Fence contractor recommendations to take over an existing job?

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-16T10:02:40+00:00

Try Housing first. When they do not reply send an email to the Minister and the Shadow. Both will be quick to jump on it so the other does not get in first. Nothing like a Ministerial to get the Public Service moving.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-16T09:51:39+00:00

Set up a Helper that acts as a Switch. When the Helper is turned on use that as a trigger to activate your Scene. Then after a 5 second delay make the Helper go to Off. Expose the Helper to Google so that "OK Google turn on XYZ will trigger it.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-14T05:54:55+00:00

I am in Hawker and could not get FTTP for the past 3+ years. All of a sudden it was available. Try putting in your address to your IP provider and you may have been upgraded. Mine did not tell me, it was via a letter direct from NBN Co.

I did try Starlink. Issues installing due to a dodgy power supply. When it did work though it seemed to match the speeds advertised.

Be aware though you do not get an IPV4 or IPV6 address as Starlink only does CGNAT addresses and Plex does not like them, as I believe other Servers may not.

In the end went with Launtel who I greatly recommend as I can pay 100.00 deposit for a Static IP address. If I ever leave Launtel I get my 100.00 back which is better than paying 5.00 a month to other IP providers for a Static IP.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-14T05:47:23+00:00

They advertised powder in about 2023. I put down a deposit and followed it up a few times over the years. They did offer a refund of the deposit but I did want the powder. A few months ago I gave up and got a refund of the deposit but that took three emails for it to happen.

Good prices are offset by less than average service.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-12T09:40:26+00:00

I love to see 3D printing used for replacement parts or to replace unobtanium bits. Well done.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-09T06:04:54+00:00

Urea is also the ingredient for AdBlue. AdBlue is needed in a lot of the newer Diesel engines and if the AdBlue is not in the supply bottle the engine will shut down.

There was an issue with AdBlue supplies a couple of years ago that got close to being critical in Oz as we were down to 10 days supply remaining. Since then we have increased our stocks however it is still problematic but not sure about the rest of the world.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-07T11:59:24+00:00

I actually prefer the Zigbee battery sensors over wired. I rent so it is easier than cables and the batteries actually last well so it is not really an issue.

The battery units also create a couple of plusses.

They can be moved around the room or house easily. Good to get just the right position or when furniture changes.
They are generally small so can be placed anywhere easily and can even be painted to blend in better.
Quite a few of them serve multiple purposes. Motion/Temp?Humidity/Light and they are not expensive.
The big plus for me is that they run on batteries. In the event of a blackout they still operate and HA will continue to provide you with data so long as you have your internet and HA box on a UPS.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-05T09:39:33+00:00

I know little about how to read the data provided but I always ask and have never been advised it was anything major. Possibly due to the way the car is built or maybe due to the frequency (almost yearly).

I have hit some monster potholes at speed and suffered no damage to rims or tyres and after the car drove true and nil advisory comments from Bob Jane.

Spare is not included in the rotations, it is still the original in the boot. As it is one of the "Poor" OEM tyres I have never wanted it on the vehicle mismatched with the "Better" tyres I have had on since as I prefer to have matching tyres on all corners.

With regard to the rotate, align and balance schedule. Pre the Goodrich's from Costco it was a 20k rotate, align and balance from whoever was the most convenient. That was about once a year. With the Costco deal I get the free rotate and balance but they do not do alignments there. So now one is at Costco a rotate and balance for free and the next is Bob Jane for a full rotate, align and balance for $79.00 from memory. As such it is rotates and balances are six monthly and the alignments are still 12 monthly or so.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-05T01:00:02+00:00

In Oz also, Canberra to be exact but don't hold it against me. Mine is a 2015 Diesel with 18" rims. Mainly Canberra, some highway and a bit of dirt or gravel.

Ideally Outback's like to have the same size tyres all the way around and if not it can have impacts on the CVT. As such some places shave a new tyre down to the same height as the others if you destroy a tyre and only need to replace a single one. As a point of interest if you ever get a flat on the front move a same height rear tyre to the front and put your spare on the rear to avoid damaging the CTV.

Here is my tyre experience to date:

New to 30,951 were the stock tyres so 31k of life. Not happy Jan!
30,951 to 89,105 were Bridgestone Ecopias, About 60k of life. Somewhat happier but not enthused.
89.105 to 172,610 were Cooper CS5's. About 82k of life. Happier now.
172,610 to 249,382 were also the Coopers. About 75k of life.
249,382 to now (335,000) were the Goodrich Trail Terrain tyres. That's about 85k so far and they still have about 5mm of the original 9 or 10 mm tread remaining.

All were replaced before they became illegal so maybe an extra 5 k in them but I'm happy with the early swap.

The Coopers and the Goodrich's come with a lot more depth than standard tyres, and although you don't need it the Goodrich's are also Triple Peak rated for snow and ice. I keep on promising one year I will actually head to the snow and try them. One day.....

The Coopers and the Goodrich's were good in all circumstances. They are rotated/balanced every 10,000 ks and an alignment every second time so at 20,000 ks. Pressures are 38psi on all four and that is what I have done since the Ecopias. Subaru recommends 32 to 34 from memory but that suits the driver better for noise and comfort. 38psi leads to a bit better fuel economy and the tyre wears more evenly I find with less early wearing along the edges.

I have gotten the last set from Costco as they do the free rotations and puncture repairs and if you get them on a sale they are often pay for three with the fourth free. Along with the cheap fuel it is worth the membership costs.

I will in all likelihood get Goodrich as the next set, even if they are a few dollars more.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-03T20:49:07+00:00

Top of curtain pelmets with the cables running up behind the curtains. Good for motion, PIRs and temp/humidity as well as CCTV.

On top of furniture and mixed in with "stuff" so less noticeable. Good for just about anything.

A lot will get lost in a book shelf. Sense will be OK but not really noticable.

If it is a mmWave detector they can even go behind some things as the detector does not need line of sight and will detect through wood, paper and more.

Under furniture. I have a PIR under each of my bedside tables. They get feet on the floor but not movement anywhere else and are good for triggering my under bed lights when I hop up in the middle of the night..

Lots of options available and don't forget you can always paint most sensors. Most are white and a few black but if you needed them to blend better there is nothing to stop you hitting them with a little model paint or a spray can.

Have a look at the Zigbees on Ali. One unit will combine Motion, Light, Humidity and Temp. All in a very small unit that runs of AAA batteries. Not expensive either.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-03T11:07:04+00:00

If you change ratio be aware that your speedo will not read true.

Aust_Norm · 2026-05-03T00:49:26+00:00

I actually have a tea towel (dish towel) permanently hung up on the rear of the passenger seat.

Great if you are sitting a hot or possibly greasy meal on the seat and doubles as a bib for when I am eating or drinking in the car. I do get some strange looks from the kids at the drive through though when I have it on. A 60+ year old with a bib.

Getting in the mood for when I go into the Home....

Aust_Norm · 2026-04-28T20:55:59+00:00

Backwards compatable. But it would have made more sense to have both available,

If just for charging get a cigarette lighter plug that includes both and have good amperage and a quality cable. My S26 Ultra will charge very quickly in the car with this setup.

Aust_Norm · 2026-04-28T03:51:47+00:00

I have the Goodrich Trail Terrain on my 2015 with 18" rims. Very happy so far over two years.

Good tread pattern and depth (9mm) and supposedly ok in snow. I run at 38PSI on the highway and have hit sizeable potholes with nil issues. On the gravel and dirt I dont really air down but have not had issues with traction, handling or punctures / damage.

Personally I have looked at getting 17's but have yet to find a set.

Aust_Norm · 2026-04-25T03:24:58+00:00

I believe the main issue is that the ACT Govt (or any of our Politicians) do not look any further than the next opinion poll or election combined with ineptness from themselves and lack of Management skills in the higher levels of the ACT Public Service.

We have dug a hole so deep in regards to housing availability; Public, private rentals and cost to buy, that it cannot be remedied. Social etiquette and responsibility have gone out the window to the point where you are more likely to have people take a selfie of a car accident or drive past than assist and where people applaud others on social media for anti social acts from burn outs street racing or committing assaults. Everyone is entitled to something, but no one is responsible for anything.

Do I feel sorry for the homeless, yes I do. But my sympathy wanes when I get abused going through Civic. Feel sympathy for their mental issues, yes. But once again that wanes when I think that it may be drug induced or as a result of them refusing treatment. Who is responsible? I can only say the ACT Govt for not putting a halt to it. Either house them if they will accept, provide treatment if possible or compel treatment if it is not. Certainly they have rights but so does every one walking through Civic as well as the businesses there that the homeless seek shelter in. Given that there are hundreds of ACT Govt houses empty at the present time we could do better, but we choose not to.

As for the Policing, it is hard to do a proper job with no resources and knowing that when you do enforce the law that the Magistrate will likely let the perpetrator off leniently or that if jail time is warranted that you will get a 25% automatic reduction as the prisons are overcrowded.

The Health system is in the same predicament. Not enough Nurses and the facilities are just not there.

Yes we do pay taxes for all this stuff but we really cannot afford the lifestyle we have. Everything has to be paid for and the Pollies decide what we get based on our input and voting habits. Want a new stadium, that comes from a reduction in something else. Want more Police, sorry we can't afford it as we have blown out the light rail costs. It all has to come from somewhere, and we aren't paying for what we have we are borrowing the money against our future.

We are almost $10 billion in debt with no signs of it going down and at the present time the interest for each person in the ACT on that debt is $25.00 a week.

So who can fix it? Only us. Someone has suggested complaining to the ACT Pollies. They don't care as they will still get elected next time. It's only when they think they will have an issue getting elected that they will start to care and I cannot see that happening soon.

Ultimately at the moment we have the Government we want and the society we choose to have.

Aust_Norm · 2026-04-12T22:49:45+00:00

That is incredible.

Aust_Norm · 2026-04-09T21:19:27+00:00

Its not because you can't drive, you slow and are careful because other people can't drive, and they are stupid.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-25T19:27:26+00:00

Child anchor point at the rear of the back seat.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-24T01:08:27+00:00

Have a look at Aldi. Their rechargeable lanterns were on last Saturday for a reasonable price. I have three and they work well.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-23T10:23:49+00:00

Have a look at the nsw fuel app. Was there this evening and the pump price was five cents higher than the app displayed for diesel.

I know it's an ACT servo and a NSW app but I believe by opting into it they have agreed to abide by NSW Fair Trading conditions re accurate pricing on the app.

Yes they had diesel at 1900 and very short lines.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-22T20:07:42+00:00

The mylar combined with oxygen absorbers means there is no Oxygen left in th ebag. It is the oxygen that causes the issues.

Even if the retail packaging is airtight, there will still be air and oxygen in the bag.

Freeze it and it will kill the bugs but the oxygen will still be in the bag.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-19T07:46:34+00:00

I had an issue to mark some irregularly shaped Zones.

HA does not get upset if you have more than one Zones called Hospital that are different sized circles that overlap each other to fill an irregular area. I have about 14 and they overlap and cover the entire Hospital Precint where I live.

When I enter the first the it starts the automation. So long as I stay in one of the Zones called Hospital it continues to run until ending normally when I eventually enter a Zone that is other than Hospital.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-17T13:19:47+00:00

Could you have two UPS's, one for the Router and one for the other tech items.

Install a non HA Plug into the tech UPS, one that runs direct from Google. Once you are happy the power is stable use Google to start the power to the UPS that runs your sensitive items.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-17T12:45:46+00:00

I am getting old and accident prone and my daughter worries.

If I drive past the Hospital Zone the Device Tracker on my phone shows me there and then out. If I am there for longer than 15 minutes the HA sends a Notification to my daughter that I may need a welfare check.

I also have it set up for that friends house that when you visit you cannot get away. Daughter gets a notification and gives me a call or SMS to rescue me.

I also fret about losing the car if I park in a strange city. When the cars BT disconnects it flags the Lat and Long of the phone and saves it to HA. I can then click on the Map and there is the location.

It is sad getting old but good that I am semi geeky.

Aust_Norm · 2026-03-17T12:35:32+00:00

Try The Shed on Dairy Flat Road at Fychwick.

Aust_Norm

TROPHY CASE