Network Planning

I'd like to suggest a few next steps related to our Mesh and the Providence Mt St Vincent site. The goal is to get some initial steps taken to develop the growing Mesh, particularly through the early summer of good weather. Application for an ARDC grant could take 3 to 6 months, and grant awards are becoming more competitive.

1. Get a HamWAN connection at PMSV.

COST: 2 radios/dishes at $375 + tax from Streakwave: $750

This would provide the Mesh radio at PMSV with an Internet connection, and reduce the number of hops to access HamWAN/the Internet. It would support our future plans by having considerable capacity/bandwidth into the HamWAN backbone.

The proposal from HamWAN is for WSARC to implement a Ubiquiti 60 GHz point to point link from Beacon to PMSV. The recommended equipment is the Ubiquiti AirFiber 60 LR.

https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-airfiber/products/airfiber-60-lr

2. Install Outdoor Weatherproof Box + Ethernet Switch,

COST: Amazon, VEVOR NEMA Steel Enclosure, 24 x 24 x 12'' $285

Amazon, Netonix WS-8-150-DC 8-Port Managed POE Switch $375

One of the challenges at PMSV is the lack of large holes through the solid concrete wall to the inside of the mechanical penthouse. This 24" x 24" x 12" weatherproof steel box will be mounted outside on the wall of the penthouse, and will house our ethernet switch. The many/several cables from various hamwan, mesh and other radios can be run into this box, rather than plugging up limited holes through the concrete wall.

The Netonix switch accepts 9-72V DC In, and provides both 24V and 48V POE out.

$210 for the cabinet, $75 for cabinet air vents and installation hardware, $375 for POE switc

3. Deploy 2 Sector antennas at PMSV, with 3 radios.

COST: $1,300 (Equipment list below)

The Omni antenna we are using is high gain, and narrow vertical beamwidth.

The proposal is to use a dual-band. 2.4 Ghz/5.9 Ghz sector antenna facing north.

The North Sector (Black) would support both AREDN on 2.4 , and HamWAN on 5 GHz.

The SE Sector (Blue) would be AREDN on 2.4 GHz only.

Equipment:

Dual Band Antenna: KPPA-2HV5HV-90SS 2GHz H/V + 5GHz H/V 90° 2-in-1. $520

5 GHz radio: Mikrotik basebox 5 $129

2.4 GHz radio Mikrotik basebox 2 $129

Single Band Antenna: KPPA-2GHZDP120S-WC 2GHz 15dBi Sector Gen3 w/Case & Cables $345

2.4 GHz radio Mikrotik basebox 2 $129

/Randy