theWhiteNoise.net - Web Log

Here’s the permanent installation of my long range wifi antenna. 

The antenna is a yagi design with about +24db worth of gain.  It’s VERY directional so I designed the mount to allow almost 180 degrees of movement in case it needs to be adjusted in the future.

The antenna is hooked in to a Buffalo 802.11G router which connects to the remote access point in client mode.  A second wireless router then uses the first router as it’s WAN connection and acts as an access point for local clients.  This allows computers within the house to access the remote wifi point without needing long range antennas of their own.  I had to mount the routers close to the yagi antenna because lengthening the antenna cable degregates your gain very quickly.  Since I was limited by where I could mount the antenna outside & still run it into the house with a 3 foot cable, this became the best choice:

Right now I’m using the wifi of one of my very kind neighbors:

At this range, the signal quality isn’t the greatest (in the 18–22% range), but it’s definitely usable & only has an occasional drop-out.

Every “beach house” needs a good source of music.  Playing CD’s on the DVD player wasn’t cutting it because it was difficult to navigate MP3 CD’s.  A dedicated MP3/CD player was definitely needed.  I decided that it wouldn’t cost much more to create a touchscreen jukebox like some bars have. 

I was able to nab an expensive touchscreen off e-Bay for about 20% of it’s retail price which solidified my plans.  Here’s the monitor (15”) I ended up getting:

I then needed something to run it.  Again, I hit e-Bay.  This time I came up with a 1.3Ghz, 256MB RAM very compact Compaq computer.  It had just about everything built in, including 5 USB ports, video, and sound.  I knew I wouldn’t be adding any PCI cards to it, so the lack of expansion there didn’t bother me.  Plus, for $50, how can you go wrong???  Here is a picture of the unit:

As far as software goes, I’m running a stripped down version of Windows XP.  The MP3 player (jukebox) front-end is a program called eJukebox (screenshot below).

I had a spare RF remote sitting around (The ATI Wonder Plus), so I installed & customized Girder so that I can control the jukebox remotely (while playing cards and/or drinking!).  I can even rate songs from 1 to 5 stars while they play.

The touchscreen in it’s final location (the base is hidden on a shelf below it):

And here’s a video demo of the touchscreen jukebox in action.  I run through selecting a song & playing it instantly, browsing by artist & album to create a playlist, playing some internet radio stations, then demo the remote control.  I also show a touchscreen drink recipe program that I can access while playing music:

OK, it’s a little late, but here are our jack-o-lantern designs that were sitting outside my door this past Halloween:

Here’s my design – a pirate ship!

And here is Jenn’s design – Super Mario:

In going through my pictures, I happened to find a picture of a jack-o-latern I carved back in college.  I still think it’s my most impressive:

This is the message I WISH I could display to the stool-for-brains drivers I have to deal with on a daily basis.  Today was especially bad because I actually had to travel further than my usual 10 mile commute to work.  I’m not unreasonable.  Given that I was driving from Baltimore to D.C., I expected some amount of rush hour traffic.   However, I don’t think driving 30 miles should take TWO and A HALF HOURS!!!! 

This delay (and just about any other delay) can be attributed directly to 4 genre of people:

1.  The Rubbernecker – Must we slow down to look at every disabled vehicle along the road?  Apparently!  You don’t work for C.S.I!  Keep your eyes on the road and drive!  I think driving on the interstate should be like the movie Speed.  If your car drops below a certain speed – you die.  Simple as that.  We’ll install what I’ve deemed the “Darwin Device” into every vehicle on the road & we’ll soon be free of this problem.  “Only the strong survive.” 

2.  Cops – Does it really take 5 cop cars to respond to a fender bender?  I love the fact that you’re pushing your academy-taught driving skills to the limit while responding to an accident that already has 3 units on the scene.  We don’t mind the potential danger you’re putting us in or the further disruption to the traffic flow.  As long as you’re having a good time, we’re cool with that.  Oh, and thanks for leaving your lights on well after the accident has been cleared so that The Rubberneckers have something else to “investigate.”  I really have nothing better to do than to sit in traffic.

3.  The Timid Merger – If you can’t merge into traffic at a rate faster than 5 mph, you don’t deserve to be driving a car.  Go buy a moped – or better yet, one of those beach cruiser bicycles.  That’s probably more your pace.  Oh, and when you see people waving at you, they’re not saying “Hi.”  Get your ass over one lane and turn off your F-ing turn signal.

4.  Electronic Sign Dude –  I guess most drivers are on a 3rd grade reading level, because any time an electronic traffic sign has more than 3 words on it, there’s a major traffic slow down so everyone can read it.  I encountered a sign today, after sitting in traffic for 45 mins, that said “95 North – Expect Congestion & Delays.”  Mind you, I’m ON 95 North when I read this sign.  It’s absolutely POINTLESS!  The only thing it accomplished was tacking on another 10 minutes to my trip while people slowed down to read it.  One of my other favorites is “Reduced Visibility Due to Fog - Drive with Caution.”  First off, DUH!  I can see the fog.  Secondly, the reduced visibility just hinders peoples’ already pathetic reading ability, so the ensuing backup is even worse.  Electronic Sign Dude, please read my sign & DIE!

OK, venting complete.  Since there’s not much I can do about any of the above, I guess the next time I’m in traffic I’ll just go to “my happy place.”  I’ll imagine a world without any of them, where the roads flow like Niagra Falls…

Yeah right!  Who am I kidding?  I’ll be cussing them out like I always do.

I have a love/hate relationship with water.  This weekend, I hated it! 

For two reasons:  1) A leaky pipe in the basement.  2) A leaky window in the bedroom.   Both of these occurred at the house in Rehoboth.  I fixed them both of course, since I’m a man…the pipe was easy because it was PVC.  The window was another story.  It took about 4 hours between prying out the old water damaged wood, sealing up the window on the outside (30 feet up) so it wouldn’t happen again, cutting & fitting replacement trim boards, and repainting everything.

From This:

To This:

To This: