The totally off-topic thread

[QF WP]

Seen them? I hadn't even heard of them! *crawls back under rock*

Please share that rock..... May get to see a couple en-route to Uk or return, but then I spend most of my inflight time checking out the in sides of my eye lids.

Make room you two - I haven't seen any of them either. Game of Thrones is the closest I've come to watching a movie...

 

[JohnK]

It happened to me once, and you can get it sorted, but it will take more time if you have this malware.

Murphy is interfering again?

 

[amaroo]

One for the foodies Good Food - Ferran Adria talks El Bulli at Sydney and Brisbane events

 

[straitman]

So in other words a GPS unit gives inaccurate data when moving with rapid 3-D direction changes over short distances, such as in a car.

GPS is based on using very accurate timing signals to calculate your position relative to the constellation of satellites.
So, if there are buildings, hills and valleys that obscure the faint GPS signals and/or add reflected signals with slightly different timings you get randomly inaccurate readings, especially when the GPS unit is moving rapidly, such as in a car.

Add in 3-D movement and the errors increase again as the vertical GPS dimension is mathematically more sensitive to timing variations. So measuring speed on an undulating road through a town in a valley surrounded by a forest will have a high likelihood of random inaccuracy.

Yes, or in an aircraft in flight in turbulence, turning or climbing and/or descending.

To overcome these sensitivities GPS units use time averaging and reduced sampling rates so as to not give ridiculously rapid changes in speed and position, dumbed down as straitman put it. However this only makes the unit usable, it does not make it more accurate whilst moving.

The accuracy is kept high by ignoring the signal from any satellites that do not meet the appropriate timing or strength of signal criteria.

If you want the best GPS speed reading you want to maintain a constant speed on a flat, level, straight road not in a valley and with no horizon obscuring trees or buildings running alongside.

If you have sufficient satellites and/or a differential station near by then trees and valleys 'should' have little or no effect. Agreed that buildings are a problem but even then a 'quality' GPS should be able to navigate sufficiently.

Caveat: I did the maths and wrote software for a Masters Degree, that became a PhD, that exploited the extreme accuracy of the GPS signal timing to remotely 3-D model the ionosphere in real time as it fluctuated during the day. This ionospheric information is essential for over the horizon HF direction finding and radar applications as well as for localised GPS correction tables.

Not a contest but to balance the story I have taught GPS in a practical and theoretical sense at ATPL and Instrument flying endorsement levels.

 

[QF WP]

Not the best time to have a brand new (2 week old) air conditioning unit decide to break and vent water everywhere.



Needless to say when it started to fill the light, we shut off the power.



Thank God for battery life on computers.

Tech has just arrived and groaned

 

[TomVexille]

Tech has just arrived and groaned

That's not a good sign...

 

[QF WP]

As we thought, it was the new condenser unit that the installer hadn't sealed properly. Water from the light was expertly drained and Tech has temporarily sealed with a lot of silver plaster and will be back tomorrow with sealant. Crisis averted, as you were...

 

[Simo]

As we thought, it was the new condenser unit that the installer hadn't sealed properly. Water from the light was expertly drained and Tech has temporarily sealed with a lot of silver plaster and will be back tomorrow with sealant. Crisis averted, as you were...

Gaffer tape would have fixed it...

 

[markis10]

Sad news about the passing of Mick Jaggers girlfriend overnight, I would be surprised if the whole Australia leg of the tour is not cancelled. Their private 767 is being prepped for departure in Perth.

 

[QF WP]

Here's a story from Marie Claire: RIP L'Wren Scott
Fashion Designer L

 

[amaroo]

TBH I'm more upset we've lost the last of the Two Fat Ladies Man they could cook some very tasty looking food Good Food - Two Fat Ladies chef Clarissa Dickson Wright dies

Interesting lady - youngest ever female barrister and toasting a substantial inheritance due to booze......but she could cook!

 

[Major]

TBH I'm more upset we've lost the last of the Two Fat Ladies Man they could cook some very tasty looking food Good Food - Two Fat Ladies chef Clarissa Dickson Wright dies

Interesting lady - youngest ever female barrister and toasting a substantial inheritance because booze......but she could cook!

Interestingly her Mother was Australian

 

[medhead]

Since the Stones tour is likely cancelled I'm more concerned about my concert ticket than someone who enjoyed life to the fullest.

 

[amaroo]

Since the Stones tour is likely cancelled I'm more concerned about my concert ticket than someone who enjoyed life to the fullest.

I would agree - but I was lucky enough see them when they were last out here.

 

[amaroo]

Interestingly her Mother was Australian

And what a name! Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright Clarissa Dickson Wright - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

And what a name! Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright Clarissa Dickson Wright - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OMG !!!! :shock: How do you fit that on your passport !

 

[JessicaTam]

OMG !!!! :shock: How do you fit that on your passport !

The front page folds out to A4?

 

[Flashback]

Sad news about the passing of Mick Jaggers girlfriend overnight, I would be surprised if the whole Australia leg of the tour is not cancelled. Their private 767 is being prepped for departure in Perth.

Interesting that the first thing I heard about on the news (radio) in London this morning was that the Perth gig was cancelled .. then they mentioned why, rather than the other way around.

 

[Hvr]

With that name probably A3.

 

[JessicaTam]

Interesting that the first thing I heard about on the news (radio) in London this morning was that the Perth gig was cancelled .. then they mentioned why, rather than the other way around.

The other way around in MEL.