Partial coverage

koffiejunkie · Sep 20, 2004

What exactly does this mean? Does it work or not? Anybody here in a "partial" zone? Do you have to do anything special - extra antennas and stuff?

I'm moving to Blairgowery which is zoned as "partial."

Thanks

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koffiejunkie

Dean_Henstock · Sep 20, 2004

The service is partial works somedays and somedays not, so I guess its all a paritial service.

If you fill up a station wagon with data tapes and drive to capetown you could transfer 10000 GB in 11 hours, and it would cost you R 500 in petrol, Thats the kind of internet I wanna see !

koffiejunkie · Sep 20, 2004

Wow, that was quick, thanks!

I guess I'll just have to try it and see what happens!

Any idea where the closest tower would be?

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koffiejunkie

Kai · Sep 20, 2004

Koffie, take a modem and go and test it first... according to Sentech's map we had partial coverage, and it turned out it was good. A friend of mine had NO coverage, we took my modem them, and he had 11% signal!

So the best way to know if it's going to work, is to take a modem there and go and check.

<hr noshade size="1"><div align="right">one day we will all look back at this... laugh nervously... and change the subject...
MyWireless256 on tower82(mintek).randparkridge.jhb|sig:9%|node:3|snl:0%|ber:28%</div id="right">

Saul · Sep 20, 2004

Typing this from a partial signal location.

That partial thing is very dodgy cos literally 2 houses away from me signal just dies.

Take a drive, its the only way.

dorris · Sep 20, 2004

To locate the nearest tower, check nicroets calculator if its still online!

Donovan · Sep 20, 2004

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT SIGN UP!!!!! You will REGRET it. This service SUCKS!

Kai · Sep 20, 2004

oh! koffie, i thought you were allready on MyWi. if not, like Donovan said - don't sign up now... wait 'till the "service" is sorted out.

<hr noshade size="1"><div align="right">one day we will all look back at this... laugh nervously... and change the subject...
MyWireless256 on tower82(mintek).randparkridge.jhb|sig:9%|node:3|snl:0%|ber:28%</div id="right">

nocilah · Sep 20, 2004

yeah... this service is fast one hours slow the next... its insane...
This isnt broadband at the moment...

The whole day my connection was flyng then comes 5pm and its as if automatic cap gets turned on at Sentech
HQ... I dunno whats happening but I am also telling friends to hold off... not worth it yet

myWireless 128, 64, 48, 16 - depends on its mood.

clivedoubell · Sep 20, 2004

Are you guys saying there's somewhere in South Africa that Sentech's service is NOT Partial???

Brolloks · Sep 21, 2004

Koffiejunkie
I'm officially not covered at the moment according to their Zone Locator, but I was covered "partial" when I signed up. Since I was allowed to suspend the contract if I don't get usable signal I gave it a chance.

I'm still surfing and managed to get a 700MB file from ftp.is.co.za @ 13.2KB average last night (21/09/2004). Partial only means they they won't guarantee the signal (as with the rest of the network)

It all depends what you want to use it for whether it's worth it or not.

MyWireless 128, Tower: 82, Signal: 13%, SNL: 6, ber: 42%, node: 3

keithr · Sep 21, 2004

I am also right out of zone - no signal at all.

I spent a bit of cash on an external antenna, mounted and lined it up and presto 40% plus signal.

The service has improved over the past 3 days to a level that makes me a very happy customer.

Brolloks · Sep 21, 2004

I'm actually in the coverage area of 3 towers (according to http://rational.co.za) that I can pick up inside the house on the loft without the patch antenna, but the signal strength is useless (one light,) provided I do a move that looks like I'm performing yoga of some sorts. With the patch antenna mounted outside the window I can get mintek with signal of 13-16%. (3 lights on the modem used to be 4 with worse speed, but it dropped down to 3 again over the weekend although the speed went up)

I tried 2 other towers but logistically it doesn't work with the LMR cable running through the air over the stairs. There is definitely a link between being inside or outside. There were some comments a while back about the support guys saying that the bricks influence the signal. It's probably not as far fetched after all.

MyWireless 128, Tower: 82, Signal: 13%, SNL: 6, ber: 42%, node: 3

Brolloks · Sep 21, 2004

keith
What type of antenna have you got and to which tower? LOS? Distance?

MyWireless 128, Tower: 82, Signal: 13%, SNL: 6, ber: 42%, node: 3

keithr · Sep 21, 2004

I am 2.265 kms from the rear end (1 pod only) Hurlyvale tower [50] in Edenvale (feeds off tower 110 Linksfield).

The antenna I got from California a few years ago when I started playing with long range 802.11b links.

I did experiment with the various homemade antennas as described on many internet sites but could not get my signal above 12% reliably, hence using the professionally made grid array.

Being an amateur radio operator, I am fortunate to own a 25 meter tower, but have placed the antenna at about 10 meters at present

Hope that helps

Comrade Borris · Sep 21, 2004

koffie: you are probably only about 3-4kms away from tower 12 (hyde park) She's a good tower, very faithful (never goes down), not the best looking but she gives the goods and keeps me up late at night. (i think i need to get out a bit more).

You should be able to pick it up if you have line of sight to Hyde Park Shopping Center (its located ontop of the bit overlooking william nicol / jan smuts intersection), otherwise try with a dish/antennae you might be able to catch a bounced signal

<div align="left"> |256k| |29%| |<s>66</s> 12 (WTF?)/ HYDEPARK| [V][

!][V]</div id="left">

koffiejunkie · Sep 21, 2004

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm on Telkom dial-up at the moment, which is very poor. I need 24/7 internet. Speed would be nice but isn't too important. ADSL is more than I'm willing to pay for 3gb worth of data. Between my flatmate and I we'll drain that pretty quickly. We're doing about that much just over weekends combined for a month. I have a research&development job, and I need to be able to work during the day. So I don't have much of choice at this moment and I need it first of October.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions re: reception. How do I see on http://rational.co.za/ where the towers are? I only see links to e-mail Nic and download his screensaver.

I'm going to be in Gordon ave, about a block from the T-junction at then (away from Jan Smuts). Anybody in the area?

Thanks

--
koffiejunkie

Brolloks · Sep 22, 2004

Koffiejunkie

The full address is http://rational.co.za/MyWireless/calculate.html
<edit> the brabys map link is broken. Use the Zonelocator on www.sentech.co.za <edit>

Brolloks · Sep 22, 2004

Taken at the corner of Gordon & Judy. These towers are within range, but you'll need to check that. Better still get somebody with a laptop, modem etc to come and check if you've got reception.

Jhb Randburg (Metro Centre) [82] (28.00.19 26.05.40) 1.532km 154° 24% -82dBm
Jhb Hyde Park [66] (28.01.59 26.07.31) 2.938km 314° 18% -88dBm
Jhb Council Mineral Tech [12] (27.58.42 26.05.15) 3.981km 122° 16% -90dBm
Jhb Rosebank [12] (28.2.31 26.8.51) 5.417km 326° 13% -93dBm

MyWireless 128, Tower: 82, Signal: 13%, SNL: 6, ber: 42%, node: 3

nonroker · Sep 22, 2004

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by koffiejunkie
 Thanks for the suggestions. I'm on Telkom dial-up at the moment, which is very poor. I need 24/7 internet. Speed would be nice but isn't too important. ADSL is more than I'm willing to pay for 3gb worth of data. Between my flatmate and I we'll drain that pretty quickly. We're doing about that much just over weekends combined for a month. I have a research&development job, and I need to be able to work during the day. So I don't have much of choice at this moment and I need it first of October.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions re: reception. How do I see on http://rational.co.za/ where the towers are? I only see links to e-mail Nic and download his screensaver.

I'm going to be in Gordon ave, about a block from the T-junction at then (away from Jan Smuts). Anybody in the area?

Thanks

--
koffiejunkie
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's all fine, but TRUST me...it's HORRIBLY slow...you'll regret it. Plus it's a 12/24 month contract. HomeDSL384 with 2 accounts is a much better and safer deal than Senfsck

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256k ... BAH..more like 25.6k
FSCK YOU Sentech!! [

!]

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