There may be times when the Forum is unavailable due to server or connectivity issues. The best option to to re-visit some hours later, clear your browser cache (eg Ctrl-F5 or Shift-F5) and see if it has returned to normal service.
Errors like the MYSQL error shown below can occur and can take some considerable time to resolve so please be patient.
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Backups of the database are made in the early morning hours each day and there may be times when it is necessary to restore from those files meaning that any posts after that time will be lost.
Please remember that this Forum is a
free service for amateur radio operators....
Hi Doug...keep up the good work....HNY
The web server ran out of disk space again this morning (31/12/2017) while doing a full server backup so the same MYBB SQL error appeared today as it did for the first time yesterday. Unfortunately it is a remote server so resolution actions take time.
This issue will be permanently solved but, as mentioned in my previous post, please be patient and the Forum will always be back on-line afterwards.
73 Doug, Admin
Again this morning (Tues 2/1/2018) I was greeted with a MYBB SQL error screen. That is 3 out of 4 mornings. I understand the issues with disk space and backup processes but enough is enough for now.
I have shifted the Forum to an alternate server which I hope will provide a reasonable access speed while not having these errors present themselves. Unfortunately one function failed to work correctly on the new server and will have to be investigated later on but it is an add-on and not critical to the Forum operation.
Please advise if you feel it is significantly slower to respond etc...
Doug, Admin
I have been advised that the issue affecting the "normal" server has been located and resolved and that I can shift the Forum back to it.
My current approach is to leave it where it is for now (different hosting) and see how the performance is graded.
Please advise if you feel it is significantly slower to respond etc ... to the point that it should be returned whence it came.
Doug, Admin
The webserver hosting this Forum underwent a performance and cooling update yesterday afternoon (Wed 11Jan18) such that the forum was off-line for about 1 hour between about 0420 to 0520 UTC.
The computer was upgraded to a quad-core processor to ensure that linux Load Average values were well below the point where heavy usage would cause a slowdown on serving web pages.
The air flow and thus cooling of the hard drive assembly was also improved after noting drive temperatures into the mid-50 degree C values during the heat last week. The first-up temperatures today were 31C although that will probably rise to the mid-30s as more user and disk activity is required. The aim is to keep these temps under 40C with the introduction of a PICAXE based fan controller using a thermistor attached to the primary HDD case and a high air-flow fan, where the duty cycle of the "DC" power to the fan is varied between about 30% and 100% depending on thermistor temperature sensing. So far it seems to be working well.
The Forum has been "off-line" due to a major power outage in our part of SE Qld from about 6PM Sunday night (11 Feb 18) until very late last night.
Unfortunately the UPS which powers the forum ran 'out of juice' after about 30 minutes (about 6.30PM, Sunday) but a side effect was that the UPS batteries appear to have been damaged by the discharge and the power to the server remained off even when mains power finally returned.
The server was finally re-powered on this afternoon (13th) about 5PM but is not on a UPS until that can be repaired.
Apologies for the outage but blame Mother Nature....
Doug, admin
The forum was offline for a while this morning and into this afternoon and I suspect it was a Denial Of Service attack on the router/webserver that was responsible.
The issue required a router restart to resolve it, and that happened about 1.30PM EAST.