Circular Walk from Bawdsey to Shingle Street via Felixstowe Ferry

 On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
May 302011
 

Distance: 8.83 Miles
Elevation Range: -3 to 36 feet
Difficulty: Easy (some walking shingle beaches which requires extra effort)
Weather Check: BBC Weather Ipswich, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Download Bawdsey to Shingle Street via Felixstowe Ferry Route Card

Almost 9 miles from Bawdsey to Shingle Street and back through the villages. Starting with a ferry from Felixstowe (£2.50 return). Paths shown on the edge of small cliffs no longer exist due to land erosion. Pillboxes once scattered along the cliffs are now scattered in the waves.

My father once stationed at RAF Bawdsey, was concerned it had ‘disappeared’ as we could not see it from Felixstowe Ferry. I took the opportunity to check it out and can confirm, hidden behind the trees, Bawdsey Manor still exists.

Interesting ironwork in the WW2 lookout at Bawdsey (see picture to the left). I wonder who created it and why is it there? Is it art or did it have a purpose? I like it, reminds me of Patrick McGoohan.

Network Natzies Neutralize Net Progress

 Annoyances, Business, On The Front Line, Programming  No Responses »
May 292011
 

3082818 s Network Natzies Neutralize Net ProgressHave you noticed the growing number of communications interrupted by network policies? Recently I have been told by in-house support staff they cannot see links to images and videos in their email. Its natural for companies to police what travels across their network but the current set of rules employed by some companies appear to be draconian and certainly get in the way of good communication. For years I have taken screenshots and more recently video demonstrations for support and training purposes. To avoid email attachment limitations I upload these to websites such as Screencast and Youtube.

Screencast is a professional and paid for service specifically designed for the secure sharing of images and video’s so when government and organisations ban Screencast and Youtube traffic across their network you have to wonder why. Are they not secure? Is this anti competitive? Do they not have protection against virus and malware that maybe included in the stream?

But why Youtube too? Surely Youtube’s rules over what can be uploaded and the many people that report innappropriate material is good enough, why ban the entire site? Is it purely that government and these organisations do not trust their staff that they have to introduce rules reminiscent of 19th century schools?

Its frustrating to put together a report that includes images and video links to help with the description only for it to be rejected by some daft Network Natzie who wishes to exert control over the network presumably to maintain a false impression that he/she is important.

Network policies and protection are important but if it damages the reputation or ability for a company to function then its counter productive. If you cannot protect your network without disabling the value that network provides then why bother? Save yourself a bunch and drill your head into the sand.

Create a Route Card in Word 2010 & Garmin Mapsource

 Microsoft Word, On The Front Line, Programming, Utilities, Video, Walking Hiking Navigating, Word VBA  11 Responses »
May 272011
 

Part of the fun in walking is navigating your way along paths and areas of public access with unfamiliar surroundings. Another important part is the place, I would rather be walking through woods or interesting countryside than shooting the sun in the middle of the Atlantic, and I am sure there’s an even amount of people who prefer the reverse.

One thing in common between air sea and land navigators is the preparation they make before a journey. The more information they have to hand during the journey the easier and safer they and their fellow travellers will be.

<Lecture Warning>
Pilots inform ATC of their intended routes, sailors give the coastguard with their routes and walkers give details of their route to family and proper authorities, at least that’s what is supposed to happen. Have you ever heard a child told off for not letting mum and dad know where they have been? Maybe it’s not so common with mobile phones today but really, if you are a regular walker, runner, climber or enjoy any activity outside it’s a good idea to provide someone with as much information about your activity as you can. This makes it easier for you to be located by rescue services should the need arise.

A Route Card is ideal for this purpose.
</Lecture Warning>

What is a route card?
It’s a list of waypoints and useful information to help you find your way across unfamiliar locations. Combined with a map and compass the route card will make sure you know where you are always. Here is an example:

SDC10327 Create a Route Card in Word 2010 & Garmin Mapsource

Example Walking Navigation Route Card

The idea is simple, you walk from one grid reference to the next after the pre-prepared magnetic bearing. If you have a good eye for distance (or are a neurotic pace counter) you don’t need much more that you see in this example. If you are interested in route cards you already know that.

This walk is straight forward because it follows the shoreline. Ordinarily I would add more notes, things I expect to see at some of the points to help me find them. Google Earth and Bing Maps are good for this.

Bing Maps include Ordnance Survey. You cannot draw your route with a mouse like you can on Ordnance Survey’s website but you can use it to check your folded map is up to date and switching between views helps you to understand the terrain better.

You can print your map from Bing or Ordnance Survey and add bearing checks. By preparing your route card and maps at home you can use satellite views to research potential waypoints and markers for bearings. Here’s the Bawdsey Walk map I prepared:

image1 Create a Route Card in Word 2010 & Garmin Mapsource

Bawdsey Beach Walk Ordnance Survey Map

The dark blue line is the intended track. The numbers are taken from the Route Card. The red lines point to a marker on the map, in this case the church. It doesn’t have to be a single point of course but on this map there are only three distinctive things outside Martello Towers and that’s Sea, Sand and a Church.

The red lines are numbered and I have spaced them at convenient points throughout the walk. At any point in the walk it will be easy to work out my place so long as I can see the Church.

How to use the Route Card Template
I have only tested the template in Microsoft Word 2010, I have no idea if it will work in any other version. You will also need Mapsource from Garmin. You do not need any of the maps, it’s just a way of creating a formatted list of waypoints. Garmin allows you to import KML and GPX files which covers most software, if you are stuck try Getamap from Ordnance Survey, there are some free options, I’m not sure if that allows you to export gpx files but the paid version does (they had a launch offer with 50% off when I bought in April 2011). Go to http://www.getamap.ordnancesurveyleisure.co.uk/ for more information.

The video demonstrates the Route Card template, hopefully that will be enough to get you started but if you find any bugs, have any suggestions, or need help using it please leave a comment.

Download Template

Release Date: 21 July, 2011

  • Now shows elevation and climb
  • Calculates page numbers

Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

Stop Skype Auto Updates, Don’t want to upgrade Skype Thanks

 Annoyances, Business, Microsoft, Software, Updates, Upgrades, Utilities  21 Responses »
May 232011
 
Important Update

Chris has found a better solution for some installations and explained how to stop Skype updating by modifying the policies applied to your PC. Click here to jump to his post in the comments. I would try his suggestion first and return to mine only if his doesn’t work. If my solution is brutal then his is subtle; should the Skype installed on your PC follow common standards, it will comply despite Skypes T&C’s

Like several million people I have utilised and enjoyed Skype for many years. Having lived in four different countries in the last 10 years it has been useful to keep in touch with friends and family. Best of all its free.

Stop Skype Auto Updates
Click here to cut the BS
I have it installed on two PC’s and a Laptop, version 5.1.0.112, but now and then I get asked to upgrade and each time it tries the result is the same. Skype no longer works. This has been going on for several versions. Skype support have not been able to fix the problem and forum suggestions have not worked. This is the same for the three machines I use.

So something I have done, some software on each of these three machines is to blame but each machine runs all the software I want from them without problem and as long as I stick with Skype 5.1 then everything is satisfactory.

Forced Upgrades

Skype is the only software I have ever used that forces upgrades. I know how ridiculous that sounds, all software gives you the option to upgrade or not and for good reason. Normal software gives you the choice so that you can manage compatibility issues, if any exist, between it and other sub systems.

Skype is different. They think its OK to take control of your desktop, without permission, and force an upgrade. This is wrong on so many levels that I do not believe they have considered how seriously this could damage their reputation.

Over the last few months I have experienced the following problems because of forced downloads:

1. While rendering videos causing the desktop to freeze. Support says I should not use Skype on the same PC. Nice solution Skype, very intelligent.

2. While completing an online payment form, with my credit card information, address and several fields painstakingly filled a Skype forced download forces a reboot in the background too. No questions asked, no chance to cancel. My time wasted and potentially a security risk. Nice solution Skype.

3. While watching a movie. Do you remember the days when adverts interrupted movies? Well it was a bit like that except on reboot the movie doesn’t start and or find your place again.

The fact that the upgrade never works and means I will have to uninstall and reinstall 5.1 again is more than annoying, its enough for me to look for alternatives.

Read our T&C’s…They Say

Perhaps the most remarkable situation in this horrid affair is the attitude of the Skype folk themselves. Until this issue arose I always imagined them to be a happy bunch of fluffy bunny kind of business men and women who want to do no more in life than please their customers. How sad and let down I felt when I discovered they are actually a bunch of tossers, at least the ones answering forum questions and support enquiries are.

Here are a few replies to people asking why they cannot stop forced downloads:

SKYPE may do things we do not like, but NEVER “dishonest”
It’s in their T+Cs that we all agree to

Yes, you can turn off automatic updates.
BUT
You can NOT turn off forced updates

Skype rarely does that, but their T+Cs allow it

and perhaps the best (and seriously misguided response)

You may not like it, indeed I may not like it, but the Law is The Law.
You agreed to SKYPES Terms and Conditions, and that IS the law.

I’m not sure which country has enshrined the use of Skype on to its statute books but I am sure I don’t live in it.
 

How to Force Skype to stop Forcing Updates

..or here’s one solution to all this nonsense

If Skype 5.3 and 5.2 do not work for you and you want to stick with the version you have and you want to block Skype updates then this may work for you. While hunting the Skype entries in the registry for clues they have an entry called DownloadEtag. An ETag is usually used to find the version of something, usually a cached page in a browser, but I suspect they are using it to decide the last time a forced download is used. Currently the value is set at 12150 but you may see a different value depending on when you read this (possibly depending on whether they have read this too).

Since setting this blank none of my machines have gone through the forced installation process. You can find it in your registry here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Skype\Installer\DownloadETag

Just set it to blank. Alternatively I have put together a .reg file to do it for you, just download and double-click the .reg file in this zip

And Skype, if you are reading this

I cannot believe you really want to do this. What makes you think you have the right to force people to do things against their will? My desktop belongs to me, not you. I paid for it, I support it and I decide what software I put on it and what I don’t. You cannot legislate away people’s rights through unreasonable “T&C’s”. Just ask Microsoft, they tried it in the 80′s and 90′s and look what happened to them, what makes you think you can do better?

Really, I *love* Skype the product, but this stupid policy is untenable, especially when TWO versions of the upgrades have failed (and judging by your forum continue to fail). Sort it out or you will be on the receiving end of a major disruption. There are huge players waiting for you to screw up, but that’s just the opinion of one, for now.

A Circular Walk Starting Levington Lagoon to Trimley Marshes

 On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
May 212011
 

Distance: 10 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 85 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Weather Check: BBC Weather Ipswich, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Download Levington Lagoon to Trimley Marshes Route Card

A 10 mile walk from Levington Lagoon to Trimley Marshes and back through countryside.

Levington Lagoon to Trimley Marshes A Circular Walk Starting Levington Lagoon to Trimley Marshes

Download the Route Card
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

A Walk from Sutton to Ramsholt via The Deben

 On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
May 152011
 

Distance: 7.8 Miles
Elevation Range: 2 to 72 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Weather Check: BBC Weather Ipswich, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Download Sutton to Ramsholt via The Deben

Toy Story clouds in the morning and chucking it down in the afternoon made this an entertaining stroll. Watching someone row against the ebb into the wind and actually travel backwards was entertaining from the bank too. I watched as they changed oarsman to someone with the strength to move them forward and so left them once they reach the relative safety of their yacht bobbing on its moorings.

Walking the opposite bank to last week I saw the Maybush Pub Waldringfield from the other side of the river.
Lesuire Map of Sutton to Ramsholt Walk 1024x639 A Walk from Sutton to Ramsholt via The Deben

Download the Sutton to Ramsholt via The Deben Route Card
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

Felixstowe Ferry to the Maybush Waldringfield on foot via the Deben

 On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
May 082011
 

Distance: 7.2 Miles
Elevation Range: 3 to 68 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Weather Check: BBC Weather Ipswich, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Download Felixstowe Ferry to the Maybush Waldringfield Route Card

Felixstowe Ferry is 7.2 miles from the Maybush Pub in Waldringfield, Suffolk. This means at a stroll it takes about 3½ hours so start at 8.30am if you want to beat the afternoon lunch rush.

Birds eye view of the map courtesy of Bing. You can see the deben running up the right hand side of the picture. Felixstowe Ferry is on the south bank at the mouth of the river.
bing birds eye Felixstowe Ferry to the Maybush Waldringfield on foot via the Deben

Download the Felixstowe Ferry to the Maybush Waldringfield Route Card
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

Foxhall Ipswich – Not Ugly – A Spring Circular Walk Around UK’s Largest Tip (no really)

 On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
May 032011
 

Distance: 6.8 Miles
Elevation Range: 26 to 111 feet
Difficulty: Easy but you must cross a fast-moving Dual Carriageway
Weather Check: BBC Weather Ipswich, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Download Foxhall Ipswich – Not Ugly – A Spring Circular Walk

I know there are trees and shrubbery behind the house but didn’t think it extended this far. Sometimes the last map you look at is the one where you live.

It circles Europe’s largest tip (circa 1999) now more of a hill than hole and in use less now but enough to put people off walking near it. It releases enough gas to power the towns buses, schools and most of the town, but not enough for the council chambers. It leaves a residual smell, no more than a nasty-niff at its worst.

2011 04 30 1918 Small Foxhall Ipswich Not Ugly A Spring Circular Walk Around UKs Largest Tip (no really)

The interesting part of the walk

Download the Foxhall Ipswich – Not Ugly – A Spring Circular Walk Route Card
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010