Location:NodeLuckyLabNW
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 6:30pm-8:00pm
Scribe: RussellSenior
Roll Call: MarinoDuregon, RussellSenior, SteveTree, GregMoore, ChristopherChen
Agenda
- Pick location for next weekly
- Discuss PTP purchasing a Flip video camera to facilitate easy documentation of things.
MichaelWeinberg thinks this model would be good.
- Getting this soon would make it easy to create videos of Portlanders asking Google to deliver the fiber!
Report on status of SkyPilot dismantling
Report on new node NodeLuckyLabNorth
- Vivato panel offer, yes/no?
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Notes
- Brief discussion about moving time or day of Weekly Meeting to accomodate various conflicts:
- Chris has classes on Tuesday/Thursday, the most obvious alternative days
- Possibly moving the start time of Weekly Meetings later, say 7, 7:30 or ??
- Russell notes that scheduling consistency is very helpful for newcomers (relates his anecdote about taking about 4 months before he managed to get to his first PLUG meeting)
- Russell also notes that weekly meetings usually aren't when newcomers show up, so we have more latitude to mess with their scheduling.
GregMoore tells about Woodstock Business Association meeting, sounding positive.
- General discussion of captive portal shortcomings
- Needs accomodation for mobile phones, apparently Windows-based mobile devices are particularly bad at displaying splash for authing, iphones timeout for some reason, etc.
- Chris and Russell both express doubts about the efficacy of a flip, seems like existing cameras do an adequate job of capturing video, also fixed focal length of flip has it limitations.
Russell updates attendees on status and twists/turns of PTP's effort to get ahold of the MetroFi remnants.
- Originally thought there would be an interval between the City pole removals and total removal in which to evaluate effectiveness of devices and possibly to have a chance to make a case for leaving some of the devices up.
- City decides to take them down all at once, leaving disposition of the bulk to the winning bidder.
- Description of failed efforts to have the City re-evaluate its process in light of its shortcomings for PTP.
- Description of the City's process:
- City-PTP agreement regarding our acceptance of donated devices
- Bid solicitation offering PTP devices on City poles, offering bidder devices on PGE poles
- Notice of Intent to Award to Dryer Electric on March 2
- Expiration of period in which to object to Intent to Award for cause on March 9
- Contract with Dryer Electric (future)
- Removal (future)
- Description of efforts to contact Dryer Electric, ultimately successful after some failure (dryerelectric.com website has obsolete information), and the generally positive outlook for ultimate acquisition of additional devices.
Description of so-far-unsuccessful efforts to obtain SkyGateway device on Kerby Garage roof, as it needs no bucket truck and should be readily accessible, allowing us to make progress on evaluation.
Description of pending efforts to obtain SkyGateway devices on Housing Authority of Portland roofs, particularly at Hollywood East building where there are two, and Stephouse assistance in doing so.
- Description of PTP's contacts with potential partners for redeployment.
Russell mentions the installation of the new NodeLuckyLabNorth, the Tap Room, which should be opening in the near future. The node has been active since March 2.
- Russell mentions that Tyler has offered PTP three vivato (802.11b) panels, that have some onerous power and mounting requirements, along with interesting capabilities. Discussion ensues about how we might be able to make practical use of them as:
- Directed energy weapon
- Telemetry capture for Portland State Aerospace Society
- Dissection for learning
Description of the Google Fiber effort, and for fiber in general, description of the Fiber Potluck at SheldonRenan's house, need to "burst the cell wall" and activate systemic interest/demand for freedom-respecting, scarcity-squashing infrastructure.