A few days ago the family gathered in our countryside home to isolate ourselves as required by the government in a relatively comfortable environment with plenty of fresh food and open spaces.
However, the one thing that this lovely place does not have is a reliable internet connection. It is practically impossible to download large files and also upload images.
The trees don't do you any favors.
The radio mast perched on a hill a few kilometers away does its best to boost the signal but, my god, it is not enough.
We might be here for more than two months and without a reliable internet connection, it will be difficult to do any work.
My siblings and I all work online.
Setting up the Ubiquity LITEBEAM GEN 2 long-range receiver.
"The LiteBeam® AC LR provides 26 dBi of gain for long-distance connectivity and uses a directional antenna pattern for improved noise immunity."
Assembling the device is definitely the easy part.
The few companies we called to inquire about if they covered our general area were not sure if the signal could be detected and they would need to set up a site survey.
Unfortunately, with the coronavirus situation, the survey visits were on a first-come, first-serve basis since their field agents were at home isolating themselves.
We decided to perform the site survey ourselves painstakingly for 6 hours and managed to pick up a couple of distributors from some companies that we had contacted earlier.
The idea is to have the top-rated company schedule its own survey to set up the LiteBeam antenna properly so we can finally have a reliable internet connection.
Finally introducing my two girls to Hive.
They haven't been on the planet for more than a couple of months but they are so massive now. The playful duo loves massive open spaces and is quite friendly if you approach them.
Wait, what did you think I was talking about? :)
They are part of a generation of four, however, one sadly passed on in the night from a lung infection sometime in February. The calf did not respond positively to treatment, probably because we caught it late.
Unfortunately, I can't quite remember their names. But the one with big white spots on the back loves a bit of attention.
She sneaked up on me when I was holding up the antenna demanding a neck scratch. How could I say no?
Sadly, she decided to lick my white t-shirt leaving a massive grass and saliva stain and I was forced to shoo her away.
I hope the stain comes out.
As I always end these kinds of posts, I hope you are all doing well in this tough period. Some of us are privileged to be relatively comfortable through it so it is important to try and help others whose situation is getting worse by the day.
Remember, sanitize, wear a mask in public and stay optimistic.