Before I start, I'd like to share a joke with you that I found on the wall of Professor Gallant's Facebook group.
Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love, and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.
Wocka wocka!
Ahem... moving on...
While checking my email in the N205 computer lab today, I found an exciting, yet somewhat unexpected, email from Professor Rector. In a nutshell, he had to go up on the roof of the N building to take some photos of the existing antenna tower. As I've previously posted, there's already an antenna up on the building. We know two things, however; first, it's not being used at this time. Second, it's was designed for HF frequencies, whereas we'd require an antenna which is designed for VHF frequencies. Apparently, Professor Rector has contacts with a tower company he worked with some years ago who can help us get the antenna we need attached to the tower.
Anyway, it was roughly 2:50 when I got this email, asking Gino and I to meet him at screening room B at 2:30. I got pretty darn excited when I got the email, until I noticed the time. I was sure that I was too late! I managed to catch him, though, and before I knew it, we were up on the roof of the school, braving the -15 degree cold. Unfortunately, due to some previous obligations, Gino was unable to join us. I'm sure it won't be the last time we're up there, though. While we were up there, we did a bit of an inspection of what was already up there. I was impressed with the size of the antenna tower, myself. The tower itself is roughly thirteen feet high, with two dipole antennas, an HF Yagi-Uda, and a whip antenna on top of everything. We also noticed that there was a rotator motor at the base of the tower. At this time, though, we have no idea how old it is, or if it still works. I suspect that will be one of the things we check out when the snow thaws. The plan for what we're actually going to with the antenna tower is still up in the air at this point. We're going to have to do some more research into this project before we can really decide the best course of action. We know, though, that we will need a new antenna. That will be figured out a little later.
I now have the task of figuring out the path the space station will take while it flies above us, as that will determine how and where the antenna gets attached to the tower. We also need to get busy filling out our application! We're going to talk about the application after our midterms are done, and I'll be doing some more research about the ISS in the meantime. I'm also waiting for the pictures that Professor Rector took so that I can post them up here! As well, on Friday a group of us will be meeting up and discussing what we'd like to do with the club now that we're officially sanctioned.
Soon, I'll be posting some of the technical requirements we're going to need to take into consideration so that all my dorky readers can really appreciate the complexity of this project. Things are getting really exciting!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Episode IV: A Club is Born
Good news! Yesterday, Gino and I attended the club sanctioning meeting in the Humber Students' Federation Events office and we got the Humber Telecom Club officially sanctioned!
Our meeting was scheduled for 4:30 yesterday. In the office, we were greeted by Aaron Miller, the HSF's programming director, and two Asian women. The two Asian women were there to represent their own club, the Humber Bible Fellowship. We talked about how the club system works at the school, about money matters, and about promotion and marketing. I'm happy to report that both Gino and I are now well-versed in the ins and outs of the club system! We ended up getting out of the meeting at roughly 5:10.
So, I'd like to officially announce to the world that the Humber Telecom Club is open, and ready for business! Once all our mid-term exams are completed, we'll publicly announce some meeting dates, and if we're lucky, a list of things we'd like to get accomplished at the meetings. Until then, our noses may be stuck in the books, but our minds are already in orbit.
Also, I'd like to apologize for not posting this up last night. I got a stern lecture from Gino today about the importance of keeping this blog as up-to-date as possible, so now I know better than to wait when there's big news!
Our meeting was scheduled for 4:30 yesterday. In the office, we were greeted by Aaron Miller, the HSF's programming director, and two Asian women. The two Asian women were there to represent their own club, the Humber Bible Fellowship. We talked about how the club system works at the school, about money matters, and about promotion and marketing. I'm happy to report that both Gino and I are now well-versed in the ins and outs of the club system! We ended up getting out of the meeting at roughly 5:10.
So, I'd like to officially announce to the world that the Humber Telecom Club is open, and ready for business! Once all our mid-term exams are completed, we'll publicly announce some meeting dates, and if we're lucky, a list of things we'd like to get accomplished at the meetings. Until then, our noses may be stuck in the books, but our minds are already in orbit.
Also, I'd like to apologize for not posting this up last night. I got a stern lecture from Gino today about the importance of keeping this blog as up-to-date as possible, so now I know better than to wait when there's big news!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Episode III: The Struggle of the Antenna, Part One
So, there hasn't been all that much done of the project these last few days. Mid-term exams have started, and we're all more or less concentrating on getting through those.
Today, I spoke with Professor Rector about the Yagi-Uda antenna on top of the N building. He's still working hard to see what can be done about modifying the antenna to work for our purposes. Right now, it looks like the school doesn't want any students on the roof. The exception to this may be Gino, who runs Sky 1 Communications, a very fine satellite company. He may be allowed on the roof due to the nature of his company. Professor Rector also said that he has some contacts who may be able to help us lower the antenna to ground level at a discounted price. This is, of course, assuming that the school will allow us to modify the antenna at all.
In the meantime, we have some exams and other projects to take care of. Come March, I expect to see this project progress a little more.
Also! Gino, Paul, and I talked to to the staff at the HSF events office today. There's going to be a sanctioning meeting on February 25, and that's when we'll see if our application to get the Humber Telecom Club approved. Until then, we're going to be waiting in nervous anticipation. As soon as our group gets sanctioned, I promise you'll read about it here first!
If I haven't mentioned it before, we're hoping on actually making contact with the space station in March or April of 2009. You can expect to see this blog updated with all the details between then and now. Bookmark this page, and check back often for updates!
Today, I spoke with Professor Rector about the Yagi-Uda antenna on top of the N building. He's still working hard to see what can be done about modifying the antenna to work for our purposes. Right now, it looks like the school doesn't want any students on the roof. The exception to this may be Gino, who runs Sky 1 Communications, a very fine satellite company. He may be allowed on the roof due to the nature of his company. Professor Rector also said that he has some contacts who may be able to help us lower the antenna to ground level at a discounted price. This is, of course, assuming that the school will allow us to modify the antenna at all.
In the meantime, we have some exams and other projects to take care of. Come March, I expect to see this project progress a little more.
Also! Gino, Paul, and I talked to to the staff at the HSF events office today. There's going to be a sanctioning meeting on February 25, and that's when we'll see if our application to get the Humber Telecom Club approved. Until then, we're going to be waiting in nervous anticipation. As soon as our group gets sanctioned, I promise you'll read about it here first!
If I haven't mentioned it before, we're hoping on actually making contact with the space station in March or April of 2009. You can expect to see this blog updated with all the details between then and now. Bookmark this page, and check back often for updates!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Episode II: The Ball Starts Rolling
Time for business!
Today, the school held a meeting for all of the Wireless and Telecommunications Technology students. Wireless students from all years and semesters were invited to attend. Professor Ramdas, Professor Rector, and Professor McCulloch each gave little speeches about some of the career possibilities that would be available to students after they get their diplomas. Two students from the sixth semester gave a little presentation about some of the projects that they're working on, and a former graduate from Humber came in and talked about what he's been doing since he left school.
Included in this meeting was a presentation by my fellow classmates Gino, Paul, and myself. In a nutshell, we're attempting to form a club through the school, the Humber Telecom Club, which we hope will strengthen ties between Wireless students, regardless of what semester they're in. For instance, I know that when I started at Humber, I had no idea of what to expect in my program. I had no idea of what was expected of me. I thought it was working with cell phones. But in the time since then, I've realized that it's so much more than just cell phones. This program has introduced me to so many ideas and concepts that go even beyond the realm of electronics and telecommunications. I'm learning so much more than I thought I would. I'm learning self-confidence; the kind of confidence that can only come with hard work. As a new student, however, it would have been really nice to have had some to mentor me. Someone I could go to if I had questions about the program. That is going to be the focus of this club, should it actually come to fruition. We're hoping that we can have guest speakers from the industry come in to speak with the club members, too. Not only would something like that be really helpful in knowing what the industry is doing, but it's also a great way to make industry contacts. During this meeting, we managed to get a lot of signatures for our club. During our presentation, we also officially announced our project to the school. We talked a little bit about it, and we generated a lot of interest from not only the students, but also many of the professors who were also in attendance.
Today, we talked with Professor Rector about the condition of some of the equipment in the school. For instance, there is a Yagi-Uda antenna on the roof of the N building. (For anyone not from Humber, the N building is predominately used by the Electronics, Wireless, Computer Engineering, and Robotics students.) The problem is, first of all, that it's a stationary antenna. For the purposes of this project, we will need an antenna capable of being pointed in both azimuth and elevation. Secondly, apparently this antenna is designed for HF frequencies (between 3 MHz and 30 MHz), whereas we're going to need an antenna which is designed for VHF frequencies (30 MHz to 300 MHz). The frequencies that the space shuttle's radio operates on are:
We learned today that there's a whip-antenna on top of the Yagi which is designed for VHF, but whether or not it will meet the specifications of this project is yet to be determined. Kelly, the gentleman who operates the electronics parts crib, will be forwarding the specifications of the antennas to Professor Rector, who will then advise us on what do next.
Things are starting to get really exciting now. It's just a matter of time until we can take this from the planning stage, and actually start getting down to work!
Today, the school held a meeting for all of the Wireless and Telecommunications Technology students. Wireless students from all years and semesters were invited to attend. Professor Ramdas, Professor Rector, and Professor McCulloch each gave little speeches about some of the career possibilities that would be available to students after they get their diplomas. Two students from the sixth semester gave a little presentation about some of the projects that they're working on, and a former graduate from Humber came in and talked about what he's been doing since he left school.
Included in this meeting was a presentation by my fellow classmates Gino, Paul, and myself. In a nutshell, we're attempting to form a club through the school, the Humber Telecom Club, which we hope will strengthen ties between Wireless students, regardless of what semester they're in. For instance, I know that when I started at Humber, I had no idea of what to expect in my program. I had no idea of what was expected of me. I thought it was working with cell phones. But in the time since then, I've realized that it's so much more than just cell phones. This program has introduced me to so many ideas and concepts that go even beyond the realm of electronics and telecommunications. I'm learning so much more than I thought I would. I'm learning self-confidence; the kind of confidence that can only come with hard work. As a new student, however, it would have been really nice to have had some to mentor me. Someone I could go to if I had questions about the program. That is going to be the focus of this club, should it actually come to fruition. We're hoping that we can have guest speakers from the industry come in to speak with the club members, too. Not only would something like that be really helpful in knowing what the industry is doing, but it's also a great way to make industry contacts. During this meeting, we managed to get a lot of signatures for our club. During our presentation, we also officially announced our project to the school. We talked a little bit about it, and we generated a lot of interest from not only the students, but also many of the professors who were also in attendance.
Today, we talked with Professor Rector about the condition of some of the equipment in the school. For instance, there is a Yagi-Uda antenna on the roof of the N building. (For anyone not from Humber, the N building is predominately used by the Electronics, Wireless, Computer Engineering, and Robotics students.) The problem is, first of all, that it's a stationary antenna. For the purposes of this project, we will need an antenna capable of being pointed in both azimuth and elevation. Secondly, apparently this antenna is designed for HF frequencies (between 3 MHz and 30 MHz), whereas we're going to need an antenna which is designed for VHF frequencies (30 MHz to 300 MHz). The frequencies that the space shuttle's radio operates on are:
Voice Downlink: 145.80 MHz
Voice Uplink: 145.20 MHz
Packet Uplink: 145.99 MHz
Voice Uplink: 145.20 MHz
Packet Uplink: 145.99 MHz
We learned today that there's a whip-antenna on top of the Yagi which is designed for VHF, but whether or not it will meet the specifications of this project is yet to be determined. Kelly, the gentleman who operates the electronics parts crib, will be forwarding the specifications of the antennas to Professor Rector, who will then advise us on what do next.
Things are starting to get really exciting now. It's just a matter of time until we can take this from the planning stage, and actually start getting down to work!
Episode I: An Introduction
Hello there!
My name is Patrick, and I'm a fourth-semester student at Humber College, located in Rexdale, Ontario, which is a suburb just west of Toronto. I'm in Humber's Wireless and Telecommunications Technology program, and am set to graduate in April of 2009.
In order to graduate, however, my classmates and I have to undertake a final project, and our project must have some sort of relevance to our program. In the past, some of the projects have included exchanging data packets wirelessly between two of Humber's buildings, and setting up a call centre using a Linux based system.
My friends, we are going to take our project to the next level.
Without getting into anything too complicated (there'll be plenty of time for that!), we plan to contact and communicate with the International Space Station. We are going to design and build an antenna, and we're going to apply to NASA to have someone up on the space station waiting for our transmission. We have dubbed this project Operation: First Contact.
The plan right now is to host a school-wide contest to see who has the best question for the astronauts. We're going to be giving this event as much media coverage as possible, which will include publicity through Humber College's own Radio Humber, as well as various newspapers and television stations around Toronto.
The purpose of this blog will be to keep everyone updated on the status of Operation: First Contact. It will be a place where we can share our experience with the world. If you're all lucky, I may even get into some pretty exciting highly technical stuff here!
So join me, if you will, as we take this trip into the future together...
My name is Patrick, and I'm a fourth-semester student at Humber College, located in Rexdale, Ontario, which is a suburb just west of Toronto. I'm in Humber's Wireless and Telecommunications Technology program, and am set to graduate in April of 2009.
In order to graduate, however, my classmates and I have to undertake a final project, and our project must have some sort of relevance to our program. In the past, some of the projects have included exchanging data packets wirelessly between two of Humber's buildings, and setting up a call centre using a Linux based system.
My friends, we are going to take our project to the next level.
Without getting into anything too complicated (there'll be plenty of time for that!), we plan to contact and communicate with the International Space Station. We are going to design and build an antenna, and we're going to apply to NASA to have someone up on the space station waiting for our transmission. We have dubbed this project Operation: First Contact.
The plan right now is to host a school-wide contest to see who has the best question for the astronauts. We're going to be giving this event as much media coverage as possible, which will include publicity through Humber College's own Radio Humber, as well as various newspapers and television stations around Toronto.
The purpose of this blog will be to keep everyone updated on the status of Operation: First Contact. It will be a place where we can share our experience with the world. If you're all lucky, I may even get into some pretty exciting highly technical stuff here!
So join me, if you will, as we take this trip into the future together...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)