Nick Piggott
@nickpiggott.bsky.social
Mostly radio, travel, technology, food, performing arts, liberal leaning politics.
Anyway. It's good to learn a new system and it's eventually-logical keystrokes. Even if it means using a to represent @ even when there's a perfectly good @ symbol on the keyboard
(Don't @ me - I know it's because @ requires SHIFT, which is mapped to something else entirely)
(Don't @ me - I know it's because @ requires SHIFT, which is mapped to something else entirely)
November 30, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Anyway. It's good to learn a new system and it's eventually-logical keystrokes. Even if it means using a to represent @ even when there's a perfectly good @ symbol on the keyboard
(Don't @ me - I know it's because @ requires SHIFT, which is mapped to something else entirely)
(Don't @ me - I know it's because @ requires SHIFT, which is mapped to something else entirely)
There was a certain energy from 30A buzzing its way though a dimmer pack, and pre-heating bulbs. I suppose I sound like a guy who is nostalgic for steam trains.
November 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
There was a certain energy from 30A buzzing its way though a dimmer pack, and pre-heating bulbs. I suppose I sound like a guy who is nostalgic for steam trains.
My OG was hardcoded DMX, faders and dimmer packs. DMX over IP and extended addressing ranges and multi-address multi-function LED fixtures is great, but very different.
November 30, 2025 at 12:05 PM
My OG was hardcoded DMX, faders and dimmer packs. DMX over IP and extended addressing ranges and multi-address multi-function LED fixtures is great, but very different.
It's all downhill to CES now 😬
November 28, 2025 at 3:27 PM
It's all downhill to CES now 😬
I hope someone is covering the trouser cleaning bills for all the regions' NTAs who thought they'd done their timings incorrectly.
November 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I hope someone is covering the trouser cleaning bills for all the regions' NTAs who thought they'd done their timings incorrectly.
CWL suffers from a constrained catchment area.
BRS has a great catchment area, but it appears close to LHR (and BHX), and honestly, it's the South West England version of STN - BRS want to keep the LCCs who create 90% of the traffic happy.
BRS has a great catchment area, but it appears close to LHR (and BHX), and honestly, it's the South West England version of STN - BRS want to keep the LCCs who create 90% of the traffic happy.
November 19, 2025 at 1:02 PM
CWL suffers from a constrained catchment area.
BRS has a great catchment area, but it appears close to LHR (and BHX), and honestly, it's the South West England version of STN - BRS want to keep the LCCs who create 90% of the traffic happy.
BRS has a great catchment area, but it appears close to LHR (and BHX), and honestly, it's the South West England version of STN - BRS want to keep the LCCs who create 90% of the traffic happy.
CO076/077. Legendary.
BRS 'supported' the CO/UA TATL, but it didn't sustain. I don't think subsequent offers have been as generous. BRS has had phenomenal growth (5mppa->10mpaa) from LCCs, anyway.
BRS 'supported' the CO/UA TATL, but it didn't sustain. I don't think subsequent offers have been as generous. BRS has had phenomenal growth (5mppa->10mpaa) from LCCs, anyway.
November 19, 2025 at 12:56 PM
CO076/077. Legendary.
BRS 'supported' the CO/UA TATL, but it didn't sustain. I don't think subsequent offers have been as generous. BRS has had phenomenal growth (5mppa->10mpaa) from LCCs, anyway.
BRS 'supported' the CO/UA TATL, but it didn't sustain. I don't think subsequent offers have been as generous. BRS has had phenomenal growth (5mppa->10mpaa) from LCCs, anyway.
The Welsh government has previously offered a lot of financial support to airlines willing to start routes from CWL, but none have stuck around. It's tough to fight against the geography that gives BRS such a bigger catchment area. A *lot* of passengers at BRS come from around Cardiff.
November 19, 2025 at 4:24 AM
The Welsh government has previously offered a lot of financial support to airlines willing to start routes from CWL, but none have stuck around. It's tough to fight against the geography that gives BRS such a bigger catchment area. A *lot* of passengers at BRS come from around Cardiff.
Now you mention it....
November 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Now you mention it....
What a life of blissful optimism
November 13, 2025 at 9:01 PM
What a life of blissful optimism
Across most of the wider York area on any DAB+ radio.
November 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Across most of the wider York area on any DAB+ radio.
I didn't know you were URY Alumni. Seems like a good station - I did their DAB setup last year.
November 12, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I didn't know you were URY Alumni. Seems like a good station - I did their DAB setup last year.
It'll be the BBC apologising on the BBC about something the BBC broadcast...
November 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
It'll be the BBC apologising on the BBC about something the BBC broadcast...
And none of it helps the guys running Small Scale DAB in the UK.
Imagine that thousands and thousands of times every day.
All the time I see the real costs of Brexit. It's an appalling unnecessary waste, triggered by lies from liars.
Worth remembering that when deciding who to trust.
8/x
Imagine that thousands and thousands of times every day.
All the time I see the real costs of Brexit. It's an appalling unnecessary waste, triggered by lies from liars.
Worth remembering that when deciding who to trust.
8/x
November 8, 2025 at 11:30 AM
And none of it helps the guys running Small Scale DAB in the UK.
Imagine that thousands and thousands of times every day.
All the time I see the real costs of Brexit. It's an appalling unnecessary waste, triggered by lies from liars.
Worth remembering that when deciding who to trust.
8/x
Imagine that thousands and thousands of times every day.
All the time I see the real costs of Brexit. It's an appalling unnecessary waste, triggered by lies from liars.
Worth remembering that when deciding who to trust.
8/x
..a tax system I don't know about.
I'll have to wait. Probably quite a while. Then maybe I'll get a refund in EUR, which almost won't be what I got charged in GBP.
So I'll be hours of time and actual money out of pocket. That money will go to banks, importers, the other government...
7/x
I'll have to wait. Probably quite a while. Then maybe I'll get a refund in EUR, which almost won't be what I got charged in GBP.
So I'll be hours of time and actual money out of pocket. That money will go to banks, importers, the other government...
7/x
November 8, 2025 at 11:30 AM
..a tax system I don't know about.
I'll have to wait. Probably quite a while. Then maybe I'll get a refund in EUR, which almost won't be what I got charged in GBP.
So I'll be hours of time and actual money out of pocket. That money will go to banks, importers, the other government...
7/x
I'll have to wait. Probably quite a while. Then maybe I'll get a refund in EUR, which almost won't be what I got charged in GBP.
So I'll be hours of time and actual money out of pocket. That money will go to banks, importers, the other government...
7/x
If I'm lucky, they'll agree to correct it, and re-file the paperwork and I *might* get a refund from them. But this probably won't happen.
Instead, I'll have to register with the tax authorities in the EU country. Then I'll have to raise an appeal in a language I don't speak and...
Instead, I'll have to register with the tax authorities in the EU country. Then I'll have to raise an appeal in a language I don't speak and...
November 8, 2025 at 11:22 AM
If I'm lucky, they'll agree to correct it, and re-file the paperwork and I *might* get a refund from them. But this probably won't happen.
Instead, I'll have to register with the tax authorities in the EU country. Then I'll have to raise an appeal in a language I don't speak and...
Instead, I'll have to register with the tax authorities in the EU country. Then I'll have to raise an appeal in a language I don't speak and...
The wrong two digit code was entered. Out of the blue we're charged £1,000+ (€1,200) VAT from the country we sent the consignment to. It's their import VAT, and we have no paperwork for it whatsoever.
So what happens now?
I have to tell the shipping company the wrong code is on the consignment...
So what happens now?
I have to tell the shipping company the wrong code is on the consignment...
November 8, 2025 at 11:21 AM
The wrong two digit code was entered. Out of the blue we're charged £1,000+ (€1,200) VAT from the country we sent the consignment to. It's their import VAT, and we have no paperwork for it whatsoever.
So what happens now?
I have to tell the shipping company the wrong code is on the consignment...
So what happens now?
I have to tell the shipping company the wrong code is on the consignment...
If something has to go back to be repaired, get sent back, get fixed, and come back again. Maybe a week, and £300 in shipping?
Now it has to be exported, using a specific and complicated process to designate it as a Repair and Return.
Someone slipped up...
4/x
Now it has to be exported, using a specific and complicated process to designate it as a Repair and Return.
Someone slipped up...
4/x
Now.ir
November 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM
If something has to go back to be repaired, get sent back, get fixed, and come back again. Maybe a week, and £300 in shipping?
Now it has to be exported, using a specific and complicated process to designate it as a Repair and Return.
Someone slipped up...
4/x
Now it has to be exported, using a specific and complicated process to designate it as a Repair and Return.
Someone slipped up...
4/x
Sometimes the VAT exemption gets missed, and we have to find £1,000s of pounds in actual cash to get the shipment released and then wait until our next VAT return to get it back. So that's cash and interest we never get back.
But it gets better....(Worse)
3/x
But it gets better....(Worse)
3/x
November 8, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Sometimes the VAT exemption gets missed, and we have to find £1,000s of pounds in actual cash to get the shipment released and then wait until our next VAT return to get it back. So that's cash and interest we never get back.
But it gets better....(Worse)
3/x
But it gets better....(Worse)
3/x
Pre Brexit, we could just buy it, pay £150 in shipping fees, and it would arrive 3-4 days later. That's it.
Now we have to apply for import VAT exemptions, and wait for things to clear customs. Sometimes they do, sometimes they literally bounce back and forth between the UK and Paris for days.
2/x
Now we have to apply for import VAT exemptions, and wait for things to clear customs. Sometimes they do, sometimes they literally bounce back and forth between the UK and Paris for days.
2/x
November 8, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Pre Brexit, we could just buy it, pay £150 in shipping fees, and it would arrive 3-4 days later. That's it.
Now we have to apply for import VAT exemptions, and wait for things to clear customs. Sometimes they do, sometimes they literally bounce back and forth between the UK and Paris for days.
2/x
Now we have to apply for import VAT exemptions, and wait for things to clear customs. Sometimes they do, sometimes they literally bounce back and forth between the UK and Paris for days.
2/x