May Personal Telco Meeting Notes
Location: ItsaBeautifulPizza
Scribe: SamChurchill
May PersonalTelco Meeting
- 6:00PM - Introductions
- 6:30PM - Reports on new nodes, special OPS recruitment
- 7:00PM - Discussion on possible hilltop locations
- 7:30PM - Install Fest discussion
- 8:00PM - General news and discussion
- 8:30PM - Personal Telco Satellite Truck demo
The May PersonalTelco meeting started with a bang with the arrival of the Personal Telco SatelliteTruck in full regalia. Erik and Nigel parked it outside ItsaBeautifulPizza at 3341 SE Belmont for the meeting. The plan was to see if the 2.4 GHz yagis could hit the node at PsychonauticalBooks. No go.
Everyone took turns climbing in the van and flicking the switches to run the 27 foot mast up and down (it runs on compressed air). The mast is rotated using an ordinary antenna rotator. On top of the mast is Nigel's Intel access point, a 2011 repeater model. Nigel informs us that the "repeater mode" requires it to be pointed to another 2011, however. The mast-mouted AP, inside the Pelican case, is attached to one of three antennas; a 6 db omni (it looked like Don's), and two Yagis, a DYI (from South Africa) and another of similar size lashed parallel to it. A flashing red strobe added sex appeal.
Inside the van, a FreeGeek (library) box and CRT were plugged into an industrial strength, rack-mounted APC uninterruptable power unit. Multiple laptops of undetermined function and various gizmos were demonstrated. Power was supplied from ItsaBeautifulPizza. AC plugged right into the power recepticle panel on the side of the van.
After knob twisting and pizza ordering, the assembled masses (about 50) wandered downstairs for the meeting.
May Personal Telco Meeting
The May 29th meeting was handed off from Adam Shand to Lucas Sheehan who conducted the meeting. Nigel asked for hands of first timers with about 8 people raising their hands. Each person explained their interests.
The meeting began with a summary of nodes and users. The are some 40 odd nodes but not all use the PersonalTelco software. About 10 users appear to be using the PersonalTelco/NoCat software with about a half-dozen using the nodes (like PioneerSquare) regularly.
Adam explained briefly the mission of PersonalTelco.
A discussion on future nodes mentioned BillyReeds on MLK and DanRichardson mentioned how his node illuminates the new Hollywood Library Branch. Dan got a nice thankyou note from a stranger who moved into the new apartments directly above the new library (The Bookmark) and found his AP. That person also attended the meeting.
- A discussion of handoff and a wireless distribution system followed. Adam passed around the Musiki M-1 device, a tiny box that runs HostAP. Musiki also makes the M-3 with multiple slots for different radios.
Nigel made a recruitment speech for The SpecialOps team. SpecialOps duty includes field work installing (and maintaining) nodes such as the one being installed at Billy Reeds.
Past SpecialOps Team members include: AdamShand, DanRichardson, MichaelCodanti and DonPark. Current active SpecialOps Team members include; AndrewWoods, JerrittCollord, NigelBallard, and JohnGreet.
Want to be a Special Ops team member? It requires advanced Linux (DebianLinux), networking and wireless skills with 1-2 hours week. Help is also need for documentation so users can figure out what to do in case something goes terribly wrong. Think you can hack it? Don Park has more: http://klickitat.yi.org/~donp/ptpops/