Para

Great info and advice guys’ maybe tomorrow I will get a side shot of the mountain and a shot from the meditation centre just so you can see how dense the forest is.

@ulath - Just bought a 300m roll of CAT5 cost just over 2000BT which IMO is very expensive

@RKASA - No 3G which would have been soooooooo easy for me and the current 2.5 just doesn’t give the quality needed.

@Darrel - The lower transmitter is currently sitting on a 30m pole with a bright yellow flag attached and still zero viz from the mountain. Add in also Fresnel requirements and is anyone’s guess how high I would have to go. Have GPS on my phone so I know the above sea level heights it’s just over +120m difference add in the pesky trees and you are talking possibly +150m.I understand highly directionally antennas would work but I can’t align the lower one due to the mounting of it. We are rural Rayong so no 3G.

@chinook - Understand it’s a kinda oxymoron but my Abbott travels the world teaching offering video casting expands his ability to teach. cantennas too low tech/high maintenance and I hate eating Pringles!

@rakman - EDGE too slow 'Ethernet extender on single pair phone wire might be too delicate and is a long lightning attractor. Cheap to set up, but easy to cut' This is what I am thinking I can source the higher powered POE's in the UK for about 10k BT and a 1000m roll of phone wire is going to be a fraction of the price of Ethernet. How about using the famous blue tubing to shield the wire?????? I would love to have fiber up there but given the slow internet packages on offer how long till TOT offers say a 30Mbps making fibre justifiable? If I have to run cable then 2 pair is a lot cheaper. I know it will be slower but I have to balance performance against cost.

Again thanks for all the input right now i am thinking get a price from TOT then at least I can make a balanced comparison of costing/performance.

Para

I would be tempted to consider running an inexpensive telephone cable and use an extender something like this..

http://uk.startech.c...it~110VDSLEXTGB

LOL!

I had already found that company but didn't want to post the link in case of getting bashed by the mods! IMO its a great solution nice and cheap and we can do it ourselves.

Was also considering to get a professional company in to do a site survey then just rig their solution myself.

Whats your current adsl speeds/line stats like ? 4km is starting to reach the limit all depends on quality of line, and it speeds fall off the further way depending on line noise.

Oddly enough I normally get around 5Mbps DL but running the TV test its showing less than 1Mbps.

I'm between a rock and a hard place here do I kleep trying to get a microwave link, get a new ADSL line run in and pick up the additional monthly or go fiber.

Ethernet over power may work but the limit is around 500m I believe, else go fibre get some pre terminated fibre and and media converters for each end, might cost $500 all up for the gear from ebay.

500m's only gets me half way and there is no way of running power for a hub/extender for the additional half. Nice thought though.

Para

This will work providing that the DSLAM isn't too far away. The total distance from the DSLAM would have to be under about 4-5km for thin lines, or more for thick ones. It would be cheap to implement also as you could run the extra cable yourselves, but it would require a permanent second ADSL subscription which would add up over the years.

Depending on what blocks the line of sight, highly directional wifi might still work and would be worth trying as very cheap to implement.

Other more powerful wireless solutions would probably fall foul of broadcasting restrictions in Europe, but maybe not here.

As mentioned, optical fibre would be absolutely perfect but it would cost a lot especially by the time you have added import taxes etc. Fibre also has the advantage that wild beasties aren't attracted to eating it the way they are attracted to electrical cables. I used fibre for a satellite connection over about 500metres of very rough terrain back in Europe and it's still working years later.

At the rate the monthly subscriptions are dropping and given the fact 6MB would be more than quick enough this has to be the most cost effective solution. IMO.

Trees LOTS of trees! Been trying with a pair of Airguard M5's but its simply impossible to see the other transmittter. Managed to get a topographical map so I know my compass bearings are correct maybe I need to check the maths on the angles of the heads but surely it wouldnt make that much difference if they are slightly out?

The M5's are 500mw I guess we could go harder I am just concerned with the fact we have zero sight of the lower transmitter because of the supporting poll and are relying on compass directions to get a line.

Would love to run fiber problem is as I say its a Temple installation not a commercial so costing is a priority.

Thanks

Para

ADSL is usually limited to about 4km but I believe it can work up to about 7km with a corresponding drop in speed. So it depends on the distance (cable length, not line of sight) between your ADSL modem and TOT's DSLAM.

But if the meditation centre is only 1km further away than where you already have ADSL then it would seem hopeful.

I thought the total length from switch to hub was 3km if you are saying 4km+ then that has to be the answer.

I found a bit of kit that was effectively POE that would run to 1KM or CATx OR basic RJ11 from the us for 350USD. IMO getting TOT to run a new line is going to be the cheapest and also allow isolation of bandwidth for when the meditation sessions are being broadcast.

Thanks for the other replies.

Para

Guys I need some advice please.

I live in a Temple that's on the side of a mountain. We have a lower section fully WiFi covered but the Abbott has asked me to get an Internet link to a newly built meditation complex about 1KM up the hill/mountain.

The obvious choice is a microwave link problem is its a forest temple so even with the lover transmitter up a 30m pole not only is there no sight of it from up the mountain there is also the worry of Fresnel Zone as a 1KM link requires an additional 6m's of clear space above and beyond the line of sight.

I am thinking old school and seem to remember standard phone wire being able to be run up to 3km's so we could possibly get an additional TOT line run up the mountain then just hook up an ADSL router

Any suggestions!

Para

"Was told indirectly that I will not be required to teach at the local school. Slightly peeved as we normally have a lot of kids in and out of the Temple and their English is atrocious."

Yes, Para - you're certainly right, though I must admit that I had understood it being from a 'local somebody', rather than from an official source (i.e. - Area Education Centre) and your application form being (officially) rejected.

Cheers

Splod

Cheers Splod not happy with it but at least its an answer something seldom received in this country!

Para

Anyway, let's see if we ever get that far......haven't yet heard of anybody's application actually being accepted (or even denied).

I was told 2 weeks ago I wasn't needed. Ho hum......

Plop this is becoming more of a joke as each day passes!

OK so no official work visa BUT working less than 15 hrs/wk negates this, right?

Seeing as the original deal was 6hrs/wk @ 10k/month can I ask how your deal of 15hrs/wk lines up? Ahh you're working 2 schools right?

Para

Irrelevant.

Para

I was telephoned this morning by my Thai teacher friend telling me he had contacted the school about me and was told they are still waiting to hear from Bangkok as of what to do.

They will ring him when they get something. !!

Oh well at least school hasn't started yet!

Cheers for the update please keep us posted.

I am in a remote part of Maha Sarakham. . . to my knowledge the nearest farang is over 20 km away, and I have not me him! There is a possibility of a third school wanting a teacher under this initiative. I should learn more in the coming days. I think most schools in the area like an English teacher under this iniative, it is just that most have never appointed a foreigner and havent got a clue how to go about it. I will speak to my wife, is currently spending a few days at a temple with her students, but she maybe able to put a word out for you.

Sent from my GT-P1000T using Thaivisa Connect App

Thank you.

I am an Ordained Monk hence the Temple comment!

I am teaching as part of the new governmrnt initiative. I was summond to the wifes school at 9.30 on Sunday 22 April, where I met the Principles and teacher representatives from both schools. After very little conversation and a meeting being held in the adjoining room, my wife informed me that I would be appointed to teach 13 hours a month at each school for salaries of 10,000 Bhat (each school). The offer was too good to refuse.

Sent from my GT-P1000T using Thaivisa Connect App

You seem to of been the only one to get a 'legit' offer to teach congratulations. The information is so dam_n confusing and typically Thai even when they do know loss of face keeps them from telling the whole story.

Do they need any other assistants where you are and is there a Temp0le Iclose by I can live in!

Phra Para

hi

yes, i applaud volunteering.

but as i am not yet the age to retire, nor from a rich country or from a well to do family background, i need to work. and that work is outside Thailand, like for many.

i really wish to help here son, but for the avarage 2-2.5 months being here a time, i a not sure if all vollunteering wouldnt backfire to the kids, who might just as well be left without a teacher in the middle of their studies.

last year the thai english teacher ( who anyway didnt teach much for that 1 hour a week, nor could speak much enlish for that matter) left the schhol mid-year. was never to be replaced, so, simply the kids never got graded for english, that's it.

wonder how the school can pull that, but they can obviously.

and this school i mention is a bigger, amphur one, not really a village, even though still very rural compare to the other amphurs in Chaiyaphum.

tingtong my anger was directed at the way the government controls the masses with education or more importantly the lack of it. Everyone on this thread was prepared to go outside their comfort zone to give something back and what do we get for the selfless act of helping? NOTHING not even the courteous of a phone call in my case.

I apologize my for misguided rant.

With metta

Phra Para

off topic posts deleted, lets do try to stay remotely on topic, as horrific as it is.

Agreed, but there are posts on here that say this is common in Thailand? I was under the impression you are Thai, Do you know if this is common in Thailand or not?

Cant comment on the deleted post as I have no idea what it said but Guman Thong and Khun Paen Amulets are incredible common. Khun Paen (gives) the wearer the belief of power over women (you need to know the whole story to understand that odd comment) Personally I would say a Khun Paen Amulet is second only to the Somdej style......

I don't have to work, I choose to work. So I guess I have the luxury of putting my foot down and just saying "No work permit, no work." I wish other foreigners would do the same thing, because Thai labor law is incredibly counter-productive and virtually all of the risk is assumed by the foreigner who chooses to work (or selflessly volunteer) illegally.

+1

Last week, when at my son's school for parents day, i was also approached by some head teacher about teaching english.

I am not native, or anything, but the school is rural, so, they can be little desperate.

My 2 problems, apart how much i am qualified or not, are:

1. I am far from being retired,so, without a pension coming in, that 10k a month wont make ends meet, not to mention that even thai teachers lobbying now for 15k a month from the government, that would leave foreign teacher salaries way lower ( government program only, obviously, not that private teachers) what seem to be very unfair, given the higher living costs compare to thais.

2. after the parents day, when the thai teacher asked how many kids cant read, hands up, and half the parents and kids happily and unashamed raised hands, i am pretty sure that teaching English there is kind a hopeless as long as they have trouble with thai. that is 50%!! oh, and we talk about grade 4!!, not grade 1, or kindergarten!

for me, even more shocking was to see that parents were willing to fork out 400 thb/month for extra class when the teacher told, but they had never asked the obvious: how come the kids were studying here 3 yrs, and cant read yet?!

(my son had only 1 yr there so far, we moved due the flood; he is the lucky few who can read...)

in the reflection of these, i think it is a NO, forsure, though i would be curious to see how the teaching is, and maybe to take a chance to see if kids can learn something, a foreigner sure would be a change for them.

there is little chance for tablets, though anyway a new fan for the classroom, or some decent tables and benches (maybe chairs?) would be nice, as well as some books were only existing like 8 books for 30 kids...maybe time for some newer ones?

i know, all waiting up for tablets still...nevertheless.

tingtog your post is the sad reason we so desperately need to do what we can to help educate these kids. I agree on the face of it they are not our problem BUT we all choose to live here and IMO are entitled to give something, just a a little back.

Do you think anyone was doing this of the 10k? come on get real. The money was the tipping point for volunteering to do something they had thought of doing for a while.

So do we bury our heads in the sand and lets the undereducated farmer children become just another generation of rice pickers? I hope you are in a position to be able to pay for your child’s education at a respectable school as you seem top of totally missed the point of what we were all prepared to offer back to the country we live in.

It's illegal to work without a work permit.

Not ranting at you Connda but <deleted> is it called to deliberately undereducated children so they are controllable when older, communism?

This has hit a massive nerve we are foreigners prepared to drag the learning abilities of thier children out of the dark ages and what do we get?

Typical Thai response, nothing that way no face lost.

Rant over!

Para

So what just another 'good idea' at the time that fell flat on its face b/c I am guessing the right money wasn't paid to the right government officials?

Whatever.

Perpetuating superstitions does nobody any good.

Agreed but what is superstition and what is simply not fully understood yet?

Look back through the dark ages and the sufferings at he hands of superstition.

Ignorance (not yours) is a very dangerous thing.

Phra Para

I wouldn't be too sure about Singapore though - Thai amulets and other magical charms are extremely popular there...

I am on a number of MY and SG boards and their obsession with KMT is crazy....

Bizarre yes, distasteful sure, but so are many many aspects of my own society to individuals from others.

The biggest problem the Thais see with this is his trying to take them out of the country, not the practice itself.

The objective ethical standard IMO is who was harmed by this and to what degree?

So far the answer seems to be no one, at least for those of us who believe that allowing abortions is a good thing.

An excellent but brutally honest post get ready for the flack from the pathetic hand wringers that TV has so many of.......

Phra Para

Don't know who's more sick ... the people that believe in this rubbish, or the people who make money off of it.

Any luck with your lottery numbers this week? ;-)

What the heck do they need a 300M upgrade for. Is it to ensure they life of austerity they signed up for. And yes I think there are a number of very wealthy monks in Thailand

Understand the concept of making merit then you will know the answer....

Sadly I will however agree with you that there are Monks that abuse their position and accumulate wealth for personal gain.