Big Wrinkle

[fongaboo]

If you haven't yet heard, there is a big wrinkle in our Internet deployment plan. We designed our network and purchased gear under the false assumption that we had line-of-sight from the volunteer's apartment.

Turns out they are in a rear-facing apartment so their only window faces more towards State St. Dave, Dan and I did a site survey today and these are the brainstorms now:

• Apartment is still on the top floor and a flat roof is about 5 feet above the top most part of the window frame. Could we exchange one of the parabolic antennas (dish-shaped) for an omni-directional (mast-shaped) and then attach it to a pole of some sort and bracket it to the building somehow, with height enough to get it above roof level?
  
• Potentially approach Steve's neighbors who have front-facing apartments and see if they would volunteer to host the antenna... perhaps with the bonus of receiving free internet?
  
• Return gear and purchase this so-called non-line-of-sight repeater and hope that it can actually go through 1-2 walls? I am not hopeful, especially since it is a brick building.
  
• Buy the non-line-of-sight repeater and enlist a sympathetic union (CSEA, SEIU) to let us piggyback off their Internet, providing this repeater can travel two city blocks. Colin offered to approach them on this. I will contact the manufacturer to see how feasible it is.
  
• Use the existing repeater gear we have purchased to effectively repeat/amplify the nearest AlbanyFreeNet node.
  

Colin agreed to do a reportback tonight at GA on IT's behalf sharing this information. Also to solicit ideas and maybe enlist someone 'handy' top help with pole-mounting if we go with the first option.

I will be following up soon with diagrams and photos.

[joshred]

Why aren't we able to get onto the roof and run a wire to the front face of the building?

[fongaboo]

I think our volunteer needs to speak to that... ;D

[dylan]

oops.

[fongaboo]

Guys... The AlbanyFreeNet idea may not be so bad...

Zoom in on this map and see how close the nearest node is...

We might be able to have a catcher antenna set up on the comfort tent, and then have it repeat over to the Info tent or therearounds...

Next non-rainy day I can grab the gear from Josh, I'd like to do some field tests...

P.S. Can someone elaborate on the FreeNet experience so far? Did I get the impression that the signal was just too weak for folks' individual computers to grab onto from Academy?

[Victorio]

Hey y'all,

In case you aren't aware, our volunteer is not feeling the idea of putting an antenna on his roof. Anyway I did check into albanyfreenet and they didn't think there was a way to make it happen. But I don't know anything about this stuff, so maybe it can happen. I'm sure FONG can figure out if its possible.

[maryb]

I'll bring my laptop down today, as well.

[fongaboo]

Josh and I are going to try to do some field tests today with the repeater gear using AlbanyFreeNet. We first have to see what is possible signal-wise.

Then we have to look into the implications of bandwidth caps, etc. I have some ideas about that, but I will cross that bridge when I get there.


I asked Colin to contact the unions to see what they might be willing to offer. We don't know if any idea involving them is physically feasible, but if they are agreeable, a good starting point would be a site survey at their offices.


Anyone up for canvassing our neighboring apartments for potential volunteers? The guy who did the video projections on the Verizon bldg in NYC got his projection point by putting flyers under the doors of all the residents at a neighboring housing project. He offered money, but when the volunteer found out what he was doing, she declined it saying "this is for the people."