Electromagnetic Field - User contributions [en]

Memories

2014-09-02T16:18:27Z

Cillian: /* During Event */

{{link-banner}}
Please add links to any photos, videos, etc. of EMF2014 you have ([https://wiki-archive.emfcamp.org/2012/articles/d/o/c/Documentation.html like we did in 2012]).

__TOC__

Please add links in the following format:

<nowiki>*[https://www.emfcamp.org EMF Website]</nowiki>

This would look like:

*[https://www.emfcamp.org EMF Website]

==Before Event==
Set up, planning, etc.

===Articles===
*[http://hackaday.com/2014/08/16/tilda-mke-the-emf-2014-badge/ Hackaday on the badge]
*[http://makezine.com/2014/08/15/the-amazing-emf-conference-badge/ Make magazine on the badge]
*[http://www.arrl.org/news/view/emf-2014-it-takes-an-amateur-radio-village ARRL: It Takes an Amateur Radio Village]
===Photos===
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaoticeunoia/15047294495/ kitty's pics]
===Videos===

==During Event==
The event itself.

===Articles===
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29011889 Electromagnetic Field: Can geeks get kids into science? (BBC)]
*[https://storify.com/pikesley/things-i-overheard-at-emf-camp-2014 Overheard at EMF2014]
*[https://storify.com/pikesley/how-to-emf How to EMF]
*[http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-emojli-creators-say-you-shouldnt-make-an-app The Creators of Emojli: Don't Build an App (Motherboard)]

===Photos===
*[https://twitter.com/search?q=emfcamp&src=typd&mode=photos Twitter photos]
*[https://plus.google.com/photos/+MatthewCopperwaite/albums/6053636538009652657 Friday] [https://plus.google.com/photos/+MatthewCopperwaite/albums/6053636954715546161 Saturday] [https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+MatthewCopperwaite/albums/6054110412172875841 Sunday] - [[User:YaMatt|YaMatt]] ([[User talk:YaMatt|talk]])
*[https://plus.google.com/photos/112777126606198038716/albums/6054213887214967841?authkey=CJinnqObgtShMw Various photos including Kite mapping, The Grid and drone wars]
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/matstace/sets/72157647043339236/ matstace's flickr ]
*[https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/107012837690078606602/photos/107012837690078606602/albums/6054051185457665105 LPRS & The Real Wireless Mike]
* [[Installations:TheGrid|TheGrid]]: I (Cillian) will retweet everything I can find at [https://twitter.com/__thegrid].

===Videos===
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29011898 The most future-proof profession? (BBC)]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfy_zdZbTUI Laser cutter - Just Add Sharks]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnoid/14905261730/ TOG Duck vs BigHak Race]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tualAybVbT4 Camp Holland Timelapse]
* [[Installations:TheGrid|TheGrid]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbUKrVY6BFA Me] ([[User:Pikesley|Pikesley]]) (also [http://share.gifyoutube.com/YO1GMG.gif as a gif]), and [https://vine.co/v/OB5z299EjUW Ulrich] ([[User:Rico|Rico]])
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnoid/15115548641/ Arriving on golf cart trailer]

===Audio Recordings===
* "Spray Whisky On Me" EMFM Radio Show: it is doubtful we can publish the copyrighted songs but I hope to edit a copy of the 2am Sunday morning show when it is available.

Feedback

2014-09-02T14:11:20Z

Cillian: /* Good Stuff */

{{link-banner}}
Please let us know what went well and what didn't go well at EMF this year. We really do care about your feedback and we'll try and improve this for next time.

Add your feedback below:

== Good Stuff ==

* Location
* Badges
* Variety of talks [+1]
* Showers [+∞]
* Hand washing facilities
** putting the showers (with hot water in handbasins) next to toilets v.good
* Parking
* Shuttle trailer to car park
** ... and shuttle to BLY railway station. Made coming by public transport a doddle.
* Power & data infrastructure - pretty much rock solid throughout! [+2]
* Speedy response of volunteers/organisers to problem resolution
* Service at the bar was good (while the drinks lasted), and it was very nice to have ''multiple'' indoor social spaces, esp for people who wanted a quieter lounge as well as louder bar.
* Floor panel roads [+3]
* String lights (cut through to showers was awesome!) [+1]
* Ability to hire tables/chairs/marquees/hay bales etc. - were all good quality, too. [+1]
* Kids workshops
* Friendliness of other attendees
* First aid
* Shop - selling books of speakers was a really nice idea, and it was good to talk to speakers & do signing there afterwards.
* That spinning music installation.
* Lighting - I didn't have to turn my torch on at all, but it was still dark enough in my tent to sleep.
* Club Mate.
* Ring making workshop
* Lake was pretty
* Supportive atmosphere for speakers and very nice feedback afterwards
* Water: plentiful flow, tasty water, cool dispensers

== Stuff that could be improved ==

* Buy more beer! [[User:Russ|Russ]] ([[User talk:Russ|talk]])
* Toilets... 'nuff said! [[User:AndyB|AndyB]] ([[User talk:AndyB|talk]]) [+2]
** Agreed - I've seen portakabins (like the shower blocks) that containing proper flushing loos. They're ''much'' less stinky and likely to block up than the portaloos we had, which didn't always seem willing to drop their loads into their collection tanks, leading to nastiness and health hazards (even without the pumping contractor being rubbish)
** Additionally, LIGHTS in the toilets. Having to use my phone / badge as a torch to see what was going on while i cleaned off the toilet before sitting down was particularly difficult. [[User:Thinkl33t|Thinkl33t]] ([[User talk:Thinkl33t|talk]]) 20:05, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
** thunderboxes2go.co.uk are good and know how to handle local authority problems, they have done shambala for 10+ years - high enough capacity to not need emptying during the event
* Make sure that drinking water is clearly labelled as such
* More food and drink options
** Eg. non-caffeine / low or no sugar options
** Chips!
** Jacket potato vendor
** Healthy 'green' food
** also possibly going on later, a lot of the places shut up shop quite early.
* Survey positions of lanes/tents/DKs as early as possible before items arrive and mark out.--[[User:Sully|Sully]] ([[User talk:Sully|talk]]) 12:06, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
** This was planned but we were let down by the rather poor state of mobile GIS software.
* Make it longer! There was loads of cool stuff I didn't have change to check out :( After all that work everyone does, it was a shame I couldn't experience it all! ([[User:Chewie|Chewie]])
* Visibility of presentations in tents (brighter projectors/darker tents??) ([[User:StuartL]]) [+1]
* washing points over drains/soakaway so the ground doesn't get muddy ([[User:Chewie|Chewie]]) [+2]
* Mark out/allocate spaces for villages who had pinpointed locations on maps ([[User:Markp]]) [+1]
* Use more plasma screens in stages instead of projectors ([[User:Markp]]). Or (better, as then the speaker can point to things) black fabric shades for the screen or marquee roof
* Improved arrangements for washing and washing up (and handling the waste water from that) [+1]
* Provide sanitizer gel dispensers at water points and near loos [+1]
* Distribute and display paper schedules (even if their might be some last-minute changes) [+2]
** Or have small screens at the entrances to tents showing what's currently on & what's next.
* Much more workshop activity (more hands-on electronics and physical making) [+5]
* Do have component vendors (maybe at their cost for marquee/power/space)
** This is very difficult without a clear list of what will sell, as CPC was arranged to appear but wanted advisement ([[User:Stanto]])
* Pick a flatter site (for ease of disabled access)
* Ask speakers for bio's to include with their abstracts. Given them an abstract length up-front instead of editing it in an ad hoc way. Confirm acceptance to speakers and workshop organisers earlier.
** Do this after talks have been accepted. I didn't write my talk so didn't know details until I got the OK.
* Make and enforce a clear music curfew (say from midnight or 1am or 2am to 8 or 9am or 10am), to defend those sleeping from (eg) the technoevangelists and the drunk [+4]
* Loos not so near food vendors (pong + visible urinals offputting) [+4]
* stronger enforcement/signage of quiet camping area [+4]
* an explicit invitation (with clear instructions) to report Code of Conduct violations in open ceremony, brochure, Twitter, etc. We had no direct reports to Team Comfort, but several anecdotal tweets after the event -- when it's much too late. [[User:Martind|Martind]] ([[User talk:Martind|talk]]) 20:58, 1 September 2014 (UTC) [+1]
* quieter, less-enclosed and more spacious bar (I suffer from social anxiety when I'm closed in with crowds, so I had a very sober emf!). [[User:Jane C|Jane C]]
** perhaps an outdoor seating area if a larger marquee is too costly.
* use our collective knowledge of technology to sort accessibility issues
**ring-fence money for things like closed-loop in the stages early on.
**Build some kind of working system for preventing able-bodied people from using the disabled loos and showers (radar keys that only work when the loo is empty?) [[User:Jane C|Jane C]]
* Info desk didn't seem to have the details wrt. volunteers, so when I volunteered I was sent out and found I wasn't needed. Suggest splitting the job - having a volunteer team leader (or several, in shifts) whose job it is to know who is where and also to make sure nobody gets stuck on a gate for 12 hours (eg. rotating people to more interesting places every couple of hours). ([[User:TonyHoyle|TonyHoyle]])
* Also similar to this, a register of 'on call' people - excess volunteers who can deal with sudden demands for people (esp. in the case of fire I can imagine this would be extremely useful - you'd potentially need to cordon off a largish area very quickly, and that takes people. More mundane reasons would be a talk/workshop accumulating a large queue that needs managing). ([[User:TonyHoyle|TonyHoyle]])

==Suggestions==
* Ask for an optional email address for each ticket to go on your announce only mailing list. Only the person that bought the tickets got your emails and they were slow to forward them on meaning most messages were recieved too late.
* A talk (a bit like lightning talks) where people are given 5-10 minutes to share what they did with the previous event's badge. (If someone sends me the competition winners/runners up, I'll co-ordinate it) [[User:MatS|MatS]] ([[User talk:MatS|talk]]) 07:54, 1 September 2014 (UTC)
* Pre-paid accounts for spending money on food/beer/whatever to negate need for cash ([[User:Markp]])
* Have a fleet of communal wheel-barrows to help people transport their stuff from car to campsite [+1]
** Stepney City Farm have a fleet of broken wheelbarrows – fix ’em, use ’em, everybody wins! ([[User:Andylolz]])
** Or purchase some sack trolleys
* contactless payment gear for food, beer, workshops
* forewarn food vendors to expect all-day demand, not just mealtimes, so they can stock and staff appropriately [+1]
** food vendors were pretty much *events* caterers, used to feeding people snacks/lunch, we need *festival* caterers who are used to feeding people who are staying for a number of days. thethalicafe.co.uk? bedouin tent (shambala)?
* pinboard (offline) notice board everyone can contribute to (lost property, mini event notices eg rocket launches, would like to meet.., etc) [+1]
* Ask people who want to give workshops if they'd be happy to give more than one session - the blacksmiths' output was extreme, but even giving two or three sessions would greatly increase the % of attendees who could sign up.
* Sign-ups some kind of "express preference" systems, so most people (including those who don't check email regularly) can get at least one of their top choices, rather than first-come-first-served.
* Board games tent in the evenings [+3]
* Poker tent
* Be less ambitious with badge functionality [+2]
** And provide full documentation of features/functionality [+1]
** And sample code for each function
** Perhaps a back-to-basics through-hole design that comes with soldering iron, solder and instructions?
* EMF is unlike other festivals - for a large number of people, carrying kit to/from car is impractical and security walking every car through site is time-consuming and volunteer-intensive (not to mention the fact that cars driving off site weren't walked off). Suggest that the parking area is directly next to and easily accessible from the camping area (e.g. just separated by hay bales to stop cars driving on to the camping area).
** It wouldn't work on this site, but for some locations it might be possible to have a drop-off point close to camping (with a limited number of cars at one time), better idea than having cars (ignition source) close to tents. People were taking the mickey on Monday morning, many people driving onto site tying up volunteer resources that could have carried things.
* Provide job descriptions for traffic control, parking and entrance gatehouse. Instructions were handed from volunteer to volunteer by word of mouth and whilst common sense prevailed, it would have been useful to have instructions as to what to do under certain circumstances and a list of answers to FAQs, e.g.:
** What if somebody didn't have a parking ticket and wanted to park?
** What if somebody was just dropping off - where should they do this?
** What times were shuttle buses running?
** What times the gates were open/closed?
* Add suggested age ranges for all workshops, some of the "adult" workshops were also very suitable for children (e.g. electronic fashion, solar pv) or could have been run once in main workshop once in kid's area

Installations:TheGrid

2014-08-19T14:02:31Z

Cillian: added twitter

Discover an immersive art/engineering installation comprising a forest of radiant trees.
As you move through the·grid it senses your presence and initiates a ripple of light and a susurration of subtle clicks, propagating through the system.
Traverse your own maze of light or stand back and enjoy the spectacle.

[[File:thegrid_render.png|256px|thumb|right|A render of The·Grid]]

The·Grid is an interactive installation featuring 7500 LEDs illuminating 49 2.5m tall poles, interfaced to a computer vision system that tracks movement through The·Grid.

Check out the website for more details: [http://www.thegrid.fish/ thegrid.fish]. Also, our [https://twitter.com/__thegrid Twitter] will have live build updates in the run-up to EMF.

We'll be giving a talk, "The Making Of The·Grid", which will cover how it came together and how you can write your own apps to run on The·Grid.

[[MapFix::51.96577,-0.79444~The·Grid~The·Grid~Thegrid favicon.png|:]]

Radio

2014-06-25T18:47:39Z

Cillian: /* People */ added jon

==Contests==
During EMF the following contests will be running

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=99

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=98

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=101

==Special Event Station==
We could apply for an NOV for a special call sign for a special event station, for example GB2EMF. The question is whether enough people want to operate to keep the station going for the bulk of the weekend. It's unlikely that anybody wants to spend a significant proportion of their weekend running the special event station.

==Local Clubs==
Milton Keynes ARS (MKARS) are literally just up the road from the campsite

http://www.mkars.org.uk/

==Repeaters==
It would be very cool to have a dedicated on-site repeater just for EMF. The practicality wouldn't be too difficult -- M0RND can provide a 2m/70cm colinear (which might be able to be hosted on the main EMF mast), and there's no shortage of radios which can do cross-band repeat, or something could be lashed up with two Baofeng UV-B5 radios and a diplexer.

The awkward part would be getting an NOV for the repeater, and getting it in time for EMF.

===Voice===
GB3VA http://ukrepeater.net/my_repeater.php?id=997

===Digital===
Milton Keynes has its own repeaters, too. Coverage to be confirmed, but GB7BP looks promising, but is DIGITAL. So is probably not much use for us.

http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/maps/gb7bp.jpg

http://www.ukrepeater.net/my_repeater.php?id=180

==People==
A list of people who may or may not be going and may or may not be interested in doing things related to amateur radio.

* David M0TNR `Cillian' (is going, can bring some radio goodies, but doesn't want to dedicate all weekend to it)
* Adam M0RND
* Colin G8TMV
* Paul M0OKE
* Jon M0JSN

User:Cillian

2014-06-04T12:22:42Z

Cillian: contact/irc

I'm David Turner, or M0TNR, or Cillian, depending on context.

I'm a [https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/www/people/dwt27/ PhD Student], musician, [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/apc_built.jpg electronic engineer], and Oxford Comma adherent. I'm involved with [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/IMG_20140307_184625.jpg Cambridge University Space Flight] and I like [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/IMG_20140328_103955.jpg trains] and [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/ ducks]. You'll occasionally find me on [http://www.qrz.com/db/m0tnr/ amateur radio].

The best way to contact me would be as Cillian on [http://freenode.net Freenode], especially in [irc://irc.freenode.net/#emfcamp #emfcamp].

User:Cillian

2014-06-04T12:21:10Z

Cillian: Oxford Comma

User:Cillian

2014-06-04T12:19:13Z

Cillian: Introducing myself.

I'm David Turner, or M0TNR, or Cillian, depending on context.

I'm a [https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/research/dtg/www/people/dwt27/ PhD Student], musician and [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/apc_built.jpg electronic engineer]. I'm involved with [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/IMG_20140307_184625.jpg Cambridge University Space Flight] and I like [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/d/IMG_20140328_103955.jpg trains] and [http://ducky.dwt27.co.uk/ ducks]. You'll occasionally find me on [http://www.qrz.com/db/m0tnr/ amateur radio].

Radio

2014-06-04T11:55:57Z

Cillian: /* People */

==Contests==
During EMF the following contests will be running

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=99

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=98

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=101

==Special Event Station==
We could apply for an NOV for a special call sign for a special event station, for example GB2EMF. The question is whether enough people want to operate to keep the station going for the bulk of the weekend. It's unlikely that anybody wants to spend a significant proportion of their weekend running the special event station.

==Local Clubs==
Milton Keynes ARS (MKARS) are literally just up the road from the campsite

http://www.mkars.org.uk/

==Repeaters==
It would be very cool to have a dedicated on-site repeater just for EMF. The practicality wouldn't be too difficult -- M0RND can provide a 2m/70cm colinear (which might be able to be hosted on the main EMF mast), and there's no shortage of radios which can do cross-band repeat, or something could be lashed up with two Baofeng UV-B5 radios and a diplexer.

The awkward part would be getting an NOV for the repeater, and getting it in time for EMF.

Milton Keynes has its own repeaters, too. Coverage to be confirmed, but GB7BP looks promising, but is DIGITAL. So is probably not much use for us.

http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/maps/gb7bp.jpg

http://www.ukrepeater.net/my_repeater.php?id=180

==People==
A list of people who may or may not be going and may or may not be interested in doing things related to amateur radio.

* David M0TNR `Cillian' (is going, can bring some radio goodies, but doesn't want to dedicate all weekend to it)
* Adam M0RND
* Colin G8TMV

Radio

2014-06-04T11:55:15Z

Cillian:

==Contests==
During EMF the following contests will be running

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=99

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=98

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/contestdetails.php?ref=101

==Special Event Station==
We could apply for an NOV for a special call sign for a special event station, for example GB2EMF. The question is whether enough people want to operate to keep the station going for the bulk of the weekend. It's unlikely that anybody wants to spend a significant proportion of their weekend running the special event station.

==Local Clubs==
Milton Keynes ARS (MKARS) are literally just up the road from the campsite

http://www.mkars.org.uk/

==Repeaters==
It would be very cool to have a dedicated on-site repeater just for EMF. The practicality wouldn't be too difficult -- M0RND can provide a 2m/70cm colinear (which might be able to be hosted on the main EMF mast), and there's no shortage of radios which can do cross-band repeat, or something could be lashed up with two Baofeng UV-B5 radios and a diplexer.

The awkward part would be getting an NOV for the repeater, and getting it in time for EMF.

Milton Keynes has its own repeaters, too. Coverage to be confirmed, but GB7BP looks promising, but is DIGITAL. So is probably not much use for us.

http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/maps/gb7bp.jpg

http://www.ukrepeater.net/my_repeater.php?id=180

==People==
A list of people who may or may not be going and may or may not be interested in doing things related to amateur radio.

David M0TNR `Cillian' (is going, can bring some radio goodies, but doesn't want to dedicate all weekend to it)
Adam M0RND
Colin G8TMV