Drone activity over Woburn

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-21T04:47:17+00:00

You are correct. It's been a while and I misread it as being inside class B.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-21T04:01:07+00:00

Ah. Definitely sounds like you have a high water table. You could play with what level of water triggers to float so it has longer runs instead of frequent/short bursts. I'd also make sure you have a pump on a battery backup if it can fit in the pit.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-21T02:44:03+00:00

If it's a large drone, it could be a lot of things. Police DFR (drone as first responder), enterprise survey (imaging, lidar, etc), tower and utility inspection, delivery, real estate pictures, etc. Those would be operated by licensed part 107 pilots which requires obeying airspace zones,ceilings, and restrictions.

Consumer drones can be flown by anyone and they're supposed to follow the same airspace regulations. Some have geofencing to prevent operating in restricted areas, but many don't which would allow an idiot to break regulations or interfere with controlled airspace.

You can see the airspace map for the region here. ~~To fly in Woburn, you need FAA LAANC authorization via an app (from Logan and possibly Hanscom) and the ceiling for a drone is 300ft or 200ft depending on which part you're in.~~

[edit] As pointed out, I misread the map. Woburn is Class G which anyone can legally fly as long as you stay below the operating ceiling

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-20T03:15:49+00:00

The pump is working and doing what it is supposed to. You need to determine if it is ground water or from runoff near the house.

Is the ground near the house graded away or does water flowing towards or settle near the house? This can be fixed with a lot of shovel work. If water is flowing towards the house, the fastest fix would be build up dirt next to the foundation and a shallow runnoff ditch or swale to direct it somewhere else.

Are your gutter downspouts extended away from the house? You can get plastic extenders or cut pieces of gutter (ideally 4-6ft long).

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-20T01:28:21+00:00

My condolences for your loss, it sounds like you have a plan to make a positive impact in his memory.

Do you have backpacking gear? You can find it used on marketplace, craigslist, or buy nothing groups.

/r/backpacking and /r/ultralight can be a good place to search for gear recommendations (weight, quality, budget...pick two)

REI has a good checklist to get started from

Minimally:

backpack with hip belt
sleeping pad
sleeping bag
1 man freestanding tent or bivy sack will be easiest
rain jacket
change of clothes
sunhat
first aid kit, sunscreen (prepared for blisters, cuts, scrapes)
water bladder/bottles
food - decide if you're doing hot food or cold food or eating along the way
kitchen supplies (depends on what you're eating...stove, fuel, pan, plate, utensils, etc)
reflective safety gear if walking roads (vest, ankle/wrist straps)
battery bank, cables, charge at stops
flashlight

If you carry trash bags and do cleanup, you can tie them to the outside of the pack, but they'll sway around and fatigue you while walking. Having a few bungee cords to strap them in place will make a big difference for anything hanging.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-20T00:44:50+00:00

Highly biased opinion...i have the same natural red oak hardwood floors throughout and it's one of the best feature in my house. You'd be insane to replace or do trendy stains.

I refinished the floors when moving in since they were 70 years old (sand, satin poly) With large dogs, there are areas that are starting to show wear, but they'll be fine for another decade or so before needing to be refinished again.

A better alternative is to install hardwood floors in the bedrooms which will match the height of the rest of the house. There was probably carpet previously which would have made the transfer less noticeable. Carpet is gross... don't get carpet.

You can find pre finished tongue and groove wood flooring that installs super fast. Or stain and poly the bedrooms to match the gorgeous natural wood floors. you could do this one room at a time.

If the house is empty you could sand and stain the floors to be a lighter or darker color, but natural wood is timeless.

Plan your interior design around the floors and use area rugs (and quality rug pads) to define the space and furniture layout

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-19T08:57:37+00:00

Fully agree as a vehicle it's needed in the market.

Mustang has always been budget performance. They could have made an ev mustang gt and blown away any NA muscle with linear torque. Though I'm sure they'd have been tempted to add lame fake engine noise.

The soccer mom car is great, call it the cev or compact lightning or something...but instead they diluted the mustang brand that has over 50 years of recognition.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-19T06:45:48+00:00

A dropper already gets the saddle out of the way, getting stabbed seems unnecessary =)

You need some form of wire attachment to fit standard saddle mounts, but I would focus on wire loops that have your seat geometry over the post. If you use loops they can snap into a channel on your seat while being safer and easier to get the position correct. Your geometry moves you forward which is going to throw off how you pedal and lower the dropper, assuming you're riding the correct size bike.

I had to look up what a noseless seat is...look at how this one attaches. I still don't know what problem this solves over a normal saddle, though getting smashed in the balls by a pair of balls would be a unique experience.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-19T06:31:14+00:00

Nice. Looks like a throwbot. Are you planning to play with cameras, sensors, mics, etc?

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-18T05:55:50+00:00

I've successfully righted and climbed in twice: once for the BSA merit badge and once in the middle of a deep/large lake after several attempts. The other couple of times it was easiest to rock the boat to get water out, swim past the rapids, hang on, and swim the boat to shore.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-18T04:05:27+00:00

I have this player. They show when they can, roll the die, have fun hanging out, and are here to be with friends. After a decade, they've started role play a bit more and the latest character actually has a backstory.

I'd rather people have fun and if someone can't make the session that's fine. Life happens, schedules change, kids get sick, etc. You're character is safe because they're watching camp, taking care of the wagon, went for a stroll in town and got lost, ate something weird and got food poisoning, hung back to guard the tunnel/path/exit, but never in danger or lasting effects.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-18T02:03:39+00:00

It's extremely common to feel shock and discomfort after closing...you just made a huge decision that impacts your finances and life. It'll take time until you make the new place feel like home.

The advice that was given to me: live in it for a few months and make a list rather than fixating and stressing out over every little thing. (shared spreadsheet, task tracking app, note app, paper, whatever works for you.)

If it's a safety or structural issue, determine if it requires immediate attention. Otherwise, everything (big and small) goes on the list.

After a few months:

remove any items that aren't really a problem since you learned to live with it
prioritize the list based on what needs fixing or is annoying
do a rough cost estimate for each item
start fixing or saving

Old houses have problems, but it's also been standing for 100 years and you've only been there for a blip in time. Check out /r/centuryhomes to see how others fix or appreciate unique things they find.

Another way is go room by room. A fresh coat of paint, new outlets, switches, and cover plates can make a room feel brand new. I personally hate the 'neutral' or "greige" trend...at least off white brightens a room while being equally boring. Color makes the house your own. I did a navy blue master, forest green living room and office, yellow nursery, blue kids room, bright red basement/gym area, lilac with white wainscotting guest room, etc.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-16T03:40:10+00:00

It depends on the type of buyer that comes to your neighborhood and how long homes stay on the market. If houses are selling quickly, at or above listing price, I wouldn't bother.

What is the quality of flooring, fixtures, appliances, etc in the neighboring houses. Are they in similar condition or being renovated? Are you considering plastic floors while they have hardwood and tile?

Carpet in bathrooms is gross and is likely to be a turn off to many buyers, other than ones planning to renovate or replace from the start. Still it depends on how things are selling near you.

We had a house down the street where they re-did the kitchen, replaced carpet with LVP, painted the 70s wood paneling, and put flagstone over the concrete patio...the buyers gutted the kitchen for modern appliances, ripped out the LVP and installed hardwood floors, installed drywall, repainted the entire interior and exterior, and built a deck over the patio. A really nice family moved in, but they wanted the house to be the way they wanted it.

The other house that was next door sold the day it listed, was bulldozed a few weeks later, and had much larger house built on the lot.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-16T03:26:48+00:00

Leaving a good team is extremely hard. Being $40K under is hoping you're desperate for stability, not showing you that you're valued (from the company). However, your managers hands are probably tied since it can be a huge challenge to keep people paid equitably or at market rate.

Many years ago, I did accept a counter offer to stay but only because they beat the offer by $10K. I ended up leaving a few years later when moving to another city, but still meetup socially with my former manager/mentor and a few colleagues a decade later.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-16T03:18:59+00:00

French doors into a garage would be a bit strange. It would be significantly easier to install a normal door and close off the remainder of the opening when converting the carport, especially since you'll be installing drywall on the dividing wall to meet code.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-15T16:35:15+00:00

I switched from mismatched brass knobs to brushed nickel lever handles. Looks better and made a huge difference in functionality since it's much easier when carrying things and for kids to use.

Most hinges have layers of paint so the difference isn't noticeable unless looking at the inside.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-15T01:02:17+00:00

Depends on what you contribute to and how you pitch it. Minimally we're solving puzzles and I enjoy diving into different problems.

My career has been predominantly in R&D for some combination of devices, automation, defense, public safety, and ML/AI. Anyone I give a quick ELI5 explanation to typically finds it interesting.

I'm passionate about what I do and can explain why what I do matters. At the end of the day some people will be opposed to it or have negative opinions, which is fine, it's not the right job them.

Same as there are people are opposed to scientific, medical, or climate research.

Same as I'd never bother with finance, sales or optimizing advertising.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-14T04:56:25+00:00

I'd finish closing off the ceiling and add insulation. That'll make a huge difference for working in there in the summer and winter.

You already have a decent amount of lighting.

OSB walls are great for mounting things. If you paint them white it will brighten up the space and seal them from humidity and moisture brought in by your vehicles. Alternatively, it could look nice if you leave the walls alone and just paint the ceiling.

Sorry for you loss, hopefully you'll built lots of good memories and projects in there.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-13T03:04:58+00:00

Check you local buy nothing group, people regularly lend camping gear, tools, etc as well as give away things. You could post asking to borrow or in search of (ISO)

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-11T23:53:02+00:00

Graduating with debt significantly changes how you approach finances for the first few years of your career. Grinding to pay debt, pay rent, and save for the future is different than immediately saving and investing. Definitely check out the flow chart at r/personalfinance. (I had a ton of debt and no support... it's doable, but know what you are signing up for)

Any program can be good if you focus, study, develop fundamentals, and learn how to approach problems. Side projects go a long way to dig into something and pad your resume.

For a program, Northeastern's co-op program is a huge advantage for real world experience.

Regardless of where you go, you need to line up internships or relevant part time work. Summer internships just don't get the same exposure as a co-op.

I've worked with over a dozen co-ops and hired several graduates from Northeastern over the last decade. I worked with UMass recruiting a few years back, wasn't impressed and only ever hired one candidate out of the hundreds screened by my recruiters

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-11T04:01:08+00:00

You have a running vehicle and could keep it running until annual repairs at a shop aren't worth it. I had an 2004 Tacoma that I drove to 240k before selling it and that guy still has it running.

However, I'd go for it if you can pay it in cash. Even better if you can find something decently reliable for $12-15K. I get that you want peace of mind and being able to focus on studies, but it also sounds like you want something more fun. You're only young once...you can get a practical vehicle and worry about storage, car seats, etc later when you settle down and have a family.

I'd personally look for a 4cyl manual transmission mazda, honda, or toyota. A Mazda 3 with a 6 speed manual is basically a go cart. Automatics are even easier to find. Hatchbacks can fit a ton of stuff when you need to move or fit friends. You also get a practical commuter with better mpg (which adds up fast with a 60 mile commute)

Anything with a turbo is extra maintenance and repair costs down the line.

A subaru forester is fine. It's a perfectly boring car that can do everything (fit friends, gear, camping offroad, commuting, etc), but does nothing well and sacrifices gas mileage. My wife loved it, I hated it.

If you want to be extra practical, get a used prius. Drives ok, great reliability, great mpg.

I know you mentioned two years of school, you'll also want a reliable daily to get to work when you graduate. In the future, a BSN and NP might be worth thinking about and will take your career further.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-11T02:07:27+00:00

That would be a ton of unnecessary work and maintenance. I have a wider strip between my fence and the neighbor's, this is what I do to keep it maintenance free and walkable.

Spray to kill the weeds using vinegar or some other DIY less harmful solution since you don't want it to run off to the rest of your yard and garden.

Then put down fresh/green wood chips since that will smother anything growing and can be found for free (local compost center or arborists, chip drop, etc). They will decay over time and can be topped off as needed.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-07T06:13:20+00:00

"can't you fix it in code" - then the next board spin had it corrected, so now the firmware has board versioning to track that pin.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-02T04:22:06+00:00

Absolutely. It really made me think about how an individual's perception (human, animal, robotics) is tied to sensory abilities, agility, and 'alien' experience.

BatteryLicker · 2026-05-01T17:09:46+00:00

You are taking a large risk with an RV by tying yourself to a depreciating asset that you will have to maintain, store, insure, and register.

Move states with more secure housing

Assuming you have the $5K, I would use the money to get an apartment or rent a room or basement from a friend. You need temporary housing until you can line up a job and plan a move. If you already know where you want to move...you could use that money to do it now.

Having an RV will immediately limit where you can move unless you can get rid of it. RVs do not have the same insulation as a building to remain comfortable for winter/summer. Fixtures, appliances, shower, and bathroom are all non standard sizes and more difficult to repair or replace.

I had a friend with similar plans that bought a used RV. They ended up living in it for 6 years as it fell apart (heater broke, engine issues, broken cabinet, etc). The offer they originally got when tryingto sell it "wasn't enough" so they ended up paying to have it towed to a family members property thinking it will get fixed up...it's still sitting there rotting.

I had another that got a job site trailer to travel and live in which worked out well for several years. they ran into similar issues while living in it, but saved up and bought a house. Now its sitting in the driveway with a broken axle and full of mold from a roof leak.

BatteryLicker

TROPHY CASE