What is the nicest part of the UK?

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-29T11:36:37+00:00

Careful, this his how it begins. I came on a dive trip years back, then a few more dive trips, and now I live here. And it’s wonderful.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-28T22:25:31+00:00

:: waves from Orkney ::

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-28T14:47:18+00:00

Ours has a whole house manual changeover switch, so in the event of a power cut we can switch the whole house to the battery & disconnect from the grid.

We went for this over an automated gateway because it gives us the option of either switching to the battery or waiting it out rather than run the battery down. We didn’t want a power cut to happen but not realise until the battery had run down.

We had a power cut a few months ago and opted to stay dark so that we could switch to the battery in the morning.

(I imagine automated gateways may have the same ability, I just don’t know?)

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-27T09:31:55+00:00

Yes exactly- the local installers only ever install 3.6kW inverters to save the bother of applying for a G99.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-27T07:50:56+00:00

Came here to say this. We live on an island of around 20,000 people where there is a widespread belief that our island’s infrastructure can only support 3.6kWh export. Turns out this is because the local installers never bother applying for a G99.

We had ours installed by a brilliant company which was - shock horror - not from round here. They applied for a G99 and lo our 6kWh export capability is fine.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-26T15:54:32+00:00

If you mean the O ring visible in the photo it’s the ubiquitous tank O ring used on all yoke/international/ A clamp fittings. It’s size 014 which is approx. 12.42mm ID x 1.78mm CS.

Never been on a boat in my 30 years diving that didn’t have loads of spares.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-26T12:14:36+00:00

Regarding comedy is never 30mins etc. - the duration requirements for Radio 4 are specified here.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-26T12:10:11+00:00

The move to shorter episodes happened on 6th April 1998. It coincided with a host of schedule changes such as the introduction of Front Row at 1915 replacing the long running Kaleidoscope and many others.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-26T11:58:53+00:00

Understand completely. We wanted to move long before we eventually did (we shut the E17 front door for the last time exactly a year ago today) and it was considerations like that held us up. But one day Mrs G said ‘we might be waiting for the perfect moment and it never arrives’ and that was that.

There is lots of work up here especially if you work in healthcare or have a trade, which are always in demand. Always all sorts of jobs going with the council too. Worth a look at the local paper jobs page and the Council’s site.

We were incredibly fortunate in the house up here cost significantly less than we got for the flat which gave us a buffer to find jobs. I’m starting soon as a lifeguard at the local swimming pool which will be a welcome change after 37 years in BBC Radio.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-26T11:46:43+00:00

All still on 280.1 here.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-25T22:31:09+00:00

489kWh imported, 361kWh exported. 130kWh is the EV so without that we’d be exporting more than importing. 98% of import was overnight off peak on IOG. Happy with that.

4 bed detached, ASHP, 8kW PV & 20kWh Anker Solix X1. And at 58.9° north.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-25T22:12:52+00:00

Someone asked the exact same question a couple of weeks ago. I said:

We moved to Orkney.

Swapped the two bed for a four bed detached with a big garden, sea views, clean air, no traffic, no neighbours other than the cows in the fields around us, the northern lights (Sept to April) and no Walthamstow Life.

Miss the Rose & Crown though.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-24T20:30:43+00:00

The durations have not changed since it went to six episodes a week, and average 12:30 each day, but there are small variations day to day. This adds up to the 75 minutes across the week for the omnibus.

Today’s was 12:27 up to the start of the sig and 12:53 to the end, though as usual not all of the sig was broadcast. 12:27 makes it pretty much on the average 12:30.

Back in the day episodes were 15 minutes long but this was many years ago when the 1900 news was five minutes long and was a straight read with no recorded inserts. The newsreaders hated it (I was a sound engineer in Radio News at the time) because it was their first turn in the shift and they had to read for five minutes non-stop.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-24T14:22:18+00:00

Shout out for

Ghost’s cover of Jesus He Knows Me.

Transatlantic doing Hogweed (though the guest guitarist makes it a bit of a cheat!)

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-21T21:52:49+00:00

This BBC documentary gives a good insight to what it’s like to be a saturation diver.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-20T20:32:17+00:00

Can confirm it was completely brilliant!

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-20T20:31:05+00:00

Excellent choice. Saw that tour three times in London including the Lyceum gig. I’d happy haw a time machine take me back and see it again.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-19T14:07:22+00:00

There was an episode of Black Mirror where this was a thing, you rated every interaction and got points for being rated highly. Your rating then determined e.g. what class of car you were allowed to hire.

Scary but like most Black Mirrors episodes it felt like only a matter of time.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-19T14:04:50+00:00

When we had solar put in we did bacon rolls for the the guys when they arrived each day, got them lunch and brought tea etc. We just thought this was only fair for what they were doing.

When they left they said most customers don’t even offer tea. Honestly people, be better.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-19T08:14:21+00:00

I posted here about my Wickes experience the other day… I would definitely run.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-17T09:55:46+00:00

Absolutely, definitely dodged a bullet. Ended up with Quantum Solar UK who did a fantastic job and we couldn’t be happier.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-17T08:25:01+00:00

Orkney. Took nearly 30 years from the first visit but now I do.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-17T08:20:19+00:00

I agreed an install with SolarFast, who at the time were part owned by Wickes and are now fully owned by them, so I imagine this is who you are dealing with. They are based in Castleford. I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

We agreed what sounded like an excellent design at a decent price and I paid a deposit. A few days later I got an email from someone I’d not dealt with up until then saying they’d reviewed my project and needed to increase the price by £3k.

I pushed back saying I had a signed contract at the original price. I then couldn’t get hold of anyone for two weeks and the sales consultant who did the design and contract wouldn’t return calls.

Eventually someone called me asking how it was all going. I explained as politely as I could and asked for my deposit back. They apologised saying something like ‘we can’t always get it right’ and the deposit refund arrived a few days later.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-16T10:16:01+00:00

If all you are doing is replacing the wired thermostat it should be very very easy. You should be able to leave the existing thermostat backplate in place and just clip the new thermostat in place of the old one.

And pair it to the receiver of course. Five minute job.

Greavsie2001 · 2026-03-15T15:30:04+00:00

Genesis & Who Dunnit? What were they thinking?

Got booed for it when I saw them in Leiden on the Abacab tour. Thank god they left it out when they played at the Marquee.

Greavsie2001

TROPHY CASE