The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

Preparing for Sailing Season '09
The 5MileWifi Project

[See warning below on poor support from the manufacturer]

Description

Preparing for my upcoming spleen surgery, I picked up a 'new' Dell Latitude 620 laptop on eBay and set it up for WiFi networking with my office PC. After opening an account with LogMeIn to remotely work from the office computer I needed too insure that the signal will reach across the yard to Barbara's house, where I'll be spending some time recuperating. I moved up my schedule for Sailing Season 2009 and sprung for the 5MileWiFi antenna/booster system, which received high reviews in this month's issue of Practical Sailor.  In this photo it's hooked up to the laptop; the improvement in signal is impressive.  (Jan. 14, 2009)

The 5MileWiFi antenna with its included 25 feet of coax cable, temporarily clamped to the kitchen table, its signal booster's power and signal cables plugged into two of the the laptop's four USB ports.

My initial plan was to run the 5MileWiFi antenna up to the spreader using the radar reflector's halyard, but after reading some reviews, decided on a new plan. One review stated that the antenna aloft swung around too much, that it should instead be secured to the mast by a sail track. This sounded like good advice, so the project began.  (May 31, 2009)

I picked up a 6 foot length of 7/8" stainless steel sail track and a pair of track slides from West Marine. The slides are at Fraser Welding, where Mike will customize them to my design. Today I drilled the mast for every five holes in the track starting at both its ends, then pop-riveted the track to it. It reaches to just above the spreaders.

I finished up the track with a stop at its top.

I've run 50 feet of 1/8" braided New England Ropes Dacron cord (to be cut to proper length) through a block on the tail end of the masthead truck.  I attached the block with a shackle to the backstay's clevis pin, alongside the backstay.

-- Closeup Detail --

The line runs up through the mast head block then back down to a new cleat I've added.  On the other end of the cord, I tied a small carabineer; it'll attach to the antenna mount/track slides combination Mike's making for me at Fraser Welding. The 5MileWiFi antenna should now slide up and down the mast smoothly, its top above and just behind the spreaders.

The mast is ready to be raised.  (Jun. 1, 2009)

I picked up the custom-made stainless steel antenna hoisting bracket from Fraser Welding this morning. As always, Mike did an incredibly perfect one-of-a-kind job for me from my design.  The base of the antenna should thread right onto this bracket, stand off from the mast and track by six inches.  (Jul. 7, 2009)

I'll try running it up the mast's new slide track the next time I go out to Chip Ahoy on its mooring.

Today I threaded the 5MileWiFi antenna onto the slide bracket, attached the second carabineer to the downhaul end of the antenna's halyard, clipped the two carabineers to the tangs on each end of the bracket, and hoisted it up the sail track on Chip Ahoy's mast for the first time.  It slid up smoothly, no resistance, all the way to the track stop.  (Jul. 11, 2009)

The bracket hits the track stop just above the spreaders, putting the antenna well above them. I was a bit disappointed that the antenna doesn't point parallel to the mast. I've got to play with that some more, see if there's a way to make it do so -- but it's not really important. What's important is that it slides up and comes down as I'd envisioned.

The bracket's male threaded pipe seems parallel with the mast or so close as to be indistinguishable; knowing Mike the Welder, it's perfect. The female threaded antenna base appears to be what's somehow throwing it off.  It'll do the job even at somewhat of an angle, and it'll only be up when I'm docked or on a mooring. Next comes the big test: Will the antenna increase reception as advertised? I'll have to bring my laptop aboard next and hook it up, see if I can pick up my own WiFi signal from home, maybe a quarter-mile ashore atop the hill.  (Jul. 11, 2009)

-- Closeup --

An eye-level view at low tide from the dock at Brown's Yacht Yard in Gloucester (Sep. 7, 2009)

When I arrived in Scituate Harbor on my annual cruise this year, I set up my 5MileWifi system, hoisted its antenna up the mast and connected to the laptop. I picked up a signal, "Mill Wharf," from the Mill Wharf Restaurant on the shore overlooking the harbor — perfect line-of-sight a few hundred yards away. It was a secure network, but I arranged with the restaurant (Chester's) to get its password and connect. Though right there across the harbor, I kept losing the signal.

I wrestled with this headache for my entire stay in Scituate, attempted a number of times to reach 5MileWifi tech support, actually talked to some guys in India during a couple of them. One ("Anide" - sp?) was supposed to call back the next morning to see if anything he suggested had worked, but never called. Other messages I left with both support and sales were never returned.

From my journal/log:

Saturday, July 23, 2011; 9:30 am
On a mooring, Scituate outer harbor

– 11:45 am –

. . . Then there’s the useless 5-Mile-Wifi system. It refuses to work.

Without it, I’ve learned, I can connect to the Mill Wharf network, and through it to the Internet. Granted, the signal is “Weak-Low,” but I can connect, it works if a bit slow. Using the 5-Mile-Wifi system, it won’t connect whatsoever. What’s with this?

I finally reached a more-or-less knowledgeable tech support guy there – of course somewhere in India, “Raj” – who offered to send me a replacement system, apparently mine is still under warranty – “Where would you like to have it shipped.” I again explained the circumstance. The best – no, the only – resolution was to ship it to my home. “Maybe on next year’s cruise it will work better for me,” I replied in defeat. . . .

Anide had given me the name and e-mail address of 5MileWifi's owner, Joe [joe@zialater.com], so when I could get a connection, I sent him a couple messages, but never received any response:

From: Chip Ford
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2011 12:30 PM
To: 'joe@zialater.com'
Cc: Chip Ford
Subject: Thanks for my vacation cruise!

JOE, YOU AND YOUR PRODUCT HAVE COST ME MY CRUISING VACATION.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PRODUCT WHEN I GET HOME.

CHIP FORD --

Ali at support: "5milewifi owner: joe@zialater.com"

From: Chip Ford -- 508-397-****

I'm supposed to be on my annual vacation cruise aboard my Catalina 22 sailboat, with your 5MileWifi attached. It hasn't worked since my arrival on a distant mooring. I have a strong signal, spent a few hours arranging for the network's password.

Once in a while I can connect -- most often not. I'm showing four out of possible five bars of signal.

I called your alleged support number:

5MileWifi Support: 301-838-4380 -- Press 3 for support. ("Anide"?)
Sharine Inc.
Tech Support: "Anide Momashie Bohami" -- spelling ???
Sales: "Meship Jamal" -- spelling ???

Anide made some suggestions on Tuesday evening, upon my arrival. He was supposed to call back the next morning to see if they worked. He didn't. Numerous calls to your alleged support number have dumped me into his voice-mail. He hasn't returned my calls. I am about to toss your equipment overboard.

This morning (now Friday -- I leave for home Sunday morning) I even tried calling and pressing "1" for sales. I left another message there.

Chip Ford
Cell phone aboard: 508-397-****

Do you suppose somebody can help me get this thing to work before I get home, find and call you, read you the riot act, and demand a refund?

Please help me now.

Chip Ford -- 508-397-****

Home Address -- NOT THERE OF COURSE
[ . . . ]

 

---

From: Chip Ford
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 3:06 PM
To: 'joe@zialater.com'
Cc: Chip Ford
Subject: RE: Thanks for my vacation cruise!

Joe, another wasted day so far – but as you can see, I’ve found a connection again.

Once I disabled 5MileWifi and am running only from the laptop’s internal card on a weak signal.

I’ve learned a lot about your product during this vacation in hell. When you want to pay me for what I’ve learned let me know. In the meantime, put on the armor I’m coming at your product when I arrive home prematurely on Monday morning. Your company has become my obsession.

See: http://chipford.com/ripoff/merchants.htm

Thank you for your concern, your appreciation of my patience, and I’m also sure, your apologies for my goddamn inconvenience.

See you Monday when I get home – and back to work. Thanks for this memorable vacation cruise, buddy.

Chip Ford –

---

A few days after arriving back home from Scituate, a new 5MileWifi booster/amplifier arrived (with a new software disk). There was no note or instructions, just the product and disk. I didn't get a chance to test it until my recent weekend cruise up to Gloucester on September 11 but it worked well, perfectly again I believe.

SHOCK:  ADDING INSULT TO INJURY

A week later, I received the following message from 5MileWifi's owner, Joe Boyle:

From: Joe at 5milewii [mailto:joe@5milewifi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:26 PM
To: Chip Ford
Subject: return of 5mile wifi unit.

Mr. Ford,

Since we shipped you an advance replacement unit, you must return the defective 5mile wifi unit or, if you would prefer to keep it we will send you an invoice for immediate payment.

Sincerely,

Joe Boyle - 5milewifi

Two months after my headaches and frustration in Scituate with his product, two months after the problem unit was replaced, I'm now informed that he wants the old booster/amplifier returned — or I'm expected to now pay for it!

Fortunately for me — and most unfortunate for Joe and his 5MileWifi company's scam — I still had it, hadn't thrown it away as junk yet. How many others would still have it laying around, be able to send it back? I shipped it back to him yesterday (Sep. 22, 2011). I'll bet that doesn't happen often.

But if Joe thought I was going to pay his invoice for a defective booster — "immediate" or ever — it's obvious that he doesn't know me. I can't imagine anyone would even consider complying with this apparent scam.

I like Joe's product, when it works. Support for his product sucks — and worse, this obvious scam disgusts me.

I've e-mailed Joe a message with a link to this page, invited him to respond if he wishes. If he does, I'll post it here.