Got a backup connection? *Pics*

[meinename]

While I visited Glacier National Park, I saw these gems.

I assume they use them in this order for connectivity:
WildBlue (Ka) looks like the first rain cloud would wipe it out
Hugesnet (Ku) on a 3 foot dish
And the 4+ foot monster (Ku) Any one care to guess how big this one is and make?

I also assume they are (mainly) for Credit Card transactions.

Warning: these photos are 7 MegaPixels
2.7MB for the First and 2.0MB for the second
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

 

[ACRadio]

The monster KU dish is a 1.2 meter Prodelin...great dish but I hate the mount....

 

[turbosat]

All looks shiny and new! Backups to backups, like NASA, lol. Might be tied to different systems though, like internet for the park admins, NCIC access for the park rangers, credit card transaction for concessions, etc. I understand the Park Service was supposed to have gotten a good chunk of the stimulus money-maybe this is how they spent part of it.

 

[Mr Tony]

always good to have a backup plan

 

[meinename]

All looks shiny and new! Backups to backups, like NASA, lol. Might be tied to different systems though, like internet for the park admins, NCIC access for the park rangers, credit card transaction for concessions, etc. I understand the Park Service was supposed to have gotten a good chunk of the stimulus money-maybe this is how they spent part of it.

Sorry, but I don't think that was what they were used for. I could easily be wrong.

These were sitting atop the restaurant across from the Hotel next to Lake McDonald

Got me thinking while I was out there about my computer networking classes.
How do you have 2+ lines of communication in case one fails, in an area where DSL/Cable/T1 etc. are non-existent or prohibitively expensive? (like in Montana)

Answer: Satellite connections over different orbital slots and preferably different bands.

In this case I presume WildBlue provides a Bulk-rate "low-cost", "low-reliability" connection.
100GB per month, but goes out every time it rains
HugesNet would provide a much smaller bulk-rate package that could fall-over to a metered rate
5GB per month, then $5 per GB
The Prodelin would be a metered connection, but "should" be rarely used. May be reserved for POS/CC transactions.

Off-my-own-Topic
Oh and anyone looking for a SuperDish with 121W LNB should take a drive through the Missoula DMA.
Man If I had brought all 3 Dish500's and an empty trunk I have I could have returned with some SuperDishes

 

[JosephB]

I'm willing to bet they're not backups. The big one is probably provided by their credit card processor and is dedicated to that only. One is probably for internet access, and the other..maybe a backup? You mentioned a restaurant, is it separate from the park in that the park has it's own POS system too? Each POS (esp. if the restaurant isn't run by the park service) probably has it's own credit card processing system