Dubna

Well I have seen some pretty bad installations recently in 56, so called sat fitters using ordianry RF cable, joining the cable with insulation tape and failing to correctly waterproof the connection to the LNB.  When it rains, the picture breaks up or fails completely is a common problem and is frequently caused by the lack of waterproofing and over a period, only a few months really, water has penetrated the connection and the cable. It could also be the LNB which is on its way out. A larger dish helps. CHRIS

Well I have seen some pretty bad installations recently in 56, so called sat fitters using ordianry RF cable, joining the cable with insulation tape and failing to correctly waterproof the connection to the LNB.  When it rains, the picture breaks up or fails completely is a common problem and is frequently caused by the lack of waterproofing and over a period, only a few months really, water has penetrated the connection and the cable. It could also be the LNB which is on its way out. A larger dish helps. CHRIS

0 0 authorized 255 I had the same problem of low mic volume making the programme impossible to use, no-one could here me.  Eventually using Knowledge Base on Skype advice by a user was to reduce 255 to 250.  (256 is equivalent to 0 ie no volume).  Hey preseto it worked at 250 so I changed it back to 255 and it stopped working again.  So 250 it is for me. CHRIS

"If your Sky contract (still) requires your Sky box to be plugged into the telephone line at all times then this can be a problem (as it wont be plugged in in France and people say Sky notice its not plugged-in). I never had this on my Sky box (as I purchased it myself at fullish price and was not subsidised by Sky). I understand that these “must be plugged-in” terms tend to last a year after which it is not a requirement (others might know more)."Sky notice when a box is not connected to the telephone line because once a month or so they instruct the box to ring a free phone number at sky centre and pass on coded information from the box.  If the call fails a couple of times they will write to you and eventually cut off the card.  They are more keen with this when you have a mirror account at a reduced rate as I know to my cost when my son in the UK decided to plug a phone into the line instead so he could chat for hours on end to his girl friend.  Not only did I get a big telephone bill but was also invoiced by sky for one month at full rate for two boxes. The mini dish is pushing it a bit the further south in France you are located.  The vulnerable channels are ITV and BBC2. 90cm dishes with an analogue turner and a universal LNB can be purchased for as little as 37€ - that's cheaper than buying and shipping a mini dish from the UK. CHRIS

[quote]I have the shearings from 3 ewes and would like some suggestions of what to do with it. Does anyone want it? I am in Redon in S Brittany.[/quote] Thanks for the advice, guess the wool is going on the fire. CHRIS

I have the shearings from 3 ewes and would like some suggestions of what to do with it.  Does anyone want it?  I am in Redon in S Brittany.

[quote]Thanks for your reply..............I just don't understand why our decoder worked in the shop and the enginers worked here and ours didn't!! We followed the installation instructions in the manual, as...[/quote] Chris It worked in the shop and not at your home because there is something else wrong with your set up, clearly not the receiver.  The things to look at are position of dish, LNB, cable and the input to your tv. The most likely really is the position of the dish though you might just have an LNB which is not compatible with the receiver.  Most are universal and will pick up anything but I have bought some systems for customers which have LNBs which are peculiar to either analogue or digital. Where are you in France - I might be able to help. CHRIS

[quote]Any advice on where to get gravy granules and proper firm seedles grapes around the Moyuax/Cormeilles area would very much appreciated. Chuck[/quote] Make a good strong stock using bones (easily obtained from the butcher), onions bits of vegetables etc  Boil in a pressure cooker for at least one hour or in a large pan for ages. Cook the joint with sliced onion around.  Once the joint is cooked strain off the excess fat add flour and fry until brown.  Gradually add the stock and return to the boil stirring to make smooth. Adjust the seasoning. Who needs chemical powders to make gravy? You can darken the gravy by adding well browned salt. CHRIS

[quote]Hi the only channels you can get with your sat box are all the bbc channels bbc1/2 etc plus itv3 at the moment.[/quote] Sky will provide a Free to View card at a cost of £20 which will enable you to view all the BBC and ITV Channels.  You will need a sky digibox and a UK address to have the card delivered to.  As usual with Sky do not telephone from France or indicate that the card will be used outside the UK. CHRIS

Does anyone know where I can purchase Sat Cable (High Quality) in reel sizes ie 100m. and at reel prices rather than €0.?? per metre.  I live in Morbihan and Redon, Rennes and Vannes are the nearest towns.  CHRIS

I have installed a French Analogue Sat box and am watching a really clear black and white picture via the SCART connector to a UK TV. I was under the impression that I would get colour through the Scart Socket but not via the RF input. Do I need a French television? CHRIS

Thanks for the replies, most helpful. CHRIS

With fewer and fewer visits to the UK I am getting to the stage of not being able to carry sufficient flour to keep me and my French friends in UK style bread. So far I have found no reliable product in shops outside Paris and I am in Morbihan (56). I am particularly looking for the following: wholemeal strong flour white strong flour granary strong flour Any ideas where I can get these products other than by expensive mail order from the UK. I am sure this will have been asked before but the Search facility appears not to be working correctly as I cannot display anything beyond the first page of the search. CHRIS

Email direct to you. CHRIS

>We are planning to use the >rooms for chambre d'hote so >they may not be in >use full time. We have >high ceilings and face the >Jura so I think it >may be quite cold in >winter. If the rooms are to be used in Winter then you will certainly need something more than background heating. The cost you have been quoted does seem a little on the high side for electric heating and I would agree that quite an extensive system could be installed for the price, though generally prices are higher in France than in the UK for a central heating system. >Can anyone recommend a heating system >be it oil, gas, wood >or electric that will be >economical to run and install >and will suit our needs? 1 For central heating piped gas is cheapest, otherwise oil but adequate insulation is essential. As the additional rooms are to be daily lets then probably electric is the cheapest to install and run in that they can be turned off during periods of no occupation or when your visitors are out. Email me if you think I can help further. CHRIS >Thanks

Can someone kindly point me to ISPs in France offering unmetered services on ISDN. Can't get broadband here as we are too far from the exchange. When I say ISP I meant a proper Internet Service Provider and not AOL. Sorry folks but I need the full range of services on the Internet not those that AOL think I need. CHRIS

What a kind thing to do to provide a temporary supply during renovation of an old house. Don't charge them and trust them to buy you the odd bottle. That way friendships are built that are often repayed many times and at times you most need them. But being a Scout that is the sort of thing I would do or am I just a fool? However, don't sell on the supply in the way you suggest, it is illegal and not just in France. CHRIS >Our neighbours are renovating an old >house and have been having >difficulty getting EDF to arrange >a temporary electricity supply - >EDF are being difficult and >apparently want outrageous sums of >money. > >They have approached us and asked >if they can take a >temporary branch from our supply >using an in line meter >paying for any electricity they >use (and offerred to pay >half the standing charges) The >arangement would be for 4-5 >months until their house is >finished. > >We have an all electric house >on a 12KW supply and >are unsure of the implications >if we agree. > >Can anyone advise us on this? >

There could be a number of reasons why the electricity has been cut off from non-payment of bill by the previous owner to unsafe installation. The former is more usual. EDF do have a Web Site and an English version as well www.edf.fr, whilst the central receiver of enquiries from the site response very quickly and in French or English as appropriate, if the enquiry needs to be sent on to a local agency you will get mixed help. This will range from a perfectly written English response with considerable help to absolutely nothing depending upon who receives it (I guess). If you get no response no amount of repeat enquiries or FAX messages seems to bring anything. The only sure way is to ring them up direct and usually someone can be found to speak English - if French is a problem. You might be able to organise the reconnection from the UK without anyone needing to be in the property otherwise make an appointment for the first day you are in France. If all of this is too much for you to cope with then by all means try the Notaire who is dealing with the purchase. Otherwise if you want me to contact EDF for you I would be happy to do so. Email me privately and I'll do what I can. CHRIS > We will complete on >our house on the 30th >of June (can't wait)! >Our main problem is that the >current owner has had his >electric supply cut off, Does >anyone know how we should >go about having the power >reinstated? Is there a website >or are things done over >the phone. We would like >to get this sorted so >we will have power around >the time complete. > Also, does anyone know >of a reliable bulder to >install a fosse >near to Gace, Normandy (Orne, dept >61)? > >Regards John

Grundig boxes are less sensitive than some of the other makes. Even here in the UK I cannot manage a good signal on a Grundig box compared with a Pace. The dish has been set up by a friendly local Sky Manager / Engineer - but still no good. Spain and particularly southern spain will require a larger dish. At least 90cm and probably 120cm. This is the most likely reason for no signal unless you were careless with the cables but I presume you have swapped back to check. An inadequate dish, poor alignment, low performing box, wrong transponder selected as default all add up to a blank screen. Hope that helps a little but if you want to pay my expenses to come and set it all up for you I'd be happy to oblige beats the cold of northern france. CHRIS >We are in southern Spain until >end January, and have brought >our Digibox and card with >us. There is an existing >Digibox with a free to >air card which works perfectly, >but when we replace it >with ours, we get "No >satellite signal being received". All >the settings seem to be >the same, so cannot work >out whats wrong. A local >expert(?) suggests that our Grundig >is older than the installed >Grundig and is less powerful. >Is he right? Is there >anything else one can try? > > >From sunny Spain, I wish you >all a happy Christmas.

Hi Jill We install central heating, gas and oil. Unless you have "town" gas oil is cheaper bcause tanker gas is quite expensive. At the side of electricity the higher installation cost of oil takes a few years to pay back when compared with electricity but many prefer the heat that a water system provides rather than the electric radiators. New electric radiators or convectors will cost about the same to run as the old ones so you can still have fun watching the meter going round. I would suggest that if you are going to use your French home for holidays then electric heating is the answer, if for longer periods during the winter months then oil. Remember that if you are in an area liable to frosts then if the house is left empty for a long period there is a risk of freezing of any water based system. This can be protected by frost stats etc. but it does rely on your system working automatically whilst you are absent from the house. CHRIS >I have been searching with great >interest through this topic an >have answered so many of >my questions - Thank you!! >However, we are in the >process of putting our 'fermette' >in order and really do >not know what to do >about the heating. We have >an odd assortment of electic >heaters which seem to send >the electric meter into a >wild frenzy when switched on. >We know that at a >cost it is possible to >install central heating using oil >, but does anyone have >first hand experience? Would it >pay us to update to >modern elecric heaters which would >certainly be cheaper to install, >but possibly a lot more >to run? Any help greatly >appreciated. We are going >to be in 23, any >central heating engineers out there?? > > >Jill

You should re-wire to French regs which are broadly in line with the new European Regs. As others have stated the cable is different in that all three cores are double insulated and of the same load capability ie the same size. Colours are different. Consumer unit breakers are double pole, socket wiring is radial not ring. There are several other crucial differences. There is nothing to stop you using certain UK fittings on the french system but this is usually limited to pull switches and pendant light fittings. Ensure that they meet French regs. It is easier from a future point of view to use French Sockets and buy adapters to change from French to British or simply to change the plugs on appliances you are bringing to France permanently. Hope that helps. Give us a shout if you have any questions. Chris >I am moving into my house >in Lot et Garrone mid >April and have decided to >rewire the house while I'm >there, I'm a qualified electrician >so will be doing this >myself. My query is this, >is there any ruling which >precludes me from rewiring to >UK spec, ie ring mains >and lighting as opposed to >French standard. I am prepared >to use French type socket >outlets although I would obviously >prefer to use UK 3 >pin sockets. Current wiring, in >my view is unsafe. Any >advise would be helpful. > >Lee

Pinault have decking in stock and I have seen it in many timber outlets. CHRIS

Pinault have decking in stock and I have seen it in many timber outlets. CHRIS