Calling Darwin

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

Darwin, Darwin you blokes back on line yet?

Perhaps Connellan's could get the old Heron and crank up the HF radio to get communications down the track?

According to the news reports no ATM's, no mobile or land line phones, no EFTPOS, no internet and no 000 calls available in The Alice. Who needs terrorists when you have Telstra!

No doubt would have called a few delays at Darwin airport.

[zube]

A good day to announce the Gummints future new broadband network. How ironic.

[longrass]

here a conspiracy story, NT was shut down for all comms, GPS, Phone, INet, etc...... only local calls, no interstate, interestingly enough, ADF mobile, internet and UHF repeaters worked fine, something is going down?

[RadioSaigon]

...shut down for all comms, GPS,...

Really??? Neat trick! How?

[tail wheel]

Peaceful and quiet without tinpis, isn't it? :} :}

[The Voice]

Peaceful and quiet without tinpisI was going to say ssshhhhhh don't wake a sleeping giant. Then I thought, yeah - where is he??

Unlike him to disappear like this!!

good way to spend a morning on reserve - not being able to be called in, absolute bliss at least until 11ish!

[Stationair8]

Rogue crocodile attack?

Good thing it wasn't pay week for the aborigines.

[AerocatS2A]

Yep, good times. Couldn't call for a taxi, couldn't get any cash from an ATM, couldn't use the taxi's EFTPOS machine, couldn't get weather/NOTAMS via the internet, fax, or phone, couldn't submit a plan. Thankfully we have a satphone. Though once the plan is phoned through to Brisbane, they couldn't send the details to Darwin so couldn't get a clearance until we'd also passed details by radio to Approach.

[CoodaShooda]

Simultaneous faults in the lines in SA and WA, repaired just as the Feds are announcing Ruddnet Inc and opening the door again to Testra.

Conspiracy theorists are having a field day. :E

It must have been terrible for the rest of the world to have been cut off from the NT like that. :p

[tio540]

No electricity soon either. The Darwin taxpayer is spending $8 million dollars per month on diesel to power the GAS FIRED power station at Channel Island. The original gas supply has expired.

Power bills to increase 25% shortly.

Gee, now where can you obtain gas from nearby, sold for 5 cents per litre to China? Stupid politicians. :ugh:

[Hasselhof]

I was in Borroloola and didn't notice

[tinpis]

Could you believe ANYONE could negotiate the sale of NTs gas reserves without keeping some for own power generation?
How fooking dopey would you have to be?

[tio540]

Last election, Chief Minister Claire (who was never going to leave town) wanted to build a gas pipeline to New Guinea, when gas was 3 nm away (on Crown Land). She did leave town and now they are building a 300 nm pipleline.

Pure Genius.

[Pharcarnell]

In this world of communication we all need power ALL the time.
It has amazed me for years we get a few BILLION tonnes of free fuel thrown at us every year but no one has thought seriously about using the Ord catchment to make electrons move and exporting it to the NT.
There are numerous cross border power deals down in the "J" curve states so why can't WA sell us some thing that's gonna cost them bugger all in fuel???? for EVER!
I know, transmission losses, infrastructure expense, yadda yadda yadda.
With the fuel, ALL of them, going up in price for ever more surely sometime in the future, and most probably the not too distant future, they're gonna break even and hit profitability.
Seem to me no one has the will to try and we're too bloody far from "civilisation" to matter to the rarified airheads that rule the roost.

Hear endeth the rant.

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

Drug test for you Pharcanell!

Tinpis would have been a bad day for you, no communications, no Pprune, no ATM, no EFTPOS down the bottleshop, and how did you put a bet on race 8 at the Dapto dogs? Lucky good old Mel and Kockhead were on sunrise to keep you informed!!

Must have been the change back to standard time from dayligt saving.

No truth you were flogging cartons of green cans down Baggot road for a small markup to cover your expenses?

[tinpis]

No truth you were flogging cartons of green cans down Baggot road for a small markup to cover your expenses?

I am truly ashamed :\

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

No need to fear Darwnites, latest news from down south:

1. KRudd is still running Ozzstralia and your bonus payments will be on the next camel north,

2. Stockmarket up,

3. Petrol prices up afterall we are the bunnies at Easter,

4. Collingwood probably not make the AFL Finals again,

5. Will send the latest Movietone news asap.

over and out

[tinpis]

Mr Kuroda said Darwin would provide 50 per cent of Japan's LNG imports.
Inpex gives thumbs up - Northern Territory News (http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/04/10/44315_ntnews.html)

And the power station here currently running on fuel oil, why?
Run out of gas :rolleyes:

[tio540]

The gas crisis has been expected for about 8 years and nothing was done about it. The Wickham Point project was granted without any thought to provide gas to the city, only the China export. A foreign company makes all the profit from exporting the gas, and employs a few in Darwin.
Why?

[tinpis]

We is about to cop the highest electric bills in the western world.
All being brought up to par with the rest of the country? Bull****.
My bill is over a $1000 a quarter now. Tassy, same house with electric heating about a third that price.
This is not to pay for gas or oil, this is for maintenance on switch gear etc that has been deferred for years

[Stationair8]

$4000 a year for power, **** me what the **** are you running a brothel?

Must be a good money if you get a job at the Power and Water Authority.

[tinpis]

I'll continue because the aviation content might be "Beware more expense moving to Darwhine"

My house is an old "done up" elevated darwhiner that never blew away during Tracy
3 small in wall aircon run at night for sleeping, lekky hot water, gas cooker,
ceiling fans. Typical darwhine rig.
Whats excessive and out of the ordinary about that?
My last quarterly bill was $1400. I am told by the government to expect a 60% increase this year. This is To bring the NT in line with southern states
Bolloux

[NT power price surge - Northern Territory News (http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/04/08/43681_ntnews.html)[/B]

[The Voice]

:bored: Tinny - W O W!

I cringed when my quarterly bill was a little over half yours!

not loving the guvvmints plan - just where does this leave the average GA pilot (for the aviation content) up here?

Low wages + high rental + soon to be exorbitant utilities costs = ?

[tinpis]

GA pilot? Bugger me, how about an AIRLINE pilot?
Should I mention me rates? In excess of $3500. :(
Tassymaniac is starting to look GOOD.

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

Sound's like KY Gel time.

[tio540]

This is not to pay for gas or oil, this is for maintenance on switch gear etc that has been deferred for years


Tinny, I really don't think so, that is just the excuse they are using to blame it on the previous govt. The change to diesel at the power station coincides with the cost blowout, and price increase.

Even Impex offers no gas for Darwin.