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Thursday, October 15, 2009

A REALLY Different Kind of Construction Problem

OK, so you're building a Large Hadron Collider, hoping to conjure up the elusive Higgs-Boson particle. But somehow, every time you try, smoke gets released. Here is one recent theory (reported in the New York Times) about what is going on:

"I'm talking about the notion that the troubled collider is being sabotaged by its own future. A pair of otherwise distinguished physicists have suggested that the hypothesized Higgs boson, which physicists hope to produce with the collider, might be so abhorrent to nature that its creation would ripple backward through time and stop the collider before it could make one, like a time traveler who goes back in time to kill his grandfather."

Wow! This is really useful troubleshooting information! Who among us hasn't been working on something that could be considered "abhorrent to nature"? We are, after all, the "ugly" construction guys. Perhaps if things get a little too ugly, a WHOLE DIFFERENT set of problems kick in. No wonder I couldn't get that 440 Mhz transverter working!!!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Micro Men on the BBC: Sinclairs, Acorns, and the Knack

Now these guys look like some proper British boffins!
Tony Fishpool, G4WIF, sent me this link to a wonderful new BBC program about the early days of home computing: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2009/oct/08/armstrong-freeman-micro-men-bbc

Tony also sent me his own story of computer derring-do in the early days. Here Tony once again marks himself as a true Knack victim, and a true wizard. Commenting on the BBC show, Tony wrote:

...I enjoyed a huge dose of nostalgia. I owned both Sinclair and Acorn computers back then and I suppose they launched me on a geek career that's put food on the table ever since.

One of the first Christmas's of my early married life tested my new bride's
patience with a knack victim for a husband.

A long awaited Acorn Atom kit computer finally arrived on Christmas Eve. All during Christmas day I was hunched over a steaming soldering iron installing every capacitor, resistor and semiconductor in the computer's printed circuit board.

That evening after the last component was installed I applied power and
there was a beep and the TV (which should have been showing Christmas
movies) displayed :-

Acorn Computers

Ready>

Wow!

How I managed to get that computer working first time still amazes me to
this day. How I am still married amazes me even more - but I was "in the
zone" and that computer just had to be built.

The TV show is called "Micro Men" so look out for it.

Kind regards
Tony G4WIF

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Video Smoke

There is a special SolderSmoke video on YouTube today. Look for the
M0HBR channel. Or use the SS Video link to the right on this blog 73
from Ponticelli
Bill

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Columbus Day Sale on SolderSmoke (The Book) Save 14.92%

Enter coupon code 'PINTA' at checkout and save 14.92% off any purchase - maximum discount $25 per account. No exchanges or substitutions allowed. Only one valid coupon code may be used per account. Offer expires on 10/12/09 at 11:59 PM GMT. Lulu.com reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Lunar Impact on October 9 -- LCROSS Hits the Moon



It is a bus-sized object and it will hit at approximately twice the speed of a bullet!

Even though my telescope is a bit smaller than the recommended minimum, I'd be tempted to see if I could see it.... But that 1130 GMT impact time would make it difficult from Rome!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Kid in Malawi Builds Homebrew Wind Power System

This is a very nice story. Inspirational stuff. Young William Kamkwamba wanted to bring electricity to his family. So he went to a library, got some plans for a windmill, then gathered the parts and built one.
http://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/
Designer: Douglas Bowman | Dimodifikasi oleh Abdul Munir Original Posting Rounders 3 Column