[Ham-80211] Why? (was Handoff between access point? )

[Alex Fraser]

I also do this stuff for PNJ (Pure Nurd Joy).
We are in total agreement,  I just wanted  to clear up why we are here.

Daron J. Wilson wrote:

>>Daron,
>>The key  phrase was
>>
>>"Possible technically, but not doable at this time by hams."
>>    
>>
>
>What, specifically, is preventing Hams from doing this and where do you
>get the 'fact' that this is NOT doable by hams?	
> 
>  
>
>>I also have some paid networking experience. Rollouts! Upgrades!  Rah
>>    
>>
>rah rah!
>
>Uh....ok.
>
>  
>
>>How do you build and maintain a WAN with $0 funding and NO paid staff?
>>    
>>
>
>"No paid staff".  I must assume by your question that you are implying
>that every WAN must have paid staff in order to exist, also that you
>must have 'funding' from somewhere for a WAN to exist.  That's just
>hogwash.  There are many free WiFi services here on the west coast here
>is one as an example http://www.personaltelco.net/static/ where people
>volunteer their time for the project.  That's right, volunteer.  No Pay.
>
>
>I'm not sure where you got the $0 funding idea, obviously this hardware
>costs someone money, all hardware does.  In the example above, a
>majority of the 'hardware' is provided by people participating in the
>model by sharing their existing equipment and bandwidth.  This involved
>personal and business participation to share the bandwidth.  Am I saying
>this can be done for $0?  Probably not, most other ham projects are done
>'with $0 funding', someone buys equipment, donates equipment and labor,
>and they make it work.
>
>Could 20 hams in a small town enable wireless at their homes and build a
>WAN for other Hams? Yup, sure could.  Even Hams could do that :)
>
>  
>
>>How have you done this?
>>    
>>
>
>I know at least three other hams in my little town that have wireless
>access points that are deliberately left open like mine to share, the
>start of a WAN if you will, for our community.
>
>I've not build the model of an entire town, yet, but have done campuses
>for commercial use.  It goes together well, allows travel between nodes,
>and works.
>
>  
>
>>Could you give an example?
>>    
>>
>
>I just did.
>  
>
>>Most important, if you did create and maintain this free network, then
>>    
>>
>I must
>  
>
>>ask why? What made you do it?
>>    
>>
>
>At the risk of making this even more of a philosophical study, I suppose
>I share mine for the same reason I put up voice repeaters, and APRS
>digi's, and remote camera systems, and everything else I do for free.
>Simply because I enjoy it.  
>
>  
>
>>Is the need to experiment enough?
>>    
>>
>
>The need to experiment is one reason, it's strong, it did get me through
>high school :)
>
>On a more practical note, we often get our bandwidth donated to avoid
>the monthly charges, and we donate the equipment to make it work.
>Currently at one site we have a 2.4ghz microwave shot 18 miles to get
>broadband up there.  On that broadband, we pump out pictures from our
>cameras and soon an ATV receiver to our web site.  On the sea level end
>we are sharing a T1 with a ham owned business in town who 'donated' some
>bandwidth to our effort.  Free.  No paid staff.  Our next step is an
>access point on the mountain top and see how far away we can connect
>people up.
>
>You sounded a bit like a 'glass half empty' kinda guy, all this stuff is
>possible if you have some ambition and desire to see it work.  It is
>what Ham radio used to be about, and some of us still perceive it that
>way.
>
>73
>
>Daron
>
>www.ocrg.org
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>  
>


-- 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>----<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
........ Alex Fraser  N3DER .........
......... beatnic at comcast.net .......
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