Helderberg:20100821-InitialMeetNetworkAndFinances
Contents
CTWUG - Helderberg
Minutes of Meeting – 21 August 2010
Attendees
- Darryl Sawyer (Daz)
- Brendon Ross (Silver-Surfer)
- Rowan Anderson (NonesZA)
- Mike Davis (BigMikeDavis)
- Charl Champ (SirPremacy)
- Ernest Neethling (AmberDrake)
- Wesley Channon (CuttingEdge)
- Jeremi-Ernst Avenant (Jeeva)
- Peter Murgatroyd ([pmurgs])
- Edwin Roux (StormWalkerZa)
- Christie Davel
- Charl Moller (cwmoller)
Proposed Agenda
- Rage HS finance & status
- Helderberg HS general plan
- The upcoming Mercury <=> Drake <=> Triton link
- Moving users on the Western edge of Triton's sector to Drake
- Helderberg HS naming theme
- Planned backbones
Meeting
Amberdrake opened the meeting by welcoming all attendees and thanking contributors. Thanks go out to Daz for sponsoring the breakfast as well as providing the venue for the meeting. Extra gratitude go out to Drake and BigMikeDavis for all the effort in getting DrakeHome HS up and running. Thanks to all the members who took the time to come to the meeting. A big “Thank You” goes to Daz’s wife for preparing a marvellous breakfast, enjoyed by all.
Proposed High Sites
- DrakeHome – All necessary equipment for DrakeHome (Phase 1) has been purchases and been tested. The plan is to connect DrakeHome directly to Mercury HS, a sector has been installed to service clients who were originally on the western edge of Triton’s range. DrakeHome is currently connected to Triton’s sector, temporarily. Currently only one sector is installed, another will be needed in future. A 31dBi grid will be installed on Saturday 28 August to connect to Mercury.
- Triton – Triton’s grid to Mercury is schedule to be realigned with DrakeHome using a Grid to Grid link. This, coupled with the move of certain clients to DrakeHome, should improve stability and throughput of the TritonHS. The sectors at Triton will be adjusted and moved where necessary. This should improve coverage of Gordons Bay. Investigation into the “unwanted shifting” of coverage by the sectors on Triton should be performed while on-site.
- Rage – A proposed high site in Gordons Bay was also discussed. Finance for equipment is needed. This HS will connect directly into Diabolix’s HS. This will be beneficial as Diabolix is on the “other side” of the WUG to Mercury, thus lightening the load on the already strained CTWUG infrastructure. Marais knows the owners of the House where Rage will be set up.
Amberdrake continued on to proposed linking all three High Sites together, this will remove bottle necks and help reduce downtime should a link fail. Links will be Grid to Grid links.
Daz has spoken to Maxload in Somerset West, who were kind enough to offer a 10% rebate on equipment bought through the HBWUG account. The rebate will be used to help finance the High Sites. Should you need to buy equipment, please make us of this. The account is Cash on Delivery and allows WUG’gers to pay dealer prices for the equipment.
A list of the current equipment installed at Triton needs to be made. All cards to be upgraded to “Hn” based cards when finances allow.
Pmurgs is based in Fish Hoek and is interested in connecting to the HBWUG, he is willing to sponsor the Grid and WiFi card of the HBWUG side of the connection. Rage looks like a good HS to connect to from his side. Pmurgs also mentioned that there is already a WUG set up in Houtbay and Kommetjie, there might be an option of connecting to them via him as they are isolated due to the mountain ranges. They are however already looking into the option of using a Sentech Tower as a possible position for a relay node into the WUG. Pmurgs thinks that Aragon or Pilgrim are involved in this.
Jeeva suggested looking at “HHWug Discovery” node on WIND as a possible HS location for the HBWUG. He already has some equipment for this node and will set this up in the course of the next 2 weeks. Jeeva, please provide a complete list of equipment.
Wetkit is in the process of setting up a node on Tygerberg Hospital, this could be an ideal link for one of our HS’s to connect to in future. See “Wetkit Test 5” on WIND.
The squash club at Radloff Park has been earmarked as a possible location for another HS in the area, approval to install kit has already been received. Daz is in contact with the committee. Another possible HS could be the “Old Age Home” nearby. A meeting with them would need to be arranged. If anyone has any contact details or knows somebody there, please let us know.
Cwmoller and CuttingEdge work with JaJa (CTWUG admin) if we need help.
Detailed discussions and investigation into QoS for the HBWUG need to be carried out. This will be scheduled for the next meeting.
The naming convention for the HBWUG High Sites needs to be decided. All suggestions should be posted on the HBWUG irc channel, a forum poll will be setup for voting after enough suggestions have been received.
The idea of a “Skuld Brief” was suggested by Silver-Surfer. The idea is to have HBWUG members “loan” money to the HBWUG to purchase equipment and then have the debt repaid as more and more members join and make donations. There was some concern about this, the meeting attendees were not sure if CTWUG admins would approve.
Daz concluded meeting by asking for donation pledges. The amounts pledged will be published by Silver-Surfer.
Meeting closed.
