Elmer Needed

18 posts / 0 new

Tue, 02/28/2017 - 00:42

VA3QT

Elmer Needed

I'm a rank newbie who took in Andre K6AH's presentation at the Yuma Hamfest. I'll be returning to Canada in 4 weeks with a side trip to San Diego in a few days. I'd like to take home two 2.4 stations suitable for setting up a 6 mile experimental point to point circuit. I've done some searches of the website materials as well as other on-line sources but remain confused with respect to best choice for two "inexpensive" but effective units. Depending on cost differential, a 120 degree sector antenna would be appropriate for one end of the link (high ground, WL2K V/UHF hub).

Identification of a San Diego retailer would be helpful

73,

Ian VA3QT/W7
520.238.9900
va3qt4@gmail.com

Tue, 02/28/2017 - 12:21

KG6JEI

Ubiquiti Gear is generally

Ubiquiti Gear is generally sourced over the internet in San Diego (Amazon links exist on the Supported Platform Matrix, and we do have Amazon Lockers in San Diego if you wont have a set mailing address but will be around long enough to get an Amazon delivery)

I am aware of only one retailer in San Diego that has some units on the shelf, but its not a wide selection and last I looked it had a decent makeup over online sources. I'm not aware of any other vendors in the San Diego Area but there could be and I just haven't heard of them.

http://www.we-supply.com/search.htm?searchterm=ubiquiti&searchmode=all&s...

They don't carry the NSM2 (only the NSML2) which is my normal "go-to" 2.4 GHz Device.

They also don't appear to have the rocket, and they certainly do not have Sector antennas needed for putting up "major" (mid mile or mountain top/backbone nodes as Andre called them) nodes with 120degree (-6db) beamwidth.

Wed, 03/01/2017 - 10:53

VE3OY

Ian,

Ian,

There are also some good deals back here in Canada.
One authorized supplier is in Quebec.
You can also find several local (Ontario) deals on eBay.
Contact me for details or help.

Matt
VE3OY

Wed, 03/01/2017 - 15:20

(Reply to #3) #4

VA3QT

Elmer

Tnx Matt, will no doubt be in contact with you when I get sorted out at home mid-April. As it happened I'd just placed an Amazon order for a pair of Air grid M2 units which are supposed to arrive a week before we push off. Will need some hand holding when it comes time to install the AREDN software. Having said that we have an active experimenters group at the Barrie ARC and we're playing with surplused Rogers Linksys units a couple of years back.

73,

VA3QT

Tue, 03/14/2017 - 12:39

(Reply to #4) #5

VE3CWU

Hello Ian, please contact me

Hello Ian, please contact me by email when you are back home in Barrie. I would be happy to come to Barrie to help you guys get your Ubiquity devices up and running. I know you were connected to the Mississauga / Brampton Peel Mesh thru a tunnel in Hamilton, but haven't seen you and the other Barrie call signs on the mesh for some time now. If you want to "re-tunnel" that can be arranged!

73, Bob ve3cwu at rac dot ca

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 13:48

K5MOB

You need to be sure to source

You need to be sure to source the International version of the UBNT equipment.

If you are looking to do a dual chain point to point I would pick up two Rocket M2 devices and two Rocket 2 dishes.

You inquired about sectors. This type of antenna is made for a Point to Multi Point, Think about a cell tower connecting to several cell phones. You may be close enough at 6 miles to make a link in between two sectors if both units are high enough above average terrain.

If a single chain link will fit your needs you can save some money by using Bullet M2 Devices and two 2ghz grid dishes.

You can order international equipment form

FlyTech Computers Doral, FL (305) 471-5142
Or
ISP Supply in Houston Tx (855) 947-7776

If you have any issue getting equipment from them you can call me at Gulf Coast Broadband Morgan City La 985-384-7040 and I han have it drop shipped to you from my UBNT wholesaler.

To order international equipment you will need to provide a copy of your ham license to all vendors.

73
Sam Rock K5MOB

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 16:38

(Reply to #6) #7

KG6JEI

For AREDN purposes the two

For AREDN purposes the two versions (US or International) don't really matter they currently function the same.

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 17:22

(Reply to #7) #8

K5MOB

Then that means the issue of

Then that means the issue of https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/ubiquiti/airmaxm has been resolved?

K5MOB

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 17:34

(Reply to #8) #9

AE6XE

K5MOB, I wasn't sure what

K5MOB, I wasn't sure what specific issue is being referenced from the link. Most all AREDN supported hardware models are listed on the platform matrix under the Software drop down menu of this site and readily available from Amazon or other distributers--sold as part 15 devices not requiring any US licensing. The only international hardware per se is the 3Ghz as there is no part 15 unlicensed Ubiquiti version for sale in the US.

Joe

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 17:53

#10

K5MOB

At one point loading 3rd

At one point loading 3rd party on the latest version of the UBNT boot loader bricked the device. Devices that were on older boot loaders could be flashed with no issue. UBNT goes through great effort to ensure you cannot flash older software on newer US based devices as they got tied up with a lot of fines for making it easy for people to use frequencies out side of part 15. The following statement was sent out over several channels...

Notice: There is a serious risk to certain Ubiquiti hardware when used with software not written to match their new boot loader.

The issue occurs when recent Ubiquiti devices with a new bootloader version are used with firmware not specifically modified for this change.

OpenWRT is the original software for Broadband-Hamnet and AREDN software designed for Ubiquiti products.

At present, the issue is under investigation.

To prevent unrecoverable damage to your Ubiquiti devices, we STRONGLY recommend waiting until the limits, methods to avoid the risk and specific steps are posted. If you purchase new UBNT gear, and it has 5.6 version firmware, you will need to flash it to older 5.5 UBNT firmware FIRST, and then load our firmware.

Further details of the actual issue are here: http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/ubiquiti/airmaxm

After this we started ordering all international equipment for our Ham Mesh projects!

K5MOB

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 18:09

(Reply to #10) #11

KG6JEI

The international version

The international version suffers the same issue (or sat the very least have the exact same code for it to exist, there is a small possibility it could react different based on US vs INTL hardware but I doubt it but I haven't read every line of assembly to say that with 100% certanty).

We have been publishing downgrade instructions for over a year now.

Heck I even still periodically see NIB hardware coming out from distribution on US devices that are old enough the issue doesn't exist. I put odds your hitting the same and since INTL gear likely flushes much slower through USA dealers they just haven't caught up to a firmware update yet.

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 18:30

(Reply to #11) #12

K5DLQ

Here are the instructions

Here are the instructions that we provide (since Oct 9, 2015)...
http://www.aredn.org/content/software

In summary, check it with our AREDN U-Boot Test utility and if necessary, downgrade to the AirOS 5.5 (links provided) and then you can upgrade to AREDN.

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 20:34

(Reply to #12) #13

AE6XE

I find on occasion some

I find on occasion some inaccuracies in the OpenWRT documentation. This is one of them. "To prevent unrecoverable damage to your Ubiquiti devices" is not correct. Here are the steps to recover: http://bloodhound.aredn.org/products/AREDN/wiki/HowTo/Unbrick . Although, these steps may be challenging for someone without sufficient understanding of networking and embedded devices.

On a related note, I found a post in a 3rd party forum a couple months ago. It claimed the failure was actually in OpenWRT bad definitions of the flash layout as the root cause. ubuiquiti had reportedly only fixed a defect in the bootloader, probably a check to not allow loading a kernel with missmatching flash definitions--a good thing to avoid corruption. It just happened to work previously by accident with miss-matching definitions with the older bootloader version. Not sure if this is correct, will have to inspect further--should be an easy fix if this is the case instead of the current workaround.

Joe AE6XE

Wed, 03/15/2017 - 21:32

(Reply to #13) #14

KG6JEI

Actually the biggest issue is

Actually the biggest issue is a memory chip "write protect" they had enabled.
Some will assume this was to stop 3rd party firmware but it equally could have been done as a protection against a number of the Ubiquiti firmware overwrite viruses that were floating around at the time.

I've (as part of my AREDN development testing) have done this without changing the boot layout and gotten it to work. There are still a couple other items but really that was the main issue that prohibited firmware and caused the situation users thought it was bricked.

Thu, 03/16/2017 - 08:24

#15

K5MOB

Well I grabbed a brand new US

Well I grabbed a brand new US rocket M2 off the shelf this morning and backed dated it to 5.5.10 and installed AREDN with no issue..

For what ever reason I remember having issues back dating some devices. I am going to have to try checking all the new UBNT devices as we get them to see whats up..

____________________________________________________

So please excuse my statement about the international equipment, just look for the best price on the equipment and your good!

K5MOB

Thu, 03/16/2017 - 14:22

#16

K5DLQ

FYI, for some "new" XW gear..

FYI, for some "new" XW gear.... these links may be of interest to you.

http://www.aredn.org/content/request-testers-ubiquiti-xw-issues
and
http://www.aredn.org/content/development-code-branch-now-available

Sun, 01/21/2018 - 22:46

#17

w8awt

I am considering purchasing

I am considering purchasing some M2 gear on Ebay from a guy in Canada who says it is international version hardware. US and international M2 hardware are both AREDN compatible correct?

Mon, 01/22/2018 - 09:09

(Reply to #17) #18

k1ky

I am considering purchasing

For the most part, the international versions appear to work. If you end up with a board revision variation that is not supported, it should still load but may show up as "unsupported hardware" and you send the information to the AREDN development team through the Ticket system.

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