I thought there would be no way this many people around here use APs. But they do. It is a resort town so I guess lots of vacationers want an easy way to hook up to the internet when they are away from home. Lots of them are unsecured APs on DSL accounts. Amazing.

I have some questions for the more experienced stumblers out there. First let me tell you my set up, then I would like to hear some suggestions.

iPAQ 3765 PPC2002 sp1, Compaq WL110 (latest drivers from Compaq website http://www.compaq.com/support/files/networking/wlan/WL110CE.html ), ministumbler (v.3.23), vxUtils, CE-Niffer 3.0, Pharos iGPS 180. I have the GPS in the serial port (COM1), and the nic and a 64Mb CF card for maps in the sleeve.

It is working... great from what I can tell. I have a bunch of ministumbler files. What is the best way to append the Ministumbler files? I would assume I could just do it from the DOS command line on my PC. Will this duplicate the header information in the file? Can I do it on the PPC? I have a pocket version of vi. I will try it on that.

I would like to get an antennae for it as it has a connection in the top of the WL110. Any suggestions? Maybe something that won't look conscpicuous sticking out of a backpack. Well, I guess any antennae sticking out of a backpack is automatically suspicious.

So, are there some drivers for the WL110 I could possibly use besides Compaq's stock OEM version. I have read a lot of posts about people using alternate drivers. What are some of the benefits?

Also, I would like to convert my ministumbler GPS information to a map, but I do not have MapPoint 2002 or any other software that will take the StumbVerter info... I think. I guess I'll have to buy Streets and Trips 2002 to get the Pocket Streets 2k2 GPS. that will work... right? I know the teletype GPS software will allow you to use the aerial photos like from TerraServer. I would like to have and end product like a large aerial overview of my local area with the APs on it. I saw a website ( I believe from a Kasas Univ.) where they had the radio signals as color overlays on an aerial map and it looked really neat. I would like to see a map of my town like that when I am done. The GPS came with a moving map program that can record waypoints in a file called ostia.wps. Maybe I can edit this file to include waypoints with the GPS info from the ministumbler files? Then I could get voice instructions guiding me to the AP. Neat.

I have really enjoyed going around town in my little subaru Justy hearing my ministumbler "KA-PING" at me. I use the sound of a bullet ricochet to signal an AP discovery.

I was wondering what I was gonna do with this iPAQ. Now I know. This is an addictive hobby.