REPORT  TO LYTTON AREA WIRELESS SOCIETY MEETING APRIL 11, 2007 with edits April 18, 2007

Please read for a summary of ongoing developments that are important to Lyttonnet and LAWS.  Our network is maturing.  We now have more than 70 active residential and commercial customers on a regular basis, and this will probably increase to over 150 customers over the next year.  We are making steady improvments to accomodate the increased use; for instance, we are upgrading network backbone connections to 5GHz for increased reliability and performance.  And we are working to expand our wireless network points of presence in the areas surrounding Lytton.

Network Development current projects - While the network has grown through the winter months, our present developments will greatly increase network density and coverage in areas outlying Lytton to the North and East.  Below is a summary of current and recently completed projects:
  - Lytton Lumber has now been connected under a negotiated business service agreement
  - We would like to upgrade the wireless bridge connection to the lower site with 5.4 GHz radios which we have on hand.  Radios have been programmed and require placement on Village office and Lower Site towers.  The new link will free up a channel on the crowded 2.4 GHz 802.11b band and offer more resilient service for residents accessing the network from the Lower Site tower.  We have received a request for service from Lytton First Nations for service to several sites North of Lytton.  This link will form a more reliable service to LFN and other customers.
   - Kumsheen Rafting – local repeater is planned.  Efforts by Kumsheen Rafting and Richard Forrest have already resulted in placement of a pole on the Kumsheen site which has excellent LOS to the Lower Site tower.  Development of the local WIFI network is underway at present and details for the service extension are being negotiated with Kumsheen Rafting.  The Kumsheen site has considerable potential for transient “Token” users during the summer months.  We anticipate development of this local network within a month.
   - A total of 15 internal circulator fans and mini solar panels have been purchased to provide air circulation for repeater radios that are mounted in sealed enclosures on top of towers.  We have concern about temperature induced failure of repeaters during the coming summer months and hope that this preventative measure will offer sufficient protection of our critical network components.  We plan to install the solar powered air circulators over the next two months.
   - We plan to install New Repeater at base of Nikia mountain – this development is planned over the next month.  The Nikia repeater site has a Line of Sight (LOS) directly to the Village Office.  A sector antenna at this location will directly face 3 mile and 2 mile First Nations establishments on the East side near Highway 12 offering solid coverage of these communities.  The Nikia repeater will offer a much stronger signal and more complete coverage of 2 mile and 3 mile than is currently offered from the Lower Site to the South.  Path tests have found the existing coverage to be marginal in some areas requiring more costly customer premise equipment. Volunteer work bees will be needed for this considerable project.
   - The next link after Nikia mountian is a new repeater at “Little Red Shack” near Vernon Rafael place at 6 mile.  LAWS currently has electrical service to this site which has a LOS to Nikia repeater and directly faces the Stein First Nations community on the West side of the Fraser.  
   - Prepare Crown Land lease application for “Botanie Ridge Bald” site – this site, now known to be on Crown Land under Forestry use offers excellent potential for LAWS to expand service by LOS to Botanie Valley, Thompson valley including Gladwin and beyond.  It is likely that this site will eventually replace the “Lower Site”.  It is not more than 1000m (3280 ft) from the Botanie Valley road and power line.    We have presently obtained the considerable application for use of Crown land.
   - FUNDING!! I have consulted with Fran Rothman of Network BC and others regarding possible additional funding to cover the planned network extensions discussed above and with two additional repeaters under preliminary consideration.  Network BC is extremely pleased with the results of our original $20,000 grant.  Note that these monies were only committed to construct two towers.  We now have three towers offering a stronger signal to a larger area, serving more customers than was anticipated in our proposal.
   - The new funding (if obtained) would offset the capital costs to extend the network to provide excellent coverage of areas that are either not covered or receive marginal signal at present.  
 - Additional repeaters under longer term consideration include:

1. - The “Siska Knob site would receive signal directly from the Village Office or from the Lower site and re-broadcast this South towards Siska.  We need to meet with Chief Fred Samson in this regard to know more about Siska.
2. - Botanie Valley East Ridge (above Richard Forrest residence), and the ridge South of Skuppah, I’ll call “Siska Knob”.   The Botanie Valley East Ridge repeater would receive signal directly from the Village Office or from Botanie Ridge Bald site.  This repeater could be powered by a mix of Solar, Wind and overland wire.  The repeater would cover the upper Botanie Valley beyond the reach of Botanie Ridge Bald.
3. - 13-14 mile on knob near BC Hydro high tension lines above Hwy 12