Hello from Steeltown. Is Hamilton still called that these days?

I've got two nodes operational, am still trying to source WRT54's to build more, but I don't have a clean line of site anywhere. In fact, I'd need a 60' tower to clear ground level in the direction of the greater GTA. I'm on the south side of town, on the wrong side of a limestone ridge on which Rymal Road is built. Hasn't bothered me for HF, in fact with a vertical it's helped.

So I'm greatly interested in tunneling, and will start playing with that once I get comfortable with the BBHN software. In the meantime, I'm scrounging through the junkbox looking for network gizmos to connect to the mesh. Got some cameras, some IP based radio interfaces, stuff.

The RAC annual meeting is at the Ancaster hamfest this year, in October. Is anyone considering setting up a demo mesh on site, or maybe some workshops? Seems the tech could use some better optics, before it fades into obscurity and all the WRT54's get shredded. Would this be a good opportunity? I've got two nodes I can bring...

Woohoo! Thanks, Al, ordered 4. Hope their mail order is reliable, I've never dealt with them before. I've got 1 GS and really like the extra memory.

Just noticed that the link I gave was for installing the old software, should be: http://www.old.barriearc.com/Files/WRT54G-RG%20Broadband-Hamnet%20v1.0.0%20instructions.pdf for installing the new bbhn v1.0.0 on a WRT54G-RG. 73

I have a WRT54-GS node operational on a rooftop near Rebecca and Ferguson in Hamilton. The noise level in the area is horrendous, so the node's in the middle of the roof, cutting out most of the ground level residential clutter. Height above ground is about 60'. Clear line of sight is difficult due to the taller buildings in the area, but there are several good lines from the escarpment. There are also several clear lines across the bay to Burlington, and I'd love some feedback if those lines work out.

Currently the active antenna is a 15db omni. There's a 24db mesh parabolic, in horizontal orientation, but it's gain was actually causing some grief. It's currently pointed at Sam Lawrence Park, link length about 2 km. Sometime in the next week or so, I'll turn it around and re-activate it towards Burlington.

I've had success linking with a stock WRT54 at Sam Lawrence park, with LQ better than 60%. The path between the two sites passes between two high-rise apartments, which are in the fresnel zone, and that causes some interesting affects. For example, from above, I can't tell the difference between horizontal and vertical polarization at the lower site, and there is very little difference in performance between the omni and the dish.

I"ve had much better success with a Nanostation. Link Quality with the NS is better than 80% both ways. It seems to get through the noise a lot better, despite it's greater sensitivity. Doing a 'wifi scan' from Sam Lawrence park, I was picking up 3 pages of AP's, more than a few operating on chan. 1.

The results I'm getting are consistent with the modelling I did using RadioMobile, with the exception of the effects caused by the buildings on either side of my path. The program generalizes built-up areas, and can't predict link viability for specific constructions. Good 'ol direct viewing with a pair of binoculars still works best.

If you're up on the Hamilton escarpment with a yagi, please give this a try, and leave a message on the built-in Hamchat message board. Please feel free to E-mail me with specific questions, or to schedule a test across a couple of nodes.

- ve3rtj (at) gmail.com

Hi! The node is on the roof of a building near King William and Mary streets, about 60 feet high. It has a dish pointed almost due east, and a 15db omni. Both are vertical polarity.

I've run link models using Radio Mobile Online, and it tells me a link from LaSalle Park is possible. I've been able to establish a weak link from the Bridgeview parking lot, across from the golf course near Hwy. 6 and Plains rd, using a 12db yagi.

I'd love to hear how you make out. If you can, try a link from the top of Kern's road. There's a parking area about halfway up to Hwy. 5 that has a great view of dowtown Hamilton. Send me a screen shot of the Mesh Status page, we can call it a QSL card. If you get a good link (>50% LQ) don't forget to sign the Hamchat 'guest book'.

The longest link I've established is a little over 10km to the Devil's Punchbowl in Stoney Creek. The downtown node's site is problematic; a lot of building clutter, and a -75dbm noise floor.

The node is running V1.0 and won't be upgraded until I take it down in a few weeks.

I will try those out and see what I can do, Im still stock with antennas right now though so it might be impossible until i get my hands on a yagi or the likes, just looking for a good source to buy from.

Hi, Folks;

The Hamilton Amateur Radio Club is working on putting a hub on our repeater site on the escarpment. If we beat the snow, this site will basically be an evaluation site, with 4 Nanostations aimed in the four cardinal directions. The site is near the intersection of Fennel and upper Gage, at a height above ground of about 75 meters.

If the evaluatiion goes well, we'll upgrade in the spring to a sectored broadcast node bridged to a point to point backbone.

The modelling I've done with Radio Mobile indicates there should be a viable link from this site to the Burlington repeater site at Kerns' Rd. and Dundas St. (is it still there?) Further east to Oakville or Mississauga may be possible with dual dishes and diversity.

We're also going to be running some workshops during the winter, a couple of Thursdays a month, to build up some user skills in using nodes. Anyone is welcome, watch our web site for announcements:

http://www.hamiltonarc.ca