Specific comparisons would depend on knowing which WISP but here are three general comments that typically apply:

First, MRIC is a not-for-profit cooperative with expectations of volunteer help and local member services (not usually supported by profit-making companies). If you are interested in cheap bandwidth and don't mind contributing a few hours helping others, then MRIC may be a good fit. MRIC's goal is to bring broadband to the home at near dial-up prices.

Second, MRIC does not cap your bandwidth. Other WISPs charge a tier pricing. For 128 Kbps it might be $45 but for 1500 Kbps it might be closer to $180, for example. MRIC will allow you to fully use any unused bandwidth for the same fixed price - $50. As more subscribers sign up, more bandwidth will be purchased to make sure the average bandwidth per user does not degrade. During our trial, many homes saw near T1 speeds. Lower limits were usually a function of poor signal more than network congestion. Of course, individual results differ since MRIC does not guarantee bandwidth.

Third, MRIC does not charge you more for multiple computers. We believe the connected home may have multiple computers accessing the Internet. As long as the cumulative usage is not excessive relative to other users (i.e. no one complains) go for it. We are trying to encourage home businesses. This is a substantial monthly savings compared to other WISPs. Rates may need to be negotiated for commercial businesses with more than 5 employees but MRIC is confident we can undercut any commercial WISP pricing.

Most phone lines in the Magnolia area do not support 56K speeds...typically it's more in the lower 20K to mid 30K speeds. If you were the only person logged onto the system with a T1 connection, then your speed would be approximately 50X (5000 percent) faster! It's difficult to say what your actual speed will be as it depends on system traffic. However, measuring actual performance is possible using web sites such as http://www.toast.net/performance/.

Another web site that measures upload and download speeds is http://www.dslreports.com/archive. While MRIC makes no performance claims, by checking and entering your zip code you can see test results in your area. MRIC's main zip code is 80466 but you could do general area ISP comparisons by just entering the first 3 zip code digits.

Initially you will be sharing a T1 which is over 10X faster. It's possible that if a large number of subscribers were simultaneously logged in your performance would be less than ISDN. However, MRIC will be monitoring the load and will add bandwidth as needed so that the typical experience will be much better than ISDN. With ISDN, you have a small delay when the ISDN modem dials out. Because MRIC is always-on technology, you eliminate this delay. In addition, using 802.11 technology will give you greater mobility within the coverage area. MRIC intends to offer overall faster than ISDN speeds at roughly half ISDN monthly fees.

While the 300 to 400 percent speed improvements are noticeable, the real difference is the elimination of lengthy satellite delays. These delays cause problems for VPNs, Internet gaming, telnet, and certain other real-time applications. The 802.11 technology is less susceptible to bad weather conditions than one-way satellite so reliability should be higher; it also allows greater mobility within the coverage area. In addition, eliminating one phone line will save approximately $40/month in the Magnolia service area.

Aside from the latency issues mentioned with one-way satellite, two-way satellite speeds vary tremendously. The upload speed may not be much better than a 56K dial-up. The equipment costs for a two-way system may cost over $700. The 802.11 technology allows greater mobility within the coverage area. MRIC fees will be lower than typical 2-way satellite fees (about $70/month).

As in the case of the one-way satellite modem, latency is an issue. While the download speed is fast, the initial delay may seem significant.

This was the question most MRIC subscribers considered before joining. For a good listing on technologies and possible service providers see http://www.dslreports.com/alternatives. If you find something cheaper, faster, more reliable, and still community-oriented (remember "fostering community through connectivity") please let us know! MRIC's technology will continue to evolve.

802.11b is a commodity product. While 802.11a and 802.11g are promising, products based upon those technologies may take a few years to mature. MRIC hopes to support newer 802.11 protocols when firmware upgrades are available.

For help in sorting out 802.11 interoperability issues see: http://www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011,2792090,00.html

Here are a couple of more articles on the differences between the various flavors of wireless protocols:

The 802.11g protocol is approved:

More info on the emerging 802.11a protocol:

First contact us. If you have your GPS (Universal format preferred) and elevation please e-mail our membership coordinator with a waypoint from your home. Ideally, the waypoint should be in UTM. The folks at MRIC will check the topographic maps to see if there are any access points from which you may receive service and will get back you.

What if you don't have access to a GPS and/or you don't know what a waypoint is? No problem, send email to our membership coordinator requesting that a waypoint be taken and someone will contact you to arrange to get a waypoint at your location. There is no obligation whatsoever! Before we sign you up, we'll conduct an on-site signal strength measurement test.

Currently MRIC is targeting upper Magnolia (Porter Ranch, Twin Sisters, Forsythe, Pine Glade, Aspen Meadows, Lazy Z) for initial deployment of the network. Ideally, if at all possible, MRIC would like to target lower Magnolia given sufficient interest. In the future, MRIC will consider other locations such as Wondervu and certain Sugarloaf locations.

Short of setting up an 802.11b receiver there's no guarantee you can access the MRIC signal. You might check if any of your neighbors have joined this cooperative. You could also see if you have Line of Sight (LoS) to any of the main Magnolia landmarks such as Twin Sisters, Winiger Ridge, Forsythe Peak, or the Porter Ranch watch tower. LoS is usually required for any distance (greater than 1 mile) from these locations.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SIGNAL ACCESS IS NO GUARANTEE THAT MRIC WILL PROVIDE SERVICE TO YOUR LOCATION.

To see a PDF file of our coverage area, click here (946K).

Our mission statement is to supply low-cost high-speed Internet access to the Magnolia Road area. Beyond that we could technically support Wondervu, Sugarloaf, Ridge Road, and more since line of sight (LoS) may extend far beyond the central (most flat) area of Magnolia. However, we have to caution expansion with reliability concerns, economics, and volunteer limitations. For example, it takes 6 to 12 subscribers to justify the construction of one repeater tower assuming only one repeater tower is needed to reach this new network edge. With every tower, more volunteers might be needed to provide 7 x 24 support. Can we do that while remaining low cost? It's probably safer to make this decision once we have some experience.

The MRIC board of directors (6 members with periodic elections) needs to assess several offers of help - both physical and financial. It's likely that we will adopt the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) philosophy initially; we really need to walk before we run. It's likely that limited service will start in early 2002 along Magnolia between Porter Ranch and Pine Glade to give us some experience. Twin Sisters, Forsythe, Hazelwood, Aspen Meadows will likely be included in this early adopter phase.

Several case-by-case decisions will need to be made during 2002 as we want to expand realistically. Getting to all of Lazy Z is a high priority, for example, but we will not know all of the shadow pockets until initial repeater towers are built. Covering West Magnolia and Lower Magnolia is still conceptual as there isn't a critical mass of potential subscribers yet and we've also not worked out the repeater tower coverage.

In general, MRIC is a volunteer organization. If sufficient volunteers come out to provide repeater tower locations, financial support, and technical support then anything is possible. We just want to start off with baby steps: small moves, Ellie, small moves.

If you have a strong signal (typically if you are within 500 feet of a repeater), then only a USB client (we recommend ORiNOCO Gold USB Client sold from $130+), or PCMCIA card (we recommend ORiNOCO Gold). These high quality 128-bit encryption cards typically start above $80. PCI card adapters are available for $60 if your computer does not have a PCMCIA slot. Apple owners should buy the standard Airport card (which happens to use the same chipset as ORiNOCO) which typically sells for $99. Estimate your minimum equipment cost if you are very close to a repeater and have a laptop as under $100.

For most people, though, an additional small antenna costing between $65-90 plus $20 cable connectors (as MRIC plans to absorb the $0.80 per foot cable cost) is necessary. Most people have been choosing a HyperGain 24-dBi Grid Antenna. Listing on the web for about $130, MRIC group purchases have resulted in this antenna being available for $87. Side mounting gear (similar to mounting a TV satellite dish) runs between a 4-inch wall mount for $8 to 12-inch wall mount for $16. A five foot antenna mast (which can be cut and shared) costs $9. You will need $1 of RG-8 (as we use 0.5-inch low loss cable) clips per 15 to 20 feet of cable. From your antenna to your PCMCIA card, a $20 pigtail cable is needed. Add a wall plate (optional) for under $5. Estimate your total antenna cost (antenna, cable, connectors, clips, pigtail) for a typical cable run of under 30 feet below $250. While some of the more common items such as clips, wall plate, antenna mast, and wall mounts can be purchased at Radio Shack, the antenna, cable, connectors, and pigtail cable have all been specially ordered from Internet sources.

If you have a fainter signal (signal to noise ration under 12 dB while testing on a laptop at the antenna) an additional $300 to $350 is recommended for a quality (we recommend HyperAmp) 100mW to 250 mW outdoor signal amplifier. (MRIC group purchases for $500 list amplifiers have been about $330 each.) MRIC's goal is to avoid this requirement once all repeater towers are built but antennas blocked by big trees or in a low location ("hole") are likely to need this amplifier. MRIC did apply for a state grant for additional repeaters but it was not funded due to budget cutbacks. It's possible that as our network grows, these subscribers may not need amplifiers in the future. Note that clear line of sight (LoS) can make up for distance (as we've had excellent S/N ratios even under "whiteout" conditions at over 2 miles); two homes across the street from each other may have 10 dB S/N differences just because of trees or elevation!

If your household has multiple computers you'd like connected, and you do not currently have a local area network (LAN) in place, a local access point (AP) might be an option. APs with limited firewall capabilities can be purchased for $90 (ORiNOCO RG-1100 when part of a bundle) to under $400 (ORiNOCO AP-1000).

MRIC plans to publish recommended hardware configurations and facilitate group purchasing. MRIC plans to pass on any discounts possible.

During the initial tower construction period (estimated over $5,000) MRIC is requiring a seed capital no-interest loan, currently proposed at $300. We anticipate this no-interest loan will be repaid as a service credit starting in the second year of operation. Other MRIC incorporation costs include legal counsel, bank & credit-card processing set-up, insurance, and other non-hardware fees anticipated at over $ 4,000. MRIC will need an estimated total of $15,000 in seed capital before full operation.

State laws for incorporated cooperatives require a membership fee. A lifetime membership fee is $50.

Summarizing, your initial equipment costs could be from under $100 to about $500 with an additional optional seed capital loan amount of $300 and required membership fee of $50. If you are very close to a repeater you might only need to budget $90 if you skip the seed capital loan. Most people can expect to budget $400, skipping the seed capital loan request. MRIC intends to drive down these initial costs as much as possible without degrading signal strength, reliability, and security. MRIC's fiscal philosophy is to not hide startup costs nor does MRIC want to be a retail outlet. Any group purchases will be organized by MRIC volunteers and subject to market conditions. MRIC welcomes volunteer labor, professional services, and materials to reduce costs for all.

To see a PDF file of possible equipment scenarios for the home and estimated costs, click here (637K).

To see a review of equipment from several manufacturers, click here.

The surge protection device should be located outside but as close to your computer or networking equipment as possible keeping the cable run between such components to a minumum. Place the device where the cable enters the house. Ground the device to a standard grounding rod (copper clad, 8') with 10 gauge copper wire. This is the optimal scenario. The antenna cable will be split into two sections therefore each installation will require four male N connectors.

The best surge protection device is the Huber Suhner N-type lightning protector/capsule kit (3402.17K W/73Z-0-0-448). They are about $100 each. The gas capsules inside are replaceable.

The part number: 3402.17.0043
Gas capsule: 73 Z-0-0-47 (230 V)

You need both. Available at: http://www.hubersuhnerinc.com/Products/LightningProtectors.htm

or

Huber Suhner
15216 Burbank Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91411
(818) 989-1133

MRIC is considering a bulk purchase of these protection devices.

Although billing will likely be quarterly with discounts for annual renewal, the monthly fee works out to be $50/month. Our eventual goal is to bring the monthly fee below the cost of dial-up service (typically $25/month).

Note that this is a flat fee regardless of the number of computers you own. Commercial businesses with more than 5 employees need to negotiate a flat monthly fee; MRIC wants to encourage home-based businesses so we'll be reasonable.

The $50/month is a bargain when compared to commercial ISPs charging a tiered service. Comparing the actual MRIC performance using data from http://www.dslreports.com/archive with other Colorado wireless ISPs (WISPs) listed in http://www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/colorado-wisps.htm MRIC's flat $50 per month rate is a bargain...you could easily pay double or more for equivalent bandwidth.

This is highly dependent on a number of factors. If you plan to connect to our network, you should avoid purchasing 2.4 Ghz wireless devices (i.e. 2.4 Ghz wireless phones, microwaves) until your connection is up. You can then test the device and either keep it, or take it back. The external antennas help a good bit,but the only sure way to tell is to test. Internal 802.11b networks within the home will need to be set up on locally unused channels to minimize interference. We plan on moving to the 5Ghz for the backbones with the maturing 802.11a gear, so this should eventually partially ameliorate the problem.

MRIC makes no requirement that a subscriber setup a firewall. With that said, it is good practice when using an 'always-on' service to install a firewall. This will reduce the possibility of your private data getting in the hands of an interloper. MRIC recommends that you seek sites that list out information on firewalls and products available.

Not necessarily. MRIC will supply you with an e-mail address which you can forward to your existing account. If you prefer to use web-based e-mail (e.g. Yahoo, Netscape, AOL, Qwest, etc.) using MRIC will be easy and faster. In Phase I, each household will be given one e-mail address for the basic monthly rate. Additional mailboxes may be purchased for a small monthly fee. Note that many free web-based e-mail sources are available as an alternative to MRIC-supplied e-mail.

No restrictions beyond anti-spamming and privacy regulations. Of course, the usual slander and libel laws remain in effect. We hope that courtesy will prevail in general.

Any 802.11b device is possible but MRIC will make configuration recommendations for Linux, Macintosh, Solaris, and Windows systems. Additions to this list are subject to volunteer resources.

Buyer's Guide to 802.11b access points

This depends on the T1 Provider. Because the network is setup for residential/telecommuter users, people will not be allowed to setup streaming video or Napster-like servers. MRIC has chosen a T1 service provider with no monthly data transfer limits. However, MRIC will use quality-of-service software to ensure every household has its fair share.

Besides receiving the loving appreciation from all the MRIC neighbors, the eventual goal is to give location owners free broadband Internet access! MRIC will paint the tower to match whatever trim the owner prefers.

Possibly pay for a very small amount (under 200 watts) of electricity each month. Provide reasonable access to the station for service. Owners will not have to provide an easement on their property but they will need to sign a document giving MRIC 60 days notice so we can relocate the repeater. MRIC will provide insurance to cover the repeater station.

To be safe, all 2.4 Ghz devices (phones, wireless webcams, Bluetooth networking gear, old microwaves) should be removed from the home.

Unless you know an MRIC subscriber, you'll have to wait for a periodic open house. Typically they are timed before a neighborhood association meeting (i.e. PUMA). Please check our website periodically for dates and locations. At some point, MRIC may create a public kiosk as a community service but that will depend on volunteer labor and donated equipment.

Some antennas are available now. Most need to be ordered ASAP as part of the on-going bulk equipment purchases. One of our repeater tower construction volunteers is willing to help individual home owners install antennas on their roof for a reasonable hourly rate. Otherwise, we can provide instruction and possibly even let you learn by helping with another installation.

Until the repeaters are up we don't know if you can get by with a lower-gain antenna. Some people may be close enough to a repeater that their network card antenna (pigtail) may be sufficient! We expect almost everyone more than 500 feet from a repeater tower location will need a $60+ antenna.

For the majority of us, there are three main choices:

Least expensive - 19 dBi grid antenna (roughly Dish Network size) $60

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2419g.html

Least visible - 19 dBi flat panel (roughly laptop size) $80

http://www.fab-corp.com/J1.htm

Most reliable - 24 dBi grid antenna (roughly StarBand size > Dish) $80+

http://www.fab-corp.com/B1.htm

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/antennas_2400.html

Note that 5 dBi increase translates into roughly three times the signal strength. You might need this extra headroom if you are in a very weak signal area or if you want to stay on as long as possible during a snow storm.

Note that MRIC will bulk order cable, mounting hardware, connectors so expect $30 - $100 more depending on your cable length. The shorter the cable (e.g. antenna to wireless hub) the better performance.

Please let Greg Ching know if you want to participate in any bulk order. You can also choose to wait until we have more repeaters working so you can determine (as we'll have a few for experimentation) which model works best for your home.

E-mail disk allocation will be 100 megabytes which is roughly 20 times larger than most free web-based e-mail services offer!!! This will be shared per household (up to 5 e-mail addresses).

Additional mail accounts (with 100 megabytes each) or additional storage space can be added for a reasonable one-time fee yet to be determined by the MRIC board.

If you want to use a PCI or ISA card slot you will need an adapter (street price from $50 - $70). See examples at

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/orinoco_isa_pci.html

http://www.fab-corp.com/F1.htm

Alternatively, you can purchase a $130 USB Client if you do not have a PCMCIA slot. See http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/orinoco_usb.html for a recommended device.

Mac users need to order a $99 Airport card (available everywhere Mac accessories are sold). Note that the Apple Airport is an ORiNOCO card but the physical card antenna (pigtail) differ; unfortunately, a standard ORiNOCO Gold card does not fit into an iBook, for example. You do not need to order a $299 Airport Base Station but if you have one that's fine. Mac Airport cards also work fine with the ORiNOCO AP-1000 wireless hub.

You can get all Mac networking equipment directly from the Apple website store or from retailers such as ClubMac http://www.clubmac.com under their Wireless Networking section.

You'll also want to take a look at these special G4 installation instructions for installing an Airport card in a Mac tower; these weren't included in the manual!

If you have multiple computers in your home and you are not currently wired (e.g. 10BaseT or CAT5), you might consider a wireless hub so that only your hub needs a rooftop antenna.

While there are numerous 802.11b hubs available, the two MRIC recommend are the ORiNOCO RG-1100 ($90 great buy as part of a $310 bundle that includes a USB Gold Client and ORiNOCO Gold PCMCIA card) or the Buffalo Technology AirStation (under $160 and great for Mac users). For mixed 802.11a and 802.11b environments, the ORiNOCO AP-1000 offers the most flexibility; you can find it for under $400 but you must remember to buy additional ORiNOCO Gold cards for it.

NOTE: you do not need this hub if you only have one computer on your network.

NOTE: the AP-1000 supports both a wired and wireless situation. See http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/pdf/orinoco_ap1000_ds.pdf for specifics.

The AP-1000 requires two ORiNOCO cards so the total cost is closer to $510 -- $350 (hopefully less) + $160 (for two $80 cards). You would need to buy one additional network card (another $80) for every computer you want wireless.

You could just use the AP-1000 as a wired router for now and add the wireless flexibility later, too. If you have an entirely wired network in your home you may never need to add a local wireless capability.

This is overkill for the casual user with just one stationary computer but you'd be surprised what Wi-Fi devices are popping up. For example, Sharp just introduced a 802.11b a Linux-based PDA (see http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-875225.html if you're curious). Other Wi-Fi devices, e.g. webpads, are also on the market. See http://www.coraccess.com/ for a local Colorado manufacturer.

There are some excellent diagrams of these setups on the web site; to see a PDF file of possible equipment scenarios for the home and estimated costs, click here (637K). Please review them carefully.

Because your laptop and desktop are connected by wired Ethernet, you may run the antenna cable directly to a 802.11b network card in the desktop without an access point (e.g. AP-1000). This is the least expensive approach but also the least flexible unless your entire house is wired Ethernet.

There may be some combinations of ORiNOCO wireless cards and other PCMCIA cards that will not physically work together because of the profile of the ORiNOCO card. For example, if your PCMCIA network card has an X-jack connector for the Ethernet RJ-45 jack, you will not be able to use it in conjunction with the ORiNOCO card. If your network card has a dongle-type cable connector that the Ethernet RJ-45 jack plugs into, then you should be able to use it with the ORiNOCO card.

MRIC recognizes that Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are a standard part of corporate extranets. We do not charge extra for their operation as part of our charter is to support telecommuting.

While we have not tested all VPNs, our subscribers report success with VPN clients from Cisco and Symantec (Enterprise).

As part of our security protocol, MRIC will not be publishing the instructions on connecting to our network. We will contact you once you've signed the subscriber user agreement; for the purposes of the April trial we will likely individually coach each subscriber or announce a group gathering to configure equipment.

Another CO WISP told us they spent well over $60,000 to build out their network. MRIC, through careful antenna placement and donated labor, will build our network for under $10,000 in our initial coverage area. Although we have received about $8,000 in $300 no-interest loans there are still individuals loaning MRIC several thousand dollars each. While it's not possible for everyone to make this no-interest loan, MRIC is more stable when more people have an equal investment. If you don't have the time to help subsidize our start-up costs please consider a loan.

MRIC plans to add more services and increase reliability. If we cannot generate a surplus for capital expenditure through our monthly fees we will look for more seed capital. However, MRIC is trying to borrow the minimal amount so we can repay everyone in our second year of operation. MRIC will also continue to explore the possibility of state grants for special services such as smoke-sighting webcams.

To see a PDF file of our promissory note, click here

Please download the subscriber agreement and return it with $200 ($50 for membership fee, $150 for the first three months of service) to:

Allen Gordon
Magnolia Road Internet Cooperative
319 Pine Glade
Nederland, CO 80466

Please make checks out to Magnolia Road Internet Cooperative

Aside from the MRIC board members we are also building a Network Operations Center (NOC) and homeowner support team. If you have skills you can offer, or are willing to be trained, please let us know. If enough of us pitch in we can continue to lower our monthly fees as well as build a more reliable network. Our ability to expand and add not-for-profit services greatly depends on our ability to attract volunteers. We'd like to postpone the day when we have to hire paid help as long as possible to keep our costs low.

We will be establishing a committee structure so that functions (e.g. NOC, Legal, Website, RF Design, Membership, Finance) will be posted on our web site...you'll know from viewing that site if we are looking for any specific contribution (e.g. labor, hardware/software, money). Keep stopping by www.mric.coop!

Submit questions to info@mric.coop . They will then be answered by our panel of alleged experts and posted on this web page.

We plug your GPS reading into our line of sight (LoS) software TOPO! (http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/topo/) to see if your location can see any of our repeaters. For security reasons, we do not publish the GPS locations of our repeaters.

We prefer GPS readings in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Grid coordinates but we will accept GPS readings in the more common World Geodetic Systems (WGS) format. UTM measurements tend to be more accurate and most GPS receivers can take measurements in UTM.

To convert UTM to WGS and vice-versa use http://www.angelfire.com/geek/utmapplet/

For more information on how to read UTM coordinates, see http://www.nps.gov/prwi/readutm.htm

First check with Greg Ching (greg.ching@mric.coop) to see if there have been any recent bulk purchases. This is almost always the least expensive and quickest way to get equipment at our cost.

If you are a Mac G4 owner he will even build you a special longer pigtail...talk about custom service! Typically you will want a female pigtail W adapter cable NFM which will mate with the male ends of your antenna-to-pigtail cable.

If you want to connect your laptop PCMCIA card directly to the antenna for testing, you might need a male pigtail.

MRIC orders our 2.4 Ghz low-loss AirCom Plus cable and connectors from

Typically, it's less expensive to order a large spool and build it ourselves. So, you probably only have to order from Hyperlink and Roger Peters.

It doesn't take expensive hardware. Almost any old PC desktop or laptop will do. You can even buy new PCs from Walmart for $200! Look in the computers section of www.walmart.com.

For specifics on installing a Linux gateway, see http://www.hpdbe.com/freeware

This is the maximum distance from each Point of Presence (POP) that MRIC wants to support. Beyond this distance, latency exceeds 40 uS which can lead to lower quality of service for everyone.

We have folks using Cisco VPNs, IBM's VPN, and others behind the MRIC firewall. However, if it is an IPSEC VPN it will require using a public IP. If it is a PPtP VPN, it probably doesn't need a public IP.

If in doubt, probably the best thing to do is try it from behind some member's private static IP address. In the worse case a public static IP address can be provided at no extra charge but the VPN user loses the benefit of the MRIC firewall.

We have two 5.2GHz TDM APs at the Sandy POP (tower my back yard), facing NE and SE. These are Motorola Canopy radios (proprietary). The TDM radios use a polling MAC (no hidden-node problem), are capable of serving more than 100 clients, and are extremely good at interference rejection (3dB C/I). Sandy also has a 2.4 FH AP using a V-pol omni. FH and TDM service are billed at $50/month. The TDM APs have thruput comparable with 2.4 DS radios and are intended to replace the legacy FH radios over time. (The FH AP was turned up before 802.11b was defined.)

Kelly is an FH-only tandem POP fed from the Sandy FH AP.

We have one 5.2GHz DS AP at Arkansas Mt (Dave Ringoen's outcrop), facing 260*. This is a Trango Access5830 radio (proprietary), the same as used for our recent backhaul links, but operating in 5.2 (middle UNII band) rt 5.8GHz (UNII/ISM band). Trango APs are agile as to band, freq, and pol. Trango Fox client radios are band-specific but freq & pol agile. This POP also has a 2.4 DS AP (Senao mini-PCI card in a Soekris 4801 SBC) which uses an H-pol sectoral aimed 260*. 2.4 DS service is considered Basic, whereas 5.2 DS service is billed as Premium ($75/month). AM has two Basic clients and four Premium. Installers are adding about two clients per week split between AM and LB.

Labelle has one 2.4 DS AP using an H-pol sectoral aimed 091*.