what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes?

what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes?
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Subject Author Date
what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes? banana 11-01-2005
Posted by banana on November 1, 2005, 2:30 pm
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HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes

>I'd be grateful for info as to what electronic gadgetry is installed in
>UK postboxes.
>
>How are visits by Royal Mail workers to empty the boxes logged
>electronically?
>
>Presumably the vans are all satellite-tracked. But what gizmo do the
>workers use to 'shake hands' with the gadgetry in the box?
>
>And what about 'business postboxes' - the ones for franked mail only?
>Just try using your car radio near one. You probably won't be able to,
>because of the electromagnetic interference.

I've counted 11 replies so far, all of them content-free as far as the
topic goes. I wonder how many of the authors even knew there was any
electronics inside postboxes? (Well you know now, because I've just told
you. Find the information hard to deal with? Well wait around until a
postie opens the door and collects the letters). Or how many would have
sufficient interest to try to use a radio in proximity to one of the
'business postboxes'?

Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)


Posted by Jay on November 1, 2005, 6:52 am
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banana wrote:
> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes
>
> >I'd be grateful for info as to what electronic gadgetry is installed in
> >UK postboxes.
> >
> >How are visits by Royal Mail workers to empty the boxes logged
> >electronically?
> >
> >Presumably the vans are all satellite-tracked. But what gizmo do the
> >workers use to 'shake hands' with the gadgetry in the box?
> >
> >And what about 'business postboxes' - the ones for franked mail only?
> >Just try using your car radio near one. You probably won't be able to,
> >because of the electromagnetic interference.
>
> I've counted 11 replies so far, all of them content-free as far as the
> topic goes. I wonder how many of the authors even knew there was any
> electronics inside postboxes? (Well you know now, because I've just told
> you. Find the information hard to deal with? Well wait around until a
> postie opens the door and collects the letters). Or how many would have
> sufficient interest to try to use a radio in proximity to one of the
> 'business postboxes'?
>
> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.

My old fella works for the P.O.
There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.

Don't know anything about mysterious airwaves and MI5 operatives
masterbating on video outside.



>
> --
> banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
> give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
> Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
> rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)



Posted by banana on November 1, 2005, 3:24 pm
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>
>banana wrote:
>> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes
>>
>> >I'd be grateful for info as to what electronic gadgetry is installed in
>> >UK postboxes.
>> >
>> >How are visits by Royal Mail workers to empty the boxes logged
>> >electronically?
>> >
>> >Presumably the vans are all satellite-tracked. But what gizmo do the
>> >workers use to 'shake hands' with the gadgetry in the box?
>> >
>> >And what about 'business postboxes' - the ones for franked mail only?
>> >Just try using your car radio near one. You probably won't be able to,
>> >because of the electromagnetic interference.
>>
>> I've counted 11 replies so far, all of them content-free as far as the
>> topic goes. I wonder how many of the authors even knew there was any
>> electronics inside postboxes? (Well you know now, because I've just told
>> you. Find the information hard to deal with? Well wait around until a
>> postie opens the door and collects the letters). Or how many would have
>> sufficient interest to try to use a radio in proximity to one of the
>> 'business postboxes'?
>>
>> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
>> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.
>
>My old fella works for the P.O.
>There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
>held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.

Thanks for this. Also it lets them know what time the worker has visited
the box. Are you saying there's only a printed barcode in the box...no
electronic tag of any kind?

Why is there so much interference on car radios close to business boxes?

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)


Posted by Ian Bailey on November 1, 2005, 8:24 am
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options

banana wrote:
> >
> >banana wrote:
> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes
> >>
> >> >I'd be grateful for info as to what electronic gadgetry is installed in
> >> >UK postboxes.
> >> >
> >> >How are visits by Royal Mail workers to empty the boxes logged
> >> >electronically?
> >> >
> >> >Presumably the vans are all satellite-tracked. But what gizmo do the
> >> >workers use to 'shake hands' with the gadgetry in the box?
> >> >
> >> >And what about 'business postboxes' - the ones for franked mail only?
> >> >Just try using your car radio near one. You probably won't be able to,
> >> >because of the electromagnetic interference.
> >>
> >> I've counted 11 replies so far, all of them content-free as far as the
> >> topic goes. I wonder how many of the authors even knew there was any
> >> electronics inside postboxes? (Well you know now, because I've just told
> >> you. Find the information hard to deal with? Well wait around until a
> >> postie opens the door and collects the letters). Or how many would have
> >> sufficient interest to try to use a radio in proximity to one of the
> >> 'business postboxes'?
> >>
> >> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
> >> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.
> >
> >My old fella works for the P.O.
> >There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
> >held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.
>
> Thanks for this. Also it lets them know what time the worker has visited
> the box. Are you saying there's only a printed barcode in the box...no
> electronic tag of any kind?
>
> Why is there so much interference on car radios close to business boxes?

My closest post box is visible through my front window I have no
interference on either radio TV or wifi signals. I've been there
several times when postie opened the box. The letters are held in a
wire mesh cage. He puts them in his sack and closes the door.

I feel like I'm on one of the video bits of the Teletubbies - why don't
you know this? What electronics were you expecting?

Ian



Posted by banana on November 2, 2005, 11:06 am
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options

>banana wrote:
>> >
>> >banana wrote:
>> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes

<snip>

>> >> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
>> >> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.
>> >
>> >My old fella works for the P.O.
>> >There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
>> >held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.
>>
>> Thanks for this. Also it lets them know what time the worker has visited
>> the box. Are you saying there's only a printed barcode in the box...no
>> electronic tag of any kind?
>>
>> Why is there so much interference on car radios close to business boxes?
>
>My closest post box is visible through my front window I have no
>interference on either radio TV or wifi signals. I've been there
>several times when postie opened the box. The letters are held in a
>wire mesh cage. He puts them in his sack and closes the door.

Maybe it's one in a country wall, the sort that birds sometimes nest in?
But when collecting mail from ordinary free-standing cylindrical
cast-iron boxes, posties use a handheld electronic device. I am open to
the idea that this is simply a barcode reader. I am also open to the
idea that there is at least an RFID circuit together with the barcode
inside the box. (Barcodes are very easy to print). I assure you,
however, that there is electronic logging of the visit, involving the
pointing of a handheld device at what's behind the door.

If the box were an 'ordinary' one, you could not avoid noticing this.

>I feel like I'm on one of the video bits of the Teletubbies - why don't
>you know this?

Why should I know what you can see from your window, what you feel like,
or what TV programmes you watch? :-)

>What electronics were you expecting?

See above.

As for radio interference, I only know about such interference in the
vicinity of a number of business postboxes - as I said, the ones that
only take franked mail. I have had reports from several. Obviously I
haven't had reports from all of them...

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)


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