• Emergency Alert

    From Nick Odell@nickodell49@yahoo.ca to uk.d-i-y on Fri Aug 14 20:44:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Fri Aug 14 20:49:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick


    I have a pixel 3a and my wife has a somewhat newer Samsung something.
    Both screens were on but this was only a few minutes after the alert.
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Gaines@jgnewsid@outlook.com to uk.d-i-y on Fri Aug 14 20:06:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com> Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the big red button.
    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    Every day is a good day for chicken, unless you're a chicken.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From alan_m@junk@admac.myzen.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Fri Aug 14 21:22:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    You can turn them off

    Go to your settings and select the 'notifications' menu. Scroll to the
    bottom. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

    On my phone settings/notifications/advanced settings/wireless emergency alerts/allow alerts, toggle to off
    --
    mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nick Odell@nickodell49@yahoo.ca to uk.d-i-y on Fri Aug 14 21:26:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:49:23 +0100, John R Walliker
    <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick


    I have a pixel 3a and my wife has a somewhat newer Samsung something.
    Both screens were on but this was only a few minutes after the alert.
    John

    Berloimey! I was in the room with the phone at 21.15 when it happened
    all over again with whoops and whistles and klaxons and stuff. I
    suppose it did all that the first time but I just wasn't in hearing
    range at the time.

    But leaving the phone lit up and running the battery down when you
    might need to use that same phone in the emergency they are warning
    you about? Is that joined-up thinking?

    Nick
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 01:59:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 21:22, alan_m wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    You can turn them off

    Go to your settings and select the 'notifications' menu. Scroll to the bottom. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

    On my phone settings/notifications/advanced settings/wireless emergency alerts/allow alerts, toggle to off

    Hmmm. My wife's android phone scared the hell out of her by issuing
    that 'alert' (twice).

    My iPhone[1] didn't utter a peep - and yes "Extreme Alerts" and "Severe Alerts" are both ON.

    [1] On and not muted.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:30:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    In message <ne9bokFqv9dU1@mid.individual.net>, at 21:22:44 on Fri, 14
    Aug 2026, alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> remarked:

    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    You can turn them off

    Go to your settings and select the 'notifications' menu. Scroll to the >bottom. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

    On my phone settings/notifications/advanced settings/wireless emergency >alerts/allow alerts, toggle to off

    I think they must be turned off on my two phones (both on latest Android
    and 5G), because I didn't get the audible alert. But I did receive a
    text alert.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:46:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first
    stated that they were going to use them several years ago.
    --
    Jeff
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:41:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com> Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against targets in
    the UK.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan B@alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:42:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14 Aug 2026 at 20:44:56 BST, "Nick Odell" <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    I got rudely awakened twice via my iPhone about an hour apart yesterday evening. On the other hand, my wife only got a single alert on her Android phone. Why pick on me ;-)
    --
    Cheers, Alan
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Gaines@jgnewsid@outlook.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:49:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 in message <neajhuF2dauU1@mid.individual.net> Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com> Nick >>Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the >>>screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is >>>this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the big red >>button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against targets in >the UK.

    Will the advice be the same, if you smell smoke close your windows and
    check for local fires?
    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day.
    Tomorrow, isn't looking good either.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 07:56:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    Spike wrote:

    [rCa]

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against targets in >> the UK.

    Will the advice be the same, if you smell smoke close your windows and
    check for local fires?

    I suspect the message will be something along the lines of rCYPut your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbyerCY or possibly rCYAnyone not on benefits will have to pay towards reconstructionrCY.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From wasbit@wasbit@invalid.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 09:18:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 14/08/2026 21:22, alan_m wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    You can turn them off

    Go to your settings and select the 'notifications' menu. Scroll to the bottom. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

    On my phone settings/notifications/advanced settings/wireless emergency alerts/allow alerts, toggle to off


    Thanks.
    --
    Regards
    wasbit
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 08:57:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    wasbit <wasbit@invalid.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 21:22, alan_m wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    You can turn them off

    Go to your settings and select the 'notifications' menu. Scroll to the
    bottom. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

    On my phone settings/notifications/advanced settings/wireless emergency
    alerts/allow alerts, toggle to off

    Thanks.

    Note that there are rCOsupremerCO-level warnings that canrCOt be turned off.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro@jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 09:08:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the big
    red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against targets
    in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    A friend worked on them many moons ago. He said that if you weren't aware tehre was going to be an alert in advance, then *you* are who ti was
    meant for.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Davey@davey@example.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 10:10:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:44:56 +0100
    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    I thought I might have avoided all this chaos by having a 2/3/4G feature 'phone, but then yours was similar, if newer. Here, not a peep. And I am
    in East Anglia, which is suffering as much as anywhere in the country.
    --
    Davey.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 10:42:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 10:10, Davey wrote:
    On Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:44:56 +0100
    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    I thought I might have avoided all this chaos by having a 2/3/4G feature 'phone, but then yours was similar, if newer. Here, not a peep. And I am
    in East Anglia, which is suffering as much as anywhere in the country.

    It only works on smartphones running Android 11 or higher (or iPhones
    running iOS 14.5 or higher). However, there are supposedly other ways
    that alerts can be sent to feature phones.
    --
    Jeff
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 10:49:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the big
    red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against targets
    in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!

    A friend worked on them many moons ago. He said that if you weren't aware tehre was going to be an alert in advance, then *you* are who ti was
    meant for.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nick Odell@nickodell49@yahoo.ca to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 12:04:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:42:35 +0100, Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
    wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 10:10, Davey wrote:
    On Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:44:56 +0100
    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    I thought I might have avoided all this chaos by having a 2/3/4G feature
    'phone, but then yours was similar, if newer. Here, not a peep. And I am
    in East Anglia, which is suffering as much as anywhere in the country.

    It only works on smartphones running Android 11 or higher (or iPhones >running iOS 14.5 or higher). However, there are supposedly other ways
    that alerts can be sent to feature phones.

    For the avoidance of doubt, my feature phone is a Nokia 110 4G which
    uses neither iOS or Android - perhaps that's why the display stayed on
    after the first alert.

    I shut it down right after the second alert: obviously I ought to have
    let it run to see what happened but I'm not scientificy enough to
    think about doing experiments while somebody is applying a road drill
    to my eardrums.

    Nick
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From GB@NOTsomeone@microsoft.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 12:21:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first stated that they were going to use them several years ago.


    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one day.

    For example, we spend a lot of time on the Norfolk coast, and it would
    be good to get a warning if the sea wall collapses.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro@jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 11:23:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. >>>>> It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or
    is this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the
    big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide alert
    system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against
    targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 14:26:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?
    I'd left my phone behind, and didn't see the alert until about 1am,
    don't think the phone screen was on when I picked it up.

    I rgought I'd turned alerts off ... I have now.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro@jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 13:38:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. It
    was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only discovered
    it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the screen was
    stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had almost run
    down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is this a side
    effect of my using dated technology?
    I'd left my phone behind, and didn't see the alert until about 1am,
    don't think the phone screen was on when I picked it up.

    I rgought I'd turned alerts off ... I have now.

    I sincerely hope people who have a seceret phone were not exposed.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 13:39:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts >>>>>> about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the >>>>>> screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had >>>>>> almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or >>>>>> is this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the
    big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide
    alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against
    targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 15:15:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 12:21, GB wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first
    stated that they were going to use them several years ago.


    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    I can't think of anything which for which I'd want to hear an alert
    which I could do something about.

    If they had a slow sound build-up it would be more acceptable, but a
    loud sound going off suddenly is poor design. If you're up a ladder and
    it suddenly goes off you might drop something - or, worse - yourself.
    That could be true for doing anything hazardous at the time.
    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one day.

    That's the problem - /might/ be. Do you think the latest one about being careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily
    banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that "Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning
    system about morons.
    For example, we spend a lot of time on the Norfolk coast, and it would
    be good to get a warning if the sea wall collapses.

    Why would you be going anywhere near the sea if there was a chance the
    sea wall would collapse, and if you were near enough to get the alert do
    you think you'd be able to do anything about it? Those alerts were meant
    for severe natural disasters which we don't get here - tornado warnings
    to get to a shelter, tsunami warnings to get to high ground, earthquake warnings to get out of buildings, etc
    --
    Jeff
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 15:16:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:21:02 +0100
    GB <NOTsomeone@microsoft.invalid> wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone. It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening
    and I only discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to
    notice that the screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result
    the battery had almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to
    work that way or is this a side effect of my using dated
    technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look
    right. Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10
    seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on
    the news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when
    they first stated that they were going to use them several years
    ago.

    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one
    day.

    Which is exactly why the system should not be used for non-emergency
    purposes other than pre-announced tests. We all know the story of the
    boy who cried 'wolf' when there wasn't one.

    For example, we spend a lot of time on the Norfolk coast, and it
    would be good to get a warning if the sea wall collapses.

    Which would be an appropriate use of it.

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.
    --
    Joe

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 14:26:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts >>>>>>> about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the >>>>>>> screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had >>>>>>> almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or >>>>>>> is this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide
    alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against >>>>> targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    Somebody used to listen to Dick Barton Special AgentrCa
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Gaines@jgnewsid@outlook.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 14:48:12 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 in message <115psaa$3en4d$1@dont-email.me> Jeff Layman wrote:

    That's the problem - might be. Do you think the latest one about being >careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use >disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily >banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that >"Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning >system about morons.

    People are still using portable BBQs in the New Forest and when locals
    point out the hazards they just get grief.
    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    George Washington was a British subject until well after his 40th birthday. (Margaret Thatcher, speech at the White House 17 December 1979)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Hope@clh@candehope.me.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 15:00:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 14:39, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts >>>>>>> about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the >>>>>>> screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had >>>>>>> almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or >>>>>>> is this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide
    alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks against >>>>> targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the
    pre-Archers days).

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 16:20:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 15:48, Jeff Gaines wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 in message <115psaa$3en4d$1@dont-email.me> Jeff Layman wrote:

    That's the problem - might be. Do you think the latest one about being
    careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use
    disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily
    banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that
    "Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning
    system about morons.

    People are still using portable BBQs in the New Forest and when locals
    point out the hazards they just get grief.

    Indeed. It has been mentioned more than once on Radio Solent. Perhaps disposable BBQs could be quietly sneaked in to the Offensive Weapons Act
    2019:
    "Hello, hello, hello, what's all this then? You are in possession of a disposable BBQ and you're nicked". If only...
    --
    Jeff
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jethro@jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 17:41:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:25:13 +0100, GB wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:21:02 +0100 GB <NOTsomeone@microsoft.invalid>
    wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. >>>>> It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or
    is this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they
    first stated that they were going to use them several years ago.

    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one
    day.

    Which is exactly why the system should not be used for non-emergency
    purposes other than pre-announced tests. We all know the story of the
    boy who cried 'wolf' when there wasn't one.

    For example, we spend a lot of time on the Norfolk coast, and it would
    be good to get a warning if the sea wall collapses.

    Which would be an appropriate use of it.

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.



    I entirely agree. I assume that they wanted to test the system, but they should have pre-announced it. The message they sent was pretty banal.

    They last tested the system in 2025
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 17:42:45 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:26:52 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency
    Alerts about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that >>>>>>>> the screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the
    battery had almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to
    work that way or is this a side effect of my using dated
    technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide
    alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks
    against targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    Somebody used to listen to Dick Barton Special AgentrCa

    Well, I didn't. But I knew about it.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 17:43:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:00:09 +0000, Charles Hope wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 14:39, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency
    Alerts about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G
    featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that >>>>>>>> the screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the
    battery had almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to
    work that way or is this a side effect of my using dated
    technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide
    alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks
    against targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the pre-Archers days).

    Yes. The BBC never liked it (too sensational) so they binned it and
    replaced it with the 'comfortable' Archers.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From GB@NOTsomeone@microsoft.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 18:44:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 18:41, Jethro wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:25:13 +0100, GB wrote:

    I entirely agree. I assume that they wanted to test the system, but they
    should have pre-announced it. The message they sent was pretty banal.

    They last tested the system in 2025

    If it's important, maybe it should be tested more frequently than that?


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Hope@clh@candehope.me.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 19:30:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 18:43, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:00:09 +0000, Charles Hope wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 14:39, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency
    Alerts about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G >>>>>>>>> featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only >>>>>>>>> discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that >>>>>>>>> the screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the
    battery had almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to >>>>>>>>> work that way or is this a side effect of my using dated
    technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide >>>>>>> alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks
    against targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the
    pre-Archers days).

    Yes. The BBC never liked it (too sensational) so they binned it and
    replaced it with the 'comfortable' Archers.

    That's one idea. I remember that one of the actors was going abroad and wouldn't be able to take part, so the show was abandoned
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From alan_m@junk@admac.myzen.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 21:51:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency? Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"
    --
    mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From alan_m@junk@admac.myzen.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 21:56:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 14:38, Jethro wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. It
    was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only discovered
    it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the screen was
    stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had almost run
    down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is this a side
    effect of my using dated technology?
    I'd left my phone behind, and didn't see the alert until about 1am,
    don't think the phone screen was on when I picked it up.

    I rgought I'd turned alerts off ... I have now.

    I sincerely hope people who have a seceret phone were not exposed.

    I wonder if an OS upgrade turns the alerts back on?
    --
    mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 22:01:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 15:15, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:21, GB wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is
    this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first
    stated that they were going to use them several years ago.


    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    I can't think of anything which for which I'd want to hear an alert
    which I could do something about.

    If they had a slow sound build-up it would be more acceptable, but a
    loud sound going off suddenly is poor design. If you're up a ladder and
    it suddenly goes off you might drop something - or, worse - yourself.
    That could be true for doing anything hazardous at the time.
    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one day.

    That's the problem - /might/ be. Do you think the latest one about being careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that "Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning system about morons.

    A variant form of Mission creep. "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that small
    cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more) fires.
    They don't seem to have sufficient imagination to do this until
    something sparks the idea in their tiny brains.
    Emergency Alerts seem like an ideal trigger for them.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 22:02:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:51:04 +0100
    alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency? Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"


    No. No less a scientist than Bill Gates has said there is no longer a
    climate emergency, now that all these power-hungry heat-emitting data
    centres need to be built, oh what a giveaway*.

    *Long-ago 'I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again' fan.
    --
    Joe

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 22:02:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 18:44, GB wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 18:41, Jethro wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:25:13 +0100, GB wrote:

    I entirely agree. I assume that they wanted to test the system, but they >>> should have pre-announced it. The message they sent was pretty banal.

    They last tested the system in 2025

    If it's important, maybe it should be tested more frequently than that?


    But preferably not at 20 minute intervals.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 22:10:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 18:43, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:00:09 +0000, Charles Hope wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 14:39, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:23:17 +0000, Jethro wrote:

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:49:43 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jethro <jethro_UK@hotmailbin.com> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:50 +0000, Spike wrote:

    Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 in message
    <0jru7ltqbfn9t0cu9153jq64043j1d5uif@4ax.com>
    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency
    Alerts about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G >>>>>>>>> featurephone.
    It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only >>>>>>>>> discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that >>>>>>>>> the screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the
    battery had almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to >>>>>>>>> work that way or is this a side effect of my using dated
    technology?

    Nick

    So did I, scared the life our of me, thought Trump had pressed the >>>>>>>> big red button.

    I suspect the wildfire alert was really a test of the nationwide >>>>>>> alert system in case Putin launches the Zircons and Oreshniks
    against targets in the UK.

    It was requested by the fire service.

    Well, I didnrCOt expect the alert to be requested by the Nuclear
    Ballistic Missile Early Warning System!


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes ago
    (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the
    pre-Archers days).

    Yes. The BBC never liked it (too sensational) so they binned it and
    replaced it with the 'comfortable' Archers.

    The then head of BBC Drama said that, but the programme (Dick Barton
    Special Agent) lasted from 7 October 1946 until 30 March 1951.
    So they didn't exactly rush to take it off the air.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob Eager@throwaway0008@eager.cx to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 21:16:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 22:10:31 +0100, Sam Plusnet wrote:


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes
    ago (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the
    pre-Archers days).

    Yes. The BBC never liked it (too sensational) so they binned it and
    replaced it with the 'comfortable' Archers.

    The then head of BBC Drama said that, but the programme (Dick Barton
    Special Agent) lasted from 7 October 1946 until 30 March 1951.
    So they didn't exactly rush to take it off the air.

    I wonder whether he was new to the post...
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nick Odell@nickodell49@yahoo.ca to uk.d-i-y on Sat Aug 15 23:59:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 22:01:01 +0100, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 15:15, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:21, GB wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. >>>>> It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the
    screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had
    almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is >>>>> this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right.
    Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds?

    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the
    news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first >>>> stated that they were going to use them several years ago.


    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    I can't think of anything which for which I'd want to hear an alert
    which I could do something about.

    If they had a slow sound build-up it would be more acceptable, but a
    loud sound going off suddenly is poor design. If you're up a ladder and
    it suddenly goes off you might drop something - or, worse - yourself.
    That could be true for doing anything hazardous at the time.
    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one day. >>
    That's the problem - /might/ be. Do you think the latest one about being
    careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use
    disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily
    banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that
    "Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning
    system about morons.

    A variant form of Mission creep. "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that small >cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more) fires.
    They don't seem to have sufficient imagination to do this until
    something sparks the idea in their tiny brains.
    Emergency Alerts seem like an ideal trigger for them.

    You mean like last night, around midnight, after both the emergency
    alerts had been broadcast, when two separate groups over here started
    setting off fireworks in our local park?

    Nick
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 03:02:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 23:59, Nick Odell wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 22:01:01 +0100, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 15:15, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 12:21, GB wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 07:46, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 14/08/2026 20:44, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts >>>>>> about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. >>>>>> It was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only
    discovered it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the >>>>>> screen was stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had >>>>>> almost run down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is >>>>>> this a side effect of my using dated technology?

    The Law of Unintended Consequences? Anyway, that doesn't look right. >>>>> Weren't the alerts supposed to be on the screen for only 10 seconds? >>>>>
    I didn't know they'd been an alert until I heard it mentioned on the >>>>> news this morning. I turned off emergency announcements when they first >>>>> stated that they were going to use them several years ago.


    I know these alerts are easy to turn off, but why do so?

    I can't think of anything which for which I'd want to hear an alert
    which I could do something about.

    If they had a slow sound build-up it would be more acceptable, but a
    loud sound going off suddenly is poor design. If you're up a ladder and
    it suddenly goes off you might drop something - or, worse - yourself.
    That could be true for doing anything hazardous at the time.
    This latest one has had no effect on me, as I had no intention of
    setting fire to my garden, but there might be an important alert one day. >>>
    That's the problem - /might/ be. Do you think the latest one about being >>> careful to not start fires makes any sense? Those stupid enough to use
    disposable BBQs in the current situation (ok, they're now temporarily
    banned) aren't going to pay any attention to an alert anyway. Note that
    "Emergency Alerts is a UK government system that provides warning and
    advice in a life threatening emergency." It's not meant to be a warning
    system about morons.

    A variant form of Mission creep. "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that small
    cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more) fires.
    They don't seem to have sufficient imagination to do this until
    something sparks the idea in their tiny brains.
    Emergency Alerts seem like an ideal trigger for them.

    You mean like last night, around midnight, after both the emergency
    alerts had been broadcast, when two separate groups over here started
    setting off fireworks in our local park?

    No. That's a totally different type of nutter.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 03:04:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 22:16, Bob Eager wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 22:10:31 +0100, Sam Plusnet wrote:


    And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

    Strangely, I was reading the Wikipedia entry on that not 5 minutes
    ago (the sketch, that is).

    Didn't realised it used the music 'Devil's Galop'.

    wasn't that the Dick Barton theme tune (searching memory from the
    pre-Archers days).

    Yes. The BBC never liked it (too sensational) so they binned it and
    replaced it with the 'comfortable' Archers.

    The then head of BBC Drama said that, but the programme (Dick Barton
    Special Agent) lasted from 7 October 1946 until 30 March 1951.
    So they didn't exactly rush to take it off the air.

    I wonder whether he was new to the post...

    Hmm. I didn't check that.
    New broom syndrome?
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From wasbit@wasbit@invalid.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 09:14:34 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 14:38, Jethro wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. It
    was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only discovered
    it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the screen was
    stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had almost run
    down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is this a side
    effect of my using dated technology?
    I'd left my phone behind, and didn't see the alert until about 1am,
    don't think the phone screen was on when I picked it up.

    I rgought I'd turned alerts off ... I have now.

    I sincerely hope people who have a seceret phone were not exposed.


    Apparently it tipped off jail staff to hidden phones.
    --
    Regards
    wasbit
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:24:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 21:51, alan_m wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency?-a Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"

    Everything is an emergency these days.
    --
    Truth welcomes investigation because truth knows investigation will lead
    to converts. It is deception that uses all the other techniques.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:28:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 22:02, Joe wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:51:04 +0100
    alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency? Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"


    No. No less a scientist than Bill Gates has said there is no longer a
    climate emergency, now that all these power-hungry heat-emitting data
    centres need to be built, oh what a giveaway*.

    *Long-ago 'I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again' fan.

    Indeed. Even the IPCC was forced to admit that scenario 8.5 - the really
    scary one - was 'completely implausible'.

    With everyone realising you can't run an economy off unicorn farts and rainbows, and 'green' funds in negative ROI, the writing is already on
    the wall.
    --
    Truth welcomes investigation because truth knows investigation will lead
    to converts. It is deception that uses all the other techniques.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:30:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more) fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.
    --
    I was brought up to believe that you should never give offence if you
    can avoid it; the new culture tells us you should always take offence if
    you can. There are now experts in the art of taking offence, indeed
    whole academic subjects, such as 'gender studies', devoted to it.

    Sir Roger Scruton

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From alan_m@junk@admac.myzen.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:30:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 11:24, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 21:51, alan_m wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency?-a Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"

    Everything is an emergency these days.


    Very much like the word "hero" being devalued. It now applies to
    everyone in the armed services, everyone in the NHS and now all
    firefighters.
    --
    mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:48:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 11:30, alan_m wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:24, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 21:51, alan_m wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency?-a Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"

    Everything is an emergency these days.


    Very much like the word "hero" being devalued. It now applies to
    everyone in the armed services, everyone in the NHS and now all firefighters.

    Well we need them to keep us away from WWIII, which is, apparently,. now
    more likely that Climb-it Change.

    Or Meghan Markle coming to the UK
    --
    rCLThe fundamental cause of the trouble in the modern world today is that
    the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt."

    - Bertrand Russell


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 11:52:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 11:30, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that
    small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more)
    fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.

    Do many weather stations have convenient sockets for plugging in these
    hair dryers?
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 14:13:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:30, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that
    small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more)
    fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.

    Do many weather stations have convenient sockets for plugging in these
    hair dryers?
    John

    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 16:56:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 15:13, Spike wrote:
    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:30, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that
    small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more)
    fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.

    Do many weather stations have convenient sockets for plugging in these
    hair dryers?
    John

    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?

    I think the answer to that is plain. Portland is stuck out in the
    middle of the sea on a long peninsula. Yeovil and Exeter are inland.
    The land gets warmed up by the sun whereas the sea remains at a much
    more constant temperature.
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adrian@diy@ku.gro.lioff to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 16:53:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes >being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around >8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil >temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ? The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian
    --
    To Reply :
    replace "diy" with "news" and reverse the domain

    If you are reading this from a web interface e.g. DIY Banter or DIY Forum, please be aware this is NOT a forum, and you are merely using a web portal
    to a USENET group. Many people block posters coming from web portals due to perceieved SPAM or inaneness.
    For a better method of access, please see:

    http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Usenet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 16:06:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 15:13, Spike wrote:
    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:30, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a >>>>> shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that
    small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more) >>>>> fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.

    Do many weather stations have convenient sockets for plugging in these
    hair dryers?
    John

    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >> sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil
    temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?

    I think the answer to that is plain. Portland is stuck out in the
    middle of the sea on a long peninsula. Yeovil and Exeter are inland.
    The land gets warmed up by the sun whereas the sea remains at a much
    more constant temperature.
    John

    Unfortunately, the other places in the SW that show forecast temperatures
    are much the same as Portland, which I mentioned because itrCOs the nearest such place to Yeovil.

    That and Exeter stand out as being consistently warmer than the rest, on
    sunny days. Something must be attracting the sunrCOs heat.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 16:07:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >> sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil
    temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ? The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian

    IrCOve yet to see a temperature record high set in the countryside.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 17:31:57 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 17:07, Spike wrote:
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >>> sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes >>> being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around >>> 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil >>> temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun? >>>

    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ? The
    runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian

    IrCOve yet to see a temperature record high set in the countryside.

    Charlwood is in the countryside. Wisley is mostly surrounded by
    heathland and a golf course which is nearly countryside, although
    the A3 is not far away.
    John
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 17:42:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 15:13, Spike wrote:
    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:30, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 22:01, Sam Plusnet wrote:
    A variant form of Mission creep.-a "We have this facility, it'd be a
    shame not to use it."

    They may even be counterproductive.
    When wildfires break out, it always seem to nudge into action that
    small cadre of nutters who will go out and deliberately start (more)
    fires.

    They have to keep the Climate of Fear bubbling over...
    Save The Planet by burning down the countryside...and pointing hair
    dryers at weather stations.

    Do many weather stations have convenient sockets for plugging in these
    hair dryers?
    John

    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?

    Inland + urban
    --
    A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on
    its shoes.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Handsome Jack@jack@handsome.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 16:48:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:31:57 +0100, John R Walliker wrote:

    On 16/08/2026 17:07, Spike wrote:
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts >>>> for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter
    sometimes being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is
    usually around 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and
    Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the
    sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?
    The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian

    IrCOve yet to see a temperature record high set in the countryside.

    Charlwood is in the countryside.

    Charlwood is right at the end of the Gatwick runway.

    Wisley is mostly surrounded by
    heathland and a golf course which is nearly countryside, although the A3
    is not far away.

    And the M25, It's at the junction of the two.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Hope@clh@candehope.me.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 18:15:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 17:31, John R Walliker wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 17:07, Spike wrote:
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts >>>> for
    sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter
    sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually
    around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil >>>> temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the
    sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?-a The >>> runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian

    IrCOve yet to see a temperature record high set in the countryside.

    Charlwood is in the countryside.-a Wisley is mostly surrounded by
    heathland and a golf course which is nearly countryside, although
    the A3 is not far away.
    John

    so is the M25. And Charlwood is very close to Gatwick
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 19:37:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:53:42 +0100
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts
    for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter >sometimes being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is
    usually around 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and
    Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the
    sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?
    The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Nearly all the official weather stations are at airfields, of all
    sizes, as pilots are quite interested in temperature and pressure
    conditions.
    Look at the temperature observations map here:
    https://www.xcweather.co.uk/
    and see how many of the onshore observation points are not airfields.
    --
    Joe
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 20:13:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 16:53, Adrian wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >> sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil
    temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?-a The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Portland is surrounded by the sea, which will moderate those high
    temperatures - a benefit not shared by locations which are inland.
    Cloudy days tend to not have temperature extremes.>
    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 20:15:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 11:30, alan_m wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 11:24, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 21:51, alan_m wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 15:16, Joe wrote:

    A general recommendation, of the same kind that has been carried in
    newspapers and on the broadcast media repeatedly over the last few
    weeks, is not an emergency.


    Isn't climate change an emergency?-a Various politicians have been
    spouting off in the past few days about the climate "emergency"

    Everything is an emergency these days.


    Very much like the word "hero" being devalued. It now applies to
    everyone in the armed services, everyone in the NHS and now all firefighters.

    When they get around to applying it to people who buy chocolate-coated digestives - that'll be me!
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 20:16:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 09:14, wasbit wrote:
    On 15/08/2026 14:38, Jethro wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

    Nick Odell wrote:

    I've just had one of those new-fangled Government Emergency Alerts
    about fire risks in my area to my almost-up-to-date 4G featurephone. It >>>> was received by the phone at 19.00 this evening and I only discovered
    it at around 20.30 because I happened to notice that the screen was
    stuck in the "on" state and as a result the battery had almost run
    down. Are emergency alerts supposed to work that way or is this a side >>>> effect of my using dated technology?
    I'd left my phone behind, and didn't see the alert until about 1am,
    don't think the phone screen was on when I picked it up.

    I rgought I'd turned alerts off ... I have now.

    I sincerely hope people who have a seceret phone were not exposed.


    Apparently it tipped off jail staff to hidden phones.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyllkz80dlo

    "Emergency phone alert put domestic abuse victims at risk, campaigners say"
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 21:21:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 17:52, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 17:48, Handsome Jack wrote:
    On Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:31:57 +0100, John R Walliker wrote:

    On 16/08/2026 17:07, Spike wrote:
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:

    Charlwood is in the countryside.

    Charlwood is right at the end of the Gatwick runway.

    Wisley is mostly surrounded by
    heathland and a golf course which is nearly countryside, although the A3 >>> is not far away.

    And the M25, It's at the junction of the two.

    Heathland gets bloody hot - nearly as hot as concrete and tarmac

    Yes, it does. However, that does not stop it from being "countryside".
    I avoid the heathland around Wisley at the moment because it gets so
    hot and prefer places like Great Bookham Common or The Sheepleas both
    of which are fairly wooded. They are all countryside, but very
    different thermally. G. Bookham Common is only 5km from Wisley but
    the temperatures are very different. Which is "right"? Is it reasonble
    to say that either is "wrong"?
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 21:33:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 19:15, Charles Hope wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 17:31, John R Walliker wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 17:07, Spike wrote:
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather
    forecasts for
    sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter
    sometimes
    being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually
    around
    8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and
    Yeovil
    temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of
    the sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?-a The >>>> runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    Adrian

    IrCOve yet to see a temperature record high set in the countryside.

    Charlwood is in the countryside.-a Wisley is mostly surrounded by
    heathland and a golf course which is nearly countryside, although
    the A3 is not far away.
    John

    so is the M25. And Charlwood is very close-a to Gatwick

    As TNP points out, the heathland around Wisley gets very hot,
    so the proximity to the A3 and more distantly the M25 is probably
    not very important.
    As for Charlwood, its not that close to Gatwick. The weather
    station is separated from the end of the runways by just over 1km
    of farmland. Flightradar data suggests that aircraft are at least 400m
    up, more often over 500m, before they pass over the weather station,
    so it seems unlikely that the jetwash will influence temperature
    measurements.
    If anyone disagrees very strongly with this opinion, I could set up
    an internet connected thermometer on a farm about 2km west of the
    Charlwood weather station. It might be interesting to see how much
    deviation there is between such a site and the official one.
    (I know a farmer in that area.)
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From me9@me9@privacy.net to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 21:41:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.

    And was a nearby jet warming up at teh time? At least one RAF (training)
    base had the weather station so placed that nearby aircraft caused spikes in temperature.
    --
    braind
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From me9@me9@privacy.net to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 21:44:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:

    Yes, it does. However, that does not stop it from being "countryside". I avoid the heathland around Wisley at the moment because it gets so hot and prefer places like Great Bookham Common or The Sheepleas both of which are fairly wooded. They are all countryside, but very different thermally.
    G. Bookham Common is only 5km from Wisley but the temperatures are very different. Which is "right"? Is it reasonble to say that either is
    "wrong"?

    Oficial weather stations are supposed to be set up in the middle of a patch
    of mown grass.
    --
    braind
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John R Walliker@jrwalliker@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun Aug 16 23:06:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 21:44, me9 wrote:
    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:

    Yes, it does. However, that does not stop it from being "countryside". I
    avoid the heathland around Wisley at the moment because it gets so hot and >> prefer places like Great Bookham Common or The Sheepleas both of which are >> fairly wooded. They are all countryside, but very different thermally.
    G. Bookham Common is only 5km from Wisley but the temperatures are very
    different. Which is "right"? Is it reasonble to say that either is
    "wrong"?

    Oficial weather stations are supposed to be set up in the middle of a patch of mown grass.

    Not much chance of achieving that at the moment. Our grass hasn't
    needed mowing for a couple of months.
    John

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Spike@aero.spike@mail.com to uk.d-i-y on Mon Aug 17 08:22:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
    John R Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 16/08/2026 15:13, Spike wrote:

    [rCa]

    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts for >>> sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter sometimes >>> being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is usually around >>> 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and Yeovil >>> temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the sun?

    I think the answer to that is plain. Portland is stuck out in the
    middle of the sea on a long peninsula. Yeovil and Exeter are inland.
    The land gets warmed up by the sun whereas the sea remains at a much
    more constant temperature.
    John

    Unfortunately, the other places in the SW that show forecast temperatures
    are much the same as Portland, which I mentioned because itrCOs the nearest such place to Yeovil.

    That and Exeter stand out as being consistently warmer than the rest, on sunny days. Something must be attracting the sunrCOs heat.

    TodayrCOs forecast for Yeovil is cloudy with possible showers, and is only 1degC warmer than Portland.

    Whatever is it about Yeovil that makes it 10degC hotter than anywhere else
    in the region bar Exeter?

    AhrCathe MetO says the weather station is at Yeovilton, in an open grassy
    field about 150m from the Naval Air Station perimeter fence.

    Perhaps all those miles of lovely concrete and tarmac attracts the sunrCOs
    heat and heat keeps the surrounding area nice and warm on sunny days.
    --
    Spike
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Mon Aug 17 10:03:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 16/08/2026 19:37, Joe wrote:
    On Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:53:42 +0100
    Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:

    In message <nedustFihb3U1@mid.individual.net>, Spike
    <aero.spike@mail.com> writes
    ItrCOs very noticeable that in the West Country, the weather forecasts
    for sunny days show two hot spots, at Exeter and Yeovil, the latter
    sometimes being 10degC hotter than Portland to its south. Exeter is
    usually around 8degC hotter.

    But thatrCOs on sunny days. On cloudy days or at night, Exeter and
    Yeovil temperatures are no different than anywhere else.

    Whatever can it be at these two places that attracts the heat of the
    sun?


    Are the Exeter and Yeovil temperatures measured at the airfields ?
    The runways tend to draw the heat.

    Earlier in the year, one of the record temperatures was at RNAS
    Merryfield, an airfield near Ilminster.


    Nearly all the official weather stations are at airfields, of all
    sizes, as pilots are quite interested in temperature and pressure
    conditions.

    ...that are extant over the runway they need to land/take off from...
    Look at the temperature observations map here:

    https://www.xcweather.co.uk/

    and see how many of the onshore observation points are not airfields.

    Couldn't even find Kew gardens, Wisley or Cambridge botanical gardens etc
    --
    There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale
    returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.

    Mark Twain

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2