when you did need to change a whole blade, you didn't need any advanced skills to do it.

Wouldn't that be nice?

(In case it wasn't clear, I put new wiper blades on the car today.And I'm curmudgeon.)

A perfect example of our "disposable" mindset today. And most of the replacements are hideous looking too.

 

[lakeroadster]

Should improve things.

Another easy improvement is to change the brake lights to LED. They illuminate around 50-100ms sooner, helping with reaction times in drivers behind.

That's not going to help that mid 20's girl from Texas that rearended us this year. Only thing that would have helped her would have been if somebody in the back seat had grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back, so she was looking out the windshield, instead of down at her phone.​

​

I wanted to do it after the fact... but figured that would end badly.​

​

Oh, and the cop wasn't even going to give her a ticket, until I explained to him the error of her ways, and by default his also.​

​

The "accident" happened in a construction zone. I was stopped, a flagger standing in front of us. I saw her coming in my rear-view mirror, and she was looking down, not out the windshield. Of course, she lied and said that wasn't the case.​

​

Between her, "oopsy, so what's the big deal" attitude and the Cop not wanting to do his job, I have real trouble having faith in the younger generations.​

​

Seems like it would be real easy to make cell phone's inoperable if the gps shows they are in motion.... what do I know?​

 

[Charles_McG]

Picked cider apples and perry pears.
Hmmm ... 10 pic limit.
Anyway: Chisel Jersey, Muscadet Dieppie, Grindstone, White Jersey, Taliaferro (candidate), Kingston Black, Red Pear, Twistbody Jersey, Crimson King, Gros Frequin, Hewes.

 

[Hobie1dog]

​

​

Seems like it would be real easy to make cell phone's inoperable if the gps shows they are in motion.... what do I know?​

I remember hearing a new story about a company that had created that software, maybe 10 years ago, and it said the public would not accept it.

 

[boatgeek]

Seems like it would be real easy to make cell phone's inoperable if the gps shows they are in motion.... what do I know?

For one thing, you'd have to distinguish between driver and passenger. The driver shouldn't be able to run the phone's keyboard*, but the passengers should be able to on their or the driver's phone. Otherwise, you're creating hassle for no reason. A simple example is that you'd like to be able to text from a moving car to tell someone that you're running early or late.

* Some things like directions should be available all the time as long as the driver isn't using the keyboard while in motion. It's definitely helpful for the passenger to be able to look for new directions too.

I remember hearing a new story about a company that had created that software, maybe 10 years ago, and it said the public would not accept it.

For the reasons above, it's not surprising consumers wouldn't accept a blanket "no phone in a moving car can be used" restriction.

 

[Hobie1dog]

touched up All the interior baseboard and doors that I've torn up with my power chair over the last 5 years.

 

[lakeroadster]

For one thing, you'd have to distinguish between driver and passenger. The driver shouldn't be able to run the phone's keyboard*, but the passengers should be able to on their or the driver's phone. Otherwise, you're creating hassle for no reason. A simple example is that you'd like to be able to text from a moving car to tell someone that you're running early or late.

* Some things like directions should be available all the time as long as the driver isn't using the keyboard while in motion. It's definitely helpful for the passenger to be able to look for new directions too.

For the reasons above, it's not surprising consumers wouldn't accept a blanket "no phone in a moving car can be used" restriction.

It's a safety thing, what the consumer thinks doesn't matter. I lived for 40 years without having a phone in my car.

 

[boatgeek]

It's a safety thing, what the consumer thinks doesn't matter. I lived for 40 years without having a phone in my car.

What is the safety argument in favor of restricting use of a passenger's phone while a car is in motion? I'm all for disabling the driver's phone while the car's in motion, but until the technology exists to determine which is which, it seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[KC3KNM]

It's a safety thing, what the consumer thinks doesn't matter. I lived for 40 years without having a phone in my car.

For what it’s worth, when I was younger my ex was rear ended by an older gentleman reading a book in traffic. I remember watching him constantly checking up, but still going back to the damn book every time we started rolling again. Ever since I’ve had real trouble having faith in the older generations.

It was funny watching him try to explain why the pages from the book were scattered all over his car and the road (the airbag did a number on that book, thankfully it was a paperback), though.