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@ben@mastodon.bentasker.co.uk what did the unit set you back? They seem to be about 1500 currently, which would make a split seem a cheaper option. But everything with AC has gone mad this year
Remote
Steve Scott
@wishy@tooter.wishy.co.uk
mastodon 4.7.2UK based geek. Work in application networking. Interests: Photography (Film/Medium Format, Drone), Bike Rider, EV Driver, Home Assistant, Solar (GivEnergy)
152 Followers
223 Following
50 Posts
Joined November 11, 2022
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@GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social LBC also wants a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTIESiyDNUQ
Count Binface reacts to 'hilarious' chance of becoming an actual MP
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@neil I've got some excitement planned for today on the 4th B.
(Some of my current set expire in September, and are no-longer manufactured)
New blog: I replaced my Nest Protect with Aico smoke detectors. Some details for those who need to replace the Nest Protect
https://www.wishy.co.uk/blog/2026/05/05/replacing-nest-with-aico-smoke-alarms/
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We visited the Tellbreen glacier on a particularly grey and snowy day. It's a beautiful spot a fairly easy day trip from Longyearbyen (We visited as part of a longer tour)
Pixel 9p
3/n
Regraded my @aaisp@social.aa.net.uk Openreach FTTP from 550/75 to 1000/115 last week.
- Regrade requested on Sunday night, implemented in the early hours of Monday morning, 2 x 1 minute outages over 10 minutes
- Download Speed to Speedtest is consistently gigabit
- Download Speed to most other services not *hugely* improved
- Upload improvement (Main reason I regraded) noticeable
550 is probably the sweet spot TBH. To be clear, A&A provide some decent guidance and set expectation. I'm very happy with them
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OH: "I said it was idiotproof, not managerproof"
Well, made it to Svalbard without a hitch. We're warming up at what is almost certainly the most northerly Thai restaurant, which is far better than we have any right to expect given the location.
Svalbard doesn't require visas for travel (although you need to have a job to get accomodation), and there is now a large south east Asian community.
@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk Symmetric as well, sexy!
(I rarely worry about download speed these days, but upload speeds on standard GPON aren't great)
A day in London today, went to the Science Museum,
While I was a little disappointed with the Star Trek 60 exhibition*, the Water Pantanal Fire had some rather impressive photography, and was practically empty.
The exhibition focuses on the wildfires the area (South America, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay) is experiencing, the impact on the landscape and wildlife. Would recommend (Probably 15-20 mins)
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/water-pantanal-fire
*A few cabinets setup like a treasure hunt, gift shop
HTTP/403 You have no authority here Jackie Weaver
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@staustellsimon@infosec.exchange Well, assuming they're close by the radio interlink will do that. The Ei428 is useful if you also want home assistant to know about the problem
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@staustellsimon@infosec.exchange If you do actually want an Ei428, random acts of eBay have left me with 2 (I've paid for both, one seller just completely blanked me for 2 weeks, ignored messages, a cancellation request, and on the last day of item not received decided to post the item. By which time I'd given up)
@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk that's a fun one, I don't really extract language from music, and even with subtitles there is generally too much metaphor and subtext for me to get on well with musicals.
Wonder if there are other citizens of the fedi with similar brains...
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And the Rock ptarmigan. They're beautiful white birds with fluffy feet
Pixel 9p
5/
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We had a trip up to a glacial lagoon, which freezes over in the winter and can be accessed by skimobile. I believe this is the Haysbreen glacier
Some icebergs didn't make it out of the bay before it froze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDnGFfuvjM has a short unedited drone video, flying over the glacier. There is more footage and the much editing to do
Mix of Mavic 3 and Pixel 9p
7/
Nordmann Fonna glacier
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And I think I'll leave it at that, but if anybody has any questions please do ask.
I'll leave you with a note that eyelashes can freeze at -20c, but actually with the right gear it can be reasonably comfortable, just a lot of admin to put all the gear on!
8/8
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Svalbard hosts many migratory species, which is frankly a sensible strategy for the High Arctic, where the polar night is months long.
Svalbard Reindeer (a small subspecies), Rock ptarmigan, polar bears and seals stay. Thankfully we did not see polar bears, they're dangerous, and it's best they don't get too used to people.
We were able to sit and watch a herd of reindeer for some time. But they also come into Longyearbyen
Pixel 9p
4/
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For part of the trip we took a tour by ski mobile and stayed in a cabin. The cabin is basic to say the least, and with 7 people it was... rather tight.
The cabin is pulled into a valley by snow-cat at the start of the season, and is removed before it melts.
The tent is for the toilet. Again, basic.
Still, what a view
Pixel 9p
6/
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Svalbard is sort of Drone friendly. You can't fly in national parks (of which there are many) or near Longyearbyen (the main settlement - close to the airport). But otherwise you can fly on standard EASA rules for Norway (Broad preregistration required with the Norwegian security services)
I'll no doubt be able to pull something together on the video side, but I have some stills.
Mavic 3
2/n
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@alisonw @bloor Netherlands is easy - No. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-extends-ban-on-personal-meat-imports-to-protect-farmers-from-foot-and-mouth
Switzerland - Seems that's bundled with the EU/Iceland/Norway, so also no.
Outside of EU/Iceland/Norway/Switzerland, you can't bring meat/cheese anwyay
Obviously if you're bringing food in professionally, that's a different matter. (Larger quantities, paperwork, vets signoff, etc)
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@bloor FWIW, it was on the news at the time, and Eurostar email you 2 days before you travel back. By which time you might have a nice cheese selection, etc
And it looks like Givenergy has appointed administrators... Sigh...
#SolarUK
New blog: Adventures in Agile Outbound
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@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk because big fat margins on that coffee?
LGW-OSL-LYR London-Olso-Longyearbyen is an odd one.
You don't need a visa for Longyearbyen, so as long as your baggage is checked through you ask at passport control and they get security to come collect you from a special door and rescan your hand baggage at what is basically a private security station.
Last night will be the last night we will see for a week and a bit, and it looks like we're in for -12 when we arrive.
Let's go to Svalbard he said, it'll be their summer he says
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@jamesb this place says they will deliver to home for 59 nok, but I suspect it would be cold by the time they got it to London
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@scarlet do you find NATO alphabet helps you remember? Certainly seems easier for me to remember
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@boffbowsh@mastodon.me.uk @staustellsimon@infosec.exchange Glad it was helpful, fair bit of analysis paralysis on my part too - were you also using Nest?
The relay board is your for a tenner plus postage. I can pop in a Sonoff mini is you want, I bought a multipack which worked out as £4 each.
PM me your details if that works
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@h0m54r@mastodon.social @scarlet@chaos.social Techtronic Industries TTI, the parent company for Ryobi actually own the Vax brand too. Hence they make reasonably decent vacuums.
After 7 years, the Schwalbe Marathon Plus finally met its match.
Guess I'll have an unintended walking meeting...
(The screw was all the way through to the metal)
Looks like Givenergy Solar are switching from free cloud management to a subscription. They've made mistakes and have lost momentum, so not a huge surprise.
Thankfully local access remains available.
@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk I shall mostly be looking sexy.
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@scarlet@chaos.social I've found broad alignment with Fitbit. Not so much the sleep scores, but the hours align with how I'm doing
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@0xabad1dea@infosec.exchange @hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange @catsalad@infosec.exchange "excellent choice sir!"
It's really difficult judging code competitions these days (Job related).
I feel like the winner vs runners-up are basically just a function of how lucky they were with the LLM RNG and if it chose to do $sillything for them.