Unicorn Stampede

Remember that EE and Three use the same towers. So if there is an issue with one, it'll effect the other even though they are on different bands/frequencies (don't know the specifics terms). At one point we ran double SIMs to swap between and found if one was crap, the other was also. When a tower was down for repairs by EE, after speaking to them they confirmed to me Three would be down because it was being shared. Flip side - wherever I can't get signal with EE (which is reasonably rare from my experience on the northern canals) then O2 has been absolutely fine with signal. I wouldn't go anywhere near Vodafone. It honestly depends what you're planning to play, game wise, in regards to ping. I've done it all on our boat, and the biggest struggle is always competitive FPS. It's less an of issue if you're fine with casual play for shooters. Never had anything resembling a difference maker for ping in a MOBA or MMORPG.

1) How often do you need exceptionally high speed? 2) Do you have the power to cover Starlinks power consumption without having to have excessive use of other ways to generate electric? 3) Is cost any kind of factor? I work from home(boat) with my partner as continuous cruisers - have done for over 5 years. There are absolutely some 'dead' spots on the canal, but we've typically always managed. Sometimes it's slow, but never slow enough that I can't handle online meetings etc. We haven't found any significant difference in consistency between a router with antenna and just having the phone in the window - so we've opted for phone in window for most of this time. In an evening, I can happily game away online while my partner watches Netflix (or joins me, playing) and it's never felt bad. You're not going to get super low ping on say an FPS, expect 50-80ms as a standard, but it works for everything we do. We pay £31 a month in EE for unlimited data. I use on average around 300GB a month, but that can spike depending on what we are doing. Starlink is currently like £70-£80 a month? My friend has Starlink (rural, not on a boat) because he can't get fibre and he reports incredible speeds - better than some of my other friends fibre. Starlink will be more consistent - but I wouldn't say we have ever had consistent issues with 5G mobile hot spotting. But having to have the satellite box/dish thing hanging around I'd find annoying on a boat (compared to him having it in his back garden). I don't know the specifics of the Starlink power usage, however from what I've seen and heard from two van life people who have used it, its pretty consuming on their batteries... One lives in America, and has an entire solar bank dedicated to keeping it going.

Not checked, but I assume they removed the tree blocking the way between ludd foot and sowerby bridge Never mind, just checked and lock 8 is down (that lock has been an issue for 18+ months now. Crt on ground well aware of it also) and lock 17 looks like it's also due to fail (Another one that's had frequent issues... They were fixing that last summer. I walked past when they brought the wrong generator down via wheelbarrel, so couldn't power the tools to fix the paddle...)

I guess it's not essential, but its become a bit of the norm for those who do it.

Due to my partner working in Manchester (even with me WFH) we are continuous cruisers who do the northern circuit (or whatever it's called) each year without issue of water or moving the car around. Just means you occasionally have longer days. To clarify northern circuit, Rochdale > Leeds and Liverpool > Calder & Hebble (or the opposite way if feeling fruity) We aren't anything special in what we do, so can't see why others couldn't do it.

In terms of moving, they'd likely just shift every other weekend? That fixes the water issue as well.

My employers (I'm full time WFH on a boat) have always just accepted whatever address I gave them. They didn't even question whose home it was, despite knowing I'm a continuous cruiser with 'no fixed abode'. I've used friends and family addresses in the past with no issue.

Did you finish up at SPBC? We've just Moore's opposite the club and I'm sure I saw a boat called Midnight. Wondered if I put 2 and 2 together correctly.

Maritime law, in the respect of free men, is what they use/justify not paying. I know it makes no sense - it's an unfortunate part of me having had to deal with their members in a past life Your standard maritime law? Crack on, no issue with that.

There's nothing valid about 'Freemen of the Land'. They're a blight and a scam, so providing them with a platform isn't a wise idea. Also no idea what you mean @Alan de Enfield about me not wanting to discuss boating (or knowing what I signed up for??)

I absolutely don't want to see a thread about common law/freemen of the land/maritime law, or anything similar to that kind of nonsense

I posted it, because the NABO reported it after holding a meeting with one of the CRT directors. I wouldn't have if I felt it was pure guess work, but it felt like it came from a reasonable source. I guess it's fair though that nothing has been officially confirmed by CRT so perhaps it wasn't worth mentioning.

Information from NABO says that surcharge will be an increasing 5% charge after inflation is applied each year, to a maximum of 25% in 5 years. Guess we can wait for the confirmation, but seems reliable.

I'd likely be more concerned if it was the council chasing me. Bizarrely, of all 'groups' interested in going about things the way the law dictates, they are the real sticklers for chasing and following up with actions (well, and HMRC). CRTs track record doesnt provide as much concern in my eyes. Like MartynG said, it relies more on honesty than say risk of actual enforcement. I pay because I like to think maybe two or three quid of my license goes into the system. When we start up our canal business, I'll pay for the same reason (I say this now... guess it depends how broke it'll make me...) Personally it becomes a tough pill to swallow when you're asked to pay more and don't feel like what you're putting in, is being used effectively. It's the same nonsense as paying for council tax and wondering why things are in such a shit state. I only mention this third idea of staying but not paying because I don't believe it's been raised as an action some genuine CC boaters might take (or maybe lots if the NBTA/NABO go through with a potential proposal). Also worth noting that the chasing of CRT etc only really works if you even kept all your boat details up to date and allowed CRT to pester you. If you simply went (ironic to say) off grid with your contact details, it becomes I think an absolute impossibility to track based on CRTs current systems.

Oh I agree, there's nothing stopping them doing it. I assume that once they've gone through all the process of getting all the documents etc in line they could do something... Could being the operative word. It would require them lining up the right team and the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Just a pondering thought I had spurred from all this nonsense. With how unorganized everything else done by CRT, I'm not convinced they would take action. It seems like it took them a whole heap of time and manpower to sort out Mr Ward, that it would just be some lingering threat.