|
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
|
RE: [PLUG] Wireless network - Swarthmore
|
If you are using plain vanilla GPS without the DGPS (Differential GPS) to
check for your altitude, you may be off by up to 200 feet for the altitude.
I would recommend some other for of testing the altitude, preferably an
altimeter (make sure it's calibrated within the hour or so).
I have access to a building in Ridley Park Borough and also locations in
Upper Darby.
From Ridley Park, I cannot see (line of sight) the Philly buildings.
From Upper Darby, I can see most of the Philly buildings.
Does anyone have an estimated cost of each complete "cell"?
Stratos
-----Original Message-----
From: plug-admin@lists.phillylinux.org
[mailto:plug-admin@lists.phillylinux.org]On Behalf Of Chris Magnus
Hedemark
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 21:57
To: plug@lists.phillylinux.org
Subject: [PLUG] Wireless network - Swarthmore
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
So tonight I got up on top of two of the tallest structures in
Swarthmore (off campus). The disappointing bit was that the trees in
Swarthmore, as old and impressive as they are, are awfully big. In
fact, beyond about a half mile there was not much that was visible
above the tree line at all.
Building Name: "Greylock"
Roof GPS: 30:53.984N, 75:21.051W
Roof elevation: 63 feet above sea level (standing on the elevator shaft)
Notes: The roof is pretty bare & unused. No sign of vandalism. There
is a ladder going up on top of the elevator shaft. The shaft extends
about 12-ish feet from the roof itself, and has a steady surface to
stand on top of. This would be a good place to mount a mast. View of
downtown Swarthmore is limited though due to two other tall buildings
in the way. Did not notice Center City on the skyline but this was not
the clearest day and I almost missed it on the other building...
Building Name: "Swarthmore" (yeah, real imaginative)
Roof GPS: 39:54.005N, 75:21.031W
Roof elevation: 56 feet above sea level (at roof line)
Notes: Better view of downtown Swarthmore (much of it still blocked by
yet another tall building though) and taller buildings in Center City.
I almost didn't notice it on the skyline except for a blimp broke free
from the horizon to catch my attention, and then the taller buildings
were more evident. It wasn't a very clear day so the view was hazy but
unobstructed. This roof was littered with beer cans & bottles, had
some lawn chairs on it, and is probably a frequent hangout of drinking
kids. Vandalism potential. There is an existing cell phone site
affixed to the elevator shaft. I was not able to get on top of this
structure due to lack of ladder but I'm pretty sure there is enough of
a roof there to allow working on top of the elevator shaft for extra
height. I think with a tall mast on top of this building, a greater
unobstructed view of downtown Swarthmore is likely. This building had
coverage of far more rooftops in the nearby area and IMHO would make a
much better repeater site *despite* the evidence of drinking parties on
the roof (the cell phone base station hardware was easily accessible
and yet untouched).
I tried posting pictures to my gallery but my web hosting provider is
SNAFU. When I get on a better server I'll post the pics.
Swarthmore as a whole appears to be pretty low. This is probably not a
good place to act as a backhaul site to other towns, because you can't
really see anything above the trees for miles and miles. I think we'll
be lucky if we can get a back haul link to Center City. We have a
clear LOS to Center City but the distance is nothing to sneeze at
(guessing 15 or 16 miles).
What really amazed me was that my GPS reported my front door at
Prospect Park (about a mile or two from the Delaware River) as 195 feet
above sea level. I would have expected Swarthmore to be a little
higher, or Prospect Park to be a little lower.
It's starting to look like a Center City repeater is going to be a
necessity to get DelCo linked up. I think the alternative is to see
about using a different freq for back haul links (might 5GHz cut
through the trees?)
Anyone here have a connection with the property management of one of
the taller buildings in Center City?
- --Magnus
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.3.2 (Darwin)
iEYEARECAAYFAj7mjIMACgkQYPuF4Zq9lvafZQCg2ysTj9pUpYJfEXRYNfZlzpX5
43EAn1yD4VrcN2zinNKgrsjAstGQ5v4r
=WAlA
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
_________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.netisland.net/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.netisland.net/mailman/listinfo/plug
_________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.netisland.net/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.netisland.net/mailman/listinfo/plug
|
|