[UK-CONTEST] New licence docs

[Les Allwood]

I've just gone through the contorted process. First I registered with the 
site, then, using the knowledge gained from reading the trials and 
tribulations of others before me, I tried logging in using my first initial 
and surname. Bingo - in first time!!

My elation was quickly lost as I blundered around a very unhelpful 
interface. I eventually gathered that I must validate the licence, which I 
did, but then was completely stumped attempting to find the document to 
download. It referred to a link under "attachments", but I couldn't see any 
such link, or indeed the word "attachments".

Eventually I phoned the helpline (020-7981-3131) where a very helpful young 
lady talked me through the remainder of the process. When I could finally 
see the link to download the PDF file, she asked if I was using IE7. When I 
indicated that I was, she suggested not even attempting the next stage, and 
that I should e-mail her and would receive a copy of my PDF by return.

She also said that a lot of feedback has gone from the helpline staff to the 
designers on the MMI for the site. Hopefully things will have improved by 
the time I need to renew in 2012!!

Thank goodness for such helpful staff, but I wonder just what cost savings 
have been made by changing from the old tried-and-tested method - none I 
suspect.

73 de Les, G3VQO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Sergeant" <dave at davesergeant.com>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] New licence docs


> On 12 Jan 2007 at 9:48, paul at greenrover.demon.co.uk wrote:
>
>> As to operation of the website... minor problems caused by pilot error
>> here, easily  sorted by asking for help - which was dealt with
>> efficiently by Ofcom.
>>
>> Worked with Opera and IE7 no major problems here.
>
> Well I have just conquered the first stage at the third attempt in
> getting through the registration process. I was particularly confused
> by the process used to look up your address where you have to go via
> a two stage process from your postcode in a seperate lookup window.
> This in itself failed the first two times and I could find nowhere to
> click to feed the information back into the main screen, but it
> magically worked the third time (using Opera 9.10). Why couldn't you
> just type in your detail in boxes on the first page? Also the
> requirements for the password, including a mixture of upper and lower
> case, was a bit unusual.
>
> By the way am I right that in the box where you put your licence
> 'number' you put the long one which is at the top of your validation
> document? Or your callsign? That certainly is not clear....
>
> If this is supposed to be simple they have a long way to go when
> computer savvy people like us have problems. We are trying to advise
> an elderly club member who has internet but certainly not savvy on
> his best approach short of sending them 20 quid for any changes.
>
> Now have to wait for the login information in the post.
>
> 73 Dave G3YMC
>
> http://www.davesergeant.com
>
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