Although the launch of fifth-generation technology by major networks has led to faster speeds for users and increases the efficiency of larger machines and platforms, this upgrade has only been rolled out in large cities. Many communities in America including Charlottesville do not have access to this feature, and may not gain access in the near future, further contributing to the digital divide. This divide refers to unequal access to forms of technology and communication among marginalized communities.

Cong Shen, assistant electrical and computer engineering professor at the School of Engineering, along with his research group are working to optimize communication and energy efficiency of 5G and future generations. Additionally, Assoc. Media Studies Prof. Christopher Ali analyzes the implications of this technology for rural populations in the United States.

The fifth-generation network, or 5G, is a wireless platform that increases connection speeds and uses a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Third parties and industry partners developed this technology around 2014-2015, and the first commercial rollout followed in 2019.

We are talking about a wireless system that would be able to for instance bring high-speed wireless into your house at speeds that are probably ten to a hundred times more than what you are getting right now, said Ali. This uses a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which can transfer a greater amount of data, a greater amount of bandwidth.

5G speeds are 10 to 100 times faster than their current rates. These advancements are due to the use of a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum which can transfer a greater bandwidth.

The architecture of 5G distinguishes it from previous generations. Ali mentioned the use of massive towers to transfer strong signals across dozens of miles in 4G network. However, he stated that 5G replaces the use of towers with wireless small cells every 500 feet. Small cells or signal retransmission tools are close in size to picnic coolers and are mounted to buildings, street lights, and other structures. They improve transfer speeds and coverage especially in densely populated areas such as cities.

According to Shen, 5G also reduces latency delays. Latency refers to the time between transmitting and receiving a signal. It was prominent in 4G and 3G but has been drastically reduced to a single digit millisecond in the 5G model.

5G is distinguished from other generations of connectivity because of its design for home assistant devices and larger machines such as automated work in factories. Ali mentioned that replacing wired connection with 5G can be beneficial for gadgets that require constant data streaming, such as autonomous vehicles. Furthermore, Shen said that 5G could lead to major innovations in rescue missions following natural disasters.

If you have an earthquake or natural disaster like a tsunami when the infrastructure of a 4G is down, 5G has a mode where if someone elses device is still working they can talk peer-to-peer and form an ad hoc network so that people can exchange information, Shen said.

According to Engineering graduate student Chengshuai Shi, 5G is predicted to bring novel changes to other forms of technology including virtual reality and augmented reality. Ultimately, machinery requiring large data transmission will benefit the most from its design.

Generally speaking, it may form a new way for us to interact with each other and the world, just like 4G and 3G have already changed the ways that we communicate and entertain, Shi wrote. However, it will also take a long way and [will require] developments in other fields for us to get there.

According to Shen, the United States, China, South Korea and other Europen countries have adopted the use of 5G. The initial rollout of the new generation began among wealthy urban populations. The high population density of cities such as San Francisco and New York City makes the use and optimization of 5G economically favorable.

One of the major challenges regarding the launch of 5G has been reaching rural communities in America. Alis research focuses on the promises of large companies to reach these populations. He mentioned that parties such as T-Mobile and Sprint have promised to bring 5G to these regions. Their model is designed to transmit signals further through the use of frequencies with low bandwidth. However, this results in speeds equivalent to 4G networks.

Ali also stated that the population sizes of these communities make the addition of small cells every 500 feet for 5G connection very problematic. Ultimately, it contributes to the absence of 5G in rural areas.

There is no way this is going to work in rural America, Ali said. There are just not enough people, and the communities are way too sparsely populated. 5G is a myth for rural America. It is decades away.

Ali and Shen project that 5G will take some time before coming to Charlottesville. Ali believes that economic disadvantages decrease the likelihood of bringing 5G to the area. In fact, he anticipates that it will take 5 to 10 years before companies such as AT&T place signal repeaters around the city. On the other hand, Shen anticipates that 5G may come to Charlottesville by 2020. He mentioned that companies will have to overcome difficulties associated with the geographical terrain of Charlottesville.

The Charlottesville area, in general, is very difficult to wire because of all the surrounding hills and environments, Shen said. It is a challenging situation for wireless and that requires a lot of effort from operators.

Although 5G has increased speeds and connectivity of larger machines, there are many aspects of the technology that must be altered. Shen mentioned that the new model is not environmentally friendly. Each 5G base station consumes at least five times more energy than 4G. One of his primary research topics includes reducing power consumption associated with 5G. He also focuses on introducing machine learning and artificial intelligence into future generations.

Ali also expressed 5Gs need for a fiber-optic backhaul. Furthermore, he believes rural areas can achieve better connection through wired technology. He fears that communities will solely focus on bringing 5G to their district instead of implementing fiber-optic technology to bring high-speed internet and connection. Additionally, he suggests that organizations search for other ways to reduce discrepancies in technology access.

We have to remember that America is poorly connected even without 5G, so its not like 5G is going to magically solve the digital divide, Ali said. I would love to see more of our efforts being put into connecting rural America, tribal America, low-income America and minority America.

Originally posted here:

Launch of 5G connects and disconnects communities - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily

Long before Hank Aaron slammed 755 career home runs, he was a teenage Negro League shortstop earning $200 a month, playing at places like Bush Stadium in Indianapolis.

And before he was a Milwaukee Brave, much less an Atlanta Brave, he was a Jacksonville Brave in Florida, starring at ball parks like the Capital City Stadium in Columbia, S.C.

These days, 30s-era Bush Stadium is still around, serving as a thriving residential complex. The 92-year-old Capital Stadium faces the wrecking ball.

Such are the varied fates of abandoned minor league stadiums. The latest such uncertainty is playing out in Aarons native Mobile, at a relatively young ballpark with Hammerin Hanks name attached to it.

The Hank has a long life left, said Danny Corte, executive director of the Mobile Sports Authority. We have to rethink what were doing with it.

Hank Aaron Stadium, which housed the Class AA-affiliated BayBears of the Southern League for 22 years, was abandoned at the end of the 2019 season. The BayBears have since been relocated to Madison where theyve been rebranded as the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

The Mobile City Council will decide Tuesday whether to go ahead with a temporary two-year solution of allowing a Mobile-based group to proceed with operating the stadium for a mix of high school and collegiate baseball games as well as entertainment such as holiday light shows, cooking competitions and concerts.

A competing proposal, pitched by a group in Mississippi headed up by Biloxi Shuckers co-owner Timothy Bennett, promises to lure a non-affiliated professional baseball team form the Atlantic League by 2021. That plan, however, is not on the councils agenda Tuesday.

Regardless of which direction the council goes, questions swirl about the long-term prospects for The Hank. What comes next is as big of a mystery as guessing who might win the World Series in 2020.

For starters, the city doesnt even own the land upon which the stadium sits. A complicated land-use agreement signed in 1996 requires that a Class AA or higher-affiliated team play at the stadium, or that it be given over to public entertainment.

Huntsvilles approach

Joe Davis Stadium, home to the Class AA-affiliated Huntsville Stars from 1985-2014, is an abandoned ballpark in 2019. Efforts are underway to repurpose the stadium into a mixed-use sports development. (file photo).

Sports economists say that, for all practical purposes, empty baseball stadiums have very limited reuses. And the uses currently pitched for Hank Aaron Stadium typically are not long-term solutions, they say.

The problem facing Mobile is that baseball stadiums are not really good for much except watching baseball, said Victor Matheson, a sports economist at the College of Holy Cross in Worchester, Mass. They are a very odd shape, which means its not great for concerts. Its terrible for every other sporting event except for baseball.

The conversations in Mobile are not dissimilar to what has occurred in Huntsville for the past five years as city officials grappled over what to do with deteriorating Joe Davis Stadium. The stadium once was the home to the Class AA-affiliated Huntsville Stars before they were relocated to Biloxi to become the Shuckers in 2014.

Huntsville officials believe they finally have a plan that will prevent the city from having to fork out $800,000 to demolish the stadium. Under the plan, Huntsville is moving forward with repurposing Joe Davis Stadium into a multi-use football, soccer and lacrosse venue.

Huntsville City Administrator John Hamilton said idea of the project is to develop a stadium that can accommodate high school football games. Right now, five Huntsville city high schools utilize two stadiums Milton Frank Stadium and Louis Crews Stadium at Alabama A&M University.

If all five teams have a home game during the same week, scheduling is really a challenge, said Hamilton.

Renderings of Joe Davis Stadium improvements.

The reconfigured stadium, Hamilton said, will allow the city to attract other sporting events that otherwise could not play inside a minor league ballpark. He said the renovated stadium could put the city in place to attract minor league soccer.

The project is estimated to cost $8 million to $10 million, which would be paid with capital funds. The costs could go up, Hamilton said, if more extensive renovations are needed. An engineers estimate is expected within the next three months.

The challenge with a baseball stadium, and particularly a baseball field, is that its a single-use facility, said Hamilton. Baseball is used for 70 home games a year. The rest of the year, it sits dark. With football, soccer and lacrosse, its used a lot more days out of the year. Our community will be using that facility and getting a quality of life value out of it.

Obsolete

AP

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2019, file photo, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the media at the owners meeting in Arlington, Texas. Major League Baseball is pushing a proposal to whack 42 teams _ and several entire leagues _ from its vast network of minor-league affiliates that bring the game to every corner of country. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

The list of abandoned sports parks is growing across the nation. The website Baseball Pilgrimages accounted for 92 abandoned ballparks between 1999-2015, with the overwhelming majority being minor league stadiums. Of those, only 70% were still standing in 2015; the rest had already been demolished.

More stadiums could meet the same fate, and soon. The leagues owners are targeting 42 minor league teams for elimination in order to streamline player development, improve facilities and ease travel burdens and improve working conditions for prospects who are most likely to reach the big leagues.

For every team lost, MLB vows to work with cities in providing college summer leagues, or last-chance independent pro teams.

If they are looking at changing the structure of Minor League Baseball where these small market (stadiums) are used predominately by one team, this could become a bigger and bigger problem, said Amanda Ross, associate professor economics at the University of Alabama. This is something people have to start thinking about nationwide.

The concern has captured the attention of Congress. Last month 104 members of Congress signed a bipartisan letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred urging him to reconsider the radical contraction proposal.

Three Alabama lawmakers Republican Reps. Mike Rogers and Robert Aderholt and Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell all signed the letter. None of the teams slated for contraction are located in Alabama, but two are within the Southern League the Chattanooga Lookouts and Jackson (Tenn.) Generals. Alabama is home to three Class AA-affiliated Southern League Teams: Birmingham Barons, Montgomery Biscuits and the Trash Pandas.

While there are no minor league teams in the 4th district, nearby teams like the Birmingham Barons, Chattanooga Lookouts and the upcoming Rocket City Trash Pandas, all have followings in the district, said Aderholt, in a statement to AL.com. These teams also have an economic impact not only on the city where they are located, but also surrounding communities.

Rogers, in a statement, said that MLBs proposal is concerning.

With the Montgomery Biscuits and the Birmingham Barons both close to the Third District, I was happy to sign a letter supporting Minor League teams as each of these teams provides an economic impact for the area as well as providing entertainment for folks across East Alabama, he said.

AP

FILE - In this April 4, 2019, file photo, fans watch the Chattanooga Lookouts play the Montgomery Biscuits at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tenn. Major League Baseball is pushing a proposal to whack 42 teams _ and several entire leagues _ from its vast network of minor-league affiliates that bring the game to every corner of country. That includes Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of the Double-A Lookouts and a city where professional baseball was first played in 1885. (C.B. Schmelter/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP, File)

In Mobile, luring another Minor League Baseball team isnt part of any immediate plans either with a new stadium or major upgrades to Hank Aaron Stadium. In Chattanooga, for instance, the teams co-owner is pitching a plan for a new baseball stadium as a counteroffensive to MLBs contraction plan, according to media reports. The Lookouts currently play baseball inside the 19-year-old AT&T Stadium.

Matheson said he can see existing minor league stadiums many which are far from being considered old -- becoming economically obsolete before they are physically obsolete.

There is a real question whether minor league baseball teams can fill up the stands without (Major League) affiliation, Matheson said. There is a question on whether they can fill up the stands for the next 10 to 30 years even with affiliation. There simply are not many 12 or 13 year olds who say baseball is my favorite thing. If they arent football fans, they are likely to be basketball fans and if they are not basketball fans, they are more likely soccer fans. Somewhere down the line they are baseball fans. How much minor league baseball are we going to have in the future?

Demolition avoidance

Success stories with abandoned stadiums also are rare, said Matheson. Even rarer is the likelihood of an aging stadium luring another minor league team that is affiliated with Major League Baseball.

Reuses have varied among the ballparks abandoned nationwide, according to the Baseball Pilgrimages website: 17 were used by collegiate teams, 14 were vacant, 11 were used by amateur/youth teams, 8 were used by other sports, etc.

The normal, best-case scenario is to turn the stadium over to a local college or summer collegiate team for a nominal or nothing fee, with the tenant taking over the operations and day-to-day upkeep, so that theres still somebody using the stadium (so a community benefit is realized) and the city/state has their financial burden for it lessened, said Graham Knight, who operates the website, and who has visited over 200 ballparks.

In Mobile, the Mobile Sports & Entertainment Group (MSEG) is proposing to pay for all the maintenance and utility costs associated with Hank Aaron Stadium for the next two years. That proposal appeals to Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpsons administration, which has endorsed MSEGs plan over the proposal pitched by Bennetts group.

Ari Rosenbaum, president of Mobile Sports & Entertainment Group, speaks before Mobile city council members on Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, at Government Plaza in downtown Mobile, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

Ari Rosenbaum, president of MSEG, has said that Hank Aaron Stadium will be used for high school games starting in February. Hes also said that his group is committed to bringing professional baseball back to Mobile, but admits there is no timetable for that.

Some council members, such as Councilwoman Bess Rich, believe MSEGs plan is more community focused. But sports economists like Matheson, said the reality of a minor league stadium is that its simply too big to be a community events center. Hank Aaron Stadium, for example, has a capacity to hold up to 6,000 people.

These things do go back to the community, but the community generally doesnt find it useful and maybe sometime down the road, someone says, Lets reclaim this land for another purpose, said Matheson.

Demolition projects are often avoided. Tearing down a stadium can be costly and emotional:

In Mobile, demolishing Hank Aaron Stadium is considered a non-starter for some council members. As Councilman Fred Richardson said on Tuesday, If we destroy the stadium, we are destroying the legacy of Hank Aaron and I am not for that.

Matheson said that emotional attachment and/or nostalgia, is a powerful force, and has led to some redevelopment projects in Dyersville, Iowa, for instance, Major League Baseball is developing an 8,000-seat stadium near the popular filming site for the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams.

Historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala. (Josh Bean | jbean@al.com)

In Birmingham, the 109-year-old city-owned Rickwood Field has been upgraded and featured in movies such as Cobb in 1994, and 42 in 2013. A 40-member board Friends of Rickwood Field are in charge of maintaining the day-to-day operations of an ancient field billed as Americas Oldest Ballpark that is now used for high school and college games.

Outside Hank Aaron Stadium is Aarons childhood home that has served as a museum since 2010. Both proposals for the stadium include continued use of the stadium, and the MSEG plan wants to host a 10-year anniversary celebration of the homes relocation to the ballpark site next spring.

Stadium Lofts

But nostalgia over a ballpark doesnt have to include baseball.

Ross, the associate professor at the University of Alabama, said the historical elements of a stadium can be integrated into alternative designs.

There are ways a happy medium can be met, said Ross, pointing out the example in Indianapolis where Bush Stadium was redeveloped into more than 138-loft apartments in 2013.

There is a situation where you are holding onto the emotional attachment but are still making it profitable, said Ross. (Indianapolis) was one of the more successful remodels in the U.S. in how they take a stadium and repurpose it into apartments or something useable.

The project in Indianapolis almost didnt happen, said Marsh Davis, the longtime president of Indiana Landmarks.

The stadium had been vacant since 1996, and was in disrepair by 2010. Between 2008 to 2011, the stadium was a storage site for cars as part of the federal governments Cash for Clunkers program, in what Davis called a low chapter for the stadium.

Bush was vacant, and there was no plan for it, said Davis, who assisted the developer John Watson of Core Construction -- in pitching the loft project to a committee. It was a last-ditch effort to save the stadium.

Davis recalled, I asked the committee, Would you allow us to give a presentation? They allowed us. I talked about the history of the ballpark and John dusted off old plans to convert it into residential property. John looked at me and said, This is a waste of time. They have their minds made up. They hadnt. They liked the plan. And now its Stadium Lofts apartments.

The city funded $5 million of a $13 million renovation project that incorporates ticket windows as closets and 1960s-era stadium seating is in the lobby. Much of the complex faces the stadiums infield.

Ive had people criticize me for supporting the project, said Davis. The (baseball) purists are those who say that a ballpark needs to be a ballpark. But it aint a ballpark anymore. This has been a creative solution that has revitalized that part of the city and brought people living there. Its had a huge, positive impact.

See the rest here:

Take me out to the (abandoned) ballpark: Whats next for languishing stadiums? - AL.com

CHICAGO Cannabis becomes legal in Illinois on Jan. 1 and yes, you will be able to smoke it in your backyard.

Though theres been some confusion around the laws and what will and wont be prosecuted, Chicagoans will be able to smoke weed in their backyards and on their back porches, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and interim Chicago Police Supt. Charlie Beck clarified in a statement Wednesday.

Though the state law does technically prohibit weed use in those areas, Lightfoot and Beck said the Chicago Police Department wont arrest or ticket people under those circumstances since they pose no direct threat to public safety.

Righting this citys generation-old wrongs and overturning the unjust cannabis enforcement laws of our past has been at the heart of our efforts since day one, which is why weve taken the important step forward in reducing overly punitive fines and fees for minor cannabis violations by passing a smart, sensible and safe cannabis enforcement ordinance that truly prioritizes public safety of all residents in this city, the two said in a statement.

Chicago Police officers are being trained on how to enforce the new law, and that training includes guidance on using their discretion to educate Chicagoans on new cannabis regulations rather than simply ticketing them, Lightfoot and Beck said.

The Chicago Police Department released an informational video on cannabis use on Wednesday, reminding Chicagoans they wont be able to smoke weed on public transportation, at restaurants or in public areas like front porches. Landlords will be able to ban cannabis use in private homes, too.

Follow this link:
You Can Smoke Weed In Your Backyard Or Back Porch And Not Get Busted, Chicago's Mayor And New Top Cop Say - Block Club Chicago

In a wish-this-happened-more-often occurrence, a 46-year-old man was arrested after allegedly stealing packages in a Malden neighborhood this week. A security camera caught a photo of the alleged purloiner, complete with takeout food container, standing on a front porch not his own.

The term used for this is porch pirate, and YouTube is full of videos of them being caught in the act, or more often, getting away with the goods.

But porch pirate is a far too benign, even folksy label for what are essentially run-of-the-mill thieves. Actually, not so run-of-the-mill as the thefts often take place in broad daylight. Some even follow Amazon drivers around, waiting for them to drop off packages and then swoop in.

According to a survey by XFinity Home, Comcasts home security service, 30% of customers have had packages stolen.

The term porch pirate is too nice for people who are stalking drivers and deliveries, and grabbing someone elses Christmas presents, or medical supplies, or whatever they needed that they ordered online.

Package punks has a good ring to it.

And to the witness who called police after seeing a man steal a package from a Malden porch, which led to the mans arrest a Good Neighbor shoutout. Thats what we need more of.

Not parcel parasites.

Continued here:
Porch pirates just thieves by another name - Boston Herald

MIDDLETOWN, Del. For the past four or five years during the holiday season, Kathy Ouma has been putting out snacks and refreshments for the delivery drivers who drop Christmas packages at her front door.

Karim Reed III, whos been an Amazon driver for three months, pulled his truck up outside her home in Middletown, Delaware, about 30 miles south of Wilmington.

Reed walked up the driveway with a package under his arm. Then he freaked out, elated at what he saw.

Oh, this is nice! he exclaimed. They got some goodies. Wow.

Sitting in a chair on the porch was a basket with bottled water, soft drinks, Oreos and crackers. The basket bore a sign: Please take some goodies to enjoy on your route. Thanks for making holiday shopping easy.

Get out of here! he said, still overcome with surprise. This is sweet. This is so nice.

Oumas doorbell camera got a front-row view of Reed as he happily danced back to his Amazon truck. Reed told CNN those moves have been his signature dance since he was 7 years old.

Ouma and Reed both needed each other in a way neither could have predicted.

Ouma said she was inside her home recovering from a recent car accident. I heard his infectious energy outside, she said. He really did make my day. I thought, I am all better.'

Reed had forgotten to bring his lunch with him. As the day progressed, he wasnt feeling well. But he snagged a bag of cookies, some crackers, and a bottle of water.

That held me over for the rest of the day, he said.

If I had known, Id have left him lunch too, Ouma told CNN.

She said that since Reeds joyous dance moves on her porch had gone viral, she has received messages from people in Amsterdam, London and Australia who put refreshments out for their delivery drivers.

I was just raised this way, she said. You can shift the energy not just of the people around you, but the entire world.

View original post here:
Delivery driver overjoyed by treats left for him on familys porch: This is sweet! - WTVR CBS 6 News

A delivery worker was intending to leave gifts for someone else, but ended up being treated to some himself.

Kathy Ouma says she like to leave drinks and snacks out on her porch for drivers to enjoy on their routes after dropping off packages. This week, one worker from Amazon came to the porch to drop off the package, and was more than surprised to see a container of Coke, Oreos, crackers, and more.

Oumas Ring.com porch camera captured the moment the driver arrived, and she posted the video on Facebook. The footage has now been seen more than four million times.

Thats sonice!WowThis issweet! the driver can be heard saying as he takes some goodies. He even did a little dance as he walked back to his truck.

Ouma wrote the drivers reaction made [her] day!

Originally posted here:
Watch: Amazon Delivery Worker Surprised With Free Basket Of Treats On Porch - KFSM 5Newsonline

Posted: Dec 6, 2019 / 04:55 PM CST / Updated: Dec 6, 2019 / 10:07 PM CST

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) A Wichita Falls man and woman are jailed as police investigate numerous reports of burglaries and thefts off of porches. Both suspects have lengthy records.

Joellen Wolfe is charged with two counts of burglary and three counts of theft. Elis Ramos is charged with burglary and drug possession.

The most recent charge is for an alleged burglary on November 26, on Martin.

A woman told officers she and her mother had left the house for a short time and had left her wallet and a bag of shoes on the kitchen counter and the back door had been left unlocked.

When they returned the items were missing, and just 30 minutes later she received notifications her credit card had been used at Dillards and then at Walmart.

Police said they went to Walmart and Dillards and recognized Wolfe and Ramos using the card in surveillance video.

Officers then went to Sun Valley Apartments with arrest warrants for Wolfe and Ramos, and said after taking them to jail, they found a bag of meth in the car Ramos had been in, and charged him with possession.

Police also suspect Wolfe in thefts from porches and other burglaries, and of trying to get refunds for stolen items.

Wolfes arrests include three for burglary, six thefts and one robbery.

Ramos arrests date to 1984 and include attempted murder and four for burglary

More here:
Two repeat offenders arrested for burglaries and porch thefts - KFDX - Texomashomepage.com

Advanced Climate Control L.L.C offers heating repair services and tune-ups for the winter season. Advanced Climate Control L.L.C. is an HVAC company in Greenville, SC. Some of their services include heating and air conditioning repair, replacement, and installation.

Advanced Climate Control L.L.C supplies the best HVAC service in Greenville, SC. Advanced Climate Control L.L.C wants to inform the residents of Greenville, SC, to go online to their website before calling for HVAC emergency service, as they have listed many tips to follow if you are unsure of what to do. This will help prevent a service call if it is not necessary, and also gives the team a better idea on how to diagnose and fix the problem quickly.

If your air conditioning unit needs repairs, ACC offers services for air conditioning in Greenville, SC and they also give you some tips:

The tips for heating issues are quite similar to the cooling tips. For instance, make sure you check the settings on your thermostat and check to make sure the temperature control selector is set above the current room temperature, and the system switch is on heat or auto.

Also, try to get the heat to turn on by raising the thermostat to its highest temperature setting, and check the air filter, as a dirty air filter can inhibit airflow.

The technicians are experts at repairing any heating and air conditioning equipment. If your central air conditioning unit, furnace, heat pump, or any other HVAC component needs repair, call today to schedule an appointment. They are licensed contractors and specialists in the field of heating and air-conditioning, and they have the tools, equipment, and the experience to keep your HVAC system running smoothly all year long.

Advanced Climate Control LLC provides both residential and commercial heating repair, replacement, and installation. The staff at ACC are trained and experienced technicians who can fix any problems with your existing heating unit, replace your outdated system, or fully install an HVAC system for your new home or business. If you are not sure what solution is right for you, call ACC today to schedule a free consultation.

If your heating system is broken or not working correctly, call Advanced Climate Control today. They will provide you with a free in-home consultation to diagnose the issue and implement the correct solution. They acknowledge how uncomfortable and even dangerous it can be to have a broken heater. It is crucial to get the heat up and running as soon as possible, for both your comfort and your health.

Fortunately, at ACC, the team is proud of their fast service and competent workmanship.

For ac repair in Greenville, SC, or heating and cooling Greenville, SC, contact Advanced Climate Control L.L.C. today as they offer excellent heating repair services and tune-ups for the winter. They recommend going online to their website at https://www.accupstate.com/ and reading through some of their tips about heating and cooling before you contact so the team can diagnose the problem quickly. You can ring the team today at (864) 501-0551 if you need to schedule a heating and air repair in Greenville, SC.

Source:https://thenewsfront.com/advanced-climate-control-l-l-c-offer-heating-repair-services-and-tune-ups-for-the-winter/

Read the original post:
Advanced Climate Control LLC Offer Heating Repair Services and Tune-Ups for the Winter - The News Front

For this look at commercial HVAC and plumbing prefabrication, we spoke with experts from one of the best in the business, TDIndustries of Dallas, Tex. Since 1946, TDIndustries has provided innovative engineering, construction and facilities services that optimize the performance of world-class mechanical systems which includes healthcare, hotels, schools, sports arenas, mission critical and industrial complexes.

TDIndustries has prefabrication and assembly facilities in its Texas cities, that are unrivaled by firms of equal size: Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, Richardson, San Antonio, as well as Phoenix, Ariz.

This leading mechanical systems firm provided the HVAC duct and plumbing piping systems for the Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz arena, and the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium, now in their second and 10th years, respectively. Among TDIndustries most recent projects that integrated state of the art prefabrication assemblies, is the new, 14,000 seat Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, which will host rodeo shows and hockey and NCAA basketball. For the project, TD contributed to 41 miles of plumbing, 10 miles of HVAC work, and 14 miles of air duct in the building.

Among other recent projects, TDIndustries hasbeen commissioned by the Charles Schwab investment firm, for a new campus in Westlake, Texas.The project includes plumbing and mechanical systems installation for approximately one million square feet of office space between two phases of construction.

Dan Weir, senior project manager for the Charles Schwab project, and Ken Luong, project manager at Dickies Arena, provided insight into some of the basics of prefab, as well as advanced methods practiced regularly by TDIndustries.

The ideal prefabrication projects involve any piping or ductwork assembly thats repeatable, such as throughout an office building or hospital, but its a strategy that can be scaled to the project.

Multiple floors or patient rooms that are basically identical are some of the best-case projects, as well as backflow prevention stations, pressure reducing stations, and plumbing batteries for restrooms. And for ductwork, we can prefab basically anything whether its repetitive or not. Thats what we do, Weir said.

TDIndustries has always had some form of a sheet metal prefabrication shop. In 1980, it incorporated larger prefabrication projects, like plumbing batteries and central utility piping. When the company moved to its new Dallas headquarters in 1989, the manufacturing center was expanded, and now occupies 8,000 sq.ft.

Old Shop Keeps Up With Whats NewKen Luong said prefabrication has always been a part of TDIndustries culture, and it has evolved through the years to keep in step with industry best practices.

Weve always looked for additional things to prefabricate, and for ways we can be more efficient and productive; areas where we can build off of it ahead of time in a controlled environment rather than at a hectic jobsite, with many subcontractors working around you, Luong said.

As virtual design becomes more defined, and software becomes smarter, those two innovations continue to help us in the modeling and coordinating ahead of time. As far as In addition to new prefabrication opportunities, there are vendors and manufacturers that come to us with ideas to help us do our jobs easier, Luong continued. Whether its a new type of grooved system or fitting or material, these improvements are ongoing, because everyone wants to get better and find a better, less costly product.

Helpful Design ProgramsAmong the new prefabrication innovations that have impressed Weir is ESTmep , by Autodesk, a relatively new program that is combined with a Building Information Modeling (BIM) model.

Its one model and one database, so that every piece of pipe or duct have attributes recorded within that model, that tell you how much its worth and how much labor is required to install it, Weir explains. Were right on the edge of implementing some really cool technology that enables us to take pieces of a model out and it will spit out exactly how long it should take to install a particular section of pipe or an entire area of ductwork. Weve been working on this to help with tracking and improving both project planning and productivity. And under Autodesk theres a multitude of software we utilize, including Revit in fabrication.

There have been huge advances made in BIM over the past 10 years. We can now publish the model to where project foremen and superintendents in the field can pull up the model on iPad tablets. Thats not necessarily new, but each year, BIM becomes easier to view and use, Luong said.

TDIndustries uses Iris Prospect virtual reality software and HTC Vive viewing devices.

Building Information Modeling allows us to virtually build the job in a 3D model, which greatly improves our capacity for fabrication, said Wesley Baker, vice president of TDIndustries manufacturing and prefabrication facility. The biggest key component is a clash detection component which allows us to see all the different systems fire protection/sprinkler, the large electrical conduit, ductwork, hydronic piping and plumbing systems and the structural systems all in a 3D model. If theyre bumping into each other, the system will show us that. We can then remove those clashes, which makes fabrication much more accurate and efficient.

Plug-n-Play PlumbingLuong added that plumbing batteries are probably the most common assembly that TD teams will prefabricate in the shop.

We have a lot of gang restrooms at Dickies Arena, so every single plumbing battery we created in the shop was shipped and set in place at the Arena.

The Dickies Arenas central plant is one large prefabrication. We had all of the pipe, valve and fittings welded or coupled together in our shop before shipping it to the jobsite.

TDIndustries fabricates and manufactures each and every piece of ductwork, it installs on any project, to the tune of five million pounds each year.

The technology and equipment used to build ductwork assemblies has continued to evolve, and were using much more automated equipment in the shop, including CNC (computer numerical control) computerized manufacturing-driven equipment, Baker said.

We utilize a coil line, to fabricate straight runs of rectangular ductwork. This is an automated line thats computer fed, driven by CNC. The information for the pieces of ductwork that are to be fabricated are fed directly to the machine controller, from our BIM model designs. Its a very automated process. We do the same thing on the plasma tables, where we cut the patterns to make our fittings. We have an automated table to cut the duct liners to match the fittings.

Baker said a new trend called multi-trade fabrication is gaining in popularity. The method involves building a rack framework and installing the ductwork, chilled water piping, cable trays and conduit, all in 20-foot sections. Its the next future trend, he said.

TDIndustries door is always open for visitors withlegitimate interest in advancing their own prefabrication skills. That includes manufacturers and contractors. On the day I spoke with Baker, a team from Arizona was visiting.

We believe supporting prefabrication is the right thing to do. It will help us all with our labor shortage, with safety, and with meeting the demands of the industry. And, we can learn from each other, he stated. A serious prefabrication shop requires a serious investment, one that small or mid-size contracting businesses find impossible to meet. Baker said less-capitalized firms will struggle with the investment thats required for a quality prefab shop.

Then, once you build a facility like this, you must have consistent work. We have a seven-figure inventory right now, and much more invested in equipment. It makes sense for our operational size, but it will cost you if you dont keep the lines running. I would say most companies outsource this until they become large enough. If you dont have a coil line you cant be competitive.

More here:
HVAC, Plumbing Prefabrication at its Best - Contractor

High and low pressure zones drive flow through interior cooling channels. Image: Marcelo Cceres

Heat is the enemy of electronics. The more powerful the processor or component, the more heat is generated. Thats why your laptop likely has a fan, and why massive server farms such as Amazon Web Services or Google need colossal amounts of cooling to keep servers from overheating and shutting down.

Its no different when it comes to airborne Internet connectivity. The antenna system needs to be continuously operating generating heat for passengers to stay connected. It might seem simple to keep an antenna thats mounted on the outside of an aircrafts fuselage, above the cabin, nice and cool. Why not just cut a hole in the cover and let the airflow do the rest?

Not surprisingly, it isnt that simple. The heat of the sun on the radome adds to the thermal load, as does aerodynamic heating, whereby the passing of air at high speeds (in the case of commercial aircraft, 575 miles per hour) is converted to heat. The path for cooling airflow must be free of dirt, ice and moisture, and the outside skin of the fuselage cant be used to dissipate the heat. And its getting more complicated as new power-hungry phased-array, flat-panel antennas begin to appear. Compared to current mechanical, motor-steered dishes, a flat-panel antenna is steered electronically, with different elements of the array receiving and transmitting beams.

The patent-pending part is an isothermal transfer plate that is integrated with the adapter plate to help dissipate heat away from the [antenna] arrays. Kris Samuelson, CIT

While mechanically steered systems might consume a couple of hundred watts of power, electronically steered antennas (ESAs) can use as much as 2,000 watts. Think of a high-powered hair dryer in the antenna enclosure, and its clear that there could be a problem with heat.

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (Carlisle IT) is working on a solution. Recognizing the opportunity for compact ARINC 781 form-factor ESA installations on regional passenger airliners and corporate aircraft, the company has created an integrated cooling design that is now moving from simulation to a hardware testing phase.

The patent-pending part is an isothermal transfer plate that is integrated with the adapter plate to help dissipate heat away from the [antenna] arrays, said Kris Samuelson, director of sales, IFEC and Interiors, Carlisle IT. Along the length of the adapter plate you have a heat-pipe-like system what we call integrated duct radiator channels. They act like vents, helping to dissipate the heat out the aft end.

Carlisle IT takes advantage of the low height of an ESA, with the complete installation only about three inches above the fuselage, compared to around 13 inches for a mechanically steered system. According to Samuelson, the new scalable solution will support a wide range of aircraft and hardware systems.

Cool Running was originally published in the 9.5 December/January issue ofAPEX Experiencemagazine.

More here:
Cool Running: Carlisle IT's Overheating Solution for Electronically Steered Antennas - APEX Media