Articles and advice on cycling, technology, home efficiency and more

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These pages are written and managed by John & Julii Swindells, and we take every effort to ensure their accuracy, relevance and engagement. If you don't think this is the case at any point, please contact us and explain where you think that we're going wrong. Otherwise, happy browsing!

What Router?

Internet Access: UK Broadband 09 Apr 2006

Puzzled about how to build a wireless home network? Here are some factoids and some jargon to get you started. You can easily have a wireless ...

Carphone Warehouse: Free Broadband??

Internet Access: UK Broadband 09 Apr 2006

The news is that Carphone Warehouse is set to announce a free broadband service for its Talk Talk (landline) subscribers. This announcement ...

PlusNET Network Usage

Internet Access: UK Broadband 09 Apr 2006

Over the last 48 hours, here is PlusNET's broadband traffic by usage type:
And here is the number of customers using the network ...

Higher Uplink Speeds

Internet Access: UK Broadband 09 Apr 2006

It's not just download speeds that are increasing... it's now possible to get over 800kbps upload speeds! For most people (just doing web browsing ...

Alba DAB Radio Reviewed

DAB Radio 07 Apr 2006

Here is the Alba DAB Radio, purchased from Sainsbury's for ?50. It was on offer for ?30 but we were too slow to get around to it. The radio ...

April: Family Outing

The Bure Valley Railway 07 Apr 2006

Even the Grandparents enjoyed it! We met up at Aylsham, took the train down to Coltishall, walked down to Wroxham and caught the train back ...

Oil Quotes Just In

Heating Oil: A Buyer's Guide 06 Apr 2006

From the Norwich depot for emooil.co.uk: Product: Shell Thermo (Standard grade 28 sec Kerosine) Quantity:1500 Litres Pence Per Litre Price ...

Springtime Sowing

Gardening 02 Apr 2006

Here are my sowing efforts so far this year: Sweet Peas and Dahlias (harvested from last year's plants) sown in pots, in plain garden soil. ...

A Baby Robin

Animals 29 Mar 2006

One hatched in the conservatory.

Babies being Born

Guinea Pigs 29 Mar 2006

Here is our lovely guinea pig Ginger having a litter of babies.

Ginger and Pepper at their finest

Guinea Pigs 29 Mar 2006


On Julii's lap
On Danny's lap

An Owl.

Banham Zoo 29 Mar 2006

What sort of owl is this then?

Connecting to the Grid

Wind Turbines 28 Mar 2006

Apparently you need an approved G83 grid connect inverter (such as two SMA Windy Boy WB-3000 3.0kW grid connect inverters). Here's the website ...

Wind Speed Map

Wind Turbines 28 Mar 2006

This map, based on data published by the DTI, isn't terribly helpful as it only shows average wind speeds. It also comes with these caveats ...

Saving Energy in the Home

Climate Change 28 Mar 2006

Energy Saving Grants: The Energy Saving Trust has all sorts of up to date information on energy saving and generation, including grants that ...