BigGirlsBlouse
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Posts posted by BigGirlsBlouse
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I know it might me a bit late now... But for wired broadband go for net gear and choose one which has mimo (multiple in multiple out) technology which gives secure stable connection without dropout. Also, go for one which supports the wireless standard 802.11n which is faster. But if you rally want to protect yourself against the future choose one which is dual band with the additional band at 5ghz which the latest high end laptops use.
For mobile broadband three have come out with a new high performance 3G dongle which they call premium. It uses HSDPA technology and mimo for multiple channel use and hence higher speed. I have seen this démo'd on canal drifters NB and it is significantly better than my iPad 3G. He had 4 bars at the Derwent barrage, and I had nothing! It can even be orientated physically to pick up a better signal like any antennae.
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I do have an android phone and do tether it to the laptop regularly as it gives us an additional 2gb on top of my 5gb per month from 3, but it's no good here because there's no T Mobile signal.
Still connected via the 3 dongle by the way - the family are going to decide on which new router to buy tomorrow.
Hi Blackrose
I'd love an alternative to the dongle because I agree it can be very unreliable, but we're cc'ers so have no wireless hubs to connect to so I don't think your option offers us an alternative.
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First off sorry if this seems a strange topic.
I have three years experiences at the helm yet this is only with two trip boats and a hotel boat all being wide-beams.
I am looking to explore more of the waterways round Yorkshire and as I do not own a boat this is not possible at the moment, I would like to offer my services to anyone cruising the region whether it be helping with the locks or just coming along for the ride. My main goal is to spend time with small craft and narrowboats to further my experience.
I presume they handle alot different to chimed widebeam craft.
Many thanks and once again sorry for the random topic
Morgan
As SueB says Tony will only be too willing to accommodate you...and take you to parts of the Yorkshire Waterways you could only dream of and to which hire boats are forbidden!
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Perhaps they should ban mooring altogether. That would be a great leveler.
All those boats on the move continuously would do a fine dredging job.
Then they could use the revenue they raise in fines, for having the audacity to stop anywhere, to maintain the waterways... which would be ironic, cos that would favour those who keep moving anyway, not the continuous moorers, who would have been penalised unfairly.
(Just an alcohol fueled idea... or is it?).
Tone
Alcohol fueled idea!...at 6pm??.... Or have you got the flu again Tony?
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Not too far off topic, but can anyone tell me what happened to Crystal who was lockkeeper at the
Foxton Flight when I went through
several years ago. I believe she worked the locks with her husband.
She was a 'Real Character'. I have more videos of her than I have of the canals, she seemed to appear
in every one regardless of location.
Edited for Daftmare:- Best of luck to your youngest, hope he/she has a great time.
I thought the woman who worked at the Watford Locks was more of a character.....
Cheers
John Hinch
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Then there's the not quite impounded boats......intercepted by entrepreneurs such as Tone!
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Anybody else going?
Ime hoping to.... Just wish they did a premier kennels where my beast could stay.
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In response to Tiny's posting -
That will largely depend on how successful this current series is - weighing up things like viewing figures etc.,
You can't help thinking that its a one trick pony - once he's kitted Reckless out what is there to do? Another one?
And as the series is explaining, whilst we can be proud of our industrial heritage, very few of the places he has/is visiting are no longer viable businesses.
Unless there's a sudden demand for narrowboats to be kitted out with Crapper porcelainn toilets, steam shower units and large bells for alarms....
Well there is still Hypnos, the countries best mattress maker.... As someone who has a Hypnos mattress I can vouch for the quality of sleep.... If you can stop yourself worrying over it's price!
If it's good enough for the Queen, it's good enough for me!
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Is that another oxymoron ?
Phyllis only has a yoghurt pot.... She doesn't understand those who own nb's
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On a similar theme to Bazza's post yesterday, a little game to ease some winter boredom and relieve a bit of cabin fever.
Spot the location. Some of these are easier than others
Photo 1:
Photo 2:
Photo 3:
Photo 4:
Sheffield and south Yorkshire?
Photo 5:
Sheffield and south Yorkshire?
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ello.
We plan on cruising continuously...I can operate my business from the boat...and we dont have any fixed itinerary...day by day. I dont know what to do with our car. It would be handy to have a vehicle at times, so would you suggest I keep tagging it along the cut as we move the boat...and does anyone have good ideas on where a car can be left for a few days before being moved on,and on, and on, and on....
or should we leave the car with relatives (or sell it) , and rely on buses, taxis etc. There are 3adults, and 3kids....and the car is a Renault Espace with 7 seats.
Dean
Tony alias canal drifter has been a live aboard for years, cc ing for 6months of the year... He has a car and has been swinging it round to his new destination using his bus pass to get back to it. He must be preoccupied otherwise I am sure he would have made a valuable contribution to this post
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It must be my week for it!! Just had a phone call from an Indian gentleman trying not to sound Indian. When we first moved in the amount of sales calls we were getting was phenomenal - 4 or 5 in a night. We registered with the TPS and that has seen most of them off, but not the indian ones. Normally I just don't answer it, but sometimes I forget - like today. Conversation went as follows:
Indian Guy (IG): Hello, can I speak to Gary Bullock?
Me (sighs): Sorry, the Bullocks don't live here any more.
IG: Ah, are you Mrs Bullock?
Me: No, I just told you, the Bullocks don't live here any more.
IG: Ah, can I take your name?
Me: Why do you need my name. You are ringing me, you must know who I am already? what do you want?
IG: I need your name so I know how to address you.
Me: You don't need to address me as anything, and I don't need to give you any of my details. What do you want?
IG: I'll address you as Mrs Bullock then.
Me: I told you 3 times already, the Bullocks don't live here any more. what do you want?
IG: Well, Mrs Bullock, I am calling you today...
At this point I hung up.
The TPS service applies to sales calls only... this week an indian guy asked me if I had time for a survey which would take 1 minute of my time. I asked him if he could just hold on a minute.... and then promptly left the phone on hook while I did something useful. The only way we can get back at these axsholes is to waste their time... because for them time is money. Ive tried getting angry with them and threatening them but when I check with the TPS apparently if they claim its for research thats allowed.
Needless to say when I went back to the phone 10 mins later he had gone!
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They are all at it.
I had an agent/employee from Scottish Energy passing himself off as from Scottish & Southern to gain entry to "check me meter". My complaints to the energy watchdog and both companies resulted in absolutely nothing but fine words and a piece of paper - mainly they all just wanted to use the phone, I suppose so there is no record.
Personally I am heartily sick of the way totally inadequate regulation and sanction allows these leeches to exploit consumers.
Now even the government is pushing consumers to use internet comparison sites rather than really sort out the regulators and suppliers.
In my world the exploitation of direct debits would be stopped by draconian penalties plus making it illegal to offer preferential rates for direct debits. Advertised claims for things like BBand speed and would be contractually enforceable via the regulator with no "get out" by small print and weasel words. Transco and its ilk would have its directors in court for treason because it is their lack of investment that has left this country with inadequate gas storage and a looming lack of generating capacity.
In fact the way successive governments have sided with big business and sacrificed the consumer over the years I fear riots are the least of our worries.
Sorry about the rant, but this sort of abuse really winds me up and we are all helpless.
I agree Tony... I too had a guy from Scottish and Southern trying to get me to move gas and leccy... I told him that I dont buy anything from the door.
..and as you say about direct debits, they are not convenient for us..but for the companies who get them set up. They know what their cash flow is going to be. I am sticking with standing orders issued on a pay by me basis for as long as I can... but have failed with Tiscali..now Talk Talk.
Charging extra for other payment methods wants to be made illegal.
...and rannting as we do... take pay as you go 3G ...it isnt pay as you go is it as we understand it, because if you don't use your monthly allowance it gets lost in the ether. Pay as you go mobile phones aren't like that. If you put a tenner on them it stays there..month after month until you use it all! What is OFFCOM doing about this. Absolutely fxck all thats what.
My rant over.... for now.
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Not a boating related post, but thought I would share yesterday's events.
I had just got home from work when there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, there was a young lad standing on the step who stated he was from Talk Talk. He asked me if I had broadband, and when I said yes, he went on to say that my local exchange had just been unbundled which meant that I could now get "FREE" broadband. He then waved an ID card at me, which was hung round his neck in one of those plastic holders, but tucked under his jacket, so the only thing I could make out was the Talk Talk logo before he tucked it away again.
He then went on to say that he just needed to come in and check my line. Now, I will confess that I am a bit of a geek. We are just out of contract with our current broadband provider, so I have checked what it available. Our exchange is only small, so all the exciting offers that are advertised on the TV we can't have. However, I know exactly what line speed I can get, and have compared all the packages I can have. At the moment, I am pretty sure I am getting the best deal for my money, and I know my line is working fine. I explain this to young lad, who then presses me for my current provider. I tell him that is none of his business. He then makes a big show of writing down my address in his scruffy notepad, and asks for my name. Again, I decline to tell him. At this point, he gives up and leaves.
I can't believe he honestly thought I was going to let him in, although I am sure some people do. His ID card wasn't visible, and all he was carrying was a scruffy notepad. I would have expected to see some Talk Talk literature at least. I know they do use door to door canvassers, but to actually push to come in and "check the line" is, I think, going way too far. The offer of "FREE" broadband is totally false, and I can never understand why renting a phone line from someone who in turn rents it from BT can be cheaper than actually renting it from BT yourself. It may be to start with, but will no doubt be made up by a charge on something else in the future. Not only that, but you'll get passed from pillar to post when something goes wrong.
I am not going to waste any time getting in touch with Talk Talk, as I know that once my details are in their system, they will be calling and sending stuff for ever more. I did look at their website, and noted that if you use the availability/speed checker, then someone will call you to "discuss your broadband requirements". It's a sad state of affairs when you can't just look at something on the internet without having to put up with someone ringing you up about it.
When the Talk Talk man knocks on your door, close it firmly in his face.
I used to be with Tiscali until Talk Talk took them over.... I have had weeks of failed email in the last 2 months because they are "giving you a better experience" by improving the webmail front page. My better experience is reliable email service. They have already removed my usenet service forcing me to go down the google groups route. Occasionally my phone will go dead... or my internet service will cease and I use a neighbours internet service to send them a complaint email. They have no idea of customer service and regrettably I agreed to further extend my contract with them for 18 months (before I realised the service was going downhill). Watch out Talk Talk... in 16 months your for the chop!
We have a simple sticker on our door
'No door to door sales or canvassers'
Very occasionally we get the odd sales bod chancing their arm...
I just point to the sticker (through the closed door and glass) and say - 'which part of that do you not understand...'
Off they pop...
My comment to them all is "I never buy at the door"
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I hear you've got an impressive reputstion.
Can I have a look?
Typo error.... and "a" is very close to "s" on the keyboard when your shaking like a leaf having recieved a sneer from someone who has the time to post AN AVERAGE OF 14.65 posts a day, every day since 2008!
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No narrowboats, just 5 cruisers at the moment ranging from 25ft to 45ft. Should be good fun.
We have not been on the Derwent yet so it certainly isnt us in your video Tone
You are well informed for someone with four posts
With your reputstion Phylis I dont want to put a step wrong!
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Does your group run to Hull include any narrowboats, Phylis?
Tone
We wondered whether you'd already tried the Derwent, Phylis???
http://www.youtube.com/user/ToneForever#p/a/u/1/7Vw1y3XSB5s
Tone
It Looks like Phylis... I hope she had her VHF radio handy to call for help.... I think the protocol is "mayday, mayday, mayday"
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I saw a ratchet windlass being demonstrated on WaterWorld a couple days ago that looked quite ingenious, but never actually seen a ratcheted device used on the cut. So what's available?
I saw thw ratchet at Crick this year.... looks good but its bloody heavy!...
getting back to the technique of opening gates I challenge anyone to try using technique rather than brute force on the bank dole lock taking you down from the a&c canal to the aire!
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Normal headroom at Wheldrake is about eight feet.
I measured it today at 2pm. It was 6ft. I need 6ft 6ins for the 'cruiser' although Dreamcatcher will go through at 5ft 10ins. Levels have now increased by six feet today, so no chance of moving off yet, and the forecast is rain, rain and yet more rain.
But, It's a nice place to be, here. The beer is good.
Tone
With all the rain adding extra weight to Flot-sam you might get the headroom down to 5foot 10inches Tony!
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As others have said you musn't miss Bugsworth basin. Wads of space to moor even in the peak of summer. Good pub too and food quick but too production line-ish for me.
Whaley bridge is worth a quick visit, if only to fill up with water in the basin.
We went down the marple lock to marple aqueduct...only 18 feet shorter that the Pontycyltte (or whatever it is) and went through hyde tunnel. Lovely tea room/lunches at the farm above the tunnel.
Although you don't intend to go down Marple locks the aqueduct is a real impressive structure....only problem was the bloody 16 off marple locks..I have never found any locks so difficult to operate in my life. Looks like they originally had ground paddles on the downstream side (there being grooves where they used to fit) but what it does make is very difficult opening of the gate paddles.
but its a beautiful area...and the peak forest canal is something else for majestic vistas.
but its a beautiful area...and the peak forest canal is something else for majestic vistas.
Royal oak (hungry horse) on the north Oxford
in Holidays Afloat
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Anyone got any recent experience of this eatery please?..it used to be good, but the last time I was there it was poor.