[NodeFXC FXC] is [SimonButcher my] node, situated on the north side of the hill on Eastfield Road in Croydon South - One of the Mt. Dandenong foot-hills. Check it out in (/maps/view.php?id=FXC LocFinder). At my roof's apex, I have excellent coverage to the east, mainly between approximately 50 degrees and 130 degrees from north. Having said that, though, I'm planning on going higher eventually.. It's been pointed out to me that I also have coverage over a section of train line between the Ringwood East and Croydon train stations (on the Lilydale line). If you're desperate, this will mean some people may be able to get a wireless connection for a few seconds as they pass on the train :) ---- !!! I currently have: * '''A 7.5m run of [RG-213 RG-213/U]''' - suitable for the necessary cable length, with [NConnector N-connectors] nicely terminated. I still have another 43m of this left if I need more :) I may still invest in some [LMR-400] anyway, though, since this run incurs just over 3dB attenuation. * '''An (http://www.alloy.com.au/products/GL2422VP.htm Alloy GL2422VP) [802.11b-plus 802.11b+] [PCI] card''' - 22Mbps is fun, and it seems using [PBCC] really does extend the range of 11Mbps links. I've been beta testing Linux drivers for Alloy since this card uses the Texas Instruments ACX100 chip (obviously). * '''A (http://www.superpass.com/SPDG16O.html SuperPass 8dBi) [OmniAntenna Omni-Directional Antenna]''' - I will use this for general access to [NodeFXC FXC]. * '''A [Pigtail]''' (oink) - I got an [RPSMAConnector RP-SMA] to [NConnector Male N-connector] [Pigtail pigtail] from [VaskosTsiatis Vak]. ---- !!! I need... * '''A [Mast mast]!''' - I have trees to the east I need to clear. I'm told (http://www.radioparts.com.au/ Radio Parts) have a good (http://www.hillsantenna.com.au/ Hills) (http://www.customer-self-service.com/radioparts/ProdView.aspx?popup=1&Product=00902456 6m telescopic mast), so I'll probably look at getting that. * '''An appropriate [AccessPoint Access Point]''' - I'm looking for something with at decent output, and perhaps does the draft specification of [802.11g] (like [54g] gear). I should probably wait a while first, though, but I doubt I will! * '''Time and money''' - Hopefully someone takes notice of [SimonButcherTrade my junk] I'm trying to get rid of to solve the latter problem. The former problem should solve itself soon. ---- !!! The Plan When I've acquired an [AccessPoint access point], and the [Mast mast], I will hook it up to the [OmniAntenna omni] on the roof and start properly testing my hotspot. I'm probably going to have to ditch the [OmniAntenna omni] eventually and go to someone like a [PanelAntenna panel antenna] due to the limited vertical beamwidth (I'm on a steep hill :). We'll see, though. This [AccessPoint access point] will initially be used for people linking to me, to begin with, however later on people who are more serious about their connections will be wanting [PointToPoint point to point] links. Hopefully they will help me pay for the setup cost this end. In future, if I finally get off my arse and get my amateur radio ticket, I will hopefully try to build up the funds for some sort of tri-truss or box-truss tower, which would have space (and strength to take the wind loading) for more antennae than a meer [Mast mast] has. If I plan well, a modest tower should let me reach above my neighbours to the west, and quite possibily over to many nodes in the south. The house is 'well connected', with a now unused 10-pair multicore from [Telstra] (think: [ISDN], [ADSLModem xDSL], etc), several [Optus] [PSTN phone lines], and both [Optus] and [Telstra] [CATV] cables, and excellent north-bound LoS for satellite reception. My point? [NodeFXC FXC] is available for any sort of [SmallWorldTheory shortcuts]. I believe there would need to be several shortcut gateways across Melbourne to keep traffic and latency low, and redundancy high. If [FAQ Internet Access Internet access] becomes a possibility on [MelbWireless MW], then [NodeFXC FXC] could also play host to one of the routes to the [Internet net]. ---- !!! I'm currently looking at connecting to... * '''[NodeBJD] & [NodeBJE]''' - Both are run by the same bloke. He cannot connect them directly due to the hilly terrain. It sounds like he's relying on me to link them! I'm still waiting for him to be able to do a test, hopefully soon. * Someone on the western face of Mt. Dandenong! Any takers, please [SimonButcher contact me]. Naturally it would require parabolic antennae to cover the ~10km ([802.11g]'s [OFDM] would be a benifit), but I'm mainly willing to try it for coolness factor :) I will point and hope to look for possibilities when I get my hands on a Hills 25dBi antenna (very soon). I was originally looking at [NodeGHO GHO], but looking at the wiki page, that doesn't sound too promising.. ---- !!! Nodelog ++++ ''Mon, 3 Mar 2003'': (http://www.dlink.com.au/ D-Link) have failed to release their [802.11g 802.11g-draft] gear so far, so I'm having a re-think about holding out for the [802.11g G]'s.. Last weekend I was hoping to run cat-5e and power to the top of my pantry cupboard, however Victoria's fine tradition of squeezing a plethora of seasons into one day put things on ice, so to speak (yes, har har - sorry). You have to admire this state's ability to change so rapidly between blue skies, rain, and hail, all within the one day. Did I hear it was snowing on the alps..? ''Wed, 26 Feb 2003'': Damn! Due to people dropping out of my (/members/tib TIB) bulk offer for (http://www.hillsantenna.com.au/ Hills) 25dBi [ParabolicAntenna parabolic grid antennas], I've had to forego my own order for one of these to save money. Hopefully I'll be able to do another bulk offer, and then finally get my hands on one of these beasties. Fortunately, it seems, my plans to see if I could link with [NodeGHO GHO] using the 25dBi antenna would have been delayed anyway, since it appears [NodeGHO GHO] isn't going to be up by the end of this month. More delays, more delays -- It seems that (http://www.dlink.com.au/ D-Link) are also plotting against me! Their (http://www.dlink.com.au/corporate/press/releases/pr140103.htm announcement) telling Australia that they are going to release [802.11g 802.11g-draft] gear this month still has not come to pass. Like (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2790831.stm Saddam), I suppose, they have until the end of this week to act, or the world will be disappointed! Well okay, I'll be disappointed - Nobody else seems to care much about [802.11g]! *sob sob* I guess I could go and grab a [Mast mast] while I'm waiting. I'm planning to mount a 6-metre [Mast mast] just below my roof's apex, running the [FeedLine feed line] conveniently down to the top of my pantry. In one corner on the top shelf I'll install a pair of [RJ45Connector RJ45's] and run one or two [Cat-5e] lines down to my patch rack in my "[ServerFarm server farm] room" (I love calling it that!). Oh yeah, and I'll install a power point and a bit of extra ventilation in there too. There's enough room on a small shelf in the top of the pantry for me to put a handful of access points along with a power board and my old 300VA (http://www.solaaust.com.au/ Sola) 310 [UPS]. With a new battery, that thing would run [AccessPoint access points] for yonks! ''Mon, 27 Jan 2003'': Found a pole! Well okay, two poles. One is just an old broom handle (1.3m tall), the other is a length of 20mm box-steel (2.5m). For now, I'm going to use the broom handle, since the steel requires extra reinforcing I can't be bothered with right now. I added bits so that the broom handle can be added to the triangle-thingy when it's been secured on the roof. All seemed fairly secure, even in the gusty wind, but I think I still will make a few more modifications. Unfortunately my workstation I tested from is on the bottom story of this two-story house. Running the cable out of the window and up onto the roof didn't allow me to place the triangle-thingy very high on the roof. [OmniAntenna Omni] electrical-taped to the broom handle, and cable in place, I went climbing on the roof. I could see only one [SSID], "belmer", and although it had disappeared from site-survey within half an hour, it was originally reported with pretty decent signal strength. I ran out of day-light, so I'll do a proper test after I've modified the triangle-thingy and am able to test along with [NodeBJD BJD] (3 mins walk from here). ''Sun, 26 Jan 2003'': Designed and built a temporary mounting triangle thingy for an antenna on my roof. I needed something that could be light (to carry or hoist up onto a roof) but also could hold ballast (such as a sandbags, or bricks). It needed to be robust enough to cope with a 2m pole in moderate wind, and be easy to transport if other people wanted to use it. It doesn't scratch metal roofs, and has a wide enough footing to distribute weight well. Since my roof is pitched at 30?, I decided on something along the lines of two right-angled triangle frames joined together, and a pole attached on the vertical side. I had some scrap wood left over from cutting down an (http://www.ikea.com.au/prod_template4.asp?product_id=15772&se_id=37&page_id=97293300251009&Cat=13&Scat=54 Ikea 'Sten' shelving unit), so I needed to calculate how long each triangle's sides needed to be cut to. That stuff I knew I'd never use at school (I think they call it 'maths') turned out to be handy in the end -- A few far-side calendar pages of SOHCAHTOAs and unknown value solving later, and it was all worked out. I will use this triangle thingy on my roof for more [MelbWireless MW] tests soon, when I can find a good pole and some easy to carry ballast... ''Wed, 22 Jan 2003'': Tested everything with the newly re-terminated cable. All looks well for initial tests with [NodeBJD BJD]/[NodeBJE BJE], and possibly [NodeFKU FKU].. While I'm waiting, I really should build a temporary mount for the antenna so I can plonk it on the roof, running the cable out a window. ''Tue, 21 Jan 2003'': Finally cut off about 7.5 meters of my [RG-213 RG-213/U], and reterminated the cut end with a female [NConnector N-connector] (after finally finding a good quality one at (http://www.justcoms.com.au/ Just Communications) in Ringwood). Now I finally have a [NConnector Male-N] to [NConnector Female-N] cable. Yes, it's awkward, but it's good enough for now. I thought I ordered a [Pigtail pigtail] with a [NConnector Female-N connector] on the end, but I probably forgot at the time.. ''Sun, 19 Jan 2003'': Tested my [OmniAntenna omni] with the (http://www.alloy.com.au/products/GL2422VP.htm Alloy GL2422VP), the [Pigtail pigtail] from [VaskosTsiatis Vak]. Despite being awkwardly crammed behind my computer, it worked happily. ''Fri, 17 Jan 2003'': Finally received my [RPSMAConnector RP-SMA] to [NConnector Male-N] [Pigtail pigtail] from [VaskosTsiatis Vak] (through (http://melbourne.wireless.org.au/tib/ TIB)). It worked out cheaper than me making one. ''Mon, 4 Nov 2002'': Received my (http://www.superpass.com/SPDG16O.html SuperPass 8dBi) [OmniAntenna omni antenna] (from (http://melbourne.wireless.org.au/tib/ TIB)). ''Fri, 20 Sep 2003'': Initial test, using (http://www.alloy.com.au/products/GL2422VP.htm Alloy GL2422VP) card and a (borrowed) (http://www.dlink.com.au/ D-Link) card of some description, with default antennae. 11Mbps maintained for ~250 meters, line of sight, using [PBCC] ([802.11b-plus 802.11b+]) ''Wed, 18 Sep 2002'': Received my (http://www.alloy.com.au/products/GL2422VP.htm Alloy GL2422VP) (from (/tib/ TIB)). ++++