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<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite"> First
of all, after discussing HamWAN with Scott Honaker in the first
two months of this year, I went to the Puyallup "Mike & Key"
show for the explicit purpose of checking out HamWAN. <b>It
wasn't easy</b>; after walking both floors, I returned to the
show management table and asked for the HamWAN table location.
After locating the table, I was surprised to a bunch of used stuff
for sale (just like all the other tables), a few flyers, and a
"funny looking" radio. Of course, having seen the radio that
Scott had, I knew what to expect, but for someone just roaming the
aisles, it was easy to miss what was there, even if someone had an
interest in data radios.<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
We had a really good presence last year with 2 tables, a banner, 3
bodies staffing the tables, demo modems + dishes on display, and a
full cell site setup on a 10ft tower section in the middle. We were
also closer to the doors.<br>
<br>
It was a lot of work, and we didn't have the bodies to pull it off
this year. I'm not sure it would have made any large difference -
many of the faces were the same as last year. Very few people who I
did try to talk to about HamWAN were interested. I'm shifting
marketing strategy here right now.<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite"> When I
exhibited at Puyallup several years ago, I was demonstrating my
own (free) D-Star radio and not selling anything.</blockquote>
<br>
You have a free d-star radio? What? :) URLs!<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite"><br>
If you are going to interest people in HamWAN, you've got to have
a better physical "presentation" of equipment. You're aiming at a
narrow-enough audience (those interested in digital data) as it
is; you've got to have something attracts interest, and as a
result, gets the message out that high-speed data is possible for
a $200 investment. Don't try to sell anything; simply say that
the web site describes how to find the equipment. Have setup and
working equipment there (see below for my interest in portable
demo equipment).<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Yup, totally agree that's how you do a good booth. We do have
portable demo gear as well. Little 21dBi dishes with modems
dangling off em.<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite">
Second, have <b>pictures</b> on the HamWAN web site of the
radio/modem, and <b>especially</b> the antennas (with
dimensions). No one likes to click on a bunch of manufacturer
links to get a first impression of what a setup would look like.
Even now I don't know (because I haven't taken the time to drill
down through the various links and compare them) what alternative
antennas are available. That's even since I have some interest in
buying two more radios and setting them up for portable demos,
with antennas that are of manageable size for portable demos
(diameter about one foot). One can always explain that best
results are with a bigger antenna (a concept not unknown to
amateur radio).<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Wanna throw a better web site presentation together in this regard?
I can hook you up with editor access.<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite"> Third,
and perhaps the most important, develop some "use cases" and
document them to generate interest. As Tom pointed out above,
replacement of one's general-purpose ISP is not a <b>use</b>
case. Emergency communications, with clearly-described
capabilities (both now and in the future), would be useful. The
ability to communicate with a local DEM is a plus. Nowhere in the
flyer does it mention that the SnoCo DEM is a major node. That
information is <b>very helpful</b>, even if one is not interested
in the SnoCo DEM, because it shows that a local EOC has bought
into the concept with <b>funding and an established node</b>.
This implies that it is less likely for HamWAN to disappear if the
leaders lose interest (like has happened in Connecticut to another
part of the 44.x.x.x network). No one wants to be an orphan;
document who is involved. List on the web site who (with their
permission) has a working setup. <b>Post pictures of working
sites (nodes and users)!</b> I know the list is small now, but
amateurs like to talk to other amateurs who have taken the
plunge. In this regard, push reading the mailing list archives.<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
These are all good ideas. Again, want to make them happen?<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:534F24A0.4040100@ae7q.com" type="cite"> ps:
Monday at 5pm my next-door neighbor removed some tree roots near
our common boundary, and cut through my Frontier fiber-optic
cable. At first I thought, you have HamWAN. Then, I realized
that almost everything I do over the Internet (except browsing)
uses SSL: eMail, filing my IRS tax return, updating my server
database with live D-Star usage data. A quick drive to the local
Comcast office, and I had high-speed Internet ($40/mo) access by
7pm. Yesterday Frontier laid a temporary replacement fiber cable
above ground (that should get buried within two weeks), and I have
normal fiber optic service again. So, I now have three gateways
to the Internet (four, if I can ever connect to the K7LWH D-Star
DD node). Yes, I'm keeping the Comcast link.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Triple-homed for the win! What kind of speeds do you get on the
Frontier? I heard they really rolled back since it was FiOS.<br>
<br>
--Bart<br>
<br>
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