Satellite Internet Blues

[Randall]

Originally Posted by Jeff

Here two-way satellite was pretty rock solid through storms - maybe 2 or 3 outages a year due to water sitting on the wrong part of the dish transmitter/tria but when it went out it was raining hard enough that I couldn't read the 12" letter on the dish 100' from the window. If it really does go out weekly due to weather, my pure guess would be not ideal alignment.

I'll pass that along to him.

Randall

[Randall]

The neighborhood attitude about things like wind turbines is more about rampant homeowner paranoia than fuel prices. The wrong color window frame gets people into a froth. So let's save the global crisis for another thread...

My friend is going to look into the aiming and signal strength questions. I'm hopeful that he can improve the situation -- I know Snarpy's wireless goes down every time they have an ice storm in Missouri, but losing your internet connection to a simple rainstorm has to be a PITA.

Nice pictures, Monty.

Randall

[skolnick]

I live on my boat. When thunderstorms roll through I drop shore power and run off the house battery bank. If power goes out for more than a couple of days I can recharge from my generator in a few hours and be good for another couple of days.

Internet is both local community wireless and AT&T 3G.

I try not to think about the 64' high metal mast thingy waving in the air over my head.

Seriously, aside from the aluminum mast, it is nice to be able to continue operations without any connections to the grid and the messy spikes that weather can induce.

There are lots of resources on the web for power off-the-grid. It isn't hard although it can be a bit pricey.

[Randall]

Originally Posted by skolnick

I live on my boat.

Oh, sure. Rub it in.

I try not to think about the 64' high metal mast thingy waving in the air over my head.

www.strikeshield.com:

Strikeshield is an add-on system that quickly attaches to the aluminum mast of the sailboat and immediately creates a lightning capable ground to protect the vessel. It is the result of assiduous research and rigorous engineering to meet and exceed existing lightning protection standards for sailing vessels.

Or you could, like, flip the boat upside down during a storm. Just a thought.

And we know all about the limits of offshore "internet" now. Satellite would be like heaven, if you could just keep the dish pointed in the right direction.



Randall

[skolnick]

Thanks Randall. You can come sailing with me anytime you like.

Lightning is a subject that has more opinion than science around. I've been professionally engaged on the subject a number of times.

There are a number of solutions to keep the dish pointed at the right point in the sky even offshore for only slightly obscene prices ($5k - $15k).

My somewhat obscure point was that separation from the grid is achievable without completely breaking the bank. A combination of products from the marine, RV, and self-sufficiency markets can set you up nicely. The costs are attention-getting. A good-sized battery bank (500 - 1500 Ah), a charger, an inverter, and a generator will run $10k - $20k; add a wind generator and solar panels and you reduce cost of operation with some additional investment required.

An intermediate solution is a smaller battery bank, a larger generator, and an inverter/charger to isolate power source (grid and generator) from electronics.

Or you can put everything on really good UPS equipment and shut everything down when thunderstorms loom, build a nice fire, and kick back until the weather clears. Oh -- a laptop with a big battery will let you play on the 'net (or even get some more work done) even while servers and printers are down.

[Randall]

Originally Posted by skolnick

Thanks Randall. You can come sailing with me anytime you like.

Heh. Don't tempt me -- I think the best family vacation we ever did was a windjammer cruise in Maine. Not much by today's adventure travel standards, but it was unique.

I'm supremely jealous of certain Coast Guard-connected people who have been to sea on the Eagle. But at least I got to see it once, maybe twice.

A good-sized battery bank (500 - 1500 Ah), a charger, an inverter, and a generator will run $10k - $20k; add a wind generator and solar panels and you reduce cost of operation with some additional investment required.

The neighbors wouldn't like that around here. People had to get special permission at first just to replace the old in-wall A/C units with freestanding ones. Wind turbines and solar panels would freak them out totally.

But I have been following the off-grid movement with more than a little interest. Nothing would be cooler than having your own power station.

Randall

[Andilinks]

Originally Posted by Randall

Wind turbines and solar panels would freak them out totally.

Just wait 'til they get next year's energy bills, that will unfreak them. There's some possibility that oil will fall below $120/bbl before the heating season but if it doesn't attitude adjustments will blow through your neighborhood like a nor'easter.

[Randall]

Originally Posted by Andilinks

Just wait 'til they get next year's energy bills, that will unfreak them. There's some possibility that oil will fall below $120/bbl before the heating season but if it doesn't attitude adjustments will blow through your neighborhood like a nor'easter.

For these folks, a long shot even then.

I'm pretty sure there aren't any Priuses in the neighborhood. Not yet, anyway.

An old college friend of mine has a Prius. Wasn't planning to buy one so soon, but their previous car got totaled on I-95 in New Haven, CT, kinda forcing the issue...

Randall

[Andilinks]

Most people don't realize this but the price of gasoline has not kept pace with the price of oil, the refiners have been eating the difference (not that we need to shed any tears for them). But heating oil may be different.

Granted, the people who set the tone in your neighborhood may be unfazed by their heating bills doubling, but these same people may be disturbed that poorer folk all over the world are killing each other wholesale for lack of fuel and food.

Few people realize the magnitude of the global crisis that is upon us. Expect mass starvation and rampant genocide in undeveloped regions, especially if there is an Israeli or US war with Iran. Darfur is just a sampling of what's to come if the price of oil keeps rising.

The new price of oil hasn't been priced into next year's crops yet. Fasten your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

[Monty]

Speaking of off the grid, here's a couple of pics from last weekend. Notice my dish to the left of the RV. I haven't had any issues with Hughes and have been with them for 3 years. Storms really don't seem to have much effect on being able to connect to it around here, but Sat Mex 27 is pretty high in the sky in this area.