Putting a web cam at Gerstle Cove

[renpirate]

I'd be careful with Satellite. With the high winds, and clouds I would expect a lot of problems with it, plus it is expensive (though you could resell it to campers and visitors). How about using an existing phone line (like the conditions line) to upload a photo hourly? I'm sure some of the cameras have an option to do something like that, anyone know?

I'm a network kind of guy, so could help with routers / networks / wiring and that type of stuff and have some gear around.

EDIT: I also have some dial-up accounts we could use.

Mark

Thanks for the offer of help. I am sure we will need all we can get

The webcam on dialup is doable. The problem is there are no more wires for a phone line, as in from the telephone pole. Yeah, I know the difficulties of satellite. Unfortunately, it may be the only option. As far as selling it to campers, that would require a much bigger dish and headaches. I went through that with a buddy of mine when I set his up in Mexico.

 

[mweitz]

The problem is there are no more wires for a phone line, as in from the telephone pole.

Right, I get that. My suggestion is to use an existing phone line, like a fax line, or the conditions line. You can set the cam to update hourly. It would just take a couple of minutes each hour, and wouldn't require a dedicated line. You would need:

• Windows PC, I've got one that would be perfect
• Some cheap or free software, check this out: http://home.rochester.rr.com/woatman/spycam/index.html
• Modem, I have these I think
• Video Capture Device (I have some of these too, but don't have a card for them for the PC. I bet we could do this pretty easily / cheaply with a PCI card), or we can get a USB camera
• Some possible wiring work to get the phone line to the PC (we can do this, I have the tools and some wire) depending on the locations of lines and such.

The nice thing about doing it this way is we can do it with almost zero initial investment, and a few hours work. If it really works out people may see the usefulness of having such a system live, which may help in fund raising. Start small, build on successes.

As a point of reference, I put 50 bucks towards the purchase of the McAbee cam. I have a logon to the cam, and can move it around, which is cool, but the really cool thing is seeing it at 30FPS. You can really get a better idea of the conditions on a live cam.

Mark

 

[renpirate]

Hi Mark,

Your idea is a great one and would be technically feasible, except for one small detail. I really, really meant it when I said there are no extra lines. They only have one for the entire visitor center, no fax, no second line, no other wires from the telephone pole. The other lines are going to other facilities, it's a strange configuration I admit, but that is what we have to work with at the moment.

I will try and get more details from the ranger and get back to you.

 

[scubajunkee]

Mark, is the software you described the same used for the MacAbee cam? This sounds pretty feasible. Can the software download 10 sec. or so worth of video then upload it to a server for us to view? If there's only one line at the visitor center, we can set the webcam to upload once or twice an hour and keep the phone usage to a minimum.

-Ericson

 

[BrianM]

Hey Guys,

Even though Gerstle Cove would be the preferred location, it might be a whole lot easier at another location within 5 or 10 miles and we could still get an idea what the conditions are going to be like. For example, the Timber Cove Lodge probably has an existing broadband connection but lacks the experience or manpower to setup a cam. If you went in offering to install a cam free of charge and they could have the link on their website to show prospective travelers, I think it would benefit everyone involved.

Other sites could be that boathouse place on the north outskirts of Jenner, although that's going to show a lot of brown river water from the Russian River. Fort Ross might be viable, the park dept and the town, i.e. Fort Ross Lodge? How about Ocean Cove or that place South of Still water... I cant think of the name but it's all a bunch of beat up trailers and they sell ab cards in a mobile home full of old fins and wetsuits.
Of course it's doubtful that place has even heard of the 'net let alone have a BB connect...

I sold a motel up in Gualala on the ocean side of the highway and the owner is super nice, I'd be willing to ask them if you want to explore that far north.

Can anyone else think of some better spots that might already have what we need??

 

[D_O_H]

I like the Timber Cove idea - sounds like it might be more doable than trying to connect a Gerstle cam and should give us a pretty good idea about conditions a little further up the coast.

If we want to go that way, I've stayed there a few times and am reasonably friendly with a few people who work there. I'd be happy to approach them about the cam (unless someone has a better contact).

 

[mweitz]

I don't think there is any software running the cam, the cam itself is a web server, and the page just updates the image from the cam which is directly connected to the network.

Since you don't have a dedicated network, my thinking was to use a full fledged computer to run the connection, and use the phone line to do periodic updates.

I haven't used that software, but I'm pretty sure that uploading a video file via a dial-up will take too long. A photo would probably be doable though. I'll see if I can play with the software a bit this week.

Mark

Mark, is the software you described the same used for the MacAbee cam? This sounds pretty feasible. Can the software download 10 sec. or so worth of video then upload it to a server for us to view? If there's only one line at the visitor center, we can set the webcam to upload once or twice an hour and keep the phone usage to a minimum.

-Ericson

 

[renpirate]

I like the Timber Cove idea - sounds like it might be more doable than trying to connect a Gerstle cam and should give us a pretty good idea about conditions a little further up the coast.

If we want to go that way, I've stayed there a few times and am reasonably friendly with a few people who work there. I'd be happy to approach them about the cam (unless someone has a better contact).

That sounds like a much better plan. Why don't you give them a call and see if they are interested.

 

[mweitz]

It may also be worthwhile to work with these guys to get theirs back online:

http://www.searanchlodge.com/images/searanchquackindex.html

Mark

 

[D_O_H]

That sounds like a much better plan. Why don't you give them a call and see if they are interested.

I e-mailed them a proposal. Will follow up with a call in a day or two and let everyone know how it goes.