The AREDN Mesh “Home” screen showing currently operational nodes.
We continue to make progress on building out our mesh network each week. Last Saturday, we got the node installed at the club station at Red Cross Headquarters. Theo KK6YYZ climbed the tower and ran the cable with assistance from Michael K6RQV, Brian K6BPM, and Bruce KG6NRW helped out there at the end. A WiFi adaptor was installed and any member should be able to come in with their tablet or smartphone and browse the mesh network by connecting to the mesh WiFi SSID.
Nicely constructed home-brew mount by K6FLD.
Some of our members with more complicated installations are also making progress. Because of their more distant locations, Frank K6FLD and Eric KG6WXC decided to go with Ubiquiti Rocket MS2 radios with high gain dish antennas. Frank needed a custom mounting solution and we worked out the details using inexpensive EMT conduit on the Digital Modes Net. Eric, who lives in an HOA controlled building decided to paint his dish a nice “Dish Networks” shade of grey. Good luck disguising that!
KG6WXC’s “Dish Network” grey dish antenna.
Out next phase will involve installing nodes at the K6TZ repeater site on the Mesa. We could still use some help funding this area as these will be SBARC sponsored and we need these to provide coverage for members who live on the Mesa and unable to see Gibraltar directly. We are also installing a tunneled node up on Santa Ynez Peak so that we can bring in our members in the Santa Ynez Valley. If you can help SBARC with this project, your contribution will be gratefully accepted!
In addition, Tom KA6SOX will be adding special shielded enclosures and cabling to the Gibraltar site nodes to provide interference protection.
For more information about our mesh network project, please click here.
Brian – K6BPM
Post expires at 8:11pm on Friday July 1st, 2016 but will still be available in the archives.
