Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Obviously there were only a few of us involved, but in the Zoom test meeting yesterday, I think the general consensus was that it would spoil the eventual judging if we all saw all the photos in advance, and then got them all again later in the year with Ian’s comments.
As a way of giving some structure to a clubroom “chat” session on Thursday evening, it was suggested that someone could show a few (no more than 20) slides, perhaps to reminisce about a favourite meet of the past. I was asked if I would prepare something for this Thursday, as I seem somehow to have become the club’s Zoom guru (a position I feel rather unqualified for, and which I will be very happy to pass on to someone else). I’ll post separately about that (and further Zoom test meetings, for those who failed to put their clocks forward yesterday and missed it!)
Zoom works fine on the whole, but you can really only have one person talking at a time, and side conversations are pretty well impossible (except using the non-audible “chat” text messaging feature).
JBJB
OK – we had a fairly successful test meeting yesterday evening. Most of the problems seemed to be related to a couple of people’s cameras and microphones (which are normally built in to laptops and tablets, and obviously smartphones).
It is not actually necessary to have a camera available. Rather than seeing a live picture of you, other people see either a photo you have uploaded (if you have registered on Zoom – not necessary to participate in a meeting) or a box with your name in. This is how I am working at present, as I don’t have a camera I can use with my desktop screen, and cheap ones are currently harder to get hold of than toilet rolls.
It’s worth testing your microphone in advance. This can be done by connecting to http://zoom.us/test which allows you to perform a simple test (“Can you hear this sound” Yes/No; “Say something and can you hear it played back to you” Yes/No).
I will run another test meeting at 5.0pm today (Sunday) and have sent invitations to those who have expressed interest. If you haven’t had an invitation and would like to participate, please e-mail me at john@johnbarnard.me.uk.
Cheers
JBI’ve scheduled another test meeting for 5.0pm today (Saturday), and sent invitations by e-mail to those people who have contributed to the discussion here. I’m not going to post the meeting ID on this forum for security reasons, though for future meetings I guess that the WhatsApp groups (nominally for evening climbing, cycling and Sunday walks) might be another way of doing it.
If anyone who hasn’t had an invitation to this afternoon’s test meeting especially wants to participate, then please send me an e-mail to john@johnbarnard.me.uk by about 4.45pm. The purpose is just for people to ensure that they can connect OK, and to give everyone an idea of how it all works. So far I have just had one-to-one meetings with Mary (on Thursday night) and with Chris Lunn (last night), but this should be an opportunity to see what happens when we have more people involved.
Further tests can be scheduled (either by me, or preferably by someone else) over the coming days.
Mary and I had a successful test of the Zoom system last night, so I’m also now available to assist with people who want to try it out. I will be arranging a brief test with a few people from the Evening Climbing WhatsApp Group at 2130 this evening (Fri). I’m still a bit of a beginner at this, but I hope the following will be useful.
In order to use Zoom you need to download some software and install it on your computer or smartphone. So far as I can tell, you do not need to “register” on the Zoom system unless you want to be able to organise and “host” a meeting. I have installed the software on both my Windows 10 laptop, and on my Android smartphone. I assume that the process will be similar for Macs and iPhones by I have no experience with them.
You do not need a camera on your system (either built in or separate) but if you don’t have one, you will not be visible to others (though you will be able to see other people).
In order to join a meeting, someone (who is registered on the Zoom system) has to set up the meeting, and send an internet link to those people he (or she) wants to join the meeting. Clicking on this link will prompt you to download and install the software if you haven’t already done so, but it may be helpful to have installed it in advance.
For Windows computers it can be downloaded from https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting (choose “Zoom Client for Meetings”. For Andoid phone users you can find it in the PlayStore.
Once the software is installed and you have clicked on the link to the meeting, you should automatically be added to the meeting, and will be able to see, hear and talk to the other people in it. There is also a facility for sending text messages either to everyone in the meeting, or just to individuals. The host for the meeting has control over it, and can mute or disconnect other people, or (I think) hand control over to them. It is also possible for people to “share” their screen, for example to show photos.
I will be sending an e-mail invitation to a test meeting to those people who expressed interest earlier this evening on the Climbing Whatsapp group. At this stage I’d rather keep it to just a handful of people, but might be able to do another test in a day or two.
Cheers
JBIs the committee organising something along these lines, or does it want some of the people who’ve contributed to this thread to do so?
JBI’m not sure where Ali got this advice from, but I’m afraid that large parts of it (especially the bit about holding your breath for 10 secs) are a HOAX which has been fairly well debunked on various reputable websites over the last couple of weeks. It was also cited as a myth in an item I saw on the BBC News channel this morning.
See for example https://www.thatsnonsense.com/holding-breath-for-10-seconds-detects-coronavirus-fact-check/
There does seem to be SOME sensible advice in the message (e.g. washing your hands often), but there is a lot of complete rubbish.
Also note that the disease is called Covid-19, not Covis-19.
JBThis seems an excellent idea, perhaps allowing us to recreate something of the old Thursday evenings at the clubroom atmosphere. I have no particular technical expertise, but apparently a online video conferencing system called Zoom has become very popular in recent years.
A quick look at its website (https://zoom.us/) suggests that it might be suitable. So far as I can work out it allows:
– meetings with up to 100 participants (of which up to 25 can be shown on the screen at one time)
– meetings of up to 40 minutes duration are free
– longer meetings require the host to have a paid-for subscription (£11.99 per month – probably within the club’s budget)
– unlimited number of meetings (so presumably we can all go to the “bar” (fridge) every 40 minutes, and then start again)
– only the “host” needs to be registered on the system
– participants can join by desktop, mobile or tablet
– there seems to be some feature for joining in by dialling in on an ordinary telephone, but I’m not certain that that’s available in the UK, and it may involve a premium-rate number. Could be useful for our loyal and long-standing member without internetIs there anyone in the club who has experience of this system in a work context?
JBThose planning to drive to Patterdale this weekend via th A1/Scotch Corner/A66 route may want to take into account that there is a planned closure of the A66 between Scotch Corner and Rokeby from 9pm Friday 14 February until 6am Monday 17 February.
I was alerted to this in a recent FRCC news item, but details are at https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/a66-east-layton-to-west-layton/
Last weekend’s planned closure was actually cancelled due to Storm Ciara making it unsafe to proceed with the roadworks, and Dennis might have a similar effect this weekend (or close the road in its own right, as well as cancelling the roadworks).
Have fun those who are going – I well remember the one glorious winter weekend of the mid 1980s, with a mass ascent of Nethermost Gully in perfect condtions, and the years of wet, windswept ascents of Place Fell that followed it. Not to mention the grumpy Scottish landlord at the White Lion (now moved on, I assume). I will stick to strugging across the Snake on Saturday night to hear some Beethoven at Bridgewater Hall.
On my Android (Motorola moto g6 play) it’s under Settings > System > About phone
Using in an Emergency you have to swipe up to get a keypad, then tap on Emergency, then (twice) on Emergency Information the top, which gives two tabs, one with your address, blood group, allergies etc., and one with your ICE contacts.
Isn’t it wonderful that these systems are so well standardised.
That’s fine by me. See you then (assuming Stannington isn’t an island by then!)
Anyone else interested?This seems to be becoming a bit of a tendency, and I suspect is a case of “guerrilla maintenance”. Googling “painted trig point” shows up several pictures, though I’m not sure that any of the examples there improve much on plain white (or unpainted). There is also some information in the comments on a OS blog at https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/2013/06/triangulation-trig-pillar-art/ . The OS seems to have abandoned its former “adopt a trig point” scheme, and has passed responsibility back to landowners (not sure who that is for Win Hill).
Excellent. I hope to be able to come along with some friends who will be staying in Sheffield. Forecast is 19C with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze. Any timings?
Just a quick reminder that my “Kangchenjunga Adventures” slide show will be taking place at the clubroom at 8.0pm tonight. See you there!
JBI am in Aviemore (at FRCC hut) at present, where it put down a couple of inches in the village this morning, but it now (1pm) feels quite warm in weak sunshine. There is a lot of wind forecast over the next few days, with some thawing, but severe wind chill on the tops. I am due to go in to an Eagles meet at Corrour (Loch Ossian) tomorrow, though the estate road (from Laggan dam) is currently impassable. My week has been rather frustrating so far, as the good days (which are few and far between) have been needed to get access to/from where we were staying (was in Glen Affric over the weekend) with limited achievements in between. The avalanche danger is also quite high, with a lot of windslab about. You may get some good skiing, but it’ll be a bit hit and miss. Apparently the pistes are very crowded, as it’s half term for some Scottish schools. My plans are slightly uncertain for obvious reasons, but I’ll probably be heading south on Sunday. Good luck if you decide to come. JB