Hi all! Our first trip to Bonaire will be in April. I can't wait! I'm a new diver...my open water certification will actually be done in Bonaire. I'm curious to find out the status of the Reefcam...anyone know when it will be back online?
Thanks!

Terri, welcome to Bonaire Talk. They have purchased a new cam, however, I'm not sure there is a date for installation.

Hi Terri,

I'm guessing that the install of the new ReefCam will occur in late April due to an impending trip I have to take to the U.S. to be with my wife for knee replacement surgery in a couple of weeks. I will plan on bringing the new ReefCam back with me at that point.

We have to actually do several things to prepare for the install:

1) We have to find and/or install a drill mooring near the current mooring block to secure the mooring block on the slope so that it's gradual downhill slide is stopped permanently (we suspect the tension this was creating in the existing cable is what caused the ReefCam signal to fail). There are some engineering issues involved here too. Hope to tackle at least part of this in the next couple of weeks.

2) We have to recable the ReefCam on the beach - I have two waterproof junction boxes I will be installing for this purpose (I may do this before I leave in early April). At the same time I will include a second cable on land for the eventual hope that we can deploy a second shallow-water cheapie ReefCam under the pier.

3) A new underwater cable has to be run (we are having that made for us).

4) The new ReefCam needs to be installed.

Not an easy task, but we'll get there. My apologies for the delay.

Jake

Jake, give Linda our best. Being done in Boston?
Thanks for the up-date.

I can take the time off and donate my labor for the install if anyone wants to sponsor me. Seriously!

Hey Timmmmy i will join you on that. WE NEED SPONSORS. HOW ABOUT A LITTLE HELP HERE PLEASE!!!!!!!

Jake, thanks Oh, and I volunteer if someone wants to sponsor...lol. Patrick, Timmy, we could win the lotto ;-0

Jerry - it's being done at Concord Hospital in NH.

Jake

Thanks for the update! Jake - Hope everything goes very smoothly for you and Linda on your upcoming trip.

I'm serious - I can sleep anywhere, couch, mat on the floor in the garage ... I just need 13 people to give $50.00 each and Jake has a helper for the week!

Thanks for the update! Jake - Hope everything goes very smoothly for you and Linda on your upcoming trip.

Sounds like quite a bit of work there, "J"! Knew the cables were in bad shape when I was down, but all that other stuff sounds like a need to get some BT Team Work going on! Just holler on here when you're ready and I bet you will get lots of help, maybe from some of those who are actually on island, if not, sign me up for the list of all who will help with a sponsorship.

Also, best of luck to Linda with her surgery. Keep us posted.

Jake, hope the surgery goes smoothly and she heals quickly. I know you are working hard to get the reef cam up and running. We appreciate it.

Wish I could afford to send $'s for Timmmmy to come help, but money is tight right now, darn it.

Hope all goes well for Linda & the surgery. Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet up with you two, again. I think you got back on island the day we left.
Thanks for the update on the cam situation too. Sounds like a lot of work ahead for you & your helpers. As always, thank you. Count me in on helping out with sponsoring too.

Jake, I will be at Sand Dollar/BDA from April 21 to 30 and will be happy to assist at that time in any way needed.

Thanks all. I will keep you posted via BT on our progress.

BTW, I've got the DonkeyCam here for a cleaning. Hopefully that will fix the fuzzy-ness.

Jake

Jake and Linda,
thanks for the update on the Reef Cam

Keeps us updated on the surgery, it isn't a picnic but much easier now than on the old days.

Praying for you Linda.

Andy

If you need any help with the reefcam, I can help you out during my holidays from 05/18 until 06/06. Please drop me a line if I can contribute in bringing the reefcam back online.

Please let me know!

Cheers,
Jaap

Jake, you might consider running a couple of baluns and some RJ45 for the land cable, that would give you four video lines to work with, with one piece RJ45. Then you could run two RJ 45 cables from baluns to baluns, and have a spare that could be plugged in by almost anyone. Plus you would have spares in the original RJ 45. RJ 45 is probably cheaper than coax to replace. That would leave room for the thermometer as well.


(Message edited by seb on April 10, 2007)

The issue with using RJ45 for video signals is a lack of shielding for the video signal, and that introduces a lot of video noise (similar to what we are seeing on the South BeachCam, but for other reason.

I do have a replacement ReefCam in hand and will bring it back home this weekend.

However, we still need to move the ReefCam mounting hardware to mount it on the wreck itself.

Any BTer's around next week who want to work underwater and on land?

Jake

Point taken, I forgot we use shielded rj 45 cable for that use, Ooops!

Oh - and I need to point out that all the parts needed to complete the ReefCam install won't be on-island until the first week of May. Any volunteers for anytime between now and early May would be greatly appreciated, otherwise I will have to wait until Martin comes to visit me in late May ;-)

Jake

April 12-28 >Bruce & Lorna Steve & Renee, Belmar
April 14-21 Susan, June, Bud, Sherri, and Danny
April 21 - 28 > Jim Reilly and Fran Klass
April 19-May 1 >Gabriela, Martina, Andreas
April 20-May 12 >Ron and Judy Myers
April 28-May 5 > Jan & Walter, Bellafonte
May 15-23 >Jim & Dena Webb, Den Laman

these are BTers on island so far.. Anyone out there want to help??
Kobi and hubby are there as well this weekend...

Apr 28 - May 05 Jan and Walter - Bellafonte
May 02 - May 09 William [Bill] Gates - Dive Inn
May 05 - May 19 Gideon and Jessica Goodwin - AJ from SFO - Habitat on HONEYMOON!
May 12 - May 26 Bill and Donna Goodwin - AJ from ATL - Habitat (see you there D&R!
May 12 - May 26 Diane and Ron Gould- Dive Inn
May 13 - May 27 Ron and Judy Workman(Continental-Newark) - Divi
May 26 - Jun 09 Mike, Sherri, Andy, Craig, Yana and Alexis @ TBD

I am available from April 21 till May 10th. Local phone is going to be 717-3213. In real life I am an electrician, if that is any help. This will really work if I can get my wife involved....

Thanks for stepping up to the plate Ron we all appreciate it!!

Ron,

That would be great. I have to do a bunch of cable runs on-shore as well as the underwater work.

Jake

Jake,

If still needed, I'll be more than happy to help you out. I'm very good in supervising... :D

Hugs to Linda, the kids and LOTS of patience to you... ;)

Martin

there are 4 of us that will be at the Divi on the 21st. but sadly unless you're really desperate i don't think we have any skills useful to you. we are good at moral support though. sorry