38 A place for LARC members to sit and chat. en-US Thu, 23 May 2013 16:33:02 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.3 q http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/search.php http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=153#post-219 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:52:44 +0000 kris_KB0STG 219@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Caviar drives don't have an issue with RAID 5/10 in the real world. Unless you are using it for a very busy server, don't be afraid to get Black drives. Green drives park the head too much for most RAID applications. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=153#post-202 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:12:15 +0000 myron_ng0m 202@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Jim - you were correct - I'm using SATA.</p> <p>Kenyon,</p> <p>Troy sent me a white paper from WD. They say that the Green, Blue, and Black "Caviar" drives are not suited for Raid other than 0 or 1. The Green ones (that I'm stuck with for now) are handling RAID 1 just fine. WD recommends their "RE" line of drives, which is almost double the price of the others. So, instead of 6 terabytes, I have less than 4 :(</p> <p>I have a couple of pretty decent SATA-Raid controllers. One was made by Promise and the other by High-point. </p> <p>I know western Digital says they don't recommend their Caviar drives for anything other than Raid 0/1, but I've had 2 Black Edition drives in a RAID 5 array since 2010 with no trouble at all.</p> <p>The Green drives seem to be content in their current RAID 1 .... I told the guys at DIT about it, because they recommended them for the RAID-5 setup. They won't be making that recommendation again ;) </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=153#post-201 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:51:25 +0000 Kenyon_k0epp 201@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>I wonder if the Western Digital Caviar Black series does this as well since these are suppose to be the "performance" series as opposed to the "Green" series.</p> <p>That said, I wouldn't do a Raid 0 setup without a quality Raid controller. I would think you could get better performance using a SSD or some sort of Ramdisk setup. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=153#post-199 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:23:50 +0000 Jim_NU0C 199@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>That's interesting, but not a totally surprising development. I assume we are talking about IDE or SATA drives here? I've only used RAID with SCSI, ATA RAID always seemed like an inadequate, band-aid approach to me. Good info, thanks Myron.</p> <p>73</p> <p>-Jim </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=153#post-198 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:37:15 +0000 myron_ng0m 198@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Just an FYI for those of you thinking about buying Western Digital or almost any other "Green" drive out there - they might not be all they are cracked up to be.</p> <p>I bought 4x 2 Terabyte drives that I was going to put into a RAID 5 array. I had no idea of the headaches I would soon encounter.</p> <p>As I found out, the Western Digital Drives actually park the head (move the arm off of the platters) after about 8 seconds of inactivity. Most hard drives produced these days can only do this 300,000 times. When this timer is activated, the disk disappears to the raid card and your entire volume disappears. </p> <p>Depending on the RAID controller, you may have a mess. Some cards may make you wipe the disk that turned off, and re-instert it to the array - which would then cause it to re-build. My controller just sat at a BIOS screen waiting for me to continue (without the array) or to Destroy (and start over).</p> <p>Well, I found a program that disabled the internal timer. The documentation indicated that the program would only cause a minor increase in power usage, as the drives not park until they were shut off.</p> <p>I was copying my data back to my raid when my volume disappeared again. As it turns out, the Green drives are also missing a feature (TLER I think its called). This feature has something to do with skipping bad sectors of the disk before the disk spends a lot of time trying to get a bit of information. Most "Green" drives lack this feature as well.</p> <p>This stumbling block used to have a solution too - but the newer Western Digital Drives no longer support the method to add this.</p> <p>I'm in the process of trying Software RAID with a Linux computer, but the early results are discouraging at best.</p> <p>If you are going to use a Green drive by itself - I'm sure it will work just fine. But the Green drives, at the very least from Western Digital (now owner of Hitachi drives) do not work so well. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-25 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:19:30 +0000 Jim_NU0C 25@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Agreed, the DOT stuff from the auto parts store is VERY reflective. I am constantly amazed at just how little direct light it takes to see a reflection from these. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-24 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:14:30 +0000 myron_ng0m 24@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>I used some DOT reflective tape that Troy gave me for the bike rack (hitch mount). That stuff is pretty cool. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-23 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:01:04 +0000 Jim_NU0C 23@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>I just scored a set of the reflector strips from Harbor Freight (in the safety section, right next to the kneepads - makes perfect sense....). $6.99 for a package of 10, and they look pretty good. The back of the package states "Complies with FMUSS 108 55.7.1 and ASTM D495-90 standards", although they are "not DOT-approved for vehicle use". Since this is not a required marking application under any law or rule that I know of, I don't know that it matters at all...</p> <p>Yes, they are made in China.</p> <p>73</p> <p>-Jim </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-22 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:40:26 +0000 Loren-kb0wzg 22@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>For reflective tape look at www//galls-graphics-store.stores.yahoo.net/scotchcal-striping.html several colors that emergency equipment use. It is expensive but good.<br /> Loren </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-21 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:53:03 +0000 Jim_NU0C 21@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Reflective tape at Harbor Freight:</p> <p><a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-reflective-tape-97562.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-reflective-tape-97562.html</a></p> <p>I believe this is the one I bought at Advance Auto Parts, Optronics RE-418T:</p> <p><a href="http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Reflective-Tape-Kit-Optronics_10041343-P_N3166_A" rel="nofollow">http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Reflective-Tape-Kit-Optronics_10041343-P_N3166_A</a></p> <p>The description is wrong, they are 2" x 18" per strip, four strips. VERY reflective. DOT-C2 certification marks as per NHTSA 9CFR571.108.</p> <p>YOu can get any color you want, as long as it's red and white.</p> <p>73</p> <p>-Jim </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-20 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:54:14 +0000 Kenyon_k0epp 20@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>If I could find some reflective tape to match the paint on the car, I would rather do that. Then again, white shouldn't be hard to find. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-18 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:21:38 +0000 Jim_NU0C 18@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>If anyone remembers a video shown at a past spotter training, vehicles traveling on a highway at night can be "attracted" to a flashing light and plow right into you. It may be that there is no depth perception of the distance of the light, and they don't realize that it's not a moving vehicle ahead of them until it's too late. I found some very highly reflective adhesive stickers at an auto parts store, but the stuff wasn't cheap. Harbor Freight has some more economical reflective tape listed on their web site and in some of their flyers, but I haven't has a chance to check it out yet.</p> <p>73</p> <p>-Jim </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-17 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 06:13:09 +0000 Loren-kb0wzg 17@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>If you really feel you need a light to the rear.(parked at hill with abrupt incline) I would recommend at the top corners inside of your rear window an LED amber light(small clearance) that would not show inside to hinder your vision at night. This would be seen from an approaching vehicle at a higher view. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-14 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:39:10 +0000 Lydia_KC0WWR 14@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>When do storm spotters need amber lights? Is it for safety reasons? I think that most of the time, some reflective tape on the rear of your vehicle is all you need. I could see a need if you were trying to warn people about a blocked road until the police or sheriff got there, but otherwise I don't think I want any amber lights on my van. </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php#post-13 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:06:07 +0000 Jim_NU0C 13@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Yes, thanks Warren and crew. I like this much better than the strip-down-the-middle-of-the-page style.</p> <p>73</p> <p>-Jim </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-12 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:39:46 +0000 lee_kb0wzh 12@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Where and when is the training for the lights?, or is the standard training enough? </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php?id=10#post-10 Tue, 31 May 2011 13:21:47 +0000 jim_kd6mxe 10@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>For those storm spotters that are registered with the county emergency services: LB 573 was recently passed and signed into law authorizing storm spotters to use amber lights. This bill will become effective 90 days after the close of the current legislative session which was on Thursday, May 26, 2011. I have been tracking this bill at the request of Art Zygielbaum, K0AIZ. I am sure he will have more to say when he returns to Lincoln.The bill states in Sec 3 (1) The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency shall develop training, identification, and credentialing standards for a storm spotter or emergency management worker. (2) "For purpose of this section, storm spotter means an individual who performs weather spotting services as an employee or a volunteer of a local emergency management organization and who has been credentialed by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency under this section.</p> <p>Prior to this section the bill states in Sec 1 (7) any motor vehicle operated by or for an emergency management worker as definded in section 81-829.39 or a storm spotter as defined in section 3 of this act who is activated by a local emergency management organization." - Jim Winney, KD6MXE, </p> http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/topic.php#post-5 Thu, 19 May 2011 03:03:26 +0000 Kenyon_k0epp 5@http://k0kkv.org/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for deciding to establish a web forum on the new site. </p> <p>May I also suggest an area where we can talk about radios, maybe under the technology section? A general members section would also be nice so that new members might be able to stop by and say hello.</p> <p>Thanks again. </p>