URLS : Hyperlinked here ( http://manuka.orcon.net.nz ) for reference convenience

via Stan. SWAN => s.t.swan@massey.ac.nz <= for Silicon Chip Nov. 2002 Wi-Fi article

http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=8047 “ ARRL Antenna Book” 19^th Ed. American Radio Relay League ham “bible”

www.antennas3.com “Antennas for all Applications” 3^rd Ed. Kraus and Marhefka The classic professionals text.

www.netstumbler.com “Netstumbler” and PDA version “Ministumbler” download site

alt.internet.wireless ( Usegroup: access via Google Groups ) for helpful advise , experiences and opinion

www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448 Pringle can antenna enhancement

www.wlan.org.uk/tincan.gif Tin can microwave antenna details

www.wlan.org.uk/simple_double_quad.gif Pictures and details of the basic “bow tie”

http://trevormarshall.com/biquad.htm Details of bow tie used with parabolic reflector

http://www.wireless.org.au/~jhecker/helix/helical.html Jason Heckers high gain helix

http://helix.remco.tk Helical cookbook

www.saunalahti.fi/~elepal/antenna1.html Cake tin homebrew short backfire antenna

www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/PigTail Sources for Orinoco Pigtail connectors

www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/MicroTVAerial Very small 2.4GHz Yagi

www.hyperlinktech.com/web/connectors.html Microwave connectors listings and pictures

www.warchalking.org Warchalking background and news.

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Cats Whiskers/Pyjamas. Newcomers may have missed the pun, although granddads should be happy. “Cats Whisker” classically referred to a 1920s radio wave detector, used prior to the taming of modern semiconductor diodes 40 years later. Early radio valves were costly, so many home enthusiasts tuned in to MW radio signals via DIY “crystal sets” that used a springy whisker of wire to probe the (rectifying) surface of a lead galena crystal. Predictably, performance was often VERY touchy indeed…

Further close ups and exploded diagrams of the “Kipper Can” sardine tin bi-quad “Bow Tie” are at …

http://manuka.orcon.net.nz/wififi.jpg , http://manuka.orcon.net.nz/wifibowt.gif , http://manuka.orcon.net.nz/wifibiqd.gif

Harris Technology ( www.ht.com.au) sell PCMCIA Avaya Gold ( 128bit WEP )Wi-Fi cards ( part # F2031) at just A$90 +GST. Extensive tests confirm these are indeed just re branded Lucent/Agere/Avaya Orinocos. Sensitivity is excellent.

Suitable “pigtails” however remain VERY costly & elusive, with often only annoyingly short ½ m ones available. In desperation, you may even consider “school boy wiring” a DIY “plug” as shown at http://manuka.orcon.net.nz/wifipigt.jpg

Maybe USA direct import Fleeman Anderson Bird (FAB) www.fab-corp.com ~A$50 for a convenient low loss 1½ m one.

Warchalking has already gone mainstream, with a top Wellington NZ hotel proudly promoting their CafeNet WLAN via a symbol set into pavement tiles at the door. See => http://manuka.orcon.net.nz/wificook.jpg