Iridium panic over for the mo, I think. The laptop was misbehaving yesterday - seemed that it had crashed and restored itself surreptitiously. Tried iridium this morning and would not connect - that awful here-we-go-again feeling I'd almost forgotten -so I went through all the set up procedures for the dial up modem - score 1, the crash had deleted the 19200 modem completely. But the set up wizard was not seeing com-ports except the 4 from the USB to serial gizmo - fiendish and unstable unless you kill a ball point mouse with a steam hammer - anyway, about 3 hours later, rather sweaty and grumpy, I had been back through everything I could think of and decided that Dr Murphy was required at the double with restorative compounds. Restorative ? Restorative - you dopey old fart - where the hell do I find system restore in this thing? Certainly not through windows help (!) but there it was perched at the wispy end of a branch line in Accessories and I took the beast back 2 days and yeeeeehaaa! there was my 19200 modem back on com port 12 where it used to be. And it worked. Meantime I had also cranked up one of the backups and sent a test to Steve which also worked. So we should still be in business. As a non geek who is utterly brainwashed by previous failure into expecting the worst with these things, I feel just a bit chuffed.
There's a chance the Australian Broadcasting Commission program 'Australia all over' will call us this Sunday, 0730 their time, 2030 tomorrow Saturday 7th UTC. The ABC does a live internet stream - I think - if anyone is interested.
Ann - I'm sure I heard cackles of laughter out there in the gloom last night. Poseidon may have a fan for his nursery jokes.
And Norm K out there in the old Queensland boonies - the Cuskelly tells me he has poisoned your mind with this guff - Vogon poetry even - and you are out there compounding the felony. G'day and glad you're there. Write to us - send us a poem perhaps.
Carla - I think you might be right and our visitor is a young noddy - not in the book but your description fits. Almost got a photo in full flight last night. Lerizhan g'day! Re break up entry - yep - I thought the trajectory was wrong for a deliberate destruct or any normal launch. Was a goody though - white light, when they are more often yellowish. Pete is wearing his LSU Event Staff T - the pit ferals chattering but happy.
Things you learn - for cordon bleu cup-a-soup, add a teaspoonful of dried mashed potato. Spud is thicker than water. Erk - did I really say that?
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