Verizon has enraged me over the 10-day outage of my $60/mo wireless internet "service"

[DemoTex]

The last three days or so have been miserable. Saturday was cold and
nasty with high winds all day (gusts hit 50+ by about 2 PM). Sunday
morning was colder (29-degrees) with rain and snow showers. This
morning it was 28-degrees with a ground frost so heavy it looked like
snow. Maybe it was snow. I'm down to 32 days and a wake-up. Short!

But the most miserable thing I have to report is the degradation of my
Verizon wireless internet service and Verizon's bizarre responses to
my attempts to get a "trouble ticket" opened on the cell tower that
serves me. Actually, I cannot even go into it again. It has gotten my
blood pressure up (155/95 at one point) too many times in the last
week or so. They are fighting even checking out the cell tower. They
could care less, and they let you know that in no uncertain terms.
Bottom line: My dispatches will probably now come once a week from the
hotel in Bend, like I am doing now.

Other than the foul weather and Verizon problems, all is well. I keep
saying "no more sunrise/sunset moonrise/moonset photos" and then WHAM,
another totally awesome sky. So I keep taking 'em. Good thing I'm not
buying film (digital cameras are great!). We are off EXTREME fire
danger, although we still staffed for EXTREME this Labor Day weekend
because of anticipated numbers of campers and hunters in the forest
for the holiday weekend. The bad weather kept most peeps at home.

Without the lightning/fire action of mid-summer, the shorter near-Fall
days are a lot longer (if you know what I mean, Vern). I'm cleaning up
gear and packing up. I'm moving as much non-essential stuff into my
storage facility in Bend and planning the final packing of the truck.
I brought waaaaay too much out here.

[Hekate]

1. Another incredible pic. Another interesting post. When you get home...

... after the long hot shower and stuff, do you think you'll be able to write a summation of this amazing (to us, anyway) experience. Are you making a book of sorts of your journaling and photos? The vicarious experience has been wonderful. Thanks.

Hekate

[DemoTex]

3. Lots of literary plans in the works, and works in the plans.

I've got essays, short stories, and other things going. I'm just hoping the photography might smite a publisher's eye (not for the photography, but for the writing).

[Hekate]

9. Another stunner. And I did mean to say I'm sorry for the trouble with Verizon...

... that's more than unpleasant, that is.

:hug:

Hekate

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear DemoTex!

A veritable pox on Verizon and all their kind! How dare they treat you so shabbily???

I hope that you will soon have your problems all sorted out, to your complete satisfaction!

And that is one awesome pic!

Yeah, thank god for digital, right!

No more waiting, for anything!

Hang in there, sweetie...:hug:

[DemoTex]

4. Hi Peggy!

How's the smoke in Cali? Station Fire? I'll be glad to see fire season 2009 over.

mac

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. There is much less smoke here...

Both today and yesterday, we haven't seen any "mushroom" cloud formations...

I believe that the fire is about 45% contained...

I did see some clouds from it when I came home from Valencia on Saturday. But they weren't nearly as big as they had been...

I think it's a safe bet that all our firefighters will be glad to see our season over...months from now...

Stay safe, sweetie...

:hug:

[billyoc]

5. Wow, what weather! What elevation are you at?

Great pics. :hi:

[DemoTex]

6. The top of the mountain is 6370' MSL. The lookout is 30' tall.

So I live at 6400'.

[billyoc]

7. Damn. You and your squad-mates might want to look into packet radio for the internet.

Depending on the length of your tours. Verizon can't be trusted.

[travelingtypist]

10. I'm out in rural Oregon as well.

My Internet service is the local CLEC, can't even remember the name of
it now, Clear Creek. They are also indifferent when the service goes out,
even though I work from home and depend on the service for my income.

What I get told from friends and family is that's what I get for wanting
to live out in the middle of nowhere with no people around.

So I feel your pain.

Little house


View from office

[Gregorian]

11. Do you have an external antenna?

I'm using three of the ubs727 modems, and service can get pretty iffy on occasions. I'm 8 miles from the cell tower.

There are a number of tricks to reestablishing the connection, but that's usually not where the problem lies. I just got power, so I'll finally be able to get an amplifier. But for now I'm using an external antenna. Without that, the connection would be SLOW.

Internet connection is one of my all time fuses. I go ballistic without it.

At any rate, I hope this is helpful somewhat.

Nice photo, by the way. I miss living in Coquille. I'll bet it's not far from the horizon in that picture.

[Skittles]

12. you want I should kick some Verizon ass, Mac?

not hard for me to do; I have to work with Verizon folk nightly in my IT job :mad:

[DemoTex]

14. Actually, a Verizon techy called today (from Dallas!) .. did you KA last night?

The tech department is on the case. That makes me feel better. At least they might try.

:hi:

[safeinOhio]

13. I see you have changed your mind about Verizon.

Good luck.