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Could someone technically minded explain how it is possible to get some channels when a dish is out of alignment? Patrick

Spot on Martin. We had a tremendous storm Wednesday night which blew a hole in our roof. I checked the dish - it's withstood some pretty hefty winds in the past - it didn't appear to have moved at all. However, fiddling with the dish I got the reception back,so it must have moved. I am reminded how much even very small changes affect reception. What confused me was that I was still getting a few channels, so assumed that it could not be the dish. Thanks to everyone for their help. Patrick

Hello Martin, The circular signal strength is red and reads no more than 5%. Patrick

Just seen your post Barrym. I tried a new programme scan - it wasn't picking anything up. When I try a channel it shows a signal strength of 5% or less and yet, as I wrote above, at set up the signal strength from Astra 2 is good.

And they are certainly not channels I watch - it was just odd that they were the only ones available. The box is a Technomate 1500 CI. I tried a set up and according to what it said on the screen  it was receiving a good signal - strength 92%, quality 76%. No new tree branches nearby. Tried disconnecting from mains - no effect. All leads, connections ok. I am mystified. Patrick

Thanks Tim. I was getting channels such as: God Europe, God channel, God Revival, Babeworld. When I tried just now I could not even get those. Patrick

All of a sudden I find I cannot get the usual channels BBC 1 - 4, ITV 1 - 4 nor any radio. I can get obscure religious or music channels, so clearly I am receiving the satellite signal. This is not s Sky setup but just an ordinary satellite box. I am totally confused. Any ideas? Patrick

No.I'm.using.a.wired.keyboard.As.you.can.see.letters.no.longer.missing.but.no.space.bar.Also.cursor.flies.all.over.the.place.Very.odd. Patrick

ou.can.see.the.poblem.Cetan.lettes.mssng.as.well.as.space.ba.not.wokng.Help.An.deas? Patck Edt.unnng.xp

I thought I would add our own recent experience in trying to join a walking group. As a previous poster has said you are expected to join and pay a membership fee [not cheap]. The group we approached is highly organised with a committee and a president [I suspect they are all like this because under French law there is no such thing as an informal club - they all have to have liability insurance, for example]. The group only walks once a month and most of the walks were far too long for us - 25+ kilometers. The 70 year old president boasted that he often walked 40 kms. We told him about our creeping arthritis. How on earth could we have arthritis, he wanted to know, since we had both been teachers!  No, not for us, I'm afraid. Patrick

Yes, cash ISAs. We've now had a letter from Halifax echoing exactly what Chessfou has said. Thanks for those responses. Patrick

I've tried a search under the above and come up with nothing, though I can't believe this isn't a subject that's been tackled before. Anyway, we are getting letters saying that we cannot hold ISAs as residents in France. Is this in fact the case or does it depend on the individual bank/building society? Patrick

Thanks for that Timco. The satellite box is a Technomate TM 1500. This box is about two years old - should last longer surely? As for the internet, I suspected it might be heavy traffic, but if I'm paying to have a service 24/7 should the ISP not be obliged to provide it? Patrick

Two separate problems (I think). Listening to the cricket on Radio 4 via satellite it suddenly packed up. Oh well, I thought I'll listen on the internet - connection down! It was a strange feeling being so completely cut off from everything. The fault with the satellite seems to be that it packs up after being on for about 40 minutes or so. As far as the internet[ADSL]is concerned it seems to be ok in the morning and then goes off in the afternoon, generally for the rest of the day. Has anyone got any ideas about either or both?I would be most grateful for some advice. Patrick

I don't usually use Orange messagerie, using my hotmail account instead. However I looked in the messagerie today to find a message from Banque Postale asking me to click on a link and enter my details. Now it just so happens that I have recently opened an account with Banque Postale and also this e-mail sported the BP logo. But the first worrying thing was that departement had been spelt with two 'a's, and the second is that I'm fairly sure I haven't given that e-mail address to the BP. To be safe I just deleted the e-mail but has anyone else received this? Patrick

Staying in a hotel yesterday I turned on the TV to see Man U v West Ham. Ididn't know that the Premiership was broadcast in France. I would like to know: (1)  if this is a regular feature of TPS; (2) how do you receive TPS and (3) Is it a subscription channel? Many thanks. Patrick

Thanks for those replies. I rather suspected it might be money laundering. I will pop in and explain. Patrick

We recently transferred a fairly large sum to our French bank. This was part of my wife's lump sum, received on her retirement from teaching. The transfer went through ok but we subsequently received a letter from the bank saying that transfers of money over a certain amount must be "justifie". For the time being we have ignored this and heard nothing more but since we are likely to be transferring more such sums I though I'd better check out what we are supposed to do. Anyone any ideas? Patrick

Yes, that slightly smug smile that you have as you sail past the queues, until you forget that you have bikes on the roof and they hit the barrier. It happened to me - bikes, carriers, roof bars - the lot deposited in the road behind me. Smile slightly less smug now. I was on my own - no-one came, as I set to, to take the whole thing apart and rebuild it back on the roof. In case anyone is now panicking, let me tell you that the barrier is set at 2 metres and a roof box on most ordinary cars will go through. And in any case no-one could be as daft as me, could they? Patrick

At the checkout at Casino Geant the following conversation, in French, took place. Checkout assistant holding up cucumber: "Is this a cucumber?" Me: "Yes". Assistant holds up parsley: "What's this?" Me: "Parsley". Assistant:"Is it curled or flat?" Me"Curled" I dare say the training may be somewhat inadequate but not recognising a cucumber? Perhaps when I next go in I'll give her a bus ticket and tell her it's a €50 note. Patrick

Thanks once again. To answer your question Ernie, I'm with Orange - no alternative here. I signed up a two weeks before leaving the UK as  I knew it could take time and I wanted the connection to be available straight away, which it was. A neighbour was told it takes a week to get on line. I managed to get connected without using the supplied disc from Orange as I didn't want a load of their software on my machine. Incidentally, I'm on a deal of 1 mega for €24.99 a month  sans engagement, supposedly. Patrick

Yes, I have Vista and no, no mention of wireless in device manager. So it's off to the shops tomorrow for a dongle. Thanks for your help. Four days now into our new life in France - it makes soooooooooooo much difference having the internet. Patrick

I've looked everywhere I can think of - no mention anywhere of an installed wireless device. Patrick

Thank you for that reply. My computer is brand new and tells me that it has an Intel(R)82562 v 10/100 platform for wireless networking. But looking at the pictures that you provided it seems that I need something "sticking out" - the only way I can describe it - like an aerial or a dongle -is that right? Patrick

Well I'm now in France with everything set up, not least thanks to advice in this forum. Whoever said that Netgear routers have clear instructions is quite right. Even a novice like yours truly could manage it. Now I have another question. I'm currently set up with the ethernet cable from router/modem to computer but I would like the modem to be remote from the computer for practical reasons. The little symbol on the modem indicates that it is working wirelessly but as soon as I disconnect the ethernet cable I cannot access the internet. My question is this: first, is it possible to have the modem remote from the computer and secondly, if so, how do I set it up? Patrick