Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:03:32 +0100, Graham. wrote:


Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.


Some form of air quality measurement?

--
Rod

Graham. wrote:

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the apparatus
measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused by the London
Underground.

I saw a documentary a while ago about the building of something (maybe the
Shard?) where the problems of taking down whatever was on the site before
and building the new thing's foundations (at least) were thought to be
likely to cause movement in some or all of the surrounding buildings. IIRC
they said that sensors were put on buildings all around to try to detect
movement. It might be something like that.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to replacing "aaa" by "284".

On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:26:00 +0100, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:

I saw a documentary a while ago about the building of something (maybe
the Shard?)

Yes, building of the Shard.

where the problems of taking down whatever was on the site before and
building the new thing's foundations (at least) were thought to be
likely to cause movement in some or all of the surrounding buildings.
IIRC they said that sensors were put on buildings all around to try to
detect movement.

Yep they showed a couple of shots of a remote/automatic laser theodolite
and things did move. IIRC 18mm when the old building was demolished and
back 7mm when the Shard was built.

The little black things are certainly retro reflectors but it doesn't
look as if the the boxes on the wall have anything laser like. Indeed
isn't there another reflector to the left of the little box on angle
bracket above the pigeon spikes?

Doesn't look like air quality monitoring, how about sound? There are a
couple of flat panel wireless data link antennas for it to talk to else
where.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:03:32 +0100, Graham.
wrote:

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.

It's an automatic laser targeting and acquisition system for smart
delivery of ordnance against pesky rioters.

On 13/07/12 23:03, Graham. wrote:

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.



Air quality monitoring?

--
djc

Care to describe it as well?

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the delay
of the sound of it.


This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Graham." wrote in message
...

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

Brian Gaff wrote

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Nope, it’s the best way to find leaks in existing pipes.

"Graham." wrote in message
...

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.

Possibly to do with this lot... See bottom right paragraph of 1st page and
following text

http://eepublishers.co.za/images/upl...ct11_61-65.pdf

On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:15:04 +0100, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

Care to describe it as well?

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the delay
of the sound of it.


This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Brian

--
OK looking through the rest of the pictures I took I can tell you it's
South Molton Street W1, Taken 25 Sept 2011.

The reflectors are round, about 3cm in diameter inside a 7cm frame
also round mounted on an L bracket which is bolted to the masonry with
a single bolt. There are several of them on each property at varying
heights. All the reflectors are aligned in the same direction,
probably to face the installation at the end of the street.

This consists of a couple of wall boxes with three antennas associated
with it, one some kind of rod omni and two flat-plate directional ones
at right angles to each other, this suggests it is part of a wider
network.

There is a shiny black dome stood off from the wall on a long pole, so
it could see the reflectors, imagine a black rotating beacon on an
emergency vehicle and you get the idea.
I think that's actually what it is, a rotating, or oscillating IR
laser, working like a 2D barcode scanner.

Incidently its a pedestrian street not included in Streetview.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On Jul 14, 11:37*am, Graham. wrote:

OK looking through the rest of the pictures I took I can tell you it's
South Molton Street W1, Taken 25 Sept 2011.

Monitoring Crossrail tunnelling, perhaps?

On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:03:22 -0700 (PDT), Bolted
wrote:

On Jul 14, 11:37*am, Graham. wrote:

OK looking through the rest of the pictures I took I can tell you it's
South Molton Street W1, Taken 25 Sept 2011.

Monitoring Crossrail tunnelling, perhaps?

Looks very likley, put South Molton Street in here
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/near-you

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Some years ago when there was a water leak in the street, I was surprised to
see the Scottish Water chaps who arrived first placing their long metal
valve 'keys' against the ground then putting their ears against the tops of
the metal handles. I asked, and they said they could hear water flowing
underground and this was a simple way to decide where to start digging up
the road. It was somewhat reminiscent of the wooden ear trumpets doctors
used to use to listen to babies in the womb.


--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to replacing "aaa" by "284".

On 7/14/2012 9:09 AM, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Some years ago when there was a water leak in the street, I was surprised to
see the Scottish Water chaps who arrived first placing their long metal
valve 'keys' against the ground then putting their ears against the tops of
the metal handles. I asked, and they said they could hear water flowing
underground and this was a simple way to decide where to start digging up
the road. It was somewhat reminiscent of the wooden ear trumpets doctors
used to use to listen to babies in the womb.


I've seen that done for gas leaks.

On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:15:04 +0100, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the delay
of the sound of it.


This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Jesus. I bet it felt a bit dubious too, as a blind walker, to cannon
into that. Have they no sense?

On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:39:17 -0400, S Viemeister
wrote:

On 7/14/2012 9:09 AM, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Some years ago when there was a water leak in the street, I was surprised to
see the Scottish Water chaps who arrived first placing their long metal
valve 'keys' against the ground then putting their ears against the tops of
the metal handles. I asked, and they said they could hear water flowing
underground and this was a simple way to decide where to start digging up
the road. It was somewhat reminiscent of the wooden ear trumpets doctors
used to use to listen to babies in the womb.


I've seen that done for gas leaks.

And I've seen it done on more than one occasion when there's a
hose-pipe ban in place. In days round here when you needed a
"sprinkler licence" several people without those bits of paper were
caught this way.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.

In article ,
Graham. writes:

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Looks like a laser reflector, as others said.

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

That looks to me like a community WiFi base station, which is part of
a network of base stations linked at some frequency most likely in
the low GHz. (Black cylinder being the WiFi aerial, and the flat square
things being the radio links to adjacent base stations.) There are more
cabinets there than I would expect though, so I could well be wrong.

However, I don't think these two items are related.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 14/07/2012 14:39, S Viemeister wrote:
On 7/14/2012 9:09 AM, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the
middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about
it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Some years ago when there was a water leak in the street, I was
surprised to
see the Scottish Water chaps who arrived first placing their long metal
valve 'keys' against the ground then putting their ears against the
tops of
the metal handles. I asked, and they said they could hear water flowing
underground and this was a simple way to decide where to start digging up
the road. It was somewhat reminiscent of the wooden ear trumpets doctors
used to use to listen to babies in the womb.


I've seen that done for gas leaks.

Or a screwdriver with the handle to your ear to listen to the internals
of an engine.

SteveW

On 14/07/12 12:37, Graham. wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:15:04 +0100, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

Care to describe it as well?

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the dodgy reflective vest about it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the delay
of the sound of it.


This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Brian

--
OK looking through the rest of the pictures I took I can tell you it's
South Molton Street W1, Taken 25 Sept 2011.

Then could be monitoring subsidence related to the Crossrail excavations
below.


The reflectors are round, about 3cm in diameter inside a 7cm frame
also round mounted on an L bracket which is bolted to the masonry with
a single bolt. There are several of them on each property at varying
heights. All the reflectors are aligned in the same direction,
probably to face the installation at the end of the street.

This consists of a couple of wall boxes with three antennas associated
with it, one some kind of rod omni and two flat-plate directional ones
at right angles to each other, this suggests it is part of a wider
network.

There is a shiny black dome stood off from the wall on a long pole, so
it could see the reflectors, imagine a black rotating beacon on an
emergency vehicle and you get the idea.
I think that's actually what it is, a rotating, or oscillating IR
laser, working like a 2D barcode scanner.

Incidently its a pedestrian street not included in Streetview.



--
djc

On Jul 14, 9:19*pm, SteveW wrote:
On 14/07/2012 14:39, S Viemeister wrote:









On 7/14/2012 9:09 AM, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
"Brian Gaff" wrote:

Round my way some odd bollards have been seen apparently in the
middle of
footways, when I asked the man in the *dodgy reflective *vest about
it, he
said it was for finding leaks in water mains by placing them on *exposed
parts of the main under access covers, they could find the leak by the
delay of the sound of it.

This sounds a bit dubious to me...

Some years ago when there was a water leak in the street, I was
surprised to
see the Scottish Water chaps who arrived first placing their long metal
valve 'keys' against the ground then putting their ears against the
tops of
the metal handles. *I asked, and they said they could hear water flowing
underground and this was a simple way to decide where to start digging up
the road. *It was somewhat reminiscent of the wooden ear trumpets doctors
used to use to listen to babies in the womb.

I've seen that done for gas leaks.

Or a screwdriver with the handle to your ear to listen to the internals
of an engine.

Not very good at testing the HT leads though.

On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:03:32 +0100
Graham. wrote:


Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.


Is anyone in the physical position to ask somebody in the building?
Just a thought. (I'm nowhere near).
--
Davey.

On 15/07/12 13:06, Davey wrote:
On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:03:32 +0100
Graham. wrote:


Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.


Is anyone in the physical position to ask somebody in the building?
Just a thought. (I'm nowhere near).


Normally I would be within walking distance. But, I am currently in
Italy (where there has been a heatwave for the past month) and I'm
staying put until the 'lympics is over.




--
djc

In article , Graham.
scribeth thus

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.



Here yer go. If you blow up that pix a bit you can see Sol Data writ on
it. They are certainly 2.4 or 5.8 GHz panel aerials which can be used to
link back from point to point. If you have a close look at the pix on
the bottom right of this page don't arf look familiar..

And there doing work for cross-rail the shard and other urban
projects...


http://www.soldata-ltd.co.uk/solfrey...cts.0E94484C78
4F8676C1257949007143E2
--
Tony Sayer

On Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:46:01 +0100, tony sayer
wrote:

In article , Graham.
scribeth thus

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.



Here yer go. If you blow up that pix a bit you can see Sol Data writ on
it. They are certainly 2.4 or 5.8 GHz panel aerials which can be used to
link back from point to point. If you have a close look at the pix on
the bottom right of this page don't arf look familiar..

And there doing work for cross-rail the shard and other urban
projects...


http://www.soldata-ltd.co.uk/solfrey...cts.0E94484C78
4F8676C1257949007143E2

I was pretty much spot on then!

http://www.soldata-ltd.co.uk/solfrey...257949007143E2

http://www.soldataiberia.com/SOLDATA/Refchsoldata.nsf/0/71C7905FCB604F4FC12578D400469718/$file/London%20Bond%20Street-Gorgone-uk.pdf

More "noise and vibration" than the detection of impending structural
damage, but I suppose in marketing speak they are much the same.

I still don't know exactly how it works, scanning IR laser is the only
way I can think of.


--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On 13/07/2012 22:03, Graham. wrote:

Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence caused
by the London Underground.


I've been working near London Moorgate station today, where Crossrail
are busy with diggers etc...

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/IMG_4320.jpg

This retailer seems a bit annoyed with it all.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/a...IMG_4320-1.gif

Anyway, a few buildings around the scene have expensive looking
theodolites attached, targeted on the (google tells me) "Geodetic
Prisms" you've snapped.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/IMG_4317.jpg

They have little umbrellas to keep out of the rain.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/IMG_4319.jpg

--
Adrian C

On Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:10:53 +0200
djc wrote:

On 15/07/12 13:06, Davey wrote:
On Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:03:32 +0100
Graham. wrote:


Central London.
Has anyone got any idea what these might be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

Here's a closeup:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

This appears to be the business end of whatever it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/7...ream/lightbox/

FWIW, to me they look like retro-reflectors and my guess is the
apparatus measures seismic movements, specifically subsidence
caused by the London Underground.


Is anyone in the physical position to ask somebody in the building?
Just a thought. (I'm nowhere near).


Normally I would be within walking distance. But, I am currently in
Italy (where there has been a heatwave for the past month) and I'm
staying put until the 'lympics is over.





Don't blame you. If you want any rain, we have plenty here.
Where in Italy?
--
Davey.

B. Terry wrote:



You have posted on a number of groups, but nothing is ever added,
apart from your email address. Is there some sort of problem at
your end?

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Chris J Dixon wrote:
B. Terry wrote:



You have posted on a number of groups, but nothing is ever added,
apart from your email address. Is there some sort of problem at
your end?

Chris

It's steganography. These blank posts are in fact controlling the
Iranian nuclear weapons program.

They key is in the exact time they are posted and on which Usenet
group......

....I'll get my tinfoil hat....


--
To people who know nothing, anything is possible.
To people who know too much, it is a sad fact
that they know how little is really possible -
and how hard it is to achieve it.

On Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:04:54 +0100, Chris J Dixon
wrote:

B. Terry wrote:



You have posted on a number of groups, but nothing is ever added,
apart from your email address. Is there some sort of problem at
your end?

Inn visible ink? ie, soo many vodkas...

On 17/07/12 10:39, Davey wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:10:53 +0200
djc wrote:

Normally I would be within walking distance. But, I am currently in
Italy (where there has been a heatwave for the past month) and I'm
staying put until the 'lympics is over.



Don't blame you. If you want any rain, we have plenty here.
Where in Italy?


Umbria. 12 31' 54" E, 42 44' 00" N to be precise.
http://www.umbriaturismo.net/eventi-umbria/enogastronomia-e-sagre/4031_villa-san-faustino-massa-martana-sagra-del-buon-mangiare




--
djc