Ray!

I installed an Anderson plug next to my trailer plug and used the ABR rubber cap, as at the time, he wasn't selling the spring loaded ones. I also used the self resetting breaker at the battery, rather than a fuse. Anyone contemplating getting Anderson plugs, you can now find them on ebay in bunches and the more you get, the cheaper they are. I've used more than I ever thought I would, re-wiring my compresor, solar panel and whatever else, getting a dozen for about $2 each is a bargain now. As for soldering, if you have an Aldi gas soldering iron, or one that allows you to remove the tip, then the end bit makes for an excellent tool for heating the Anderson plug terminals, inserting solder until it nearly fills and then just dipping in the wire. This way the solder does not run up the wire anywhere near as much because you are only heating the terminal. ABR is excellent when it comes to pricing on wire, but a tad expensive regarding the Anderson plugs. He also changed the tension on the plugs a while back which made then extremely difficult to separate and he received a number of complaints, including from me. Apparently he did this because the standard tension was allowing the plugs to separate on rough roads, but he admits the tension was set too high, so probably the newer ones should be OK. Cheers Ray

This should be a good article for those with a Di, but I reckon you should also include an intro statement of what the FCD is and how it works (even though it may be in a website), as personal experience is often more valuable than advertising blurb. Also, whether this works in conjunction with dawes etc, or is a replacement for those items. Cheers Ray

That's probably why Linux has lagged so badly in the desktop environment; to be a serious alternative, it needs full time support and funding. Surprisingly, some of the Linux derivatives are indeed funded by coorporations and they derive benefit from doing so. No one should fear end user license agreements, few in fact even read them to be honest and even Linux has them. Actually, Linux is considered to be the real mess because it's so fragmented and in many respects disorganised, that's why organisations like Canonical have been developing Ubuntu, so that it can become a coherent system. Also, your choice and freedom is only as good as that provided by those Linux developers, unless you're a software engineer yourself and can work around the code. And the applications that run on Linux are purely under the control of the developers, whether they come free or paid for. So at the end of the day, most of us are a slave to one OS or another. It just depends on what your needs and prejudices. As I still haven't found an answer to the problem I was having with Ubuntu 12.04 and getting two screens to work properly ie extended rather than mirrored, I've been searching for posssible solutions on various Linux forums. It appears that I'm not the only one with this problem and it seems that the Ubuntu developers have actually ignored this feature, to a large extent, in the belief that people for some reason don't need this feature. The same applies to the new Unity interface (a change like Metro in Windows 8), which appears to be universally loathed. Some interesting comment on both issues on this Linux thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1940304&highlight=ubuntu+12.04+dual+monitor+support. Cheers Ray

When it comes to applications, be it just your browser or office applications, multimedia etc, the OS doesn't really have anything to do with the user experience, it's the application that delivers that experience. In the past, Macs had an processing advantage over Windows when it came to multimedia and graphics applications, such as Photoshop, video editing etc, but that also has disappeared. Here's an interesting take: http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-8-vs-windows-7-vs-os-x-lion-1026401. Cheers Ray

Here's an interesting factoid: http://joannenova.com.au/2012/06/spot-the-conflict-ge-owns-nbc-the-weather-channel-and-lots-and-lots-of-wind-turbine-factories/ Makes an interesting contrast to the oft repeated statement that Big Oil is funding the climate sceptics. Cheers Ray

I honestly don't think that there's a great deal of difference nowadays between a Windows PC and an Apple, as far as the user interface goes. Other differences exist, but I have programs that run only on Windows and, while you can run them on a Mac with appropriate software, I don't see the point in buying a Mac and then effectively running Windows anyway. That's why I gave up on Linux; it too can run Windows programs using Wine, but there are issues and complexities that defeat the purpose, especially when you already have a Windows OS. I've owned Nissan Patrols for 30+ years, I know them inside out and I'm very happy with them. Cheers Ray

Even my Gigabyte tablet doesn't have a built-in GPS, which is not a disability. With the Aldi unit you can plug in a USB keyboard, via the min-USB adapter, or bluetooth keyboard. You can print via wireless,if you have wireless router. That said.it's probably better as an entertainment unit. Cheers Ray

You may need to check the glow plug relay, fuse and all connections. Also ensure that the main power line to the glow plugs is not defective. Cheers Ray

Yeah, but it will be some version of Linux before a rotten Apple. Cheers Ray

This might not be a bad buy: http://aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_22143.htm. Cheers Ray

Judging by what it's going being reported about Windows 8, I think I'll be holding on to Windows 7 for quite some time: http://www.gizmodo.c...s-a-start-date/ Windows 8 looks like a mobile phone interface (which it is, as Microsoft is trying to unify the OS) and I simply don't like it, and I'm pretty sure that many others won't either, especially in the corporate sector. I tried the preview version and didn't like the experience. Yes, you could get the traditional desktop view, but you couldn't escape the Metro interface entirely, there were things that required you to go back to the Metro interface (can't remember what they were). It may be fine in an environment where you use gestures, but in a keyboard/mouse environment, it simply sucks, even though it will work with those peripherals. Not like: I'll bet a $1 right now, that a more traditional interface will be provided at some pint in time, as it becomes patently evident that a very large number of people will not be happy with the Metro interface. I like my desktop background and do not want to see that stupid cluster of candy squares all the time on my screen. Like: Cheers Ray

That's roughly what I've experienced with all of my Patrols. I find that the speedo over-reads the speed and the odo under-reads the distance. With my standard road tyres, the speedo is always showing about 3+ kmh more at 100kmh than I'm actually doing and 5% less kilometres than I have actually travelled. With my off-road tyres (32" equiv), the speedo is almost spot on at 100kmh and under-reads distance by 9%. So when I calculate fuel usage, I always have to factor in the innacurate readings. While many people believe that the speedo and odo are directly linked, because they get the same effective signal, the way it's translated into numbers does differ. Cheers Ray

With the Pioneer unit, I'd check to see what you might need storage wise to do what you want. The standard 2GB won't allow you much spare room for anything, so you'll need to upgrade that at least. Most low end tablets come with at least 8GB and the top end 32GB. Also, it's not entirely clear how you expand what they call their SSD and what type it is. It also only has a micro-SD slot, which won't help you greatly with storage (I'm thinking about viewing movies etc). Also, the available RAM and processor speed may limit the enjoyment somewhat. It's cheap and chearful, but if you accept that, it's probably just a case of beer you've missed. Cheers Ray

Here is a summary of another example of how the climate saviours keep tripping over themselves: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100161868/official-the-more-scientifically-illiterate-you-are-the-more-you-believe-in-climate-change/ The harder they try, the harder they keep falling. Cheers Ray

On my part, what I meant by changing wheels is when you have a set of tyres and rims for road use and another for off-road use (which doesn't have the sensor). I wonder if the system can handle not getting a signal whatsoever, assuming that these will be available for 4WDs in future. Yes, the main component is inside the rim attached to the valve stem, but the aftermarket ones, like Tyre Dog, screw onto the valve and while they do have a rudimentary theft prevention system, but they are still exposed. The thing about these systems is that they are still dependent on battery performance; pity no one has come up with with something that doesn't require a replaceable battery. Cheers ray

It's all to do with the Greens, most Melbourne councils are controlled to a large extent by green philosophy. To them, burning ground fuel will cause irreparable damage to the ecology, but wildfires are OK. It's an insane philosphy in a country like Australia and until this attitude is changed, these events will keep recurring. That's pretty much what caused the Brisbane floods, the operators were scared to reslease water early, because of all the scare mongering saying that the rains will never fall again. They were in a situation of being 'damnded if you do, damned if you don't'. Cheers Ray

I agree, but since the floods, insurance premiums have skyrocketed. For example, my sister-in-law who lives near Venus Bay, had her insurance premium increase from around $1000/year to $7000/year. She went elsewhere and I believe has a deal much closer to the original one. Now part of this may be gouging by the insurance company, but increases have happened everywhere. The same happened after the bushfires. Again, the bushfires would not have been like they were if proper maintenance had been undertaken by the DSE and councils and it is still severely lacking. So who bears the cost, the home owners. Cheers Ray

No, it won't stop people from ignoring the warning, just like many ignore the low fuel warning, but I suspect that the monitoring device is inside the rim and attached to it so that it is an integral part of the rim. These already exist and aren't a detachable system. Smart move to avoid theft, damage etc. Cheers Ray

..or not: http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/05/31/489525_latest-news.html I find it amazing that there is resistance to levees, considering the huge cost that floods impose on towns. If people are unwilling to help themselves, then I don't see why taxpayers have to bail them out when disaster strikes, as eventually it will once again. Cheers Ray

Buying from the US, or anywhere else for that matter, is really dependent on the exchange rate, especially if you're buying anything over $1000 (including freight costs), otherwise it could be false economy. Here's a little calculator that I created some time ago to determine whether it's actually cheaper or not to buy Oz vs US. Simply put in the current exchange rate, which you can find here: http://www.commbank.com.au/guides/personal/other/foreignexchangerates.asp (always use the smaller value), and put that into the first table (it copies across to the second one if buying under $1000). Then put in the purchase price and freight cost into either table and it'll provide you with the landed cost to Australia (near enough to make a decision anyway). The link downloads an Excel file: http://www.australianimage.com.au/USBuying.xls Cheers Ray

Some people seem to think that if it's on ebay, it must be cheaper. After all, Gerry Harvey has been complaining bitterly about how the cheap internet is destroying retail sales. Cheers Ray

The only reason that I say this is that I bought a Sony xPlod head unit for around $700 (half the regular price) when I got my CRD and it bit the dust about a day or so after the warranty ran out. So I decided to get a cheap Chinese unit and it was a third the price of the discounted Sony and has lasted nearly three times the distance. Cheers Ray

That'll probably cost you 3x what an equivalent Chinese unit will cost and will be made in SE Asia anyway, probably with the same components that go into every other unit. Cheers Ray

I've driven Butcher Country in the mid-70s, Dingo Hill and 'widowmaker' in the early 80s (if your referring to one in the Wonnangatta valley), at least 3/4 way up before my MQ said enough, as well as Trigg in the 90s before it was graded into switchbacks and many other great tracks. A lot of really challenging ones have gone, but after our most recent foray, it looks like things are going to get better next year and the year after, as long as grading doesn't happen. I don't think there's enough money to do grading and now that global warming is turning to global cooling, the fear of major fires is diminishing to some extent. That said, I don't think that any other place in Australia still has what we offer in terms of 4WDriving and camping in the bush. There are some fantastic areas in Queensland and NSW, but the green brigade has well and truly suffocated the lot. Cheers Ray

I noticed in the other forum that people are getting excited about the fact that there will soon be a new privately owned 4x4 location to drive in Queensland. I find that kind of sad, considering that in a state the size of Queensland, compared to Victoria, that 4WDriving is increasingly restricted to fewer and fewer public sites and more to private sites. I believe that NSW is not greatly different. For years Victoria has been threatened with track closures, and closures have happened, but we still enjoy the freedom of 4WDriving in many locations. It's no wonder that places in Victoria close to the NSW border, and even further in, are swamped with yellow plated 4WDs in summer. WA appears to be the only other place that allows a wider variety of 4WDriving as well. I've often said that once we close off everything for the sake of conservation, people will forget that these places even exist, they will become neglected, and then some time in the future someone will ask why aren't we using all this unused land and the cycle of rape and pillage will start all over again. Allow everyone to enjoy what we have, all of the time, and we will retain a balance that will be appreciated by all and won't be neglected. Cheers Ray