Fracking and the SKA in the Karoo

not gonna happen. Australia will get it. That way, the world's $15 bil investment wont be at risk to be A. nationalized, B. Stolen for scrap metal or tin roofs and C. be solely dependent on Telkom to organize the largest backhaul bandwidth requirement on the planet. (Like that's gonna happen - they cant even organize proper DSL).

I think it becomes a political decision at the end of the day, and when taking into account the projected stability probability of this country vs. Oz... Oz wins by a few orders of magnitude.
 
stricken said:
not gonna happen. Australia will get it. That way, the world's $15 bil investment wont be at risk to be A. nationalized, B. Stolen for scrap metal or tin roofs and C. be solely dependent on Telkom to organize the largest backhaul bandwidth requirement on the planet. (Like that's gonna happen - they cant even organize proper DSL).

I think it becomes a political decision at the end of the day, and when taking into account the projected stability probability of this country vs. Oz... Oz wins by a few orders of magnitude.
Click to expand...

You're conveniently forgetting that:

1) Our site is at a higher altitude than the Australian site, making it more favourable
2) The Australian site is in a mist belt, ours is not, making it more favourable
3) We are on a far more compatible time zone with Europe than Australia is (the SKA headquarters will be in the UK)
4) Our bid is much cheaper than the Australian bid

Comparing these applicable facts to the pie-in-the-sky possibilities you've listed, they'd be silly not to choose SA. Not to mention the fact that we're proving we're more than capable hosts through the construction of KAT7/MEERKAT.
 
Last edited:
Lydon said:
You're conveniently forgetting that:

1) Our site is at a higher altitude than the Australian site, making it more favourable
2) The Australian site is in a mist belt, ours is not, making it more favourable
3) We are on a far more compatible time zone with Europe than Australia is (the SKA headquarters will be in the UK)
4) Our bid is much cheaper than the Australian bid

Comparing these applicable facts to the pie-in-the-sky possibilities you've listed, they'd be silly not to choose SA. Not to mention the fact that we're proving we're more than capable hosts through the construction of KAT7/MEERKAT.
Click to expand...

He's not "conveniently forgetting" anything, he's pointing out the disadvantages, and suggesting that he believes the disadvantages will probably outweigh the advantages when the final decision is made. And he has a good point, this is by no means a clear win yet. Stable first-world country vs unstable dangerous third-world country with primitive telecomms seems like a big plus to the Australia bid, and no amount of ostrich-like head-in-sand can make that go away.
 
Last edited:
"Our economic future lies in the development of a knowledge economy, in the harnessing of renewable energy resources and reducing dependence on resource based commodities"

Not sure how the SKA has anything to do with finding renewable energy
 
cda said:
"Our economic future lies in the development of a knowledge economy, in the harnessing of renewable energy resources and reducing dependence on resource based commodities"

Not sure how the SKA has anything to do with finding renewable energy
Click to expand...

I think that's a reference to the fracking situation, with which the SKA will thankfully interfere.
 
Tick said:
He's not "conveniently forgetting" anything, he's pointing out the disadvantages, and suggesting that he believes the disadvantages will probably outweigh the advantages when the final decision is made. And he has a good point, this is by no means a clear win yet. Stable first-world country vs unstable dangerous third-world country with primitive telecomms seems like a big plus to the Australia bid, and no amount of ostrich-like head-in-sand can make that go away.
Click to expand...

"Disadvantages" ey? Which ones? Nationalisation of a major international scientific effort? Pieces of the telescope being stolen for scrap metal by the millions of people sitting wait in the Karoo? Neither of those "disadvantages" are remotely a given, and the possibilities of them occurring are far outweighed by the advantages I listed which are cold, hard facts. The single point he did make that has any reasonable merit is that of the telecoms situation, but considering Telkom managed to provide more than sufficient capacity for an event like the World Cup, and that they won't be providing internet service to the man living next door, I think it's safe to say they should manage just fine. Sure, if you're the man on the street then Telkom sucks, but they've proven they can deliver large-scale infrastructure when needed.
 
Last edited:
Interesting article. I really hope we get the SKA...not only to throw a spanner in the works for Shell (the simply can not be allowed to proceed)....but also for the great boost it will give to Carnarvon, and hopefully other smaller towns close by.
 
stricken said:
not gonna happen. Australia will get it. That way, the world's $15 bil investment wont be at risk to be A. nationalized, B. Stolen for scrap metal or tin roofs and C. be solely dependent on Telkom to organize the largest backhaul bandwidth requirement on the planet. (Like that's gonna happen - they cant even organize proper DSL).

I think it becomes a political decision at the end of the day, and when taking into account the projected stability probability of this country vs. Oz... Oz wins by a few orders of magnitude.
Click to expand...

Why is an IT "engineer" giving a view on something that is really more scientific than, racial,nationality etc...

Lydon has a point and a good one too.

We are already part of the the CERN collaboration. Even though we are so far... what is your argument there? We do have incompetence in SA, since most of the competent people left, but those who taught them are still here. so! go preach dooms day scenarios elsewhere , or move to AUS yourself and see if its anybetter...
 
Good article! Let's all use this opportunity to rally behind another opportunity to make SA great and (as the author says) favour the knowledge economy in favour of the fossil economy. This is in all of our interests. Sure we have limitations, but the dedication of the people who have brought the SKA bid this far, especially given the many constraints we have, is absolutely commendable.
 
Lydon said:
You're conveniently forgetting that:

1) Our site is at a higher altitude than the Australian site, making it more favourable
2) The Australian site is in a mist belt, ours is not, making it more favourable
3) We are on a far more compatible time zone with Europe than Australia is (the SKA headquarters will be in the UK)
4) Our bid is much cheaper than the Australian bid

Comparing these applicable facts to the pie-in-the-sky possibilities you've listed, they'd be silly not to choose SA. Not to mention the fact that we're proving we're more than capable hosts through the construction of KAT7/MEERKAT.
Click to expand...

Not only that but they have already said that they will use both sites regardless, one will just be a secondary site.
The technology set up is already to valuable to just let waste.

Oh an the pessimists can just go to hell. Read more... fail less.
 
Precisely as Nerfherder said....

I have seen many reports that seem to indicate they will no longer pick a "winner" per se, but more a primary and secondary site.. since both countries have come up with some absolutely amazing technologies to make the SKA happen.. in SA particularly we came up with ROACH which is already being used in many other astronomy sites around the world now since it is so scalable etc etc... and its being MADE in SA, not just designed.

As for the bandwidth issues, from what I understand WACS is meant to have a dedicated amount of bandwidth for the SKA facility should it be built, and the SKA facility will have a dedicated fibre ring to the WACS landing station.
 
B.O.F.H. said:
Precisely as Nerfherder said....

I have seen many reports that seem to indicate they will no longer pick a "winner" per se, but more a primary and secondary site.. since both countries have come up with some absolutely amazing technologies to make the SKA happen.. in SA particularly we came up with ROACH which is already being used in many other astronomy sites around the world now since it is so scalable etc etc... and its being MADE in SA, not just designed.

As for the bandwidth issues, from what I understand WACS is meant to have a dedicated amount of bandwidth for the SKA facility should it be built, and the SKA facility will have a dedicated fibre ring to the WACS landing station.
Click to expand...


Yes.... stuff we cannot talk about now. TENET and saao will have enough bandwidth...

these noobs have no clue what they are talking about.
 
groengras said:
Yes.... stuff we cannot talk about now. TENET and saao will have enough bandwidth...

these noobs have no clue what they are talking about.
Click to expand...

yeah. Telkom supplied the TENET/SanRen network, and its coming along famously. Now just add some WACS redundency and there'll be few - if at all - broadband worries.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X