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Messages - suburbanfox

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1
Discussion / Amateur Radio At Cfz2015
« on: May 10, 2015, 23:55:25 »
Hey guys,


I've noticed a bit of chatter from friends attending CFZ who also hold amateur radio licences - a few are planning to bring their handheld radios with them to keep in contact (why not, if a Baofeng, VX-3E or whatever fits in your pocket?).

Rather than clutter up the standard calling channels with convention chatter, we figured it'd be a good idea to shuffle convention-specific chatter off onto another calling channel, as is sometimes done at radio rallies (the "talk-in" channels on the RSGB band plan).

That being the case, my friends and I have come to a sort of gentlemans' agreement to use the following frequencies:

  2-metres VHF: 145.45MHz CTCSS 123.0Hz
  70cm UHF (Experimental!): 433.45MHz CTCSS 123.0Hz

2m is intended to be the main one; we're expecting the best range from that. I'll be doing a quick range check on UHF on the first night and if that bears fruit then we might use that as an alternate, but chances are all the fun will be happening on 2m.

For anyone wondering "why CTCSS?" - my friends and I are mostly using Baofengs, and level-based squelching tends to be hit and miss on those. 123.0Hz is a CTCSS frequency which isn't on the repeater allocation map (http://www.ukrepeater.net/access.htm), and is nice and easy to remember. Please wait a second (about as long as it takes to say "one elephant") after keying before speaking, for the benefit of those using channel-scan or dual-watch!

I may also lurk on the standard calling frequency (145.5MHz) but only intermittently. I obviously can't speak for anyone else ^.^

There's a possibility that I may try and put together a "Foxhunt" (radio direction finding challenge) as a fun, unofficial (i.e. nothing to do with CFZ), side-event, but this depends on me getting a low-power transmitter set up in time. All are welcome to this - all you'll need is a scanner radio (or a Baofeng or similar amateur radio configured as a receiver).

I'll update this thread and try to get the word out at the con if the foxhunt goes ahead. (Is there going to be a noticeboard or similar near Ops this year?)
 
Comments welcome, please!

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Feedback / Re: Party Suites - ConFuzzled 2015
« on: January 26, 2015, 23:59:00 »
Are all the Party Suites taken now, or are any remaining?

Given that the page linked above still says "will be returning" and there's been no announcement on the Announcements board, I can only assume there's been a delay and they haven't been announced yet...

I'm waiting (hoping!) to book one too...

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Feedback / Re: Party Suites - ConFuzzled 2015
« on: December 28, 2014, 09:55:16 »
For the benefit of anyone who landed here having searched Google for "confuzzled.org.uk party suite" or words to that effect (like I did last night), the information you want is here:

http://2015.confuzzled.org.uk/venue/bedrooms/

Scroll to the bottom of that page, and start reading from the "Party Suites" heading :)

4
Feedback / CFZ Gallery thumbnails
« on: June 13, 2014, 14:56:26 »
I'm not sure if this is the right board for the question, but I'll ask it anyway:

Could the thumbnails in the Gallery (http://gallery.confuzzled.org.uk/) be made a bigger? The ~150x100 pixel ones are a bit too small to see what's going on in the photo...

Thanks!
-SF

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Discussion / My CFz2014 photos
« on: June 09, 2014, 01:41:49 »
... As few as there are, mine are on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/philpem/sets/72157644569485467/

Nudge me on Twitter (@philpem), via Flickr Mail or on UKfur if you'd like a hi-res or non-watermarked copy of any of these.

Cheers,
-SF

6
Nice simple question from me - for a change :)

Is there any possibility of some of the previous ConFuzzled T-shirts being made available again (e.g. print-on-demand)?
I'm quite fond of the 2012 CFZ T-shirt, to the point where one of mine is pretty close to worn out and the other is nipping at its feet.

Another thing that'd be cool is desktop wallpaper sized versions of the CFZ 2012 thru 2014 shirt designs. The 2013 and 2014 designs ("hidden badger" and "not going to space today") would look damn fine on just about all my machines, and I could probably get away with having the 2014 one on my PC at work too... :)

Cheers,
-SF

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Are these all of them? because it seems like me and friend aren't in there

Not to "me-too", but my photos seem to be missing too - along with a friend who came to the photoshoot with me.

Suits were Cosmo (the Faruku-built snow leopard suit) and Syrrus Fox.

8
Of course, they (currently !) have a larger audience to draw from and not all of these are applicable in the UK - for example, the number of furs either interested in attending or capable of giving a talk specifically on electronics in fursuits would probably be too small to be viable.

"Electronics for Dogs: A Fursuit Builder's Guide to Electronics"

I've talked to a few fursuit builders who get stuck with electronics (even "simple" things like fans and blinking LEDs). Seems like this might be more popular than you suspect :)

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Feedback / Re: The Queues ¬_¬
« on: June 28, 2013, 01:40:43 »
I did suggest at the Feedback Panel that next year, big events in the main hall are released on LiveStream, filmed from the back of the main stage for people who might not be able to sit in the main hall. Although this might not occur next year, thanks to the generous size of the venue, I still think it would be valid for events scheduled in the evening so that people can enjoy them from the comfort of their room, from the bar or from a nearby restaurant with WiFi.

I'd love to see this happen -- even if it's just a case of "you can get to it from the hotel WiFi by going to this address" or "crappy camcordery video will be on Youtube by midnight" (of course, with the fantastic all-singing-all-dancing filmed-by-the-Official-Lensmen-and-edited-to-perfection one to follow). Being able to watch the streams wouldn't really replace the atmosphere of actually being there, but for those of us who just want to see what happens (like me), it's fine.

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Feedback / Re: Public list of fursuit badges
« on: June 28, 2013, 01:34:33 »
I'm certain the fursuit team will get in touch with you - we're still winding down from this year's convention and sorting out key details for the new venue at the moment, so we're still quite busy.

Thanks - sorry if I sounded a bit impatient there...

@Tungro - integrating it into the registration system was pretty much what I was thinking. You register, then when your registration is approved, you get a "manage fursuit badges" option. From there you can upload images and fursuit info, see the ones you've uploaded, and so on. Maybe have an "exclude from public list" option if people want that? That's all pie in the sky though.
The public fursuit list / photo grid is on my "really nice to have" list right after it, just because the Eurofurence one has been so useful. Couple of hours of extra coding, "SELECT * FROM fursuit_badges WHERE publicly_visible='true'" and display the results in a pretty little grid.

@Raithsphere - The more the merrier :)

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Feedback / Re: Public list of fursuit badges
« on: June 26, 2013, 01:43:46 »
Matt, Tungro et al - check the emails!

I sent an email to the Fursuit Relations box Rizzorat posted, but haven't heard anything back. Still more than happy to help out if you want me to :)

(Ob edit) - I've got this topic on notify now, so if you reply I should be able to respond a bit quicker!

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Announcements / Re: Lost & Found 2013
« on: June 26, 2013, 01:30:18 »
If you're missing something you might have left in your room, it might be worth contacting the hotel too --

http://www.pumahotels.co.uk/hotels/hinckley-island-hotel-leicestershire/
Phone - 01455 631 122  (also on their website)

Probably worth the cost of a phone call - they'll want your room number, name, date you checked in and checked out.

13
Feedback / Re: Public list of fursuit badges
« on: June 12, 2013, 01:08:33 »
Thanks for the reply, Rizzo - sorry, I've been a little busy. Email has been sent :)

Thanks again,
-SF

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Feedback / Re: Parade Photo Feedback 2013
« on: June 10, 2013, 21:11:36 »
Or have the fursuiters arranged (roughly) in order of height, tallest at the back like an old school class photo?  ;)

15
Feedback / Re: Art Auction
« on: June 10, 2013, 21:10:17 »
Could 100% charity items at least be highlighted somehow? Perhaps with a sticker on the bottom of the bidsheet with text to the effect of "Charity item -- all proceeds to convention charity"?

And maybe the same for the 0% items -- a similarly sized "Note -- non-charity item -- All proceeds to seller" sticker, perhaps on a red or danger-stripe background?
I'm only half joking here -- I was purposely avoiding anything with less than a 10% charity percentage this year. For some of us, it does affect what we choose to bid on. I can appreciate some sellers may rely on the art show for their income, but to put an item into auction without even five or ten percent to the charity seems rather tight fisted... almost Ebenezer Scrooge tight-fisted...

(Own opinions only, as usual)

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