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Electricity Question
kangaroo16 wrote:
You will at least appreciate the size of Australia more than those making a quick visit here. I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the corner when it's at least a two day trip. Radio Shack operates here under the name of "Tandy Electronics", actually owned by Woolworth's Pty./Ltd. Radio Shack here used to be "A Tandy Company" but I think the US Tandy company may no longer be in business. It started, IIRC, as a craft supplier--mostly leathercraft and crystal radio kits. If you want some good shots of Sydney and have time to do it a trip to the top of Centre Point Tower observation deck might be worthwhile. "Here's a tip to all the tourists coming to Sydney, Australia.. Center Point tower is 300m tall and has the best 360º views of Sydney. You could pay $23 to visit the tourist platform OR take the free lift to the 360º bar and relax enjoy a cocktail in comfort AND the view for only $14 " http://www.flickr.com/photos/goz/119293715/ Thanks for that tip. I bookmarked the site. It reminds me of the tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada though the scenery from the one in Sydney looks much more interesting. Toronto has some great museums and neighborhoods, but "scenic" isn't one of its virtues. There is also a tour where tourists can climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but it is more expensive than the tower, and as you can see from the photo links, the bridge is nowhere near as high. I saw that one in the ship's offered excursions. Not for us. initially, perhaps a bit of a "diary" on your trip to Oz. I shall post about the battery decision. I will not be on line during my trip. Though Internet service will be available, I'm taking a *real* vacation. You mean that you can go that long without e-mail? :-) Libraries often have free public computers, can't you at least let us know when you have arrived. :-) There might be accommodation computers in the hotels, but I'm sure there are no newsreaders with Usenet subscriptions on them. I am not going to take my laptop. Do much of a circus with airport security and a bother to carry around. I might check email if I have access to a public computer, but Usenet is out of the question. Everyone will just have to wait until I get home for the details. Actually writing these words reminds me of a good joke, but too long to post here. See The Executive sent by Dave of New York at following link. http://www.tgifjoke.com/stranded-executive.html That was really funny. I thought it was going to be like one my husband tells, but it wasn't. If you cannot be bothered to do this, perhaps a post when you return, stating what you have learned about Australia? I would be delighted to post upon my return and share my impressions. I get back 11 November. Looking forward to it. As it is getting into summer here, expect warm or even hot weather. An nylon windcheater with parka could be needed for occasional rainstorm. Where I live we have two climates: warm and hot. I don't think I'll have any problems with the weather in Australia. New Zealand will probably be cold for my thin blood. I intend to dress in layers. I am also packing rain ponchos and a small umbrella. Packing them averts the Evil Eye. You might like to check monthly climate and weather data for various locations, there is plenty of info on Google. I already have a site bookmarked for the weather there, thank you anyway. The sunlight in Australia is more intense than anywhere in the US, with lots of ultraviolet, so sunglasses are highly recommended as well as high protection factor sun block cream, especially if on a beach anywhere. We live in the semi-tropics. I always have SPF 45 over SPF 15 on my face and neck because of recent radiation treatments for cancer. I also wear a hat with a brim. I'm really careful about the sun. DH can afford to be a little more reckless, but he also wears a hat and uses SPF 45 sun screen. Both of us wear Transition lenses on our eye glasses. They are really good at blocking UV rays. On my early journeys used a good 35 mm camera. Unfortunately, seldom bothered to jot down notes as to time date location of photos. Same for keeping a daily diary. Just became too much trouble. So something you might consider bringing is a pocket tape recorder using standard tape cassettes so you can dictate notes as go along. That is, if you can find one that uses standard cassettes. I was the last of my friends to give up my 35mm camera. It finally died on me in the middle of a journey (actually on a raft in the middle of the Missouri River) and I had to replace it with another camera so I got my digital one. I did get one that has a view finder and makes a clicking sound when I depress the shutter so I know it's taken a picture. It works very similarly to my 35mm except there is no film and I don't have to worry about wasting film on shots. I just delete them. Most of the newer ones use mini-cassettes, or are totally electronic. Mini cassettes can be hard to find out of the major cities, and standard cassettes offer longer recording time than mini-cassettes. I am a freelance journalist by avocation, I always diary my trips. I have a micro cassette recorder with extra itty-bitty cassettes. I don't need to record a lot, just a few words to jog my memory. I've been doing it for years and years. I also know that if I go to a paid attraction, I pick up brochures and ask for a "press package" which will give me additional information. That reminds me to take some business-business cards. A couple of things that would urge all travelers and tourists to carry would be as good torch ("flashlight") and if interested in nature, a good hand lens. We will be on guided tours. I don't think we'll need a flashlight. I am bringing my binoculars, however. I don't know much about electronic cameras, but on my 35 mm film camera had a f1.8 50 mm lens, auxiliary close up lenses and filters. I have a PHD camera: Push Here, Dummy. I just set it on "automatic" and it finds the right settings. It does several modes that seem to work if I want to set it myself, but the PHD works just fine. It has an Image Stabilizer so it takes wonderful photos of things like birds in flight and animals. I call it my "critter camera" Australian flowering plants tend to be much more striking than most plants in the US, and some very unusual animals and insects. You need to take a trip into our Southwestern deserts after a good rain. We have some pretty "striking" flowering plants here, too. The critter camera has a 10X optical zoom (Macro lens) and the image stabilization. I have some wonderful shots of butterflies on flowers, closeups of flowers and assorted animals on the move. I intend to take lots of photos which is why I needed to know about the battery stuff. I have several memory cards, too. The photographer's shop on the cruise ship has a service that will copy your memory cards to a CD or DVD for a fee and free up the cards for reuse. It's actually cheaper than buying enough extra cards for the 3 week trip, so I'll use the service. Tourists suffering from jet lag after a long flight from US or UK, ...or those who have tried Aussie beer for the first time..., probably wouldn't believe their eyes if ran across one. I saw a show on it and other regional critters on Discovery Channel. I don't much care for insects. I have a small bottle of repellent that I'm packing and I'm also taking some netting gear that covers us from head to waste and arms that I got from a catalog. I read somewhere that there are biting flies and mosquitoes at Ayers Rock. Buying the netting gear will make it a certainty that the bugs won't be there when we will. I like being pro-active. g No matter how much research you have done on your trip to Australia, I would almost guarantee quite a few surprises. A photo of you holding one would be a great conversation starter in the USA when you return. They are harmless, incidentally. I am looking forward to making many discoveries and experiencing surprises. That's the real reason for recreational travel, isn't it. Don't look for me to hold the bug. UGH! Maybe I'll get DH to hold it. Don't pick up any snakes, most are poisonous. Or Sydney Funnel Web spiders, as their fangs can penetrate a fingernail. Or any "redbacks" which are closely related to US "black widow". Or the small cute blue ringed octpus commonly found in tidal pools. Oh you can count on my not picking up any of those. As much as I don't care for insects, I disdain snakes even more. Thanks for the heads up on the octopi. So Australians are pleased by the outcome of the Revolutionary War and American Independence. Otherwise Australia probably would have been claimed and settled by the French, Dutch, or others. :-) We were most happy to oblige. I guess you owe us something for preventing you from being French g Perhaps you will change your mind after visiting Australia. ...At least your kids won't ask you to fly up and babysit for them. :-) They don't do that now. We lived in a recreational vehicle for 9 years and they got used to not depending on us for such things. Though they could reach us by voice mail and later cell phone, they never knew where we were and we liked it that way. We love our children and grandchildren very much and enjoy visiting them or having them visit us, but we like to control the duration and occasions of those visits. We raised and educated 6 children. We worked hard to support them and put them through college and now it's our turn to enjoy ourselves. We have absolutely no sense of guilt about spending their inheritance on ourselves. This post is probably getting a bit long, but possibly you and other readers will find some interesting info in it. Both this group and misc.immigration.Australia + NZ strike me as very slow groups, with few daily posts on either. ....then perhaps no one will notice that we are using it as a "chat room" g Thanks for all of the help. You've been a great resource and very entertaining, too. Janet -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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Electricity Question
"Janet Wilder" wrote in message ... Alan S wrote: On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:47:28 -0500, Janet Wilder wrote: AlmostBob wrote: Hi Janet Am an Aussie living in Canada Just about every department store in Aus sells the same alkaline rechargeable battery kit with a 240V charger and 4/8 batteries Grandcell is one brandname. brought my batteries with me, and brought a WalMart "Pure Energy" charger kit, now have twice as many batteries and a charger for each continent, $20 watch for dropbears thanks, what's a "dropbear" Well, first you have to try to come to terms with the concept that Bundaberg Rum, a product of our canefields, uses a Polar Bear in it's advertising. An animal that is never seen here outside a zoo:-) Then you have to accept that the bear acts like a human being in the ads. Just a couple of leaps of logic. Then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEQpUY_crc That was cute! I will definitely watch out for the "dropbears" BTW, do they dropbears come with the good looking young men? g -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life What does g stand for? Sandman |
#23
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Electricity Question
Kangaroo16,
After reading your further postings on every subject never asked by the poster, and seeing how you expand a simple question into a massive posting on every subject matter under the sun, I have decided to plonk the whole thing. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, you would be the best I have ever seen Only points I would come back on a Domestic wiring installation as defined in AS3000 (I cant be bothered going to the vehicle to get it out to give you chapter and verse) A 240 volts 15 amps AC GPO could theoretically provide 3.6KVa load (and are rated at that). Watts to my knowledge havent be used to refer to other than DC voltage for decades. As GPO's are rarely installed with one per 15Amp circuit, then one would need to take into account of loading/rating factors and the other GPO's in the said circuit. As laid down in AS3000, when placing "x" GPO's into anyone circuit. The nominal 240 volts AC (RMS) can and does on occasions rise to in excess of 260Volts AC and drop to 180volts AC. Electrical generating companies do allow quite a variation of + & - . regards John H "kangaroo16" wrote in message ... On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:29:31 +0930, "John H" wrote in : Kangaroo216 stated I don't know who kangaroo216 might be if the pseudonym exists at all. I post as kangaroo16 :-) (1) "but US voltage is a nominal 110-220 volts" Since when? I have never known any supply to fluctuate that much! I think you may mean 110 -120 volts You are right, of course! I should proofread my posts rather than just spell checking them. As you probably know, though, A.C. voltages are usually given in RMS [Root Mean Square] values rather than peak to peak. The variation in RMS values depends on the tapping on the pole transformer, and how far the consumer is from the nearest one. There are conductor losses and other factors. Of course, had you proofread yours, or included my post in your reply, or checked the full headers, you wouldn't have made the kangaroo216 error :-) (2) " in US" I think YOU mean AUST. Dunno what you are referring to, which is a good argument for not censoring the senders post. After all, plenty of bandwidth these days, and it makes replies a lot easier for all concerned. I usually don't snip the senders post in a reply, but sometimes I do. When I do, I note that the post is snipped and the reader is referred to the original. (3) "It might be more convenient and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA". Using your vernacular, maybe "probably", but would depend on many factors such as store at which purchased, whether it was on sale etc. all which are actually about as relevant as your statement. Actually, was thinking more along the lines of simple availability. Most tourists and travelers take a lot of photos on a trip and don't want to be caught with a "dead" electronic camera. Could you guarantee that someone landing at Cairns international airport on a Sunday afternoon could easily get a recharger? Have been to Cairns by road, not by air, so admit I really don't know. (4) "Some tourists seem to assume that an "adaptor" plug changes the voltage, which it doesn't. Conjecture on your part! Do try to be more clear in your replies! Most adaptor plugs just provide a match between physical plug and socket. I don't doubt that some adaptors consist of a transformer with a plug for the Australian sockets and a U.S. two pin socket. Have one as a matter of fact. (5) "Make sure the power supply on the appliance you intend to use has a switch to change the voltage from 240 volts to 120 volts, and remember to switch to proper voltage before plugging it in! Think that this is a fair warning, as have heard of cases where the tourist or traveler did exactly that. AND (6) So what if Janet's charger doesn't have a voltage change switch? In that case, she would have to find an adapter that includes a transformer, or buy a 240 volt charger to charge her batteries at the proper low voltage and polarity. Lots of appliances are nowadays "multi" voltage and will cover from 110v to 240v and 50 - 60 Hz without any voltage or frequency switch of any kind. Laptops are one that "springs to mind" as mine does exactly that. My battery charger for the digital camera does, and also has the ability to have the plug slide off the back of the unit and another countries plug slid in to replace it and no other "transformer " or anything else needed. "Lots" doesn't mean "all".:-) Your answer would only apply if her appliance was of an earlier vintage that would only work on 110 volts, thus need a 240v to 110v step down device, usually (but not always) a transformer. How do we know from her original post just what she has? +++ Frequency difference (50Hz to 60Hz) on a small charger would have negligible effect, perhaps slight heating of the unit depending upon whether it is has a wound transformer in unit . True, but not important from a safety aspect. The Earth pin may or may not be longer, The standard states 1.63 mm for all of them, some supplied are same length and some slightly longer, in fact some are actually larger in height and width ie 15 amp socket, where earth pin is same length, wider, and higher, so they wont fit into the standard 10 amp socket, but the standard 10 amp plug will fit into a 15 amp socket. Perhaps most of my small appliances are obsolescent, then, as most have a longer earth pin. Presumably the reason for this is that the earth ["ground" in US] connection is established before the active and neutral prongs reach the contacts. There is also a 20 Amp plug & socket, where all pins are wider (thicker), but rarely ever seen by 90% of population, never seen in domestic premises AFAIK. Depending on how you define "domestic premises" of course. Would you define a farm shop as a part of a "domestic premise"? Some do have 20 amp outlets, though will agree that 15 amp are probably more common. If we ignore other technical terms such as power factor, conductor resistance, etc. a 20 amp socket at 220 volts will theoretically provide 4,400 watts. At a line voltage of 240 volts, 4,800 watts. A 15 amp outlet at 220 volts would provide 3,300 watts, and at 240, 3,600 watts. Want to dispute this? :-) Also most small appliances do not even have the 3rd (earth pin) anyway as they are invariably double insulated. No double insulated appliance has to have the 3rd (earth) pin, but here again some are supplied with plug that has it. I might quibble about the "invariably", but would agree with the rest of your statement. However, I'm more concerned with safety than what is available, or what a tourist or migrant might be trying to use. The US system doesn't automatically provide a true earth connection. With only two pins, and two conductors, whether a given conductor is active or neutral depends on which way the user plugs it in. A cheap, but not safe, way to do it, IMHO. At one time, a lot of American mains operated valve ["tube" in US] radios didn't have a transformer. They relied on using valves of different voltage ratings in series. [ Can list some typical valve types if you wish. ] They were once prohibited imports on the grounds of safety. They typically used a "chassis" ground, and relied on plastic knobs, etc. to protect the user from the shaft of volume or tuning knobs which were often at chassis potential. O.K., what happens if the knob is missing, and the bare shaft is exposed? What happens if the user is washing dishes and touches that bare shaft? Well, it depends on how the radio was plugged in. One way, and the chassis is at neutral potential. Put the plug in the other and the chassis is at "active" potential and they provide a path to true earth ground. I assume you know that even at a mere 110 volts from arm to arm can provide a potentially lethal 10 milliamps to the heart. To quote a bit from a book at hand "Australian Electrical Wiring: Theory and Practice" by K Pethbridge and W.Williams, ISBN 0 07 93407 x. [In your local library you might find a copy under Dewey Decimal Classification 621.31924, or you could always request a copy on interlibrary loan if you want to dispute an issue. :-) On page 25 of my copy, chapter 2, "Electrical Safety" ------------------ "2.1 Effects of electric current on the human body Electric shocks due to the use of electrical equipment occur without warning and are often serious. The average worker is frequently involved in a dangerous situations though not realising that voltages as low as 32 V a.c. and 115 V d.c. can be just as lethal as much higher voltages. There are three ways by which electric shock may be directly fatal. The following considerations refer to 50 Hz a.c. shock to a normal, healthy, adult male." No need to go into details, but if anyone is curious, they are respiratory arrest, asphyxia, and ventricular fibrillation. Naturally, there are a lot of variables... but it is not wired/terminated as the cable to it is only two core anyway. Agreed See same url but another page ie http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Refere...ugVariants.htm +++ The url I supplied showed poster what it looked like a damn sight more than your "stick drawing", Well, actually I usually respond to posts line by line and hadn't even read your reference when wrote my reply. Easier and quicker just to give a rough illustration which most people would understand. You could be an exception, of course :-) Some people read posts offline, and I thought my illustration should be adequate. and they would surely know what their own plug looked like. Has the average American ever seen an Australian 3 pin plug on an appliance? BTW Do you always nitpick things others say? What was given was basically all the person needed to know, using her post as the basis for the reply. When people criticise or get "nitpicky" with me, I can and often do reply in kind. For someone claiming that I posted under the nym of kangaroo216 you would seem to qualify. :-) The poster didnt even elaborate other than to say it was a charger unit for a camera. When people are posting info on the group it does help to be explicit as to details. viz. I would agree with the "should be able to", but that doesn't mean you actually "will be able to" :-) It might be more convenient and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA. +++ Whilst the rest of your reply to Janet was very informative, it was not anything the poster asked about, Hell! I wonder what your reply to, a child who asked the question :"where do I come from" would be? Well, my wife and I don't have kids, by choice. If talking to some other kid, I would probably be diplomatic and untruthful and simply say "ask your parents". Were I to be completely truthful, could always tell him or her that they were probably an accident due to failure of the contraceptive methods used. :-) Do you believe that all children are "planned"? ...A very optimistic and unrealistic view, IMHO. Take a look at abortion statistics for any country. Check the subject of "abortion" on http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php Or better yet, http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/he...alth-abortions On second thought, will save you a bit of research. Of the top 19, Russia ranks #1, the USA #2. Australia doesn't make the list, but I suspect we have much better sex education here. In addition, "condoms" or "rubbers" are sold in supermarkets, and most Australians wouldn't even raise an eyebrow at a 12 or 13 year old kid buying them, although the legal age of consent is 16 in most states. Should a girl prefer the pill, we also have a free Medicare system here, and kids can get their own Medicare card if desired. For privacy reasons, it is up to the physician, and he or she cannot legally involve the parents. Sorry if this information shocks you or other readers, but I thought I should let readers know what living in a truly free country involves. :-) A diatribe on the reproductive systems of both male and female, which would naturally be totally overkill. Sorry about that, I believe in telling the truth to adults. Perhaps you should jump back into your Joeys pouch. Were I actually a "joey" I might be tempted to jump back into the pouch of "mother kangaroo" rather than get hassled when I post on the net.:-) It is intended for the free exchange of information worldwide, but perhaps you haven't realized this yet. Will you, or others on the group bother to check on the "nationmaster" links? Perhaps they think that pregnant women only consider abortion if they have been forcibly raped? Easy enough to check on the "rape" statistics, no? In your opinion, is abortion preferable to infanticide? Looking forward to your reply to issues raised in this post. Those who aren't interested in such issues are not required to read my posts. :-) John H "kangaroo16" wrote in message . .. On Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:28:45 +0930, "John H" wrote in : Ah, then you DID know that I was kangaroo16. Am not used to "top posts". Why not reply to questions and statements line by line? Hi Janet, Cairns like rest of Australia is 240 volts US is 110 volts. SO if your appliance is shown as multi voltage ie 110 - 240 then all you will need is an adapter plug to go from US two round pin horizontally in line TO the Australian 3 pin. Essentially correct, but US voltage is a nominal 110-220 volts RMS at 60 Hertz [ cycle] , and uses a non polarized plug with two vertical flat pins. | | Australia is a nominal 220-240 volt, 50 Hertz, uses a three pin polarized plug with two angled flat plugs for active and neutral, and a longer flat pin for a safety earth or "ground" in US. / \ | Lots of chargers are multi voltage so you may indeed be OK for the voltage situation Have a look at this site for the plug shape http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/powerplug.htm If you cant buy an adaptor in US then you should be able to buy one in Cairns (at least at the airport if not the town).regards John H I would agree with the "should be able to", but that doesn't mean you actually "will be able to" :-) It might be more convenient and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA. Some tourists seem to assume that an "adaptor" plug changes the voltage, which it doesn't. Make sure the power supply on the appliance you intend to use has a switch to change the voltage from 240 volts to 120 volts, and remember to switch to proper voltage before plugging it in! Have heard of tourists forgetting to switch an electric razor to the 220-240 volt range then trying to use it. The results can be both spectacular and hazardous. Admittedly, this probably happens more often when someone assumes the voltage is the same in Australia and the US and simply bends the blades of a US appliance at an angle to fit an Australian outlet. This is not advisable. So what if Janet's charger doesn't have a voltage change switch? In that case, she would have to find an adapter that includes a transformer, or buy a 240 volt charger to charge her batteries at the proper low voltage and polarity. Am sure if she takes her charger down to a camera store in the USA, or checks the net, she can get more info. I don't expect that US tourists would bring a portable TV set on a trip, but if so, it won't work in Australia. The US uses the obsolete NTSC standard rather than PAL used here. Channel allocations are also different. If bringing a mobile phone, they should check if it will work here. Incidentally, on a different topic, currency rates constantly change. Radio news at 7.08 AM here says that due to loss of value in US$ it is on a par with Canadian dollar for the first time in 30 years. As to Aussie dollar: At the moment Live rates at 2007.09.20 21:13:37 UTC 1.00 USD 1.16020 AUD United States Dollars Australia Dollars 1 USD = 1.16020 AUD 1 AUD = 0.861921 USD http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi At time that actually am finishing this post in my spare time: 1.15635 AUD=United States Dollars 1 USD = 1.15635 AUD 1 AUD = 0.864790 USD Live rates at 2007.09.22 05:00:21 UTC 1.00 USD = 0.00136836 XAU United States Dollars Gold Ounces 1 USD = 0.00136836 XAU 1 XAU = 730.800 USD Again, if you or other readers are curious about current rates: http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi 3:10 pm, or 1530 Saturday here, so cannot offer any info local stock markets. Looking forward to your reply. Cheers, Kangaroo16 To repeat: Kangaroo16:-) = Cheers, kangaroo16 [I usually post on misc.immigration Australia+ NZ.] "Janet Wilder" wrote in message m... Will I need an electricity adapter in Cairns and at Ayers Rock to plug in my battery charger for the rechargeable batteries for my camera? The charger is United States-flavor electric. TIA -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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Electricity Question
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:43:27 +0930, "John H"
wrote in : Kangaroo16, After reading your further postings on every subject never asked by the poster, and seeing how you expand a simple question into a massive posting on every subject matter under the sun, I have decided to plonk the whole thing. Be my guest :-) Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, you would be the best I have ever seen Thanks! Nice to know have done my bit to enliven the group. :-) Only points I would come back on a Domestic wiring installation as defined in AS3000 (I cant be bothered going to the vehicle to get it out to give you chapter and verse) I happen to have my book at hand. :-) A 240 volts 15 amps AC GPO could theoretically provide 3.6KVa load (and are rated at that). Watts to my knowledge havent be used to refer to other than DC voltage for decades. KVa is probably better measurement as it takes power factor into account. For purely resistive loads, like light globes, they are identical. All Janet, and most users need to know about travel chargers are the safety aspects, IMHO. However to keep up my reputation of someone who tosses in the occasional odd topic or fact, what do you think about the possibility that bacteria concentrate gold? :-) Before you answer, you might want to check a Dr. Karl post Bacteria Make Gold http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/trek/4wd/Over44.htm I would think that at least some migrants would like to know that gold is still being found by accident here. There was a news item not that long ago about some citizen stumbling across a reasonable nugget lying on the surface at his local sports field, but I can't be bothered to look for it. For those who might like to try their hand at prospecting, opals can be worth more than gold. You would know that I suppose... I do hope that you aren't one of those dreary specialists who are only interested in a limited number of areas..... [snip] Cheers, kangaroo16 |
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Electricity Question
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote: I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the corner when it's at least a two day trip. This will give you some idea of the scale of things. These are the states and territories of Australia. Rank State/Territory Area (km²) 1 Western Australia 2,529,875 2 Queensland 1,730,648 3 Northern Territory 1,349,129 4 South Australia 983,482 5 New South Wales 800,642 6 Victoria 227,146 7 Tasmania 68,401 8 Australian Capital Territory 2,358 Australia 7,691,681 USA (incl Alaska, Hawaii) 9,631,420 At 261,797 mi² or 678051 km² Texas fits in at 6th, smaller than NSW but bigger than Victoria. Of course, I accept that there's a lot of empty out there. When flying as an Engineer in the RAAF from Canberra via Alice Springs to Pt Headland the pilots described it as flying over the GAFA. The Great Australian .... All. Cheers, Alan, Australia -- http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/ latest: Slovenia http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/ latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest |
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Electricity Question
Mr. Sandman wrote:
What does g stand for? g = grin. vbg + very big grin. They are generally preferred by Usenet junkies over emoticons. Janet, a Usenet junkie since 1995 -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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Electricity Question
Alan S wrote:
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder wrote: I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the corner when it's at least a two day trip. This will give you some idea of the scale of things. These are the states and territories of Australia. Rank State/Territory Area (km²) 1 Western Australia 2,529,875 2 Queensland 1,730,648 3 Northern Territory 1,349,129 4 South Australia 983,482 5 New South Wales 800,642 6 Victoria 227,146 7 Tasmania 68,401 8 Australian Capital Territory 2,358 Australia 7,691,681 USA (incl Alaska, Hawaii) 9,631,420 At 261,797 mi² or 678051 km² Texas fits in at 6th, smaller than NSW but bigger than Victoria. Of course, I accept that there's a lot of empty out there. When flying as an Engineer in the RAAF from Canberra via Alice Springs to Pt Headland the pilots described it as flying over the GAFA. The Great Australian .... All. Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson. -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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Electricity Question
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:12:24 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote: Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson. I hope we're still friends;-) Cheers, Alan, Australia |
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Electricity Question
Alan S wrote:
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:12:24 -0500, Janet Wilder wrote: Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson. I hope we're still friends;-) Cheers, Alan, Australia Of course! Why shouldn't we be? -- Janet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life |
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Electricity Question
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote in : kangaroo16 wrote: You will at least appreciate the size of Australia more than those making a quick visit here. I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the corner when it's at least a two day trip. I know it is pretty large compared to the other US states, as once lived there :-) I have heard claims here that Queensland once had a cattle station ("ranch") that had a greater area than the state of Texas before it was broken up before WW1. To be fair, though, have never bothered to verify this.:-) Some Aussies are much like Texans where telling tall tales is concerned... Radio Shack operates here under the name of "Tandy Electronics", actually owned by Woolworth's Pty./Ltd. Radio Shack here used to be "A Tandy Company" but I think the US Tandy company may no longer be in business. It started, IIRC, as a craft supplier--mostly leathercraft and crystal radio kits. If you want some good shots of Sydney and have time to do it a trip to the top of Centre Point Tower observation deck might be worthwhile. "Here's a tip to all the tourists coming to Sydney, Australia.. Center Point tower is 300m tall and has the best 360º views of Sydney. You could pay $23 to visit the tourist platform OR take the free lift to the 360º bar and relax enjoy a cocktail in comfort AND the view for only $14 " http://www.flickr.com/photos/goz/119293715/ Thanks for that tip. I bookmarked the site. It reminds me of the tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada though the scenery from the one in Sydney looks much more interesting. Toronto has some great museums and neighborhoods, but "scenic" isn't one of its virtues. Think you would be surprised at just how scenic is. It also has the advantage of a much better climate than Toronto. I've lived in areas of the US with a fair bit of snow in winter, but personally don't care if I ever see any snow again. :-) There is also a tour where tourists can climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but it is more expensive than the tower, and as you can see from the photo links, the bridge is nowhere near as high. I saw that one in the ship's offered excursions. Not for us. I doubt that I would be all that interested either. If I was younger and more fit, perhaps... :-) A bit more on Sydney Tower, although haven't been up it for years:. There used to be an opal shop which had some beautiful black opal on display. AFIK, only Australia has black opal, and a solid chunk can be worth more weight by weight than diamonds. I don't know if the shop is still there, but if so, might be worth a quick look. Most opal sold as jewelry is in the form of doublets or triplets which only use a thin slice of black opal. I know a few people who have done a bit of opal prospecting. The problem is that it tends to occur in pockets or even as single stones, much like raisins in a cake, and to get down to the layer where it exists, first have stake a claim, then dig down through 40 feet of sandstone, although can pay to have a rock drill do this work. Ran across an article many years ago that told of a "new chum" migrant who decided to have a go at mining opal. Some other miners rather unkindly took him to a part of an opal field where no one had managed to find anything of value, urged him that it was a good place to dig. About 6 feet down discovered a huge pocket of opal. This was decades ago, and from memory he sold the opal for around 250,000 pounds, close to a million dollars in those days, and retired. Had a quick look on Google but couldn't find it, so can't provide a reference. initially, perhaps a bit of a "diary" on your trip to Oz. I shall post about the battery decision. I will not be on line during my trip. Though Internet service will be available, I'm taking a *real* vacation. You mean that you can go that long without e-mail? :-) Libraries often have free public computers, can't you at least let us know when you have arrived. :-) There might be accommodation computers in the hotels, but I'm sure there are no newsreaders with Usenet subscriptions on them. I am not going to take my laptop. Do much of a circus with airport security and a bother to carry around. I might check email if I have access to a public computer, but Usenet is out of the question. Everyone will just have to wait until I get home for the details. Fair enough! Actually writing these words reminds me of a good joke, but too long to post here. See The Executive sent by Dave of New York at following link. http://www.tgifjoke.com/stranded-executive.html That was really funny. I thought it was going to be like one my husband tells, but it wasn't. If you cannot be bothered to do this, perhaps a post when you return, stating what you have learned about Australia? I would be delighted to post upon my return and share my impressions. I get back 11 November. Looking forward to it. As it is getting into summer here, expect warm or even hot weather. An nylon windcheater with parka could be needed for occasional rainstorm. Where I live we have two climates: warm and hot. I don't think I'll have any problems with the weather in Australia. New Zealand will probably be cold for my thin blood. I intend to dress in layers. I am also packing rain ponchos and a small umbrella. Packing them averts the Evil Eye. You might like to check monthly climate and weather data for various locations, there is plenty of info on Google. I already have a site bookmarked for the weather there, thank you anyway. The sunlight in Australia is more intense than anywhere in the US, with lots of ultraviolet, so sunglasses are highly recommended as well as high protection factor sun block cream, especially if on a beach anywhere. We live in the semi-tropics. I always have SPF 45 over SPF 15 on my face and neck because of recent radiation treatments for cancer. I also wear a hat with a brim. I'm really careful about the sun. DH can afford to be a little more reckless, but he also wears a hat and uses SPF 45 sun screen. Both of us wear Transition lenses on our eye glasses. They are really good at blocking UV rays. You are wise! Fair skinned people can burn quickly in the bush. Once had my shirt off for 20 minutes and was starting to burn. When I first came to Australia, most Australians tried to get a good tan, despite the dangers of doing so. About 25 years ago the Australian Gov't others started the ‘Slip!, Slop!, Slap!’ campaign 25 years ago. [Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat.] It has been reasonably successful, for Adults & kids, a bit less successful among teenagers and young people who often far too optimistic and tend to think that bad things will never happen to them. Check Google for slip,slop,slap and will get 23,600 results. On my early journeys used a good 35 mm camera. Unfortunately, seldom bothered to jot down notes as to time date location of photos. Same for keeping a daily diary. Just became too much trouble. So something you might consider bringing is a pocket tape recorder using standard tape cassettes so you can dictate notes as go along. That is, if you can find one that uses standard cassettes. I was the last of my friends to give up my 35mm camera. It finally died on me in the middle of a journey (actually on a raft in the middle of the Missouri River) and I had to replace it with another camera so I got my digital one. I did get one that has a view finder and makes a clicking sound when I depress the shutter so I know it's taken a picture. It works very similarly to my 35mm except there is no film and I don't have to worry about wasting film on shots. I just delete them. Might consider one. How is the image quality compared to 35mm film though? Must admit haven't checked it out. Never very interested in prints, used 35mm Ektachrome for slides. First suggestion: If a tourist wants accurate color rendition, slides are almost always a better way to go, despite the inconvenience of displaying them. Why? Well, had worked for a film development lab in the U.S. before coming here. Properly exposed slide film always came out well as went through an automated line. Color negative film for prints often yielded poorer results. It depended on who was running the enlarger. Learning to run a black and white enlarger isn't all that easy if one wants to get the most out of a negative. A color enlarger is more complex. It was equipped with manually operated blue, cyan, and magenta of +2,+1,0, -1, -2 filters for each color. According to the boss, it took about ten years to fully train a good enlarger operator. A experienced operator could glance at a negative and almost intuitively select the proper filter settings for a realistic mix. She could print color negs faster than I could print black and white from a roll of perfectly exposed negs. Various factors operative here, of course. Some people have better color vision than others. Some people have a better sense of color balance, some people react faster than others. Then to, there are the usual business considerations of the time an enlarger operator could spend on assessing each negative and printing it. Have processed my own black and white, and even an amateur photographer such as myself could probably make a decent enlarged color print if could afford to spend 5 to 10 minutes on each one! Second suggestion: If have a film negative that produces a poor print and it is important to you, have the negative professionally processed so they can spend more time on getting the best possible print out of it. I have some reasons for getting a bit technical here, as some people still use negative film. Firstly, Australian sunlight has a different spectral value than US sunlight, as much less pollution in the Southern Hemisphere, and more ultraviolet. Secondly, people tend to see color tints that they expect, not what is actually there. Suppose they have a light blue car or house. To prove this with a film camera, and I suspect it works much the same with digital cameras, there is a little test you, or any photographer, can try. Take a photo of it every hour from dawn to dusk and compare the results. Or better yet get a test set of photo test cards for various colors and try it. Develop and print, and if the car or house is not a very pure white, each print will be different. As you would know, colors render differently within a couple of hours of dawn or dusk. The human eye has a different spectral sensitivity curve than film. If your car isn't pure white, you still think of it as being a specific shade of color, as the brain alters the color vision to conform to your preconception of the car colour. The camera print shows that it varies depending on illumination. In the same way, if outdoor color film is used indoors under fluorescent light the color in the print will not render colors accurately as the average fluorescent tube isn't the same spectrum as daylight. How does this relate to travel in Australia? Well, most trees in the US have green leaves. Most native Australian trees are various species of eucalypts, some of which you will find in California, as they were imported from Australia. The leaves are not the same shade as most U.S. native trees, but a blue-green shade. So if photos are taken in Australia and processed here, the enlarger operator will not usually not correct for their color. However, if have it processed in the US, the operator who may have never seen a eucalypt will use her filters to reduce the blue to make the leaves look like what she thinks is a "natural green". Of course, this changes the color of the other objects and skin color of people in the print. Consider that as the third suggestion.:-) Fourth suggestion, which you probably already know, heat can affect both camera and film, even memory cards, so keep both cool. Fifth suggestion, if a camera can take a filter over the lens, use a clear filter or a u.v. skylight filter to protect the surface of the actual lens. Sixth suggestion: Always clean lenses with proper lens cleaning paper and use a proper lens cleaning solution. Seventh: Most tourists like to take a lot of photos, and they want them to come out well. If take a photo in your yard at home and it doesn't come out well can always take another photo. Coming back to Australia to reshoot a photo. Of course, if want just a "record" shot of the Harbour Bridge or something, it is simpler and easier to just buy a professionally produced slide or print. :-) There are many books available on photography which may be easier to follow than my "off of the top of the head" suggestions. If you have the time, there are a lot of photos and webcams available on the net, and a quick look at these might give you an idea of what you might want to photograph here. Most of the newer ones use mini-cassettes, or are totally electronic. Mini cassettes can be hard to find out of the major cities, and standard cassettes offer longer recording time than mini-cassettes. I am a freelance journalist by avocation, I always diary my trips. I have a micro cassette recorder with extra itty-bitty cassettes. I don't need to record a lot, just a few words to jog my memory. I've been doing it for years and years. I also know that if I go to a paid attraction, I pick up brochures and ask for a "press package" which will give me additional information. That reminds me to take some business-business cards. I see that I am preaching to the converted?! :-) Oh well, the suggestions might be beneficial to others. I really should read a post or reply before starting to reply to it. A couple of things that would urge all travelers and tourists to carry would be as good torch ("flashlight") and if interested in nature, a good hand lens. We will be on guided tours. I don't think we'll need a flashlight. I am bringing my binoculars, however. A flashlight is one of those things you may never need, on the other hand when you to really need one and don't have it you notice its absence. Even a cheap "AA" penlight is better than nothing, is small and lightweight,and also serves as a rough indicator as to the condition of rechargeable "AA" cells. However, all of my suggestions are just suggestions. I don't mind if people follow them or not.:-) I don't know much about electronic cameras, but on my 35 mm film camera had a f1.8 50 mm lens, auxiliary close up lenses and filters. I have a PHD camera: Push Here, Dummy. I just set it on "automatic" and it finds the right settings. It does several modes that seem to work if I want to set it myself, but the PHD works just fine. It has an Image Stabilizer so it takes wonderful photos of things like birds in flight and animals. I call it my "critter camera". Australian flowering plants tend to be much more striking than most plants in the US, and some very unusual animals and insects. You need to take a trip into our Southwestern deserts after a good rain. We have some pretty "striking" flowering plants here, too. Have spent a bit of time in Western deserts, actually. They were in walking distance of a town I spent some years in. I still think you will see some striking new flowers here though. Most countries these days are very fussy about allowing the import of both plants and animals from overseas, especially new ones. Early settlers brought in foxes and rabbits for hunting purposes, and at one time Australia had huge rabbit plagues. The cane toad was brought into Australia in the hopes that it would control insect pests in sugar cane. It much preferred native wildlife, and is still spreading. Its skin oozes bufotenine, a hallucinogenic poison. They are about the size of a dinner plate, about 5 inches high, and most unpleasant to step on barefoot when walking to a caravan park loo ["toilet"] at night. :-) [Since did this once,perhaps the reason I prefer to have a small flashlight handy.:-) See: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiv...oad/index.html or http://tinyurl.com/2spk4f The critter camera has a 10X optical zoom (Macro lens) and the image stabilization. I have some wonderful shots of butterflies on flowers, closeups of flowers and assorted animals on the move. I intend to take lots of photos which is why I needed to know about the battery stuff. Sounds like an ideal unit! I have several memory cards, too. The photographer's shop on the cruise ship has a service that will copy your memory cards to a CD or DVD for a fee and free up the cards for reuse. It's actually cheaper than buying enough extra cards for the 3 week trip, so I'll use the service. Sounds like a great idea! Tourists suffering from jet lag after a long flight from US or UK, ...or those who have tried Aussie beer for the first time..., probably wouldn't believe their eyes if ran across one. I saw a show on it and other regional critters on Discovery Channel. I don't much care for insects. I have a small bottle of repellent that I'm packing and I'm also taking some netting gear that covers us from head to waste and arms that I got from a catalog. I read somewhere that there are biting flies and mosquitoes at Ayers Rock. Buying the netting gear will make it a certainty that the bugs won't be there when we will. I like being pro-active. g Always a sound idea, especially when visiting unfamiliar territory. If I were to travel by ship again, even a large cruise liner, would ensure a supply of tablets for seasickness. Then again, I can get a bit nauseated crossing Sydney Harbour on a large ferry when the water is rough. :-) No matter how much research you have done on your trip to Australia, I would almost guarantee quite a few surprises. A photo of you holding one would be a great conversation starter in the USA when you return. They are harmless, incidentally. I am looking forward to making many discoveries and experiencing surprises. That's the real reason for recreational travel, isn't it. Don't look for me to hold the bug. UGH! Maybe I'll get DH to hold it. Hmm, suggests a good basis for a trick photo. Have him put one on his head, take a portrait shot, show photo to people who have never met your DH. If they have no knowledge of large stick insects, they may assume that your husband has a head the size of an orange. :-) ....Sorry, I've been told I have an odd sense of humour. Don't pick up any snakes, most are poisonous. Or Sydney Funnel Web spiders, as their fangs can penetrate a fingernail. Or any "redbacks" which are closely related to US "black widow". Or the small cute blue ringed octpus commonly found in tidal pools. Oh you can count on my not picking up any of those. As much as I don't care for insects, I disdain snakes even more. Thanks for the heads up on the octopi. Actually, the poisonous jellyfish can be a greater hazard if swimming or snorkeling on an unpatrolled beach. They are hard to see in the water. Years ago, when snorkeling in shallow water off Surfers Paradise, Qld, I encountered some very small marine organism. Don't know what they were, looked a bit like very small wet snowflakes. When they contacted my skin they produced a sensation much like standing in a sandstorm on land. Wouldn't really call it a "sting" but was unexpected. c So Australians are pleased by the outcome of the Revolutionary War and American Independence. Otherwise Australia probably would have been claimed and settled by the French, Dutch, or others. :-) We were most happy to oblige. I guess you owe us something for preventing you from being French g Oh well, wouldn't have mattered to me personally. ancestors were some time in the US, and Australia well settled when I came here. Australia separated peacefully from England over a century ago. For a brief description, see "Australia" in CIA world factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat...k/geos/as.html This gives a brief rundown on various facts about Australia. Perhaps you will change your mind after visiting Australia. ...At least your kids won't ask you to fly up and babysit for them. :-) They don't do that now. We lived in a recreational vehicle for 9 years and they got used to not depending on us for such things. Though they could reach us by voice mail and later cell phone, they never knew where we were and we liked it that way. We love our children and grandchildren very much and enjoy visiting them or having them visit us, but we like to control the duration and occasions of those visits. We raised and educated 6 children. We worked hard to support them and put them through college and now it's our turn to enjoy ourselves. We have absolutely no sense of guilt about spending their inheritance on ourselves. Sounds very sensible to me! This post is probably getting a bit long, but possibly you and other readers will find some interesting info in it. Both this group and misc.immigration.Australia + NZ strike me as very slow groups, with few daily posts on either. ...then perhaps no one will notice that we are using it as a "chat room" g Thanks for all of the help. You've been a great resource and very entertaining, too. Janet Thank you! Actually, a lot of groups are more or less "chat rooms" in the sense that almost any comment relates to the topic in one way or another. I tend to write long posts, but don't necessarily expect detailed replies. As the date for your departure from Texas is fast approaching, I don't expect you to provide detailed replies. We probably have covered most essentials, and I do want to leaving something for you to be surprised about, ...as long as it isn't an unpleasant surprise, such as a blue ringed octopus. Consider the info on the "blue ringed octopus" and other potential hazards. To me, this should be of interest to any tourist or immigrant. Although I suspect that the cute little critter is not often mentioned in most tourist literature. One important area I haven't mentioned yet is that of travel insurance. Decades ago a elderly Aussie couple, who were friends and neighbors, were planning a visit to the states. Australia has a universal Medicare system for citizens and migrants, but it doesn't generally cover tourists. Neither are Aussies covered in the USA, and medical costs are high there compared to here. Being a pessimist, I thought they might not know this, so asked if they had taken out travel insurance. They hadn't, but they fortunately followed my advice. The trip there was uneventful, but about a week after arrival in the USA the husband suffered a severe stroke. He spent a few weeks in hospital there, which was very expensive. When well enough to return to Australia, the airlines insisted that he travel on a stretcher, which took up the same space as three airline seats, so three times the normal fare. They also insisted that he hire a registered nurse to accompany him, which wasn't cheap, and neither was her round trip fare. As he had followed my advice and taken out adequate insurance for the trip, the medical care and the trip back was covered. What if he hadn't had insurance? From memory, would have cost them around $US 160,000 at the time, perhaps $US 400,000 in today's values. Perhaps he would have a stroke even if he hadn't taken the trip, but I doubt it. Passenger aircraft aren't pressurized to sea level, but to about the same pressure as would experience if located 6000 to 8000 feet (1830 to 2440 metres). The values quoted from The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy latest professional online edition. Subject Air Travel You, and other readers, can find this at: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec22/ch33...333-ch333b-412 or http://tinyurl.com/27fzjy See also link to "Foreign Travel" or can reach it directly at http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec22/ch333/ch333c.html but you really should check both. Some medical abbreviations might be unfamiliar. If anyone finds this a problem, Merck also has a home edition online. A Google search will reveal other travel books by Merck, although haven't check which, if any, are online. At least information on given links might give realists some questions to ask their G.P. if they see anything of possible concern. In the section on restricted mobility discussing deep vein thrombosis, I notice that they don't mention elastic stockings or firm pantyhose, but I understand that many adult air travelers use them these days. As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." I have a older edition in book form, and carried that when traveling. About the dimensions of a standard King James Bible, printed on India paper, except that probably twice as thick. The Merck Manual has long been known as "The Bible Of Medical Practice" and makes great reading material on a flight. Travelers can learn all sorts of new things. Am not sure if hypochondriacs should read it, though. :-) .....Or even those considering pregnancy, for that matter.:-) However, as most of us know, life itself is full of risks. If most readers of this post had seen the results of severe motor vehicle accidents they wouldn't dare drive a car or motorcycle. :-) Cheers, kangaroo16 Cheers, Kangaroo16 |
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