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WiFi Hotspots


mbird

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30 minutes ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Why not just forget about wi fi and mobile phones etc, and just enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Broads while on a boat?.  Nobody NEEDS a mobile computer phone tablet thingy, you only think you do beacause of hyper successful marketing.  It`s so good to be a ludite.

But then we wouldn't get those excellent holiday tales as they happen.

And I just replied to this sat in Beccles Yacht Station...

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11 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Nobody NEEDS a mobile computer phone tablet thingy,

In fairness that's not quite true. Had I not had a mobile phone between 2006 and 2013 I'd not have been able to visit my boat, not have had a holiday and not have seen the broads in that period.

I was my parents live-in carer. Frances (my sister) took over whilst I was away but needed me to be contactable. Thank God for mobile phone technology!

I do see Speedtriples point, but it's far from as black and white as his post implies. I needed it for important things, but as I had it, lesser things also got done.

More technology will come, but what is actually needed is more self dicipline on when to use it, more self control on how dependent you are on it and more common sense on evaluating it's importance.

It also needs managers to recognise the stupidity of sending someone off on holiday, then making them work whilst they are away. For the selfemployed,...reread the fourth paragraph..... unless you are away on holiday, in which case read it when you come back!

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So far as I am concerned, the Web is now very much a requirement and not a choice.  

Some may say that of all the places not to worry about being connected it is when one is afloat but I would disagree because so many times it has been central to the day’s activities.

I have the handy ‘Shorebase’ website that many of us use for tidal information bookmarked to my phone so it appears for all the world it is an App.  You tap it and in seconds you’ve got the current weeks tidal information at a glance.

I use Google Maps in satellite view when I night nav – handy to see exactly where the next sharp bend is coming - particularly on the river Ant on a moonless night. Of course it is handy to have the GPS readout of speed too.

But it is not just to aid actually boating, it is to find out where places are on the ground using mapping to reach them, or find out when a pub might serve food until or when recently was in Beccles and we wanted a Chinese but have no idea of their number or indeed menu – so I just opened the JustEat App and passed the phone around so each person could pick their food from the menu. 

Even with Music, sure I have CD’s – cumbersome things that live on a shelf at home just to look nice really, since every single one I physically own is also held in the cloud with thousands more I do not – neatly in playlists following me around from device to device though Spotify.

I do not buy any form of physucal media to play films on – Blueray and DVD – no it is all streamed be it to my TV, phone, Tablet, Computer through one of many services like ITunes, Amazon Prime or Netflix – it’s jus there all of the time and accessible much of the time whenever you may be. Same goes for books and reading.

But let us not forget money, so often now I use Apple Pay on my phone to touch in when using buses of the Tube as a means of payment or use my phone as contactless payment in shops and pubs. I trust it more than a Contactless card, or paper money since anyone gets hold my wallet of that they can use it, but steal my phone and it’s useless without my fingerprint to enable it to work. 

But not everyone uses all of these things – I know that, but those who do not are each day getting less and less it’s not about age and generations either, my Mum is 71 she has a modest Smartphone but while currently on a Houseboat in Beccles this week has been sharing photos to me and friends on Facebook of the high water, the interior of the Houseboat and telling me she has been streaming some Steve Winwood using some Bluetooth wireless speakers – not to mention using her phone it to find out what stop to get a bus from in the town centre and the timetable. 

I think increasingly because of all the things you can do and enjoy though a ‘connected lifestyle’ verses not, those who do not know how or wish to can only be left behind and there be some kind of divide.  If you don’t wish to be bothered by alerts or calls, it all can be turned off but having so much information and aid to hand is for me invaluable.  

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9 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

In fairness that's not quite true. Had I not had a mobile phone between 2006 and 2013 I'd not have been able to visit my boat, not have had a holiday and not have seen the broads in that period.

I was my parents live-in carer. Frances (my sister) took over whilst I was away but needed me to be contactable. Thank God for mobile phone technology!

I do see Speedtriples point, but it's far from as black and white as his post implies. I needed it for important things, but as I had it, lesser things also got done.

More technology will come, but what is actually needed is more self dicipline on when to use it, more self control on how dependent you are on it and more common sense on evaluating it's importance.

It also needs managers to recognise the stupidity of sending someone off on holiday, then making them work whilst they are away. For the selfemployed,...reread the fourth paragraph..... unless you are away on holiday, in which case read it when you come back!

In all honesty John, you`ve actually made a much better job of writing what i was thinking. Yes, i totally agree there are SOME people for which it is vitally important to stay in regular contact, but in fairness to myself, these people i`m sure, are by far and away in the minority.  I also  like your point about peoples self dicapline, that`s absolutely spot on.   I seem to be in a minority which is rapidly decreasing, in that i, or should i say we (Karen and i) only buy the things we regularly need, but things we like are luxuries that often we decide we don`t need, or will buy if we know we`re going to use them. I`ve never been one for the latest gizmos or gadgets, and if others are foolhardy enough to waste their hard earned, solely to keep up with, or even better their friends or family etc, then that`s up to them, but just don`t go whingeing on when you realise too late in life that others may be happier in life than they are, because they`ve had the uncommon sense to excersize a bit of self discapline and control.

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I think it's all about choice - if it's there and available then at least those who want to keep up with the world and be contactable can do so. And anyone for whom the Broads is about total relaxation and tranquility can turn everything off and chill out. After all we've had television on boats for years I expect - dodgy aerials having to be pointed in the right direction may have made it hit and miss, but it was there. And if you wanted to watch it you could and if you didn't then you could leave it off. Radios are the same. We might turn one on to catch a bit of news and weather ... or with wi-fi or mobile networks available we can check that out online at our own convenience. On the days that we're not bothered then the beautiful Norfolk skies tell us all we need to know.

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These days you can also adjust your heating at home with your mobile - soon be winter :naughty:  When I think back trying to find a phone that worked on the broads to contact the home boatyard, it was not always straight forward.

Often the phones didn't work, or you had to use a pub rip off yellow phone that was 50p as soon as you dialled the number!

So, yes, the technology is there, if you wish to use it. All about choice I think. MM remarks regarding family is a perfect example of what the mobile is very useful for.

cheersIain

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On 21/09/2016 at 8:47 PM, BroadScot said:

So, yes, the technology is there, if you wish to use it. All about choice I think. MM remarks regarding family is a perfect example of what the mobile is very useful for.

cheersIain

ooh not when it's Uncle Albert...ahem!

People might think I'm weird but...I have a love hate relationship with technology. I love gadget's and my work software...I hate it at home or on the boat or do I?

I've just discovered the joys of a good mobile phone the Sony Z5 on 3. I won't entertain Apple products.

I don't have television, never will have, but I do have the latest all new fangled digital radio.

Spotify does get used as it replaces my somewhat eclectic music collection. I mean where else can I jump from The Stranglers to Handel to Blink 182 to the Band of the Royal Marines through Paul Simon to Ron Kavanagh through to Spirit of the West to Darts via Holst to finish with Barenaked Ladies. However for most musical occasions there's a guitar in the corner of the room and a concertina on the boat...but on the boat the Broads plays it's own symphony.

I have thousands of books, journals, maps and documents in my collection at home but... I now have an ever increasing collection of books on my phone.

One of the best weather apps I've come across is Dark Sky. Originally for i-phone but now on Android. This App gives detailed weather forecasts but tracks rain so will warn of showers minute by minute at your exact location. Ideal for boating, fishing etc. But coming from good farming stock... I can usually tell by sticking my head out of the window if it's raining or not. Doug has a good rain detection method. If he knows I'm coming down to Norfolk then it will persist it down until I go home!

I have accounts with The Ordnance Survey on my phone linked to the Archaeological Data Service and Portable Antiquities programme which means my phone will guide me via GPS to any known archaeological site or find in the UK I can study the whole range of OS maps...but I just could not live without my collection of original paper maps.

Finally there's cameras. My phone can shoot in 4K and has almost a good a sensor as my DSLR...but lenses...oh the joy of photographic lenses...if my Mrs ever found out how much the small collection of prime glass in my camera bag...shhhhhhh it's our little secret.

 

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14 hours ago, grendel said:

Yes Tim, Look what happens when you get caught- last week Griff got caught peeking at the forum, and we have barely heard anything from him since. :-)

 

Now getting caught looking at the forum...he may get away with a spot of chastisement. Whereas getting caught checking form...

13 hours ago, BroadScot said:

He is too busy booking up more FOREIGN HOLIDAYS !!! :naughty:rofl

cheersIain

Eee tha dun t' mean...Lancashire does tha?

4 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

 Nah Tim... no "but"s

I know...and I checked all the ashtrays, not a one! Someone had better fire up my reading trousers while I nip to the garage and check their bins. Failing that I'm going to have to buy some baccy!

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  • 3 weeks later...

:wave Hi all , i can definitely say that there is NO mobile signal in horning with 3 & you can only just get with vodafone , we stayed in a houseboat recently for a week & it was a real struggle for me , luckily i'd taken my spare vodafone fone with me as my daughter was in respite  that week , & there was no wifi in the cabin either , so it was'nt very good for us . Lori

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  • 6 months later...
On 15/10/2016 at 8:21 PM, loribear said:

:wave Hi all , i can definitely say that there is NO mobile signal in horning with 3 & you can only just get with vodafone , we stayed in a houseboat recently for a week & it was a real struggle for me , luckily i'd taken my spare vodafone fone with me as my daughter was in respite  that week , & there was no wifi in the cabin either , so it was'nt very good for us . Lori

I know, we moor there. Rubbish isn't it? In the last year or so, Three seems to have gone backwards in terms of its coverage on the Broads. I am just waiting for my contract to end, when I will jump ship to Vodaphone. 

It irritates the hell out of me when people try to excuse the present situation by saying that we shouldn't  expect to use phones and other mobile devices when on a boat. Like it or not, society now requires us to be connected and so access to a good phone signal is essential. The Broads is a premium holiday and leisure destination and we shouldn't be expected to step back into the 1970's when we chose to spend our money there.  On too many occasions I have been forced to get in the car or take the boat out and drive miles out of my way to make or take an important call. I have even been forced to curtail holidays because I was unable to get decent phone and internet connectivity at critical times. It is also an issue for our children and their families, who will not now visit us on the boat because they feel they need to be connected for work and/or social purposes.

Maybe the network providers should be encouraged to get together and share resources in areas like the Broads where no-one, it seems, provides 100% reliable cover in all popular locations.

cheers

Steve

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I am surprised to hear people saying there is no signal with Three in Horning - when I have moored there I've been fine with it, ok not lightening speeds but a good two bars of 3G. Indeed with my new unit from Three which now is 4G enabled, I've had 40Mbps download and 32Mbps upload in Stalham.

I am itching to get a collection of dongles and SIMS and do a side by side speed test.  Of note, you can now get 4G O2 outside the Swan in Horning. 

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as long as there is coverage on any network an emergency call should get through, all mobiles should default to the strongest signal network when calling emergency numbers, and on a 999 call they will triangulate your position from 3 towers if they can. My daughter works with the 111 call centres, and they dont have the ability to trace the phone calls, so please remember in an emergency if you think you will need an ambulance call 999 rather than 111, as they will then be able to trace you. (you would not believe the number of proper emergency calls that do go through to 111 rather than 999 (and of course vice versa for non emergency calls)).

in fact the other difference is that 999 send an ambulance out at the start of the call, and recall it it is not needed, whereas 111 only send the ambulance out once they have ascertained the status of the casualty and location(it may only be a minute longer, but sometimes time counts).

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I must admit that I'm worried about not being able to pick up a signal in certain places when we are on the broads next week as my Mum is in hospital and I would want to dash back to Milton Keynes if her condition deteriorates. I'm only considering taking my holiday because she seems to have stabilised in the past fortnight. 

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I'm afloat right now at how hill and 3G ok, stopped at Salhouse on the park section two nights ago and got 3G on a tp-link mifi unit and last night stopped on the entrance mooring over looking the stern moorings and 3G was there but a bit hit and miss but tv ok a first.

i started of the week with a netgear mifi dongle which I have a three sim in, I got that unit as you can fit a external aerial the white square type, I tested this at south Walsham and went onto 4g from 3G great. Did the same at Salhouse and the pin came off the dongle and stopped working as normal. Lucky my spare tp unit was with us.

 

 

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We've had unusually good tv reception this week for some strange reason. As for WiFi, Brooms has free WiFi, Rosy Lees has WiFi, but WRC was difficult to get, unless you want to go on facebook, or some other soocial media crap. Even in Beccles ys, which is usually crap tv signal, was uninterrupted, though we did moor side on in the river.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi all don't know how this fits in with this !!! 

We were sailing on hickling 2 weeks ago my phone rang a surprise as it showed no signal,  it was vodaphon asking me to do a survey on WiFi, 

He asked if I had problems getting WiFi I said yes he asked where I was I told him martham Norfolk  he looked it up and said their is not signal tower in that area, we can't put one up because the council's won't let us !!! 

Can anyone from the area follow this up

Is this true ? 

What service provider is their in the northern broads?  

Vodaphone have said I can apply for a reduction in my contract for when I was in norfolk,  just give then the dates which I did for this year so far 

My bill has gone down this month by £30, win win I think !!!

What do you all think on poor WiFi 

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