Good morning!!!!

[daugen]

31 going to 53 today, definitely cooler, with heavy rain due in tonight, about 1.5 inches predicted.
so...lots to do outside today to get ready for that. Got most of my crusher run moved yesterday afternoon and then did most of the manual
raking myself, after a lot of blading getting things leveled off. Area between the barn and the shed looks much better now. I need to take the blade off and run the rake over everything today.

One casualty, was running the Gravely rolling ruts towards the end and it just stopped dead. Definitely electrical, need to trace it down. I love that old garden tractor but it's no longer motor reliable, and I'm considering dropping a 23hp Vanguard conversion engine in.

Today is my day to finish putting the elevated garden together, and then I might work on the mower deck of the JD. Everything got powerwashed yesterday and it's nice to see something other than mud brown.
So a busy day planned today; I can rest tomorrow while it's raining.

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning. I was wrong about expecting it to rain all day yesterday. It only rained for most of the time, for the rest of the day we were treated to sleet. If the forecast comes good, the lambs may get a few hours of respite this afternoon.


I must be allergic to the concept of cruising. I don't mind going on boats, although only in the daytime. Being confined to sleep in a metal box on the high seas just doesn't, err, float my boat. My daughter has a friend who earns her living entertaining on cruise ships. She has twice been on cruise's that had a bad ending, sinking's that killed many people. Even that didn't put her off, she still loves the lifestyle.

 

[txdon]

I must be allergic to the concept of cruising. I don't mind going on boats, although only in the daytime. Being confined to sleep in a metal box on the high seas just doesn't, err, float my boat.

That's why we alway get a balcony, then it's just like a high rise hotel but better, if we have to jump at least there is water below and if the ship turns the other way we just walk out on the side. Floating in a hotel/mall/restaurant/entertainment to your destination sure beats driving or flying.
David S. did you get any perks with the price of fuel down (free drinks, shore excursions, wifi, speciality dinning, gratuities, or on board credit) We got a shore excursion credit of $75 per port and $25 on board credit. We also booked through Costco and got an extra $90 on board credit.

 

[txdon]

Our Texas Michelangelo is at it again I see. Don, looking good.

Ha, more like a Texas day laborer. With Buppies prediction of a weather event in 10 days I need to get a move on it. The boarder framing is ready for steel and 38 - 80# bags of cement. I hope to do the "The Pour" tomorrow. My Dads truck has a flat so I'll miss a half day today.

67˚ heading to the 80s.

 

[ronjhall]

Poured first cup of coffee. 61° with some clouds this morning. Heading to 88° with some sun. Another record breaking day. Drop the dog off at groomer then a trip to the barber for me. Going to try a different farmers market today. Should be interesting.
Good Morning All.

 

[wngsprd]

21 going to 45 and snow 2 to 4 inches tonight.

Haircut this morning, then gym, then home for a visit from in-laws.

 

[farmer2009]

39 this morning and headed to 44 today. Radar is showing a wintery mix for us although it seems to all be rain currently. Nothing real heavy but some showers off and on till lunch.

Back to the Kubota dealer to pickup tractor. It was first on their list this morning so should be done by lunch. Then pickup boy from daycare as his mother has parent-teacher conferences tonight. Oh and she's not looking forward to it. We'll have to see what else I find to get into today.

 

[rswyan]

21.4F and mostly overcast @ 07:30 ... could have up to 2" of snow later this evening.

Got the quote from alarm company to "upgrade" the system, very disappointing.

After telling them that there was absolutely no way that I was going to install a whole new system, and that I was primarily interested in adding additional capabilities, what did they end up doing ?

Gave me a two-part quote - the first part being to replace the existing system (80% of the cost) - the controller, keypads, backup battery, siren w/ strobe, and a zone expander ... to "get you up and running" ... :confused2:

The second part (roughly 20% of the cost) was to add a minimal amount of additional capability, to address a couple of specific concerns ... and that part of the quote didn't even make sense, because it was inadequate in terms of coverage, with the equipment they quoted. A trained professional would/should know that ... even if they are a sales critter.

The quoted cost was $1,275.00 ... and since it wasn't mentioned, I assume that uses existing wiring.

The existing system was state-of-the-art when it was originally installed, and I do realize that it is somewhat dated at this point ... but it is still functional. To be fully "functional" and have all it's capabilities (primarily the ability to be monitored by a Central Station/Office), it may need to be reprogrammed. The question is, do these guys have the ability to do so ?

That was a question I asked, and all I got was evasion and mis-direction ... plus a whole lot doubts from them as to whether it would even work with our current telephone service, which is ATT U-verse.

I'm not even sure that our current (voice) phone service actually uses VOIP and not POTS ... and even if it does, I think I can have ATT configure our service to use POTS for voice.

Beyond that, I'm not even sure that I want Central Station/Office monitoring - it's an additional monthly expense ($30) ... and why would I want to trust my security to someone else anyways ? (still waiting to hear back as to whether said monitoring would be on a month-to-month basis, or whether it would require a contract for an extended period of time)

The only possible advantage I can see, is that they have the ability (theoretically) to control the system remotely, and could silence an alarm and re-arm the system if we were away from home ... assuming they still have the capability to do so, of course.

After a little research on my own, I know that my system can be upgraded to have cellular capability (via 3rd party equipment) for a minimal cost (1/10th of what they quoted)

I called another local company, who is actually a dealer for the company (big name) who acquired the company that made the system we have. Talked to the lady who answered the phone - who seemed extremely knowledgable - and found that they could indeed reprogram the system ... assuming it had not been software-locked by the company that originally installed it (the company which I just got a quote from) ... still waiting on a call back from a sales critter from them, to go over the situation in detail.

 

[Larro Darro]

Good Morning. 0800, sunny, 50F with 61% humidity. Forecast high of 73F with no chance of rain today, and a low of 48F tonight. It got cooler than our forecast. I saw a little frost on the roof when I came in from the camp. Called Margie, she said there was a heavy frost on her car. Had to wash it off the windshield. I didn't have my subterranean greenhouse covered, but plants seemed alright. Yesterday I had carried a couple of the best looking of each kind of plant outside. {Cayenne, Jalapeno Early, Grand Bell Mix, California Wonder Bell, Habanero and Serrano Chili peppers, and Beef Steak and Yellow Pear tomatoes} Even with shorter hours, the sun seems to be doing a better job than the grow lights.

No real plan for the day. Might go into Blountstown this afternoon to take care of banking {and pick up a couple three hours watering the lobby plants and what not}. Early voting this {and next} week, so Margie will be working late everyday.

You guys have a good one,

Larro

 

[mkr7734]

Good morning,

31 degrees heading to 34. About 2.5" of wet white stuff on the ground today when I got up. Wife skipped work. I did the sidewalk but I am not going to bother with the lane. It will be gone tomorrow. The tractor can sit.

 

[Buppies]

Good morning,

31 degrees heading to 34. About 2.5" of wet white stuff on the ground today when I got up. Wife skipped work. I did the sidewalk but I am not going to bother with the lane. It will be gone tomorrow. The tractor can sit.

Tractor sit = sad

 

[RedNeckGeek]

RS, I've found that alarm sales people are a couple cuts below used car salesmen. No offense to any alarm salesmen out there, but the one's I've had the unfortunate chance to interact with only want to sell you what they have, NOT support what you've already got. And that is the case even if you originally purchased your current alarm system from the same company that they work for. Like anything electronic these days, anything more than a few years old is very unlikely to be supported, spare or expansion parts will be difficult to find, and finding anyone who knows how the thing works may be impossible.

As far as central monitoring goes, the only reason I still subscribe is so there's a human in the loop making the decision to call in the authorities if an alarm trigger is received. A well designed system will have more than one way to verify that the signal is legitimate and not a false alarm, but it takes a person to make the judgement. In this jurisdiction, after three false alarms the alarm owner is ticketed, and after so many instances of crying wolf, a legitimate call for help is unlikely to be serviced. In the local town of Chico, CA, the former police chief even went so far as to proclaim, in the newspaper no less, that his department would no longer be responding to burglar alarm calls. The ensuing crime spree cost him his job, and rightly so.:shocked:

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning! 55F @ 7:15 AM. Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Thunder possible. High 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

I hear drops of rain on the porch cover, but the main event is supposed to kick off tomorrow when a stronger Pacific storm system moves in. Looks like another pineapple express is setting up, a real March Miracle if the forecasts are accurate. Heaven knows we can use the rain, as most areas are now well below normal for this time of year. I just wish it would have held off another day or two so I wouldn't have to be driving over the mountains in it. A more southerly route might now be needed, and that could add another day to the trip...

Got the radio and backup camera install finished yesterday and everything seems to work just fine. The new speakers sound great, the touch screen makes navigating between the satellite radio, iPod, cell phone, and backup camera pretty easy, though most of those gyrations are best performed while sitting still in a parking lot. The one saving grace is that voice commands to the iPhone are supported with one button push, and I have a feeling I'll be using that feature a lot.

We installed forum software on the new motorcycle web site, and already users are asking questions about how to use it. I find myself in the unenviable position of having to answer those questions, and I know next to nothing about forums. Maybe I'll chat up Mohammad and see if he has any recommendations. :laughing:

Off to town today for a haircut, pickup the welding cable for the remote winch mount, and run a few other errands.

 

[rswyan]

RS, I've found that alarm sales people are a couple cuts below used car salesmen.

My history with such sales critters is somewhat limited ... but my experience (which has been minimal) with this particular company goes back better than 15 years, and if you include their predecessor (which they acquired) it goes back probably 40 years or more.

That experience was largely limited to installers/technicians tho' ...

No offense to any alarm salesmen out there, but the one's I've had the unfortunate chance to interact with only want to sell you what they have, NOT support what you've already got. And that is the case even if you originally purchased your current alarm system from the same company that they work for.

Not entirely surprising I suppose.

Like anything electronic these days, anything more than a few years old is very unlikely to be supported, spare or expansion parts will be difficult to find, and finding anyone who knows how the thing works may be impossible.

Interestingly enough, parts (replacement spares and expansion) are still available ... including the equipment for programming the system. (The internet is a wonderful thing)

And if the woman I talked to yesterday was correct, the second company I called does have both the equipment and the expertise to service the system.

Assuming that the system hasn't been software-locked by the company that installed it ... although she did mention that one of their techs is a former employee of a local alarm company (now acquired/out of business) and brought the magic codes with him, allowing them to unlock/reprogram that particular company's systems.

Of course, one has to balance throwing any $$$ at a potential black hole (legacy system) vs. just biting the bullet and investing in current technology.

But a few bucks for a relay that will enable the additional aux output on my system is something I could probably justify. So is less than $10 for a dual battery harness that would allow adding a second battery for increased run-time if the power goes out.

And additional sensors and detection devices shouldn't be a problem and would be compatible with current technology.

As far as central monitoring goes, the only reason I still subscribe is so there's a human in the loop making the decision to call in the authorities if an alarm trigger is received. A well designed system will have more than one way to verify that the signal is legitimate and not a false alarm, but it takes a person to make the judgement.

Yup ... I totally understand that.

Here's what I see as the issue however: if the alarm trips, the first call the monitoring company is going to make is to me or the wife ... to try and verify it isn't a false alarm.

Only then will they call police or fire - after receiving a response from us (or no response) that it A. isn't a false alarm and B. we didn't do anything to set it off.

Since their ability to verify the above actually resides with me or my wife, why shouldn't I/we just make the call instead ?

The only issue I see is if we are both away from home (a fairly rare event these days) ... and getting the system to notify me and/or the wife. I'm guessing that is a barrier than can be overcome.

In this jurisdiction, after three false alarms the alarm owner is ticketed, and after so many instances of crying wolf, a legitimate call for help is unlikely to be serviced. In the local town of Chico, CA, the former police chief even went so far as to proclaim, in the newspaper no less, that his department would no longer be responding to burglar alarm calls. The ensuing crime spree cost him his job, and rightly so.:shocked:

Indeed.

 

[rswyan]

Just got an email back - five year contract ... "for your protection" ...

Yeah, sure it is ...

:laughing:

 

[sodamo]

63°F and .22 inches rain last 24 hours.

Be safe
Have a great day.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[rswyan]

And it gets even better ...

When they installed the current system, it doesn't appear that they hooked up any of the existing fire/smoke detectors ... the two terminals on the controller PCB that are specified for fire/smoke alarms are jumpered with a resistor ... no wires running to them.

There are a total of three fire detectors and one smoke detector.

Of course, I guess it's possible that they hooked them up to another zone ... but that would lose the advantage of using the zone specified for such devices (I believe they are always armed)

Hard to imagine that Mom and Pops would have agreed to having those devices disabled.

 

[Larro Darro]

I spoke too soon about the frost's effect on the young pepper and tomato plants. The ones I moved outside yesterday were touched up a little. They will be alright, but it will slow them down some. From now on I'll just lay down the glass every night until I know I'm in the clear.

And our rain forecast has changed to 40% for the day, and 99% at 2100.

 

[txdon]

Hard to imagine that Mom and Pops would have agreed to having those devices disabled.

Do the fire detectors also have battery back-up? If they do I can see Mom and Pops taking them off line. I had a spider get in one the other night at 2am and set all of them alarming. I found that out after turning off the alarm system and disconnecting the alarm back-up battery and taking out the 9v from the smoke detectors, the only way to stop the fire alarms was to flip a breaker. It's hard to think at 2am with alarms blaring.

 

[rswyan]

Do the fire detectors also have battery back-up?

The only battery backup the fire detectors would have had would be the back up battery for the alarm system itself. Assuming they were actually connected to it of course.

From what I can tell in my researches thus far, they might be a Simplex-Grinnell device, although I've seen some claims that they were actually made by Chemtronics and marketed by a bunch of different companies, Simplex included. They look like this:

Supposedly, they are both fixed-temperature and rate-of-temperature-rise ... as well as being single-use only (non-resettable)

They are more or less obsolete.

If they do I can see Mom and Pops taking them off line. I had a spider get in one the other night at 2am and set all of them alarming. I found that out after turning off the alarm system and disconnecting the alarm back-up battery and taking out the 9v from the smoke detectors, the only way to stop the fire alarms was to flip a breaker. It's hard to think at 2am with alarms blaring.

The smoke detector - which is an Ademco, and which requires a a magnet to test - may have a battery it ... but if so, we haven't replaced it, at least that I can recall (that would be "haven't replaced it for 15 years ...")

My guess is it probably doesn't (have a battery) ... but I'll pull it and check here in a bit.

BTW, the young lady from the other alarm company just left. Seemed very knowledgeable, professional, and a straight-talker that didn't have to resort to FUD to try and make a sale. Can do attitude.

I should have a quote from her by tomorrow ... and if I had to guess, it will probably be what is actually needed and wanted.

A couple of things I do know already:

1. Their monitoring is marginally cheaper than the other guys ... and is available without any long-term commitment.

2. If you do elect to have a contract, the term is one year ... but they guarantee the rate for 5 years.

3. For an additional $10 a month, they maintain the system - which means if any component fails (other than by an act of God or destruction on our part) they will come out and replace it, no charge. This service also includes periodic replacement of backup batteries.