Author Archives: J.D. H.

ViaSat-1 Flyaway mobile internet via SurfBeam 2 Pro Portable Terminal

Leave a comment

A whileĀ backĀ I found thisĀ referenceĀ to the “Flyaway” portable satellite internet kit by ViaSat. It fit the entire dish, modem, and router into a large suitcase and it utilizes the super-fast ViaSat-1 satellite: How ViaSatā€™s Exede makes satellite broadband not suck | Ars Technicahttp://arstechnica.com/business/2012/01/how-viasats-exede-makes-satellite-broadband-not-suck/The home market isn’t the only target for Exede service. ViaSat is also going after mobile and remote applications, including a satellite “fly-away” kit that packs into a 25-pound, airline-checkable suitcase and can be used to transmit live high-definition

Read more Gadgets and Tech, Misc Links, Off the Grid, tech tips

Difference between original WildBlue and Exede [explained]

2 comments

Recently I had some people ask me what the differences are between theĀ original WildBlue and Exede satellite internet plans. The answer: They utilize different satellites and offer vastly different speeds and usage experiences. Exede utilizes ViaSat-1, the most capable commercial communications satellite in existence Launched October 19, 2011 aboard aĀ Proton rocket, it is the world’s highest capacity communications satellite with a total capacity in excess of 140 Gbit/s, more than all the satellites covering North America combined, at the time

Read more Gadgets and Tech, Off the Grid

What is GoDaddy extended auto renew?

Leave a comment

It is a service they offer to renew your domain on an annual basis, even if you have a multi-year registration. Example: You register a domain name on July 2nd 2012 for 5 years. Your domain expiration date would be July 2nd 2017. With regular auto renew, your domain would renew on July 2nd 2017 for another 5 years. With extended auto renew, your domain name would renew after one year, on July 2nd 2013 and would be extended by

Read more Ask J.D., tech tips

Use your e-reader as a display for your computer

Leave a comment

Over at Pocketables (one of my fav tech sites) they posted a nice little article asking Why are ereaders still stand-alone only devices? It is a valid question and if the Pebble watch is any indication, there is a lot of pent up demand for ultra-long lived devices using e-ink displays. If Pocketable’s premise was e-ink is good for a lot more than just reading books, and that the current ereaders should do more… then this along those lines, here

Read more computer tips, Misc Links

Shipping container modular ceiling installation [video]

Leave a comment

[please scroll down for the video] Samantha and I are considering shipping container (ISBU) construction for our garage and possibly our new house. We currently have an 8’x20′ container that we mounted our solar (PV) panels on top of and inside we have our batteries, inverter, etc. Ā We also use it as a simple storage container. But when taking the container concept beyond storage/utility into a more advanced structure, there are some issues. One problem with building with ISBUs is

Read more Misc Links, Off the Grid, Remodeling

Improving drive distance in disc golf

Leave a comment

I am working on improving my driving distance in disc golf. FYI I am a right hander that throws backhand. The following video featuring Dan Beto has been helpful in improving my distance. The first day practicing with his technique tips, my best throw was approximately 50 feet further than my prior best drive. Not bad for a days work! Top Search Terms:disc golf distance tips (5)disc golf driving tips (4)disc golf distance techniques (3)backhand disc golf (2)disc golf distance

Read more Disc Golf, Misc Links

Off the grid solar system maintenance

Leave a comment

This morning I performed a couple simple maintenance tasks for our off-the-grid solar system: Washing the solar panels This is actually optional maintenance, as you don’t haveĀ to wash your panels. However, keeping solar panels clean and free of dust etc. can appreciably boost your power output. After washing the panels (it has been pretty dry and dusty lately) I had about 10% more electricity being generated. Woot! Adding distilled water to the batteries Flooded lead acid* batteries periodically require distilled

Read more Daily Updates, Off the Grid

Two WordPress plugins for database driven sites

Leave a comment

Here are two plugin I am evaluating for use on a user-generated-content website: WordPress ā€ŗ Formidable Forms Ā« WordPress Pluginshttp://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/formidable/Quickly and easily build forms with a simple drag-and-drop interface and in-place editing. There are dozens of form-building plugins out there to create forms, but most areā€¦ WordPress ā€ŗ AZIndex Ā« WordPress Pluginshttp://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/azindex/screenshots/Stylish Indexes for your WordPress Blog. Create alphabetical indexes of your posts, with headings, subheadings, and descriptions, based on post title, Download Version 0.8.1 Both have some very cool

Read more Misc Links, Work
« Older Entries Recent Entries »