JamesB

Accidental Electronic Engineer. Geek. Servant to too many cats. Growing old disgracefully. Anti-Fascist. Anti-Bigot.

Apparently does radio things sometimes.

Collector of e-waste, handcuffs and injuries, not usually related.

Shitposts and poorly thought through brainfarts.

Jack of all. Master of none.

I'm here to help you feel less affected by imposter syndrome.

I do not take myself seriously and nobody should take me seriously either.

Oversharing online since Fidonet.

Potty Mouth.

Website: https://www.mw1cgg.co.uk

Public Key

npub19zgmff73kqqhkksc2ztgsm5c6rsp03m6an5vr7ajkrf69gz08ass4rkc2k

NIP-05 Address

mw1cgg_at_mastodon.radio@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsz3yd55lgmqqtmtgv9p95gd6vdpcqhcaawe6xplwetp5az5p8n7cgprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wdmksetjv5hxxmmdjjpgd3

Publishing to

relay.noswhere.com

Author Public Key

npub19zgmff73kqqhkksc2ztgsm5c6rsp03m6an5vr7ajkrf69gz08ass4rkc2k

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Last Notes

2024-08-15 19:37:36

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I corrected my toot to parallel ports but what's your problem with serial?

2024-08-15 19:24:58

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I beat an entire software department when I was 18 because they couldn't work out how to make VB use a serial port. I'd rather that didn't go on my gravestone.
I'm nowhere near as arrogant now as I was when I was a teenager but I still don't get how 4 of them couldn't work it out but I could. Noticeably before Google was a thing.

2024-08-15 19:03:40

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That acronym makes me very fucking angry. It's also one of the reasons I don't cycle any more.

2024-08-15 18:10:14

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That's a very unfortunate mark on your hand.

2024-08-13 19:40:11

From Reddit:
"I live near the Thames and am moving to Cheltenham. The Chelt is sweet but not very big. Is there a river with pretty villages near Cheltenham? I love Tewkesbury so, apart from Tewks."
Fuck me, have you heard of Google Maps? I've heard the Severn is quite near and pretty.

2024-07-05 18:52:10

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A lot of us aren't seeing it as a win but more as a step in the right direction.
Someone said that they didn't win because of who they were, they just won because they were slightly less worse.

2024-07-05 18:43:52

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No, we booted the *current* fash out. There's more to come, just hopefully more mild fash. The replacements are just not as bad as the others.

2024-07-04 18:36:21

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This is true but the offer on the plate was only marginally better than we have now.
I did research all the PR variations and I think, but I'm not quite sure that I think the D'Hondt method may have been my most preferred method bunt without doing it again I can't be sure.
And no, the public can't be trusted.

2024-06-22 07:02:04

I'm no boomer but I feel it coming on when I read how to install some stuff on Linux these days. Yeah, I'll curl some random script... fuck off.

2024-06-21 19:51:51

Just had a message from my uncle asking where my parent's ashes are interred.
Yeah, I should probably sort that out. Why hasn't the funeral director sorted that out, they were meant to.
*Little cry*
Right, fine now.

2024-06-21 18:54:02

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Ok, you win. I've never been that daft.

2024-06-21 18:45:57

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no, it's always bitter sweet symphony.

2024-06-21 18:45:34

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Easy then, even if there isn't an inbuilt add on for it. Cool, thanks.

2024-06-21 18:44:31

I love gym bunnies that tell me that the answer to all my body problems is more exercise.
I walk everywhere. I used to cycle but can't do that now because drivers are wankers.
Still waiting for a gym bunny to explain how exercising more is going to put a badly healed shoulder injury back in place when I pull my top down and show them the bone sticking out.
After that article this week I can't imagine how much my back would hurt if I didn't walk everywhere. 100% more if my maths is right.

2024-06-21 18:37:35

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I used to be the first one to get up and try something stupid. I just can't afford to now.

2024-06-21 18:35:47

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I've had the fish and chips from there, I've had the curry. Has to be kebab tonight.

2024-06-21 18:33:58

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I've broken my body so much now doing things over the years that I'm afraid to do stuff and possibly break it any more. My Dad had more mobility than me before he died earlier this year at 80 years old.

2024-06-21 18:31:48

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I never used to be scared of ladders and stuff, I did all sorts of stupid shit. With experience now I know how much it hurts.

2024-06-21 18:18:07

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I assume it can be used by Home Assistant fairly easily so I don't have to hack something together. I haven't really looked into it yet.

2024-06-21 18:17:01

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There are two rules of Infrastructure club.
1) We don't talk about how we're set up.
2) Wait what?

2024-06-21 18:15:52

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Nice. I had a half wave 11m on the house roof and a discone on the garage when I was a kid.
I haven't done anything about a proper setup since I've actually "owned" this house. There's a few other things I want but they can wait until we get the roof replaced because I don't do ladders over a certain height.

2024-06-21 17:54:20

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I know, but I have quite a few cables.

2024-06-21 17:36:27

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Hmm. May as well replace the feedlines and route cables nicely this time now that I don't have a landlord to shout at me.
I'm in the pub. Someone must have a core drill. I have no soffits so it's the only way in that isn't the window.

2024-06-21 17:33:02

Bugger. My Pushover trial has ended. Guess I'll be setting up Nfty tomorrow as well then.

2024-06-21 17:14:30

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I'll do that when you restrict your diet to shit you can only forage from hedgerows.

2024-06-21 17:02:20

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It covers up how filthy I feel after I've had to write anything for the web.
Oddly the last time I enjoyed writing anything for the web I was actually a teenager. As you know that was... a while ago.

2024-06-21 16:51:54

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I did once vote for the MRLP. Dancing Ken, a Cheltenham legend.

2024-06-21 16:24:44

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I still use Lynx to check any website stuff I have to create. Fabulous browser.

2024-06-21 16:22:45

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But first, 3D print a blank Hexpansion so I can work out if there's a way I can get this fucker to fit.

2024-06-21 16:20:14

Oh dear. I'm going to make an RS-485 Hexpansion. All will become clear in 2 years.

2024-06-21 16:14:12

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Ah, they must have assumed everyone would just use a /24. Well done lads...

2024-06-21 16:10:23

I suppose I'd better go back to being an adult tomorrow and finish ripping the decking up so I can put my antennas back up.
Should have fucked my back within 30 minutes of starting that so a nice easy day with KiCad it will end up.

2024-06-21 15:50:18

If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 open tabs... you're gonna see some serious shit.
https://mastodon.radio/system/media_attachments/files/112/655/399/913/512/162/original/61afbb821f71bbd1.png

2024-06-21 15:27:17

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This stinks of PRS again. Utter shits.

2024-06-21 15:09:59

Just watched the son of someone who I'd loosely class as a mate get nicked. The apple doesn't fall far from the cart as they say.

2024-06-21 14:16:56

Weekend unlocked.

2024-06-21 13:27:01

Ah, according to the notification I've just had my curry is ready for collection.
I ate it last night.

2024-06-21 09:41:53

I haven't had coffee yet. I should rectify this.

2024-06-21 06:14:08

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I was going to argue then I remembered I haven't heard them referred to by number for years and a quick check of the Toolstation catalog tells me we're all metric now.

2024-06-20 21:45:01

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I can confirm they were just on the desk from a previous job and had nothing to do with earwax extraction.

2024-06-20 21:27:10

Just remembered that I saw a load of solid 6mm ali things in the scrap at work earlier. Must remember to re-appropriate them for a better use.

2024-06-20 21:03:10

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Oh go on then.
https://mastodon.radio/system/media_attachments/files/112/650/970/072/776/381/original/841ccc6f4243d5bb.jpg

2024-06-20 20:58:11

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Thank Deus for Sodium Bicarbonate.

2024-06-20 20:57:41

Fuck. I can hear again.
I won't bother posting a photo of the size of the thing that's just come out of my ear. It's ewww.

2024-06-20 20:10:45

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Back when I was on Facebook I used to do posts ripping apart Marketplace things. I kind of miss doing it but not enough to go back on Facebook to do it.

2024-06-20 19:56:34

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I have classed it as "Quite nice". It'll do for a local curry place. I'm sure they'll make it shitter as time goes on though.

2024-06-20 19:19:43

I've got a thing to do that involves driving ~6 stepper motors at any one time. Not continuous, they're all static for most of the time. However, when they move they'd probably all have to move at the same time.
To save power consumption and copper I'm thinking about clocking the driver chips all at a slightly different phased clock.
Tell me this is a bad idea.

2024-06-20 18:42:28

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Well I have ordered. Mainly because I don't have the energy to cook my own today. We shall see.

2024-06-20 16:52:46

I found a module using the LoRa chip I originally specified so I wouldn't have to bother about filtering and major antenna matching for this LoRa Hexpansion. Easily available as well so people wouldn't have to solder QFNs.
Fucking won't fit because of the height restriction. Bollocks.
I have some really bad ideas about making it fit.

2024-06-20 16:49:20

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All of them are useful. They're great for picking up cat shit when I've run out of gloves.

2024-06-20 16:46:54

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When you have seven cats this goes awry. Which one is it? Where are they? Bonus points for multiple cats. Bloody 5am every day.

2024-06-20 16:44:27

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And Dyson make vacuum cleaners that don't suck.

2024-06-20 16:13:20

Hell hath no fury like Motobility after the car recipient dies.

2024-06-20 15:59:59

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I should point out that it isn't the type of ionisation thing that requires a specially trained furry on standby.

2024-06-20 15:49:50

I swear someone flipped the leads on my ionisation test source just to piss me off. It was probably me. I wasted 10 minutes trying to find out why my source temperature reading was utter bobbins.

2024-06-20 15:42:36

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I don't recommend punching down fibre.

2024-06-20 13:55:54

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I was eating Kale when it was still thought of as animal food. Love the stuff.

2024-06-20 11:44:41

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Yet again, he takes the credit for the work and research done by real geniuses.

2024-06-20 11:43:54

Reasons I don't fear AI taking over #342324565
https://www.alliedcomponents.com/blog/maximum-voltage-across-resistor/amp

2024-06-20 11:27:01

Yes, thank you for explaining how the department works however you may have forgotten that I already know BECAUSE I FOUNDED THE BLOODY DEPARTMENT AND SET UP ALL THE PROCEDURES AND METHODS!

2024-06-20 09:53:13

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Last time I had to fill that in it gave me a papercut.

2024-06-20 09:23:31

Urgh. I prefer my paperwork without someone else's bloodstains on it.

2024-06-20 07:04:35

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Oh quite. My $BIGCORP employer regularly sends out stuff that breaks every guideline in the cyber security training they force us to do. They usually have to send another e-mail telling us that the previous one is legit.

2024-06-20 06:54:28

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I don't think the dish is big enough but I may as well have a go. George Smart (M1GEO) has done a nice guide on it. https://www.george-smart.co.uk/2019/02/eshail2-rx/

2024-06-20 06:28:07

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It's legit, we all got one - although mine came through at the weekend. It's just because of the latest changes.

2024-06-20 06:27:23

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We were using it for that but we don't use it any more.

2024-06-19 18:15:54

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I hate this.

2024-06-19 17:37:51

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Hmm. Transverters are ouchy.

2024-06-19 17:30:11

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I get it but sometimes custom parts are unavoidable. Don't ask me about ion optics.

2024-06-19 17:27:51

I'm going to remove the feeds to our Sky Dish at the weekend. Anything easy and useful I could do with the dish that isn't a slot antenna? If so I'll chuck in the container rather than binning it.
At the moment it's obviously fixed and pointing in one direction. That could be changed.

2024-06-19 17:08:49

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I wouldn't even mind nads depending on which animal they came from.

2024-06-19 17:01:55

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Odd Indian wordery is fine, it's a big place with many regional differences but the actual English translations need some work.
https://ayatcurryhouse.co.uk/menu/
If you want to see.

2024-06-19 16:52:32

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I know that nad is a word. It just doesn't work the same way as "and" when you're trying to write a menu. It's not even a one off, it's all over the menu.

2024-06-19 16:50:05

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However we've been lacking a curry house around my way since the Aroma debacle so I'll try this new one that opens soon and won't even pass judgement on the spellink mistakes on the menu until I've tasted it.

2024-06-19 16:47:37

If I had £1 for every curry description I read from BIR places that starts "A most famous and popular dish" I'd probably be quite well off and have a guaranteed income stream.

2024-06-19 16:17:10

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Aye, which is a bit ridiculous these days.

2024-06-19 15:34:09

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may know

2024-06-19 15:27:24

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Not all the time, it depends whether you're contract, PAYG or full prepaid. I'm the latter and I don't have IPv6 at all.

2024-06-19 13:58:44

I have found an untralight camping bed for £40 inc shipping on Aliexpress. 1.6kg. Worth a punt I suppose. The Helinox is chingy.

2024-06-18 19:58:19

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If you find something worthwhile, let me know. I have a box full of chargers I don't trust either.

2024-06-18 18:07:39

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Interesting, thanks. Not sure if I can be arsed for the sake of £6 though.

2024-06-18 17:52:09

Just seen a post on $platform for $festival where someone was blaming the car park staff for him not being able to find his car.
I don't bite very often but I did this time. What a prick.
Just drop a Google Map pin or go "just right of the radio mast plus 100m". Yeah, took me a bit to find ours but I didn't expect anyone to find it for me.
Entitled knob. Yeah, all the staff keep a database of where KN08 4ED has parked. Twat.

2024-06-18 17:01:38

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I haven't taken it apart yet but it wouldn't surprise me if it was.

2024-06-18 17:00:56

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I don't get on with airbeds so I got a cheap camping bed that would actually fit in our tent. Most are longer. It's not perfect but it really helped. Now I've proved the concept I'll look into a better one.
https://www.halfords.com/camping/camping-furniture/halfords-essentials-camping-bed-676630.html

2024-06-18 16:36:21

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That sounds like TfW these days. Never thought I'd miss Arriva Trains Wales.

2024-06-18 16:35:45

Now I've found the secret to camping without absolutely fucking my body, I need to find an ultra lightweight camping bed.
I'm a bit sore today but 100x better than I was after EMF. A lot of the pain could be put down to lots of walking, standing and some sort of dancing.

2024-06-18 16:00:17

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You can call me anything you like except Sir if you buy me a drink first.

2024-06-18 15:55:17

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We are legion.
Amusing that I never heard of anyone doing it before either but it had to be you bloody two.

2024-06-18 15:52:39

Just reading about these "AI Cameras" deployed on the rail network to detect emotions. I hope they can differentiate between normal anger and despair on the rail network that we all suffer from and someone actually suffering an emotional crisis.

2024-06-18 15:19:50

Bought a "Maxim Smart Plug Socket" on a whim from one of the bargain shops for £6. Appears to be a rebadged Tuya.
Can I get it working with Home Assistant as is? No. May play with the Tuya app later but the Maxim App won't let me connect HA.
Not worried if I can't. This had one specific purpose and I don't need HA for it.

2024-06-18 14:18:56

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As Nordic Spirit were sponsoring the festival they had an offer on the normal circular tubs. £6.50 for one (normal RRP) or £7.50 for two, so I loaded my pockets with that offer as well.

2024-06-18 14:17:48

Tallied up Download hoard: 120 free nicotine pouches. I can live with that. That's a few week's worth.

2024-06-18 10:33:26

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What a bunch of bellends.

2024-06-17 19:53:51

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There's some wireless microphones in there though marked "VHF". They could be interesting but I'm too tired to go through it all.

2024-06-17 19:51:17

It seems that "yeah, I'll take that DVD copier off you" (so I could harvest the lasers) has turned into having 4 boxes of useless e-waste dumped on me while I was out. Yeah, thanks.

2024-06-17 19:43:38

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I'd riot, but I'm really tired.

2024-06-17 18:59:31

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Exactly, it was really good.

2024-06-17 18:57:19

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That was my normal order as well! Sometimes with olives.

2024-06-17 18:33:58

Papa Johns have stopped offering anchovies as a topping. Cowards!
That was the only reason I ever ordered pizza from them because their pizzas are crap.

2024-06-17 15:04:28

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I was right, I did have one.