Category: Uncategorized

Greasemonkey script to hide “Hot Network Questions” on StackOverflow

It’s not that they’re annoying, it’s that they’re attention-grabbing. I’m trying to get work done here!

// ==UserScript==
// @name _Remove Hot Network Questions
// @include https://stackoverflow.com/*
// @require http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.0/jquery.min.js
// @grant GM_addStyle
// ==/UserScript==
//- The @grant directive is needed to restore the proper sandbox.

/*--- Use the jQuery contains selector to find content to remove.
Beware that not all whitespace is as it appears.
*/

$("div[id$='hot-network-questions']").remove()


//-- Or use .hide(); to just hide the content.

Mostly from: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/53839574/how-to-remove-a-div-with-a-changing-id-via-tampermonkey-greasemonkey#comment94527524_53839574. See also https://mattbk.com/2020/09/how-to-ignore-port-on-the-grand-forks-herald-website/.

CAT control serial port for Xiegu 6100 in JS8Call on macOS 10.14.6

(Long title, but had to cover all the bases)

For my radio, it was `/dev/cu.usbmodem53620077003`. Trying different order of operations (plug radio first, then start JS8Call vs start JS8Call, then plug radio) may have been what I needed to get the right serial port to show up in the list. Below is a screenshot of all the settings that seem to work.

Following this post by HB9TXB Branko, I did also check the list of serial ports using this command in the terminal: `ls -lrt /dev/tty*`.

APRS over LoRa, iGating and digipeating

I haven’t touched this in a while, but I may forget if I don’t keep working on it. An advantage of running APRS (on whatever protocol, even if on a license-free band) is the existing infrastructure (APRS-IS) and ability to use existing software for interface (e.g., APRSDroid). Additional advantages of using ESP32 devices are 1) low cost, 2) easy to get, and 3) no need for license, but you can’t use nearly as much power and still be legal.

Of course, there is still the caveat that LoRa itself is a proprietary protocol, so if you need everything to be open, you’ll have to look elsewhere. My interest is working networks. If you want encryption, Meshtastic might work for you.

Copying what I wrote at https://github.com/SQ9MDD/TTGO-T-Beam-LoRa-APRS/issues/29#issuecomment-926018368:

I can confirm that the https://github.com/lora-aprs/LoRa_APRS_iGate project can act as an iGate for a device running this code, if the baud rate is set at 300, not 1200. SQ9MDD’s code can both send and receive packets sent by the lora-aprs code, and vice versa.

This doesn’t solve the ticket, but does make it possible to deploy an iGate/digipeater if you are OK using different code for it. I’m pretty excited for that, at least.

Some notes I took while learning are below.
—–

SQ9MDD:
image
image
These codes mean:
– 300 baud: `Bw125Cr45Sf4096`
– bandwidth 125 kHz
– coding rate 4/5
– spreading factor 4096 chips/symbol (SF 12)
– 1200 baud: `Bw125Cr47Sf512`
– bandwidth 125 kHz
– coding rate 4/7
– spreading factor 512 chips/symbol (SF 9)

lora-aprs:
(values are default except for frequency, which I changed for my device)
image

Spreading factor is here given in different units? A number between 7 and 12.

2^{𝑆𝐹} 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑠 =1 𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑙 (source).

So a spreading factor of 12 is 4096 chips/symbol and a spreading factor of 9 is 512 chips/symbol.

More Parking “Fun” at UND

If you want to see some of the suggestions by staff about parking on campus, look no further! Head to the Staff Senate suggestion box and click “By Topic,” “Facilities,” and then “Parking & Transportation.”

Screenshot of a web page showing where you should click.

I’d like to suggest some more about promoting walking, cycling, and transit, but I doubt these ideas will be taken seriously unless I show up to the next open forum.

Edited to add an email with more information about the upcoming parking process:

Open forums will be held March 25 and April 15 to seek input from students, faculty and staff regarding UND Parking and Transportation planning and possible changes. All are welcome.

  • Monday, March 25, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Memorial Union Lecture Bowl
  • Monday, April 15, 3-4 p.m., Memorial Union Lecture Bowl

Following is some background information about the proposed changes. Please note that final decisions on parking and transportation have not yet been made. More information will be provided when it is available.

Why are parking and transportation changes being considered?

UND Parking must become self-supporting within the next five years, and will no longer receive state funds beginning in 2024. All costs and expenses related to parking must be covered through permit sales and parking fees.

Currently, parking is partially subsidized from other sources, and that support will no longer be available. Parking permits and fees must provide enough revenue to operate, maintain, and develop parking lots and spaces. One goal of the new model is dedicate funds for parking lot maintenance and construction.

How is the parking policy being developed?

Members of the Parking Committee have been meeting regularly to develop a new plan for parking. The forums will gather input from students, faculty and staff. Parking recommendations will be finalized in May and sent to Vice President for Finance & Operations Jed Shivers for review. After review, the new parking structure will begin operating Aug. 1.

What changes are being considered?

One of the unique challenges faced by Parking Services is that nearly everyone uses parking. And as much as we would like to, not everyone can park at the front door.

Parking revolves around three factors: cost, convenience and supply. Everyone would like parking to be convenient, inexpensive and sufficient, but that’s not possible. If parking is inexpensive and convenient, it will not be sufficient. If there is sufficient and inexpensive parking, it will not be convenient. And if there is sufficient and convenient parking, it will be expensive.

Parking fees will likely be raised to cover parking costs. Instead of zones, parking may be “tiered,” or have different costs according to location. And parking spaces may be shared. For example, 100 people can generally share 60 to 80 spaces, since not everyone is on campus at the same time. Parking fees may differ by location and use.

Shuttle bus services may offer additional routes to transport people from more distant lots. Those lots will have lower parking rates. Shuttle bus services may also be adjusted.

When will the changes take place?

No final decision has been made. If the recommendations are approved, they will go into effect on Aug. 1.

Counterpoint API (quick notes)

Looks like first you would grab the counterpoint ID from here: https://counterpointapp.herokuapp.com/api/v1/counterpoints
EERC is counterpoint_id 606. Could select by bounding box (lat/long) too. This includes a list of counts (just labeled “id”) but no actual counts, so you could do time/date collection stat comparisons from there as well.
Then you can pull up actual counts from https://counterpointapp.herokuapp.com/api/v1/counterpoints/606 where the counterpoint_id is named at the end. This gives you a list of counts, including data.
It looks like minutes start/end on the second that the count was started, so aggregation by minute (not second) should be used.
It looks like minutes without data are excluded, e.g. no 12:51:52 minute is included here (EERC 606):
{"id":281510,"count_session_id":18223,"timestamp":"2016-06-21T12:51:56.000Z","bike_generic":0,"bike_adult":0,"bike_child":0,"bike_baby":0,"bike_cargo":0,"bike_child_trailer":0,"walk_generic":0,"walk_adult":0,"walk_child":0,"walk_stroller":0,"walk_disability":0,"walk_skateboard":0,"walk_visually_impaired":0,"walk_physically_impaired":0,"vehicle_personal":2,"vehicle_car":0,"vehicle_semi":0,"vehicle_moto":0,"vehicle_transit":0,"vehicle_oversized":0,"objectId":null,"gender_m":0,"gender_f":0,"gender_o":0,"onePerson":0,"twoPerson":0,"threePerson":0,"fourPlusPerson":0},{"id":281511,"count_session_id":18223,"timestamp":"2016-06-21T12:53:56.000Z","bike_generic":0,"bike_adult":0,"bike_child":0,"bike_baby":0,"bike_cargo":0,"bike_child_trailer":0,"walk_generic":0,"walk_adult":0,"walk_child":0,"walk_stroller":0,"walk_disability":0,"walk_skateboard":0,"walk_visually_impaired":0,"walk_physically_impaired":0,"vehicle_personal":5,"vehicle_car":0,"vehicle_semi":0,"vehicle_moto":0,"vehicle_transit":0,"vehicle_oversized":0,"objectId":null,"gender_m":0,"gender_f":0,"gender_o":0,"onePerson":0,"twoPerson":0,"threePerson":0,"fourPlusPerson":0}

Resetting read_only in Elasticsearch

Rather than messing with curl, I went the long way and installed Kibana. It takes a little while to unzip. Run it in a very similar way to Elastisearch (bin\kibana.bat). Go to http://localhost:5601/app/kibana#/dev_tools.

Paste in the solution from here:

PUT /<yourindex>/_settings
{
  "index.blocks.read_only_allow_delete": null
}

You may have run into this because you are close to the disk space limits. Rather than modifying those through Kibana, you can add them directly into elasticsearch\config\elasticsearch.yml.

Babboe City Review, Part 2: First Impressions

Previous post: Babboe City Review, Part 1: Ordering and Shipping.

I’ve obviously not gone into as much detail as I had hoped with unboxing and building, but here are first impressions after about 60 miles of commuting without kids.

  • Lights are cheap and plastic
  • Pedals are small and slippery
  • Fenders are great
  • Gearing seems good
  • Takes a bit to get up to speed
  • Upright and fun to ride, easy launch and foot down, even with saddle in right spot
  • Box squeaky until frame bolts tightened
  • Narrow bars, but good so you don’t oversteer
  • Corners well at speed
  • Not great at sharp turns on ice/snow
  • Saddle goes high enough
  • Keys seem flimsy
  • Harness is rudimentary and could be replaced
  • Turns some heads but not all
  • No intersection visibility problems yet
  • Length/width is similar to bike+burly, width similar to snowblower
  • Can’t see front wheel with rain cover on (not a huge deal)
  • Plastic chainguard–will it hold up?
  • All in all, very satisfied so far

 

Campus Size Comparison

This keeps popping into my head, so I finally looked at it. St. Lawrence University is a walking campus (parking only available on fringes), while UND allows parking within campus (and car culture is deeply ingrained).

How similar/dissimilar are the campus sizes? See for yourself with the below animation, maps at same scale (click for larger).

Sources: