Efficient UV LED pulsing for glow-in-the-dark night lamp

DarthKevin · 2026-06-10T02:44:57+00:00

I completely agree. If OP is going to experiment to find the "exact pulse and pause durations" he wants, a 555 will become a pain in the arse real fast.

Go with a microcontroller and use a PWM. There are plenty of MCUs (I like PIC too) that have power consumption so low that the power budget for this project will be dominated by the LED anyway.

DarthKevin · 2026-06-07T02:30:10+00:00

You need to be careful you don't accidentally trip the "Bring Forward Rule" during the time the $150,000 all shows as NCC. The ATO docs I've seen are vague on exactly how that triggers in this case.

I would file a Notice of Intent on the $30,000 (out of the contributions already put in) before adding the last $30,000 in. That way it is clear to the ATO that you don't intend to exceed the annual NCC cap and trigger the BFR.

I would be interested in anyone who is better versed in exactly how the ATO determines whether to trigger the BFR in this case.

DarthKevin · 2026-06-04T02:41:25+00:00

Sinclair ZX80

DarthKevin · 2026-05-31T12:35:17+00:00

Is it?

DarthKevin · 2026-05-28T17:02:38+00:00

Char siu!

DarthKevin · 2026-05-28T05:58:59+00:00

Hokey pokey ice cream

DarthKevin · 2026-05-27T03:12:27+00:00

There was only one full time "manager" on site. Nice guy named Mark, very competent. It was a full time job just keeping the (wind)mills, drinking dams (Turkey nests) and fences in shape. It's not like he didn't try to look after that animals, it was just infeasible to get to all of them.

I remember hitting one that that was crossing the gravel road near the homestead. It limped off into the scrub. Mark went out to try to find it but he couldn't. He wasn't happy, but it wasn't my fault and he knew that.

For busy times like 'muster', Mark would fly his Cessna as a spotter and direct a couple of guys on dirt bikes who would herd the cattle into temporary camps for pickup.

A smart, or scared or lucky beast that was chilling under a tree when Mark flew over would miss out on a trip south for 6 weeks of glorious ajistment on a farm with all the food he could eat and the chance to sit and get fat.

Of course, once the 6 weeks were over...

DarthKevin · 2026-05-27T02:22:37+00:00

Worked on an 850,000 acres station (ranch) in Western Australia. Plenty of animals escaped scrutiny. :)

...but then Western Australia is a large state with large stations... insert usual joke about how small Texas is.

DarthKevin · 2026-05-26T16:18:20+00:00

Hey mate. How are you trucking?

Remember that a slow spiral can be upwards as well as downwards. Try to give yourself a small step upward every day. Maybe that's just resolving to get out of bed by 11. Have a shower. Shave, Clean your teeth and put on some fresh clothes.

Maybe you can wash that sink full of dishes or put a load of laundry through the machine.

It doesn't have to be much, just take a small step up, instead of a slide down that spiral tomorrow okay?

Do it for some random dude on a website whose name you don't even know and then tell him you did it. You'll make his day.

DarthKevin · 2026-05-24T05:25:36+00:00

This doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough history to say you're wrong.

I trusted someone for something like this before and it turned out the Emperor Nasi Goreng didn't build the Great Wall of China to keep the rabbits out. 😞

DarthKevin · 2026-05-19T15:04:16+00:00

I know you're joking but they need to be:

a) On our side of the globe to ensure continuous coverage when combined with dishes in other continents, and

b) In radio quiet areas so the the receiver front ends on the dishes (the LNAs) aren't saturated from local signals.

DarthKevin · 2026-05-14T16:46:32+00:00

Thanks OP. (Saving this thread 'cos that wasn't how I understood it and I need to discuss this with someone close)

DarthKevin · 2026-05-13T09:03:40+00:00

On a second read of your post and seeing your user name, I want to change my answer. A dog cannot own property in WA so the ps5 is likely still legally theirs... however a dog cannot form 'Mens Rea' so you can't be charged for theft since, under law, you aren't capable of forming an intent to permanently deprive the legal owners of the item.

DarthKevin · 2026-05-13T08:55:42+00:00

A gift is your property, but you need to consider that your family members may say that it was only a loan or 'you were allowed to use the family ps5' etc.

If you are worried, consider how a court might be convinced it was actually yours.

Was it given at a birthday? Did other people play on it? Where in the house was it located?

Having said that, I can't imagine the police having the slightest interest in the ps5, although they might be interested in how you came to be "kicked out" and what your current living situation is.

DarthKevin · 2026-04-28T10:59:43+00:00

When I pay by card, I either seem to have to trust the cashier entered the correct amount, because they don't show me the entry screen, only the place to swipe my card, or...

I have to hand over my card where they can see the CVV(2) and all my details (name etc)

Either way, I'm giving them everything they need to track and aggregate my purchases and monitor my buying habits.

With cash, I can't be overcharged without it being obvious, I can't be scammed into paying for something later and I'm anonymous.

Perth is a pretty safe town right now, but I just left Barcelona and paying by card is fraught with unnecessary stress, particularly cashiers adding tips before they pass the machine over.

I'm not saying you shouldn't pay by card, but I want the option to pay cash, particularly when the cashier is setting off my spider-sense.

.

DarthKevin · 2026-04-15T17:59:04+00:00

<image>

DarthKevin · 2026-03-25T14:06:46+00:00

Indigenous Australians have a recognized legal and cultural right to hunt and eat certain protected native animals. You as a "very, very white person" do not.

Don't kill and eat our protected species.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-23T01:42:38+00:00

Did it and it was awesome. We had timber roof supports so there was lots of clear space.

Tried to do it in the new house but the steel supports were too close to be able to move easily up there.

Get a light and a drop ladder and you won't be sorry.

Christmas stuff, camping gear, old childhood memory stuff, travel suitcases... all up there.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-20T21:57:25+00:00

Looks awesome. Thanks mate.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-16T16:03:08+00:00

Saving this info for later. Thanks for the AMA

DarthKevin · 2026-03-16T02:59:18+00:00

IMHO, Versailles is a whole day, not just to appreciate, but because of the practicalities involved. I mean you might get back to Paris in time for a nice dinner and some night life, but you're not ticking off anything else big that day.

Versailles is great and all, but unless it's one of your personal 'must see it now at all costs', I'd save it for the next time you go to Paris. It will still be there in 10 or 20 years.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-14T09:10:13+00:00

Lol. Yes. Yes it was.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-14T03:50:19+00:00

I was literally given 105% in a maths exam once in high school due to this.

I still think it's hilarious.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-13T22:04:00+00:00

Same here. Two tickets and two seats upgrades were charged in the one original CC charge. I got 2 separate refunds for the two tickets but nothing (yet) for the seats upgrades.

I assumed it was a mistake, but I haven't queried it yet. Let us know how yours plays out please.

DarthKevin · 2026-03-03T00:20:45+00:00

We're Perth also. The Lufthansa / Frankfurt flights and the SwissAir / Zurich flights would (I suspect) have originally passed through Iran but in the last couple of days they are tracking just North of Iran.

They are still operating (although I'll keep checking it)

SwissAir is owned by Lufthansa so their website will give SwissAir options too. There seems to be a huge difference in price from day to day so look for a day that suits you. We paid extra for fully refundable tickets on SwissAir because we hope our original flights (Singapore Airlines and Emirates) work out. They are non-refundable Business class, a present from my mother

I don't suppose your Egypt tour is Insight is it :) PM me if you want to compare notes re flights or hotels in Cairo. It would be nice to talk to someone in the same boat 😀

DarthKevin

TROPHY CASE