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226

General Discussion Area / Re: Mobile WiFi

« on: 17 August 2022, 09:51:42 »

If 'real' 5G relies on next gen chips, then that schedule will already have slipped to the right by at least 2 years due to the current chip fab shortages. If China/Taiwan kicks off then it'll slip again by a lot more - possibly 5 years - whilst the other fabs that are being panic built in the west come up to speed.

From what I've gathered in this thread I think I'll stick with the £70 4G wifi hot spot widget. Can't see 4G being completely obsolete inside the next 10 years.

227

General Discussion Area / Re: Mobile WiFi

« on: 16 August 2022, 22:41:36 »

Oh, and if you're using a proper airline, and flying to New York towards the middle of the month,  our paths might cross

American Airlines to Charlotte on the way in. American Airlines from Phoenix on the way out.
For Oz it's American Airlines to LAX (via PHX) on the way there, and direct from LAX to LHR on the way back. Unfortunatley got to use Qantas LAX from/to BNE both in and out because AA don't fly there themselves.

I refuse point blank to use BA for anything (including code shares) unless there is no other alternative (a better alternative is walking or swimming). Don't like JFK either, although don't mind Newark. However, neither have military jets based there, so Charlotte, Minneapolis and Phoenix for me :-)

228

General Discussion Area / Re: Mobile WiFi

« on: 16 August 2022, 15:54:07 »

I use(d) a 3G one for ages, buying local country SIMs when travelling.  Nowadays, I either use my phone as said hotspot when in Euroland, or pop a local SIM in the phone.

However, if you don't want to do that, and assuming your current handset isn't dual SIM (to take a local country SIM), if you have an old/spare 4G handset, why not use that as a hotspot?  Android works slightly better in that regard (as crApple, for non iOS devices, does not automatically reconnect unless the Mobile Hotspot page is open at point of connection).

From my experience of the USA, mobile coverage is somewhere between crap and non existent once you get out into the countryside.  So be prepared for it not working if you plan going between cities.

5G SA is fast, and has the potential for better coverage, though don't think anyone is far enough into their 5G rollout to exploit that.
5G NSA is really just 4G, and this is what most of the world currently has deployed.
4G/3G is well enough known, so not need to explain.


*IF* I was buying a mobile hotspot/router (which I wouldn't, given the pile of capable 4G spare handsets I have here), I think I'd buy 5G just to future proof it for the next 2 to 3 years.

Ta, but on one point...

However, if you don't want to do that, and assuming your current handset isn't dual SIM (to take a local country SIM), if you have an old/spare 4G handset, why not use that as a hotspot?  Android works slightly better in that regard (as crApple, for non iOS devices, does not automatically reconnect unless the Mobile Hotspot page is open at point of connection).

I don't have a (current or old) 1G handset
I don't have a (current or old) 2G handset
I don't have a (current or old) 3G handset
I don't have a (current or old) 4G handset
I don't have a (current or old) 5G handset
I don't have anything  (current or old) that even has a SIM slot, never mind dual SIM slots.

I have a Trimphone, connected to a land line.

229

General Discussion Area / Mobile WiFi

« on: 16 August 2022, 13:56:27 »

Next month I'm off to the USA, and in October I'm off to Oz. In both places I would like access to mobile interweb whilst sitting in in a car in the middle of no-where. My sister showed me one of these over the weekend :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254669429644

I connected my notebook to it and it seemed to work Ok. With one of these widgets AIUI you just walk into a mobile phone shop in whatever country you're in, buy a PAYG SIM card, plug it in and off you go. Then whilst doing several more seconds of extensive research I came across similar 5G devices, such as...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134198481204

Is there any advantage/disadvantage in buying a 5G one over a 4G one other than the price? I'm not expecting to use huge amounts of data, just want to run ADSBExchange/Planeplotter/FR24 for a few hours at a time whilst in the middle of various desserts, and use a home brew satnav receiver to navigate around. I will/should have phone coverage (though dunno how good) but the nearest 'free' McWifi will be too far away.

I do not have, never have had and have no intention of ever having a mobile phone so don't even think about suggesting that. And no my notebook does not have a SIM card slot either.

Cheers
Malcolm

230

General Discussion Area / Re: Quite low

« on: 10 August 2022, 23:44:24 »

If you look at the later footage it shows you the runway area near the "piano keys". Plenty of tyre rubber there, so loads of other planes have landed at more or less the same point on the runway.

Typical glide slopes are 3degrees, although they can be more or less than this. That's roughly 320 feet per nautical mile so at a quarter of a mile, you'd expect 80 feet. At 100 yards less than 20 feet.

Skiathos runway is only 5341 feet long. That is very short for a commercial airport - most regional airports are 7000+, and international airports are more often 10000+. I can see why the pilot would want to land something as big as an A321 on the first 100 feet of the runway, rather than half way down it.

231

General Car Chat / Re: Astra J - Weird electric behaviour

« on: 10 August 2022, 20:41:16 »

Bad alternators seem to be able to manifest themselves in many ways but would high revving at idle as opposed to low revs /cutting out (which seems more the norm for an alternator issue) be a sign when coupled with other electrical issues?

It depends on the ECU. I don't know if your ECU does it, but, ECU's do monitor battery voltage. They also control idle speed (via the idle air control valve). Normally idle speed is mostly dependent on engine temperature - so on a cold engine it'll be 1000+ rpm, and then as the engine warms up it slowly reduced to 600RPM ish. However, it's entirely possible that your ECU also has a mode where it increases RPM if it detects low battery voltage, in order to increase the charging current generated by the alternator. If it's actually the alternator that's faulty, then battery voltage may never increase, so you get permanently high idle speed.

ECU's also often increase idle RPM when A/C is enabled - to compensate for the extra load the A/C compressor puts on the engine.

I don't know if the Ashtray ECU does any of these things, but it is at least possible, and could explain what was going on.

Thanks for this interesting perspective - seems logical if my ecu would behave in this way in the event of a failing alternator. I may get a chance to pose the question to Eden and VX as a "case file" - has been opened.

It would require an intimate knowledge of what the software/firmware in the ECU does to know whether my suggestion holds water. No chance anyone at Eden, and unlikey anyone at Vauxhall have that knowledge. Someone at Bosch perhaps (assuming it's a Bosch ECU), or one of the owners groups who have successfully disassembled the ECU code.

I wouldn't hold my breath on getting a sensible answer.   

232

General Car Chat / Re: Astra J - Weird electric behaviour

« on: 10 August 2022, 18:03:00 »

Bad alternators seem to be able to manifest themselves in many ways but would high revving at idle as opposed to low revs /cutting out (which seems more the norm for an alternator issue) be a sign when coupled with other electrical issues?

It depends on the ECU. I don't know if your ECU does it, but, ECU's do monitor battery voltage. They also control idle speed (via the idle air control valve). Normally idle speed is mostly dependent on engine temperature - so on a cold engine it'll be 1000+ rpm, and then as the engine warms up it slowly reduced to 600RPM ish. However, it's entirely possible that your ECU also has a mode where it increases RPM if it detects low battery voltage, in order to increase the charging current generated by the alternator. If it's actually the alternator that's faulty, then battery voltage may never increase, so you get permanently high idle speed.

ECU's also often increase idle RPM when A/C is enabled - to compensate for the extra load the A/C compressor puts on the engine.

I don't know if the Ashtray ECU does any of these things, but it is at least possible, and could explain what was going on.

233

General Discussion Area / Re: Trump raid

« on: 10 August 2022, 17:53:28 »

A friend of mine works for an Anglo-French defence company. Every few years they have to go on a "Team Building Exercise", usually in Paris.

Last time the French were asked to name something they thought was typically English/British. They came up with things like Roast Beef, warm beer and Cricket.

The English/British were asked to name things typically French. Most came up with Fine Wines, Cheese etc.

My friend who had had enough of all the woke bullshine wrote "Collaborators".  Apparently that didn't go down too well.

234

General Discussion Area / Re: Loft Insulation

« on: 09 August 2022, 09:39:18 »

Insulating between the roof joists is known as "hot roof". seen it on a few builds I have been on in the past and yes, an air gap was left.
Why not consider getting cavity wall insulation done? definatly makes a differance and with the hot roof, you would not need to take up the flooring to reinsulate that. But if you do, use rock wool instead of fibreglass as it is three times as good like for like thickness

Cavities were done about 15 years ago. I'm not convinced they are a good idea in our area though. Lots of reports of problems caused by it bridging the cavity causing damp problems. Saw a map once of areas that were advised not to have it, and we were in it. Something to do with westerly aspects that see the brunt of the prevailing weather.

235

General Discussion Area / Re: Loft Insulation

« on: 08 August 2022, 19:30:33 »

Just ventured up into a stinkin' hot loft space. It's bin day tomorrow, so another opportunity to get rid of a wheeley bin full of junk.

Floor 'beams' are 4x2. Roof beams are 4x1.5.  So 100mm wool under the floorboards, and 75mm solid insulating board between the roof joists.

236

General Discussion Area / Re: Loft Insulation

« on: 08 August 2022, 11:30:12 »

If you look at the linked image then you can see they leave a gap between the insulation and underside of the tile structure (tile, felt, battens etc) to allow air to flow.

Ahh, right, so if the rafters are 4 inch (100mm), then use 75mm thick material to leave roughly a 1 inch gap between the roofing felt and the top of the insulation?

237

General Discussion Area / Re: Loft Insulation

« on: 08 August 2022, 11:23:31 »

If it was me, the flooring would be lifted, some 8x2s added on top of the existing ceiling joists, insulation between, and flooring back down (but then we do use the loft a lot for storage)

That means losing 8" of head room in the loft, and I'm 6'6 tall, and always banging my head on things. And like you, the loft is currently half full of highly collectable antiques (aka junk). This project doubles as an opportunity to chuck out stuff with no discernable value or use.

238

General Discussion Area / Re: Loft Insulation

« on: 08 August 2022, 10:43:51 »

Sorry - meant to put the rafters are (probably) 4x2 - so 4 inches tall, not 2. So would use 100mm wool between all the rafters.

239

General Discussion Area / Loft Insulation

« on: 08 August 2022, 10:27:31 »

With temperatures due to hit 35C again this week, I've been wondering about my loft insulation as you do. Currently there is (at best) one inch thick fibre-glass 'wool' roll laid between the floor rafters, and then chipboard loft flooring over the top. Wool roll is at least 50 years old, and I put most of the flooring down 20 years ago. I haven't measured them yet, but I suspect the rafters are probably 2 inches tall. House is a 1960's 3 bed semi, brick & breezeblock construction with cavity walls and plasterboard ceilings.

Plan A was to lift all the chipboard, rip out the existing wool, and replace it (yes I know it's glass and nasty on your hands so use a face mask and marigolds when handling it.) Then I saw this picture on the web :

https://www.bradfords.co.uk/xtratherm-xt-pr-rigid-pir-insulation-board-2400-x-1200-x-25mm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI95eL-e-2-QIVN4xoCR1vpw0-EAYYByABEgKD7PD_BwE

I have been warned off insulating between the 'tops' of the A frames in the loft, or boxing in the eaves because of ventilation and condensation issues. But that picture appears to show exactly what I was told not to do.

Has thinking changed? Or am I 'safe' to put 2 inches of wool between the floor rafters, and another 2 inches of wool between the roof rafters (and cover it with a thin layer of summut (hardboard?) to keep it in place)? I'll probably use wool rather than hard sheet insulation unless there is a really good reason not to.

Also, can/should I stuff a bit of wool down the top of the cavity wall - say 4 inches worth? I know you can get to the cavity because I've stuffed ethernet and aerial wires down it in the past.

240

General Discussion Area / Re: Trolley Dollies

« on: 05 August 2022, 16:19:45 »

Although in my group of 23, there a seven blokes. I would be surprised if more than two of us are straight.

Are you being discriminatory by excluding the girlies from your statement, or are you saying that of the 16 girlies in your group all (bar perhaps 1) are carpet munchers?