VK3ZL
11-29-2012, 06:29 PM
Gidday all..This past week has been full of problems...On November 20th the telephone exchange in Warrnambool burned down at 4am..As this exchange is the master center for the whole South West of the State all telephone and internet services were lost including most mobile phone systems...This meant that about 68 thousand subscribers were left without any communications...The Telstra company who owns and supports the system have done a monumental job working 24/7 to get the system up and running again...I got telephone service back on Tuesday and finally internet this morning...
The implications of this disaster left all business, hospitals and my baby, the fire communications in a state of chaos...Fortunately one of the mobile phone networks had some communications in the Southwest and the Country Fire Association were able to supply myself and two other Comms personal with Mobile phones...Being the central Comms Officer for this part of the State I have VHF and HF fire comms as well as trunking so I was able to keep comms running..This disaster occurred right in the middle of bad bushfires that were burning 10 miles West from me...We have had a heatwave with continuous dry lightning which started many fires..Fortunately we have been able to contain these fires over this week but we have sultry wx with 40C heat and days of dry lightning, no rain so we are on high alert...
I have missed being able to get back on to the internet to supervise the goings on on the Island...I haven't had time yet to peruse the threads but I am sure you have been behaving yourselves..
On a lighter note I took a couple of pictures of Horace my Poll Shorthorn bull..I leave him with a few cows, "harem", throughout the year and he is quiet and content...One doesn't get too close to him though in the open, as he considers the paddock his exclusive territory. He produces very nice calves though.He is 6 years old now..
Enjoy the pics...I added one of Jeannies Epiphilem pics from the greenhouse...They are blooming at present..She has 400 varieties..
Bob..VK3ZL..
The implications of this disaster left all business, hospitals and my baby, the fire communications in a state of chaos...Fortunately one of the mobile phone networks had some communications in the Southwest and the Country Fire Association were able to supply myself and two other Comms personal with Mobile phones...Being the central Comms Officer for this part of the State I have VHF and HF fire comms as well as trunking so I was able to keep comms running..This disaster occurred right in the middle of bad bushfires that were burning 10 miles West from me...We have had a heatwave with continuous dry lightning which started many fires..Fortunately we have been able to contain these fires over this week but we have sultry wx with 40C heat and days of dry lightning, no rain so we are on high alert...
I have missed being able to get back on to the internet to supervise the goings on on the Island...I haven't had time yet to peruse the threads but I am sure you have been behaving yourselves..
On a lighter note I took a couple of pictures of Horace my Poll Shorthorn bull..I leave him with a few cows, "harem", throughout the year and he is quiet and content...One doesn't get too close to him though in the open, as he considers the paddock his exclusive territory. He produces very nice calves though.He is 6 years old now..
Enjoy the pics...I added one of Jeannies Epiphilem pics from the greenhouse...They are blooming at present..She has 400 varieties..
Bob..VK3ZL..