Friday, October 21, 2011

Bad Boy WiFi


Based on a recommendation found in Practical Sailor I purchased and installed the Bitstorm WiFi extender.
There are two parts to the setup.  The Bad Boy Xtreme  (great product names!) is at the top of the mast and the Unleashed repeater is down below.  This system has been installed on the boat for over a year and it really works well.  Everything is configurable from a we browser and the I can pull in WiFi signals from a good distance.  Many times I have found that my Shindig WiFi connectivity is better than I get from AT&T DSL at home.

Before I made the purchase I called Bitstorm to clarify a few things and get some advice on rail mounting or masthead mounting.  They were very knowledgeable and friendly to work with.  I have no regrets on this Shindig upgrade.

On  a recent trip to Drakes Bay we had no cellular service but I was able to poach a WiFi signal from somewhere on the hill.   Nice!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sailrocket

I have to say that I love what these guys at Sailrocket are doing..  They are on their second generation boat and attempting to beat the on the water speed record.  Paul Larsens passion for this project is obvious.  I'm cheering for him and his team.  It wouldn't surprise me if they do it in the next month or so as they continue to tweak the boat and seek ideal conditions in Walvis Bay, Namibia. (Africa)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Photo from the top floor.  65 feet off the water...
This trip up the mast was in preparation for the BadBoy WiFi installation.  More on that later.