Alaska Reflector

So, you have a really cool piece of newer hardware that you think would make a great node. You whip out the Centos 4 install disk for IRLP (because that’s the one that works). Then….fizzle…fail…Centos 4 (from the stone ages of early linux 2.6 kernels) doesn’t recognize the hardware. (SATA drives anyone?)

Or, you want to add some cool features to your existing mobile node like usb GPS’s or even USB Wifi….oh wait, you can’t Centos 4 (IRLP) doesn’t support it.

If you are somewhat savvy, or adventurous…you can try my script to install IRLP on an UBUNTU 10.04 machine.

Requirements:
(1) A new install of Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS SERVER….only SERVER editions allowed!
(2) An existing backup file or your current node: irlp_backup.tgz

Instructions:
(1) Install Ubuntu
(2) copy irlp_backup.tgz to /tmp
(3) get ubuntu-10_04-reinstall

wget http://www.alaskareflector.org/ubuntu-10_04-reinstall
chmod +x ubuntu-10_04-reinstall

(4) as root execute the script

sudo ./ubuntu-10_04-reinstall

As of right now…I haven’t tested it out. Because I don’t have an spare machine running, but I did use an early beta version of it to set up the Allstar/IRLP/Webserver you are getting this information from. Best of luck…let me know how it works for you…

Check out the view form Gary and Sherry’s weekend getaway….Fantastic!!!

Thanks to Eric, KL3DO in Fairbanks, I can share with you some FANTASTIC photographs he has taken of the beauty of extremes.
Click on the link to go to his website…You won’t regret it.
Beautiful photos from a Cold Alaskan Winter

Also, just a quick update. I want to say thanks to the people who have donated…You know who you are!!! It is greatly appreciated and will go a long way towards keeping this network up and running.

Thanks to KL2ZF…

I want anyone who visits here to understand why I added a “Donate” button to the Alaska Reflector webpage.

I am normally not a big fan of individuals clamoring for donations for their hobbies.  This case is a little different.  The donation button is on the behalf of the group at large, the users of the Alaska Reflector.  As you all know, there is one main person who has spent LOTS of his own personal time and PLENTY of his OWN MONEY to bring a “service” to a very diverse and dedicated group of people.  That person is KL7M, Dave Cloyd.  In the years I have known Dave, he has never asked for money or assistance to keep this volunteer enterprise up and running and yet he has kept it up and running for several years with little or no downtime.  There are several people who already assist Dave in this endeavor.  Just a few examples are:

K1BDX – He has done a lot to improve and expand the user base.

AL2B – The Morning Net Coordinator, he brings in the listeners and does a fantastic job with the net along with all of his volunteer net controllers.

KL3DM – He very graciously donated his bandwidth to this website and the Allstar connection.

I am sure that I am forgetting several other individuals who host nodes at various sites around the state and I apologize for not mentioning you specifically here.

Below are the reasons why I added the donate button to this website:

NUMBER 1… There have been a number of people who have asked what they can do to help continue to maintain or grow the user base for the Alaska Reflector.

NUMBER 2… Dave Cloyd has spent lots of his own money for hard drives, computer components, his bandwidth both mobile and stationary.

NUMBER 3… Dave has tirelessly assisted ANYONE who asks him with the administration of their nodes.  Yes, you might receive a minor chewing out if you aren’t listening to what he says, BUT he is usually right and can get it working for you.

NUMBER 4… Dave has provided the Alaska Reflector with better reliability than most phone providers do.

Several volunteers keep the Alaska Reflector up and running…We will continue to do so!  With or without any donations!

BUT, if you would like to donate now you can.  Any proceeds that come in here will be used for either hardware (radios, cables, motherboards….etc), bandwidth or hosting services.

Thanks for listening.

Mark
WL7NI

I ripped this off a friends Facebook page, it’s a Cordova Alaska refrigerator…

Cordova Refrigerator

There are places in Alaska with MUCH more snow than here. However, this is my back yard this morning with the snow still coming down. I was going to write the new Tech Section today, but I think I’ll be digging out!

Snowy Sunday

The Alaska Reflector has taken the New Year’s resolution thingy to heart.  We have slimmed down!  No, we didn’t lay anyone off or cut their pay (10% less than Zero is still Zero).  We have combined resources into a much smaller footprint.  What was previously managed by 4 (old power hog) computers is now being handled by ONE, much more efficient computer.  Two of the computers we used to provide the Allstar link and this web page are housed in my garage.

I am adding a new section which is a tech section which will discuss some of the technical hurdles that had to be overcome to accomplish this task.  I welcome any comments or criticism as we all know there is always more than one way to accomplish a goal.

Another benefit to the new slimming down, is the geek corner of my garage doesn’t sound like a wind tunnel anymore…the new computer is all but silent!

The Old Setup^

The New Setup ^

It was a great 2011…but 2012 is shaping up to be more than the end of the world.

As most of you who are regular listeners know the Alaska Reflector is unique amongst the other IRLP reflectors out there.  We are very casual with an anything goes type of attitude.  We like to chat about topics that go further than just what the weather is like in your part of the world.  Although, weather is often a topic of discussion as we tend to get some extremes here.

Several of us like to tinker with our nodes and the knowledge of how to is frequently shared here…If you want to know more you only need to ask.  Lately the topic has been on mobile nodes and vpn’s.

I am going to remove the register link from the page as lately, spammers have been signing up for accounts here right and left, so if you would like to leave comments and are not signed up, shoot me and email at :  WL7NI.AK (@) gmail (dot) com

One last thing, I am still looking for volunteers to help me keep things current here, so let me know if you would like to become an editor.  I would like to see someone help out the Morning Net controllers with some statistics we could add that might track how many check-ins and where people are from for each net.  Send me and email and let me know if you are interested.

Again…here’s to 2012!!!

WL7NI

Join us on Saturday, December 10th for the annual Santa Claus net hosted on the Alaska Reflector.  It begins at 11 AM, Alaska Time.

12 PM – Pacific

1 PM – Mountain

2 PM – Central

3 PM – Eastern

Photo courtesy : http://www.dmraa.com/