Being self employed is
a bit like being on a treadmill.
There are so many things needing to be done.
There's jobs of course. They're the main thing. Then there's
trying to monitor my stock of spare parts, keeping track of invoices,
both incoming and outgoing; sorting out purchase orders from
customers, dealing with volumes of paperwork, handling incessant
phone calls. Placing orders for parts, tracking orders from suppliers
and complaining to UPS about missing deliveries (which is getting
more frequent), answering emails and managing my computer.
As a sideline I build and repair computers and as another sideline
I prepare family trees.
So, not too much time for my hobbies including managing my virtual
radio museum.
For years and years I've been
considering buying a spectrum analyser; nothing whatsoever to
do with my business so I must be thinking of retirement?
I actually have one. It's a
huge Hewlett Packard thing which probably cost more than a 3
bedroom semi when it was new. When I first got it I fiddled around
and discovered it was faulty. I got hold of a manual and removed
the covers. After peering at the innards for an hour so I gave
up as it appeared to be in need of a plumber rather than an electronics
engineer.
Ten years later I had some time to spare and was rearranging
my workshop. I switched on the HP monster and, after looking
at the handbook, discovered it wasn't faulty at all, I'd missed
one of the connectors joining the two halves of the equipment.
Unfortunately the thing covers mainly microwave bands although
its spec goes down to 0.01GHz, which works out at 10MHz, and
my chief interests are the broadcast and HF amateur bands. |
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Above: The Hewlett Packard HP8551 original
price > 3 bed semi
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Looking around for a new
spectrum analyser I found the Atten range from China and I was
prepared to buy their basic model until I discovered a tracking
generator is a really useful adjunct.
Then I noticed a better Atten model which seemed to have a better
spec. and has a tracking generator. It's still made by the same
Chinese company and the identical model is actually badged by
some rather well known companies (at a much higher price of course). |
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Above: AT6011 using a
CRT and using invisible test leads and priced at typically $1325
(=£868.45 in April 2013) |
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I was all set to order
one until I found the UK price reflected the strength of the
US dollar, so I began to make notes of the prices every week
or so. Then I found the dollar suddenly began to get stronger
and stronger and prices began to rise so I put the intended purchase
on hold.
Some time later, when the dollar had strengthened and I didn't
like shelling out the extra cash I noticed that a different type
of spectrum analyser had appeared on Ebay. This used a flat screen
display, unlike the CRT used by the usual type. Unfortunately
the price of the latest model made by Rigol was much higher than
the cheapest Atten models, however, when I considered the real
difference (a nice sharp colour image), I completely went off
the CRT models.
One of the hazards of shopping on the Internet is buying from
an offshore supplier. Unless you understand about customs duty
and VAT, not to mention "handling charges", you're
going to get a big shock when the package arrives.
Imagine my surprise when I looked for a Rigol, not on Ebay, my
usual hunting ground, but on the Internet generally. There was
a UK supplier of the Rigol instrument at a price almost the same
as the cheapest Chinese dealer on Ebay.
I rang them and placed an order for a DSA815-TG and it arrived
"post free… as a result of my bargaining", two
days later. |
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Above: DSA815-TG with a flat
screen display typically priced at £1322 (note that one
usually uses test leads and mains input to get a picture)
No real contest is there? |
Although some Chinese
suppliers fiddle their customs declarations and insert words
like "Gift", "Value $25" etc it's always
a gamble. Twenty percent VAT on a piece of kit valued at £1,399
is £279.80, not to mention carriage, which can also attract
20% VAT and UPS red tape, often more than the "$25"
value of the goods.
A real hazard for the bargain hunter.
Now, having purchased my new
spectrum analyser, I'm all set to retire.
If it wasn't for those dratted customers that is…
PS. I was watching the BBC documentary
on the last Mars mission and blow me NASA was using a DSA815
instead of an eyewateringly expensive spectrum analyser.
Oh no!... a deliveryman struggling
up the drive with a huge crate. Must be a broken drive unit for
a lift. Still, it'll help pay for the new acquisition...
Post Script
When I opened the crate I found
an enormous drive unit for a lift. Why so big? Must be for a
lift that takes a really heavy load?
There's a bit of paper inside
the crate. That makes a change. Stuff usually arrives anonymously!
What does the note say... It's
a drive unit from the Houses of Parliament. That explains the
weighty load carried by the lift. All these free lunches and
liquid refreshments.
And there's a note scribbled
on the bottom. "Take your time they can use the stairs".
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A bit of arithmetic tells me I was retiring
in 2013, then 2015 and finally 2023 suggesting I was 71, then
73 and then 81. In fact I rang the Inland Revenue to let them
know at the end of March 2023 but despite waiting for over 35
minutes all I got was silly recorded music interspersed with
the lame excuse they were too busy to answer my call so I gave
up before my phone battery expired. Bearing in mind this was
close to the UK financial year end you'd have expected the Inland
Revenue to have hired more staff or at least have extended their
phone-in options.. but no they are happy to inconvenience the
hard working public.
I did look at their on-line form for ceasing self
employment but the thing was too awkward to fill in and all the
info on the web anyway said "call the Inland Revenue".
As you can't stop being self employed within a period
of less than 5 days of year end, as far as I could understand,
I reckoned I'd now have to postpone the date until sometime in
the financial year 2023 to 2024. At least this will give me time
to offset tax against expenses because there are still loads
of invoices yet unpaid. Also I'll need to deal with heaps of
stuff still hanging around. For various reasons some people think
they can get from me precise repair details and an anticipated
repair cost completely free of charge. One local company even
wanted a written report detailing the work.. forgetting that
the analysis of any repair means expended time and effort even
including sourcing tricky parts. Anyway that's one reason I have
scores of things ostensibly "beyond economic repair"
and just abandoned and left for me to get rid of. How many times
have I heard.. "we can buy one for a little over your price".
At least dealing with the disposal of things like this can be
offset against late income.
I have around 70 firms that send me stuff to repair
and I've taken the stance to deal with incoming repairs on the
understanding that retirement is overdue. "I'll fix the
thing on the understanding this is the last because I've retired".
Of course I'll have to draw the line somewhere so phone-in requests
will be a "no thanks.. I've retired".
One of the drawbacks of repairing stuff is the need
to order things with the penalty of needing to be home to accept
their delivery. Nowadays one cannot rely on "next day delivery".
Here's what CPC state on their website.
"Unprecedented social, economic and political
factors, have resulted in large scale disruptions to many global
supply chains. Unfortunately, this is impacting the availability
and lead times on some of our products. The team is working hard
with our suppliers to resolve these issues, and we apologise
for any disappointment experienced. The latest and most accurate
stock levels are continually updated on our website."
"IMPORTANT: Please be aware that lead times
from our suppliers can change even after your order is confirmed,
especially for high demand products. We apologise for any inconvenience
caused by these unforeseen delays."
"Express Courier (usually next working day,
but cannot currently be guaranteed) - £2.99 (ex VAT)"
Indeed the last delivery went round an endless loop
from UPS to their lorry to their depot then out for delivery
again and again and again... until I contacted the depot and
told them to stop playing silly beggars.. I was refunded my £2.99.
It means that a job can take over a week or more with
me pinned to the house.
So I guess I've officially retired... |
I tried again to contact the tax people to
enquire exactly how I should go about ditching their annual self-assessment
routine. Despite trying for ages and getting absolutely nowhere
(ie. not speaking to anyone) I decided to pen a formal complaint.
This ploy sometimes works and, what must have been a fortnight
later, I was rung by a nice chap from the Inland Revenue. He
confirmed that I needed to finish off by submitting my final
2022-2023 accounts, which meant remaining in the self-assessment
loop. The main point he disclosed though was that for some inexplicable
reason the Government had done away with their Self-Assessment
help line (which explained why no-one had answered the phone!!).
I said this was ludicrous and he agreed, saying that he'd personally
advised against it. I said that the delays in answering their
general helpline exceeded the battery life of many phones. My
landline phone is cordless with a battery life of usually less
than 45 minutes. I've since bought a mobile phone but coverage
is so bad here I need to go upstairs to a specific west-facing
window to see only one or two bars from the local mast.
Anyway the chap gave me his direct number which he
said I should call after submitting my accounts and he will then
personally sign me off the self-assessment thing.
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In the event, I filled in my 2023 self assessment,
paid my tax and the next day rang my new contact a couple of
times but he wasn't in.. I tried again the next day but
he still wasn't in. Maybe he'd been found to be too nice to "customers"
and got the sack?
I tried filling in the "retirement"
form as I'd done 9 or 10 months previously and found to my surprise
it worked.. so I'm now officially retired and a man of leisure.
The next day I removed the sign on the gate...
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Alas... presumably a spot
of AI is at work because in mid-May 2024 I've just been told
to prepare for my next self-assessment! |
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