The main reason for the present debate around the concept of open telecommunications networks is that the current ‘closed’ networks are perceived to be the natural state of affairs. It is time we broke away from this mindset, which stems mainly from the technological limitations that existed in the past.
olsrd-0.5.6-r2 released !
source tarballs can be downloaded at: http://www.olsr.org/releases/0.5/olsrd-0.5.6-r2.tar.bz2 MD5-sum eb72e4899142daa1a6237831da40eb74 http://www.olsr.org/releases/0.5/olsrd-0.5.6-r2.tar.gz MD5-sum acf15dbd0af521a6826541b567c6473a
As part of the quest for useful content, I've been thinking about what software I have on my file server. Much of it is Linux distros, source code for packages I have been tinkering with, images and documentation I've downloaded from the net.
With that I've tried to distill a set of Distros that other people would find useful. The weekend brings an announcement of a new Linux Distro that has finally hit 1.0
Here is the announcement;
The INX team is proud to announce the release of "INX Is Not X", Version 1.0. INX is a "Live CD" distribution of GNU/Linux, derived from Ubuntu 8.04.1 LTS, but using "ubuntu-minimal" and "ubuntu-standard" as a base. It is console only, without any graphical "X" programs. INX is intended as a "tutorial" and introduction to the Bash command line, but is a fully capable, portable GNU/Linux system in its own right. It has a collection of easy-to-use menus, colour themes, easy configuration tools, music (and video on the frame buffer), some games, and several surprises for those who are not aware of what can be done in a console/tty. INX is fun, and not intimidating for console beginners. INX 1.0 also includes new features; you can now set up wireless with the "Ceni" tool from the INX "Net & Web" menu. You can use your mouse with programs like xlinks2, elinks, mc, and the jed text editor. In addition to the powerful GNU Screen program, INX now sports the "Dvtm" Dynamic Virtual Terminal Manager, a "tiled terminal manager".
You can find the original announce message here.
You can download a .torrent or .iso here.
So I've been thinking about what services I need to put up on my node(s).
You know there is the now old saying, "Content is King", there are references
on wikipedia, that describes what this means. In a nutshell its, people come back
to you web site if there is interesting or relevant content.
There is also the community factor to, maybe its not just the content but the
community that contributes the content.
Anyhow, so I've been scribbling down ideas for services to put up on the
server attached to the node. Obviously a web server, Jabber, VoIP ... erm ...
What else do folks use on their nodes and use from other peoples nodes?
Brain dump follows...
So over the last couple of weekends I've been tinkering with my node(s) after finally getting some phat coax sorted for the minitar APs that Rob give to use on the slotted wave guides. Along with a much shorter mast I'll be putting up something this weekend after taking it all down after the big winds!
Also in the last week I noticed a car load of bloke with laptops and small antenna driving around my block slowly. There was also a lot of DHCP traffic and lots of ICMP action against the node. So this is either good or not. Haven't decided, so I've dropped my node of my internet gateway/VPN end point in the mean time. I'm going to change the way it all connects anyway, so its pre-empted the decision about how I want to set it all up.
Which leads me to spending a bit of time scouring the net to see whats current after being quite a bit pre-occupied with other issues over the winter. This always happens. Spring is way more productive as I get to spend some quality time making in the shed =)
I won't be running a mini conf at LCA09. Didn't have the bandwidth to get a proposal together. So will probably be attending as a regular punter. Which will mean that I get to play with actual tech and watch whats going on rather than running about like a nutter organising stuff like I did this year. This year I setup much of the network and helped organise the Access Points and it was a long hard slog. Lots of cool stuff to see and do, but I missed out on a lot that went on. I didn't get to see any keynotes, and only a handful of talks. Not to worry, next year should be pretty amazing.
Some of Winters distractions involve selling my car, large work load, getting another, large work load, the new one being off the road in need of repairs, being a radio op at ROSA, illness, large work load, illness, car problems, too cold to work in the shed... you know, the usual winter fun. Not to mention it was too cold to work in the shed!
Projects ahead for the next couple of months; put up mast on the car port, setup AS-MtB-node1, AS-MtB-node6, AS-MtB-node11, with the slotted wave guides, dig real foundations, put up a propper tower, move nodes to new tower, setup nodes at a friends place, get my 2M gear moved to the shed and get that setup on the tower, build better power supplies, get permanent power to the shed, insulate the shed, move the rack to the shed, get the UPS repaired and running again ...
Are there ever enough hours in a day? That reminds me, need to finish of the podcast stuff and get that up now that the replacement cabls for my headphones came in today and ... erm ... stickers that right, got to get those stickers sorted... but wait theres more my file server went pop recently after a power up/down/up/down/up thing last week and need to build that up in a more redundant way. Also would like to setup something with the WIA guys that stream the news and work on something podcasty/streaming related... folks keep asking me about video of AS meetings etc, so video is something I'm going to have to have a look at soon too.
That will do for now. 73's
Hi SA clubs.
Plans for the Nov 9th event are well under way.
So far we have attending:
Strictly Ham
Yaesu Vertex
Radio Specialists
TET Emtron
Aztronics
Phil Grimshaw
NERC have volunteered to cook a BBQ. Thanks
All other clubs are invited to have a free table (not for selling) to promote their club etc.
(If you have already replied no need to again.) Please let me know soon if your club
wishes to take up this offer. The club promo tables will be in the second hall where
food will be available.
Regards
David Clegg
Secretary Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio society
0403 897 738
08 82788108
holy crap I've been a member for over 2 years
-AND never been on the network.
one of these days ill find $50.
probarbly in 4 years when i get a real job
So its that time of month again ;) Yes the intense radio/puter/geek meeting weeks =) Adelaide Hills Amatuer Radio Society -
VK5BAR are having their monthly meeting on Thursday the 15th, May. I joined up as a member at the AGM in January. I finally received my certificate for my foundation licence last week, so I'm all good to go =)
I have a 10watt radio on loan from Jacqui and I've manged to listen to the WIA broadcast on Sunday morning. Only just mind, there was so much noise it was barely readable. Thats probably a task for this weekend is to get an antenna sorted for the 80 meter band. That was the clearest of all the available repeaters. The 40 meter band seemed pretty empty. The 10 meter band had the faintest of signals and the only thing I could pick up on 80 meters was the WIA broadcast. I had a 40 meter half wave length dipole strung across the front yard, well maybe more like a inverted vee, still need to build a decent balun too. Maybe HAMs don't get out of bed before 10am like other sane people? Maybe they've all been up late working the radio until the wee hours? ;) I need to get a better space for the radio and get an antenna up more permanently.
To provide another opportunity to ask questions outside our regular monthly meetings we are soon to open a public IRC channel via this website each week.
The aim of this project is to allow anyone to ask direct questions in real-time about our community and the technology used. More importantly have these answered by the people who have been building and maintaining it.
To ensure these people are available on the IRC channel we will be only opening the channel on a specific night each week, local time. More information coming soon...
One of the key things about helping at an event like LCA08 is documenting things so that the team won't have to suffer the things you went through!
So begins the process of dumping ones brain to the Wiki...
Hopefully this might help others in their journey into building their networks =)
