{"id":3160,"date":"2000-09-10T20:14:00","date_gmt":"2000-09-10T09:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/olympics-one-week-to-go-uniform-delivery\/"},"modified":"2014-10-10T13:14:33","modified_gmt":"2014-10-10T02:14:33","slug":"olympics-one-week-to-go-uniform-delivery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/3160","title":{"rendered":"Olympics &#8211; One Week to go&#8230;. Uniform Delivery&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Greetings People&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Another week down&#8230; Today [Yesterday] I have safety training &#8211; Occupational<br \/>\n<br \/>Health and Safety stuff &#8211; so that those who are not used to Australian<br \/>\n<br \/>conditions do not get killed&#8230; Also I will be trained in local procedures&#8230;<br \/>\n<br \/>and what to do if something goes wrong&#8230; [And of course it will not \ud83d\ude42<br \/>\n<br \/>]. After that 43 of us are going to dinner in Centrepoint. [Dinner was<br \/>\n<br \/>great&#8230; Looking over the wonderful city&#8230; I think some people will want<br \/>\n<br \/>to stay]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Safety Training: All 36 inch Microwave dishes must be taken up ladders<br \/>\n<br \/>in SOBO issues back packs, which are certainly not large enough for the<br \/>\n<br \/>dishes&#8230; Hearing protection will be supplied for use when transiting the<br \/>\n<br \/>plant room to the roof of the UNSW. Torches will be supplied and must be<br \/>\n<br \/>carried when there in case there is a blackout and you find yourself in<br \/>\n<br \/>the middle of the plant room with no lights. ID Tags should be worn UNDER<br \/>\n<br \/>clothing when on rooftops as they do not want a repeat of a guy who hurt<br \/>\n<br \/>his eye when the accreditation blew up and hit him, but the accreditation<br \/>\n<br \/>must also be visible at all times.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Last night I went to the dress rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony, thanks<br \/>\n<br \/>to my Olympic Club membership. Dare I say it the Olympic Club membership<br \/>\n<br \/>was worth it&#8230; I would now be prepared to pay over $1,000 to see the real<br \/>\n<br \/>thing.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>There were a few failures last night, such as the compare dropping his<br \/>\n<br \/>notes and delays between segments. I was at the southern end, which had<br \/>\n<br \/>a great view, but was some windy. I was also under the flag. Also on the<br \/>\n<br \/>subject of flags, it tore last night. And when you see the ceremony you<br \/>\n<br \/>will see what I am talking about. After the opening, I feel sorry for Athens<br \/>\n<br \/>who will have a problem with topping it in 4 years time.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I visited the Main Press Centre yesterday, and it was quiet&#8230; In the<br \/>\n<br \/>Olympic store there they had T-Shirts &#8216;I SURVIVED THE MAIN PRESS CENTRE&#8217;.<br \/>\n<br \/>I bought some pins saying the same thing.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Last night I was on the southern side of the Stadium having just walked<br \/>\n<br \/>from the International Broadcast Centre [IBC]. I was outside the gates and<br \/>\n<br \/>wanted to get to the press centre&#8230; All the Support Services people pointed<br \/>\n<br \/>me back to the IBC, exactly where I had come from&#8230; I had to tell them<br \/>\n<br \/>that the press centre was on the other side of the stadium and that I just<br \/>\n<br \/>did not know how to get there&#8230; Whilst I was asking a journalist wanted<br \/>\n<br \/>to get to the baseball stadium. Support did not know where that was, so<br \/>\n<br \/>I was able to tell him where it was, just not how to get there. 3 weeks<br \/>\n<br \/>later I found out I should have used another entrance to get to the MPC<br \/>\n<br \/>from the IBC, via the superdome car park.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I finally got my official Uniform&#8230; My haul was<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<table summary=\"\" border=\"1\">\n<\/p>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<\/p>\n<td><b>Olympic Uniform Bundle<\/b><\/td>\n<p><\/tr>\n<p><\/p>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 3 SOBO Polo shirts<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 2 pairs fawn pants [Which cannot be worn since they get so dirty<br \/>\n<br \/>whenever you kneel down]<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 2 pairs socks<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO cap<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 bum bag<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 water bottle<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO backpack<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 pin &#8211; SYD the Camera Platypus &#8211; But only one and you cannot buy<br \/>\n<br \/>them&#8230;<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO stopwatch &#8211; which some people found are quite slow<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO Thermos flask &#8211; Stainless Steel<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO Sloppy Joe or Jumper or Fleece depending where in the world<br \/>\n<br \/>you come from<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 SOBO 3\/4 rain jacket<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 clear plastic rain coat [similar to a clear garbage bag with a<br \/>\n<br \/>hole in it].<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 Press Guide &#8211; Only good for telling people who stop you in the<br \/>\n<br \/>street where to find the venues<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 Broadcasters guide showing where every camera is &#8211; Or is supposed<br \/>\n<br \/>to be<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/> 1 accredited media transport guide &#8211; Which came express post since<br \/>\n<br \/>they did not manage to get it in my uniform pack on time.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p><\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<br \/>In addition to the crew clothing that does (or does not) comply with relevant<br \/>\n<br \/>law&#8230; <\/p>\n<p>\n<\/p>\n<table summary=\"\" border=\"1\">\n<\/p>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<\/p>\n<td><b>Winemiller Uniform Bundle<\/b><\/td>\n<p><\/tr>\n<p><\/p>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/>1 purple winemiller T-Shirt &#8211; Sydney 2000 Olympics RF Crew<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/>1 Olive winemiller T-Shirt &#8211; Sydney 2000 Olympics RF Crew<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/>1 waterproof jacket &#8211; Sydney 2000 Olympics RF Crew<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>\n<br \/>Several &#8216;Illegal&#8217; Winemiller Olympic Pins<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p><\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<br \/>Please note that I am not admitting to having any clothing or pins in Australia<br \/>\n<br \/>that have the words &#8220;Sydney 2000&#8221; on them without permission. If you see<br \/>\n<br \/>me wearing them you will find this is a figment of a deraigned imagination&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday I was also sent an official MEDIA transport guide. I was<br \/>\n<br \/>also contacted by SOBO[SOCOG] wanting to make sure where I start work friday.<br \/>\n<br \/>Yepp&#8230; the same place I have been working for the last 2 weeks&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I am still amazed at the $$$ in the games&#8230;  I saw 6 shipping containers<br \/>\n<br \/>in the parking lot&#8230; They had come from England for the games, by AIR.<br \/>\n<br \/>It is amazing&#8230; Security is interesting. No-one cares about leaving laptops<br \/>\n<br \/>or anything else lying round&#8230; When there are cameras and other equipment<br \/>\n<br \/>around not being nicked, why bother with small stuff.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Traffic is still manageable &#8211; It is taking me 40-50 minutes each way,<br \/>\n<br \/>which is certainly not bad. It is about 37Km each way. I do not think I<br \/>\n<br \/>would want to do it for the rest of my life, but it aint too bad. Last<br \/>\n<br \/>night for the rehearsal I parked in Nyrang street in the compound, and found<br \/>\n<br \/>that it was a very fast drive both ways. Definitely faster than the train,<br \/>\n<br \/>but I have parking&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>As for the work we are doing, we have put a TV Camera on a MANLY ferry&#8230;<br \/>\n<br \/>the one that will be used for the torch relay the final day. That will<br \/>\n<br \/>be on TV world wide. I will be adding a GPS so that we can track its location<br \/>\n<br \/>from Auburn.[We never got around to putting the GPS on the ferry]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I have also built up a bit of equipment. Over the last couple of evenings<br \/>\n<br \/>I have built remote controls for the video switchers so that someone can<br \/>\n<br \/>choose which is the best TV picture to use from each downlink location.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Today I installed my equipment on the lead vehicle of the MARATHON &#8211;<br \/>\n<br \/>neglecting of course to get any photos&#8230; I will maybe get those tomorrow..<br \/>\n<br \/>[I now have the photos]. I also helped putting on a closed circuit TV on<br \/>\n<br \/>the lead, so that the driver knows about how far away he is from the runner.<br \/>\n<br \/>Under international rules the lead needs to be at least 20m in front of<br \/>\n<br \/>the lead so that they are not given an unfair advantage&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Our team has basically finished the video link from the Manly ferry.<br \/>\n<br \/>This will be a remote control camera that is on all the time whilst the<br \/>\n<br \/>games are on&#8230; 24 hours a day&#8230; It will also provide live video during<br \/>\n<br \/>the torch relay&#8230; It is one of the few digital video RF links.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I have been doing more driving people around&#8230; It is a rare day that<br \/>\n<br \/>I do not have to drive someone around&#8230; after all it is safer for me to<br \/>\n<br \/>be driving than for an american used to driving on the wrong side of the<br \/>\n<br \/>road.[As you will hear later, we have already written one car off]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Being a local certainly helps with some things&#8230; Half my workshop is<br \/>\n<br \/>appearing at our field workshop&#8230; Everything from electronic parts to<br \/>\n<br \/>power tools.. I brought in my Circular saw, jigsaw, angle grinder, tyre<br \/>\n<br \/>pump in the last few days. I have not yet needed to make sawdust, but have<br \/>\n<br \/>helped others make it&#8230;[Later you will hear how my boss gave away these<br \/>\n<br \/>tools after the games thinking they were his]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I finally met the president of the company I am working for&#8230; She came<br \/>\n<br \/>over for a few days from the usa to see how things are going&#8230; After all<br \/>\n<br \/>she only gets to see some of the people during the special events&#8230; [most<br \/>\n<br \/>of the team contract in for each event I have worked out]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>SOBO, the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation, has an official<br \/>\n<br \/>mascot. Syd, the Platypus is ours. For us he is standing up using a video<br \/>\n<br \/>camera&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Today I actually got to visit the airport and say the helicopters&#8230;<br \/>\n<br \/>They look very small and flimsey&#8230; Too small&#8230; I am told we will have<br \/>\n<br \/>2 up for the opening.. I do not know about the torch yet&#8230;<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>I also got a new digital camera.. The one from the USA never arrived<br \/>\n<br \/>so I purchased one from Dick Smith&#8230; Great&#8230; I will have lots of photos<br \/>\n<br \/>available soon.. Today I got to do some electrical engineering&#8230; working<br \/>\n<br \/>out how to get a generator to the roof of the UNSW Library&#8230; The problem<br \/>\n<br \/>is the ladder to the roof is too small, you cannot have the generator inside,<br \/>\n<br \/>etc&#8230; And it is 15 stories up&#8230; So have the generators on the ground<br \/>\n<br \/>with a long cable&#8230; but will the cable break&#8230; I came really close to<br \/>\n<br \/>bringing in PPI&#8230; I still do not have a solution that is acceptable, but<br \/>\n<br \/>it will come.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Am I enjoying myself? YES. Would I do it again? YES. Would I pay to<br \/>\n<br \/>do it? YES YES YES. What could compete with this. Not only is the Olympics<br \/>\n<br \/>the pinnacle of sport, it is the pinnacle of technical pursuits, and I<br \/>\n<br \/>am there for that reason. Anything I do in the future will be a let down&#8230;<br \/>\n<br \/>Sure I might help to keep the lights on, but that aint the Olympics.<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Greetings People&#8230; Another week down&#8230; Today [Yesterday] I have safety training &#8211; Occupational Health and Safety stuff &#8211; so that those who are not used to Australian conditions do not get killed&#8230; Also I will be trained in local procedures&#8230; &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/3160\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Olympics &#8211; One Week to go&#8230;. Uniform Delivery&#8230;<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5cfmK-OY","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.radio-active.net.au\/web3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}