What did you do today?

I completed the programming of my payload including four tracking systems, pyrotechnic firing and safety circuits, and Iridium satellite communications, and a go-pro camera (for those who haven't met me, I'm the one in the FCCUK jacket!)



attached it to a hydrogen balloon while observing all due safety precautions



persuaded it into the air



and tracked it as it rose to 27 363 metres (89 773 feet 7 and 15⁄32 inches)



http://track.spacenear.us/

and spent a couple of hours on a small boat five miles off the coast trying to find the payload

I watched my third Grandson being born

OK, I'm out-cooled. Sincere congratulations!

Congratulations. All the best.

I felt like a loser just reading the title.
I do stuff Just not great stuff.

That's much more down to earth

Rousers, the two of you!

Lol, thanks

You're not out cooled though Neil, what you've done is just as cool, just in a different way

You did ask what had we done today, so had to reply, sorry

You do great stuff without realising it.

You sent me an alarm siren, without charge and because you wanted to.
May not be great stuff to some people, but it is to people like me and it's appreciated (Although I still haven't fitted it lol )

Losers don't have big hearts or feelings, so you're far from being a loser

Congratulations Theresa. Nothing like seeing a child born to raise the emotions.

Gill and i are cutting straight hazel and chesnut branches in an attempt to build a woven fence about 30 metres long.
Its tough going having to battle with brambles etc.
We have realised that we need an awfull lot more branches than what we have allready cut.
We will need to get permission from some local wood/forest owners to coppice some more.
It should look nice when done though.

Sounds interesting Joe - put some photos up when it's finished

Changed my post to sort the pictures out - something weird happened at photobucket.

Sorry to ask a daft question, but what happens next? Is the plan to see how far it gets?

Nope. The next phase is to launch a rocket plane at a serious height and see how high we can get. We're aiming for forty or fifty thousand metres... (sorry but details are classified).

Did you manage to find it and if not is it still alive floating somewhere ?

I have absolutely no knowledge about any of this...

...but it's certainly more interesting that my hobbies.

And congrats to T.

Pretty cool...



... but this is the bit i'm waiting for.

No. We think it's still floating somewhere in the channel but it's no longer transmitting - or if it is, the aerial is underwater so only radio controlled fish can hear it.

If anyone finds it, I'd like to know! There's telemetry logging data on that bird I can use. And of course, we really want our Playmonaut back: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/playmonaut_mission/

Ah that's a shame, with any luck it will wash ashore and find its way home !

Went metal detecting near Wendover in Bucks and found not a lot. Still a beautiful day to be out and about.

Drove stepson to Silverstone for his first "rookie" driving lesson. He did very well - he shared the Clio Cup with another lad (also a go-karter) and the instructor said they were both really good.
By contrast, my first lesson involved being sworn at round the streets of Sheffield by an ex-para telling me his exploits at "f***ing Arnhem".

Small beer by comparison to others (congrats, T, commiserations, Neil), but fun!

Feel free to apply the equations of motion to a rocket with a thrust-weight ratio of 7 and a burn of 10 seconds. It's moving surprisingly quickly at the end of that burn...

Wow. All I've done today is feel rough as toast after a party at mine, and had a poo. I'm wasting my life!

Chopped trees back, went to tip, windged about back now hurting, Cleaned oil from last owners overalls off my jaaag seats, this is why they cant have nice things.

Where was my invite?

We went to see Father Christmas

Cleaned the bumblebee for the first time in exactly three weeks, fortunately nothing happened this time , refitted the n/s rear interior panel that had been off for several weeks but noticed that water was coming in the pinin badge holes , re-aligned the o/s wiper where the AA guy had left it missing the last six inches of the screen...

Watched England - All Blacks (if I was a conspirator I'd be tempted to think NZ weren't trying through some of the game)

Went with Mrs Ed to see Skyfall in our local family-owned cinema: big plush double sofas each, free Pringles and unlimited soft drinks

Can't complain!

Why cant there be a cinema like that near me. if they offered a service like that I wouldn't actually mind paying. We just get flung in to a tiny room with overpriced "snacks" in chairs that would make ryan air look like luxury liners.

They wonder why the cinema is dying? because there in no "theatre" to it any more, no experience no grandeur with a stack them high and sell them expriance attitude with a business model that's slowly desolving /end rant

The Dominion in Morningside is still family-run and has 4 screens, 2 of which are in tiny auditoriums. Tickets for the Bond movie were nearly £11 but the atmosphere and comfort are great, ridiculous legroom where folk could pass by even if your legs are stretched out on the footstool! Not that we're Steven Finns but you get the picture....
For a popular film you may have to join the end of the queue outside on the steps initially but the personal touch kicks in when the manager steps up to organise everyone possible into the small foyer.
It has closed 3 times for refurbishment and enlarging since it opened in 1938 and if possible we like to use it to help an independent cinema flourish.

I honestly don't mind paying £15+ for a ticket if I get to see a film in an adult environment in a comfi chair. Basically if it can offer me an experience that I cannot replicate at home ill hand my ready's over with pleasure. I want it to be an event, I don't want to just see a film, I can do that anywhere now.

I have one cinema, a very small one with in 20 miles that may turn up trumps which im off to next week... but we will see

I went to a memorial service to honour my daughter and other babies that were stillborn
And then I picked up a birthday cake for my son,,,22 today,,strange old day

?? in other cars thread?

Nice if not guzzly

Gosh Paul, speechless

Maybe though before too long you'll find yourself seeing your son more frequently

Its cool mate honestly,It was 19 years ago but still hurts like hell! Felt it really bad today when the named bauble got put on the tree. There were a few people speaking about their experiences and it brought it all back ,amazing how raw it can still be.
No chance of Sam leaving the house though mate!Hes got it too good here!

As long as there's no chance of um, arrested development

No chance,,,,,I have only 744 days till I retire

Cant begin to understand what today has been like for you steamer. All I can say is sorry..

My favourite Arnhem quote was from an ex-SS soldier who worked for us in Berlin. His assessment was “The Paras were tough soldiers. Not as good as the SS, but tough soldiers”

As a tank crewman in the 2nd SS Panzer Corps, “Das Reich” he was in the Arnhem area on R+R (Rest and Recuperation) when the paras dropped in. I guess they were pretty pissed off...

History would suggest he was right..

It's a strange world.


My first reply to this thread was because I knew before I read it, it would be something fantastic.
And wish I had the capacity to understand.
I did watch Apollo 18. Sorted out the garden and more prep for our trip.

T. No pics of the baby?

Did you find Apollo 18 as bad as I did?

I watched it on my laptop with headphones which maybe added to the claustrophobia. I enjoyed it for the majority, but let down by what the reason was what was going on. Stonespiders?
Blair Witch In Space

People spoil my cinema experience.
Why do they think they must eat?
I truelly hate cinemas.
I went to see the last instalment of Twighlight. So it started off well. Got there very early, sat in the middle as you do. About half dozen other people. It filled up as it was the second day of showing in about the two minutes before it is going to start.
Because of how people sat with their various groups, I had an empty seat to my left, my wife had one to her right. A couple ends up asking us if we can move so they can sit together.
I gave up my seat that I had sat in for the last hour to give to xxxxx who arrived minutes before the film was going to start. Prime seats without any of the hassle. I was polite but xxxx fuming, lost my concentration on the cross eyed vampire girl for the first fifteen minutes.

If I'm forced to go, I get there early and sit in the second row from the back closest to ile, call me a creature of habit....as to eating thing, I would much rather have a pint with my film and not a soft drink

Yes it was a cold Bud right enough but a rip-off at £4.20.

No sorry, my daughter doesn't like photos of her kids all over the internet and I pretty much agree with her.

Steamer, I feel guilty now, telling you about my new grandson, so close to the anniversary of your daughter

Understood and correct.

Not at all T I shouldnt have mentioned it on a public forum like that!!!
Im over the moon for you and your daughter and grandchildren lol!

passed my city and guilds course TIG welding specialising in aluminium going to do part 2 next year

That's excellent. Is it a long course? and is it days or evenings?
Also do you have a particular reason to specialise in aluminium?

I'd be quite keen to do something similar myself.

Official pictures and story from Vulture Central.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/04/spears_flight/

Love it, nice write up, and good use of FCCUK clothing!

Went to chose a new kitten, came home with one, the second comes home Thursday..... Porky can't say no to abandoned animals hence why we now have 5 cats and 7 bunnies!
Oh and made Christmas cookies with my little girl

I told my better half i'm leaving if she gets another bloody cat! Hang in there Paul.....

Isn't that cannibalism?

No special menu for you at Carlisle now Lezza

It's Paul that brings the things home, I have had to ban him from going pets at home now alone!

What's that saying........ Sugar and spice and all things nice that's what little girls are made off!!!

MODS!! Off with her head!

Paul, Paul has got a softer side !
He wont want that getting out!

Paul reminds me of a Dime bar hard on the outside soft in the middle like a armourdilo but ginger.

Dime bars are hard on the outside and inside, so don't know what you've been eating?

I can't think of anything forum suitable to put here with regards to Paul, pussycats and ginger and have to keep deleting, sorry

Porky has done it again, we have got a 2nd new kitten jet black little girl about 10 weeks old!!!............... So I have called her Ferrari

You meant.....