The return to radio!

Posted by Kev Atkinson

Well, never thought I would write a post about this – but – I’ll be returning to radio on Monday morning – this time securely away from the mic.

I’m going to be a broadcast engineer for a commercial radio group.

I have an extremely intensive and excellently planned induction so after 9 weeks I might be able to keep up with other engineers in tech speak!

Cannot wait.

On & On

Posted by Kev Atkinson

I’m off to Hull on Monday for a 4 week stint at a company giving them IT support on their Novell bits & pieces. Little out of touch with Novell (6 months since I used it!) but looking forward to getting back into it!

This means, as the loyal people once loved, the blog/diary/pics & car review will follow. I’ve hired a 308 SW Estate thing with a glass roof which is interesting, I’ll be doing a review of it soon, and the hotel, and the usual stuff!

All starts Monday night, see you then!

Kev & Nixxi

Posted by Kev Atkinson

Just a quick post and update really. I’m back on the radio, and I’m one half of Kev & Nixxi.
The show goes out every Saturday night from 9pm on NE1fm 102.5 and at http://www.kevandnixxi.co.uk

If you’ve tuned into my shows in the past, you’ll like this one too – it’s full of the same fun and randomness, and all the rest you’ve come to love.

Not really much more to say at the moment, check out my contact page on my site if you want to look up my Facebook or Twitter details! See you there!

Tip: Software

Posted by Kev Atkinson

I thought I best revive this and now that my new re-designed website (http://www.kevatkinson.co.uk) is pointing here – I best get on and put some good stuff on!


I’ve been playing with a bit of software recently, called unRAID.

If you have an old computer lying about, some hard-drives and you fancy a ‘NAS’ box (Network Attached Storage) – this is the thing for you. It’s specifically targeted toward media storage.

So to get started, you download the software from http://lime-technology.com and stick it on an unused USB memory stick or the likes. Make sure your old computer can boot from USB.

Stick your formatted old drives in the machine, in the right ways for your cables (IDE or SATA) – and boot it up. 

You can read more about it on the website, it’s free for up to 3 drives, and decently priced on top of that, here’s some of the info!

Let me know if you like it! & keep checking back for tips and tricks.
unRAID Server is a Network Attached Storage server operating system designed to boot from a USB Flash device and specifically designed for digital media storage:

    * Digital Video
    * Digital Music
    * Digital Images/Photos

Unique RAID System

unRAID Server employs a unique RAID technology which provides for great configuration flexibility:

    * Any combination of IDE and SATA hard drives may be used.
    * All the hard drives do not need to be the same size or speed.
    * Hard drives not being accessed may be spun down.
    * Can rebuild any single failed hard drive.

True Incremental Storage

Unlike other RAID systems, unRAID Server supports true incremental storage expansion. You can add capacity by adding more hard drives or by upgrading existing hard drives. This is a great way to make use of older, smaller hard drives you might have laying around.

For example, you might start out by installing one or two new high capacity hard drives along with some number of smaller hard drives you already own. Later, you might decide to replace one of the smaller drives, and unRAID Server will restore the data of the smaller drive onto the new drive, and then expand the file system to incorporate the full size of the new drive.
Better Fault Tolerance

Similar to other RAID systems, unRAID Server permits reconstruction of a single failed hard drive. However in the unlikely event of multiple hard drive failures, data loss would be isolated to only those hard drives which failed. In traditional RAID systems, multiple simultaneous hard drive failure results in complete data loss.

Returned!

Posted by Kev Atkinson

Because the blog is new, you’ll see below I had to take time out because of a broken arm. Happily now though it’s getting better, so I’m going to give this a shot… enjoy 😀

Getting Started

Posted by Kev Atkinson
Well, we’re getting off to an excellent start here. I wanted to get this rolling but something happened…

Yes, I’ve broken my arm. So for the moment, it’s a tad on hold – but it’ll be back soon! Then the wisdom will flow!

Welcome

Posted by Kev Atkinson

So, this is the idea I’ve been having. Often when coming across all sorts of I.T issues I spend a lot of time researching fixes for things, ways to make things better and all that type of stuff. If you’re an I.T bod, you’ll know what I mean.

I plan for this to be a place for me to write about my findings, to pass on tips and the like, and to give an inside to the (poor) life in I.T.

You can also feel free to check out my personal blog at anytime, by clicking here.

Enjoy, and feel free to comment any of my posts with questions and I’ll do my best to help you out on the subject.

I’m driving home for…

Posted by Kev Atkinson
Woo to you today, what a smashing day. OK – now back to reality. Today I drove a Movano 2.5 diesel van thingy. I took some pictures to show you. Woo.

It was a rather fun drive, almost brand new and I was let loose in it! I managed to get it up to 70mph which I was quite impressed with. The sound system was rubbish, and it had a Renault steering wheel and it had Renault dials. You can get them for about £18k brand new, ranging up to £22k. I’m not a big van driver but I’d say it was a fair size and certainly nippy, you can get a load of stuff in, and I can stand in the back so it’s fairly big. You could even smuggle people! I did get the impression thought that it would be rubbish on fuel, and it has digital dials so you can’t really tell how much fuel is left. Not bad though, t’was a fun ride!

You’re Shining

Posted by Kev Atkinson
So, a quick update to you all out there… I’m leaving the empire that is Reg Vardy/Evans Halshaw/Stratstone/Pendragon/Pinewood – you choose the name! – I was ‘head-hunted’ into working for another company who love cups of tea – like me, the company is… Ringtons. So I’ll keep you lot informed as to what’s happening.
In other news, Project Fix Kevs Car has begun. I’ve bought a new mirror assembly for the passenger side (it was ripped off by a truck) and I did my own priming/painting of the casing that goes around the mirror. It’s currently drying up and I’ll put a second coat on tomorrow and then the lacquer on after that. I’ve also ordered a wing for my drivers side, it was reversed into by some tool who didn’t leave their details so I’m having to foot that out of my own pocket. I’m half considering painting that myself too, although it is much bigger and I might not get it even on the paint covering. We’ll see! But that’s all for now!

I’ll put some new shoes on…

Posted by Kev Atkinson
OK, so I’ve used that title before, but I must re-use it for this quick message!
My shoes fell apart today, so I’ll have to buy some on Tuesday when I get paid. I’ve had my current ‘work’ shoes for over a year now, Ben Sherman leathers – I think I’ll get another pair, if I get a year out of pair ones I’m sorted! If they’re cheap, I might get 2 or 3 and I’m sorted for a couple of years!
So wooooooooooo, I’m DJing & bowling tonight from 7:30pm – 11pm @ Star Bowl North Shields (Royal Quays). Come down, say hello, and win some bubbly!

Sunday Morning

Posted by Kev Atkinson
Ha! You’re saying ha! He forgot about the song title rule for his blog posts. 
Right, so – the past few nights at the Bowling have been super, loads of prize giveaways, pirate teddy things with hard plastic eyes that hurt when you’re hit with them – all them, part of the night and make it a good night!
So in the world of radio, I think I’m about to win an award! For being uBer tired and even tireder then a tired man who is tired after doing a shift and already waking up to it on a Friday, tired. It’s currently 7o’something in t’morning and the Fray plays in the background. For breakfast I can’t help but recommend Banana and Mars Bar! Certainly wakes you up!
Todays plans are to sleep, I might even goto sleep on the radio – I haven’t decided yet, I might be asleep, this might be a dream… and into Queen we go…

Back Once Again

Posted by Kev Atkinson
ell the story continues, I still try to keep my blog titles to lyrics from a track – and here’s a bit you can take part in – if you fancy, comment me back just saying what you think the rest of the sentence/lyric is.

So, past week I’ve been in Manchester doing installs of kit etc… mixed opinions on how it went, too little time, couriers being late and bits like that certainly didn’t help! But I took some pictures to help see how it went… of course the first think you need is somewhere decent to stay – I would have liked the Hilton, but ended up at a Premier Travel Inn which always impresses!

The room wasn’t a a bad size, well equiped and my only gripe was there was no power beside the bed so I couldn’t charge my phone and text people – minor though – TV was half decent and bathroom was rather good.- The reason I wanted to stay at the Hilton was for the strange shape of the building – I took a pic, but lost it, but then found, but here’s one I found on Google and mine below!

As you can see it’s in the background, this huge tower with some strange thing on the top – we ended up later that night in China Town for a buffet meal which was jolly good.
I couldn’t get over the size of the building – it was very strange, looked completely glass and apparently the guy who built/designed it has the top two floors for his house. I think I’d have a parachute up there too incase you hit into a bit of bad luck! I took a pic as I walked by that night.

From there then, we were at Jaguar & Ferrari garages installing a new system, to my amusement I knew the fun at one site was about to begin when we drove into the car-park and were greeted with a lovely £30k Jag, that had been almost cut in half by a tree…

It wasn’t sold, or owned by customers, it was out on the pitch for sale when a tree, randomly, fell over. Bit of bad luck they’re having there – soon after Jag we were off to Ferrari – there’s some smart cars over there I must say…

All brand new being prepared to go out to customers or into the showroom – this one was sat wide open – had a quick shufty around it – rather nice! – But all was not good at this site, for one of the lads, Chris, was about to commit a rather shocking crime with his car – he was to murder one of the thickest dumbest slowest things in the world – without even knowing about it! 

So to top that off, all was good and I am back in Newcastle now – the show went fine the past few days and we’ve started music at the Star Bowl in North Shields too – tonight (Sunday) I came home to a huge riot/fight just a few feet from my door – so as per usual, grabbed a snap!

That’s all for now, but keep checking back and if needbe – I’ll picture blog too!

Just around the hill…

Posted by Kev Atkinson

Gooooooooood evening (in a very cheesy style!) – just finished covering for Ross’ NE1’s Anthems show on NE1fm (incidentally). Show went well, lots of interaction from the listeners tonight and a fabulous show had by all (me)

I think I have an addiction to Twix chocolate bars, how nice are they? I’ve had a load of them recently, but not too many, remember – I’m loosing weight not gaining it! & I like Dr. Pepper – lots and lots and lots and lots and lots… you get the idea!

The show was good today, had some tickets to give away, gone in less then a minute after we announced em! Apart from that, the usual chaos ensued, Dan made lots of cups of tea and I kept to my rigmarole of not actually finishing a cup yet. Tis quite a bad habit, you just have to look at my desk at work, sometimes you need to shave the cup, before you can use it again. – If you leave it really long, like on a bank holiday weekend, sometimes it smells really bad!

Currently at work, I’ve got a lot of balooons about, and lots of pointless poo in my little tray thingy under my monitor for keeping little thingys in. Incidentally, I am in Manchester from Monday to Thursday of next week. I somehow get the feeling that I will be requiring my stab-proof vest, my chastity belt, a small pouch of gypsy tears, and a small, but not too small, lightly bruised banana.

For some reason I have had the urge recently, to eat a cucumber sandwich. I very much do like cucumber, especially when it is encapsulated into a sandwich containing wafer-thin lightly salted ham – in preferebly a light white bun with a little spreading of butter. I am going to make some bread in my bread maker tomorrow.

I’ve also been left the crippling task looking after someones Greenhouse. This may not appear to be a particularily difficult task, but the things that could go wrong surely outweigh the things that could go wrong. I just hope their Tomatoes do not perish under my care.

Anyway, I will be off soon to bed as I have had a long day putting up with Alistair MacDonald, and listening to him tell me about his life. I think I could summarise by simply saying, it is like a large piece of what could only appear to be blank, grey slightly moist, paper, & with that, I leave you in the trusted hands of the man they call Dan.

Down Down Down…

Posted by Kev Atkinson

What a week, so busy this week I had to have a few days out! So I took Wd & Thursday off and sorted a load of stuff out that I’d been putting off for weeks – so then, you ask, what on earth has been happening this week?

I took some time out from the radio this week mainly, spent a lot of time here lately so I decided it is time to step back and let the show go on (lol) – I’m in on weekends now and occasional weeknights if I have to fix anything! That’s not mentioning the weekly Wednesday meeting which I still goto.

In other news, the Kanned Weekend is still going good, on weekends, on NE1fm. We’ve had a good pair of shows this weekend with a few people remarking about it – so as long as people are talking about it I’m a happy man.

On the VW Golf front, all is not good. I now have no passenger mirror eother – that was removed by a Transit van. I got his details but it looks like it’s going to be close to £200 for a new one.

Then there’s the rain, that caused no end of problems last night – I drove straight into this huge flood without even seeing it (rain was so heavy and my wipers were on uBer fast) – some water came in the side of the doors and did a good job at ripping some big plastic undertray off the car – it made a hell of a noise when it came off – and in the pouring rain – Ross climbed under the car and ripped it off. Sorted. I just hope that is the end of bad luck on the car front, it costs a bloody fortune to keep that thing going!

So, July 1st now – and dinner time here I come!