Thanks go to Mike Saywell, for finally putting the info in the Consume Node DB to good use.
If you go to:
http://www.sown.org.uk/node-map/index.php?x=385744&y=393271
You can get a 'real' picture of where our prospective and active nodes are.
It's a good start - next step, to actually map where network connectivity is. Now, I just need to find the time and the GPS......
The Northern contingent of Manchester Wireless are planning another get together.
Interested parties are cordially invited
Time and date is 20:00 on 27 May 2003
Venue is "The Three Arrows"
harry@shoka.net would appreciate a note if you're planning to attend and haven't indicated this on the mailing list, to give me some idea how much of the pub to stake out if nothing else.
If you are travelling via Central Manchester, and can offer
a lift, please tell the manchesterwireless mailing list.
DIRECTIONS
***************
The Pub is adjacent junction 19 on the M60
If you are coming off the M60 leave at Junction 19, take the roundabout exit signed A576 to Manchester.
50 Yards off the roundabout, turn right.
There is a small slip road and an access through the central reservation. The lane that the pub is on is directly across the other carriageway. Please take care.
Coming from Central Manchester, you pass the long brick wall bounding Heaton Park. As you approach the M60 there is a set of traffic lights at the entrance to Heaton Park on one side and a modest Retail Park with a large sign for Sainsburys on the other. 50 Yards past those lights, the wall starts to diverge from the road. Take a sharp left turn into the lane that continues to follow the wall. Pub is directly ahead.
There is a sign for the Three Arrows on the main road, adjacent the lane.
If you come by Metro neither station is close.
Heaton Park Station is completely the opposite side
of the park, which is locked at night.
Bowker Vale is about a mile up the A576
There is a taxi operation on the A576 adjacent Bowker Vale Metro Station. I've not found it useful when I've needed one however. If you're planning to use the Metro, tell the mailing list and we'll see what can be done to pick you up.
I will be in the area immediately to your right as you enter the front door of the Arrows.
See you at 20:00 27/5/03
Cheers Harry Moyes
Here's an article from The Register about a Wireless LAN rollout in 1000 pubs with 3000 anticipated by the end of the year:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/30750.html
...and from the same article:
"Talking of pubs, BT also wants to bring wireless broadband to thousands of boozers across the UK.
The monster telco is unveiling a new 'off-the-shelf' product developed in tandem with Toshiba that will turn an ADSL connection into a wi-fi "hotspot"."
I've changed the layout for the front page of the website, so that we now have a weblog.
Anyone part of the networking effort in Manchester is welcome to post their own news to the site. If your node has just gone online, or you have some ideas you'd like to share, then get yourself an username and password, and post your news.
The blog allows comments on any of the news items posted. If you have anything you'd like to add, or feedback to give, then use comments link below each post
The inaugural post has been claimed by Harry, with some news from our recent meet-up. See below.
Tuesdays inaugural informal meet at "The Three Arrows" went off well, socially at least. Five people attended, starting at 8 o'clock and running on until 11.
Attendees
Darren Storer
Harry Moyes
Neil Lathwood
Paul Clegg
Rob Kyle
and four laptops in various flavours and states of repair...
Much talk of a general nature, of not much long term significance, mostly bewailing the hump in Heaton Park, and hatching various nefarious schemes to get a radio link to bend over the hill to link Darren to Shoka (Harry). Current best option is to try bouncing off the BT tower in Heaton Park.
The alternative proposal, of Darren calling on his radio amateur status, and hitting the problem with 400 watts at 2.4 Ghz, incidentally pre-cooking the ducks on Heaton Park lake, is on hold, for the present.
There is real hope of propagation between Darren and Paul, but Rob and Neil are both well out of range and line of sight.
Paul's existing firewall set up raised a few eyebrows. Somehow I guess it will get revised....
Other notable points were Neil coping admirably with a call out from work, via mobile phone due to the complete failure of all WiFi kit to function at all. And, since this was a Windows 2000 box running IIS that had fallen over, managing to retain a dignified silence in the face of the resulting barracking from the Linux lobby ;-).
On the WiFi front, despite being in the field of one of Shoka's 16 db antennas, all laptops having Wifi cards, and Darren having an access point in his pocket (literally, but unfortunately not the power supply :-/) not a single WiFi connection was achieved, nor even a sniff of a connection located with Netstumbler.
Shoka's unreachability seems to be related to the huge bank of chlorophyll that has appeared on the other side of the Middleton road (the trees have come into leaf). The obstinacy of the laptops does not have such a clear cause.
Until proven otherwise I am assigning that to a WiFi hating gremlin living somewhere in the depths of the 'Arrows.
I refuse to accept that it is explained by decreptitude of kit, lack of competence between keyboard and chair, and definitely not due to excessive pop consumption. Honest.
Suggested re-run at the same venue Tuesday 27 May.
Harry's offer to buy extended 'til then, on the grounds of poor take up at this event.
Cheers Harry Moyes