We were so close to getting internet at St. Fidelis this week … so close.

A technician from Divine Word University visited the campus and climbed our rickety radio tower to do a trial installation of a radio-internet dish system.

After four trips up and down the tower, swaying alarmingly in the breeze and accompanied by many prayers from those on the ground watching, it was determined that our tower just isn’t high enough to provide line-of-sight communication with the transmitter on Knob Knob Mountain, 10 Kms to the south.  The numerous trees between here and there are just too many and too high.

So, Plan A is a bust.  The DWU folks are now considering Plan B – routing a signal from another new planned installation at nearby Alexishafen, a large and historical Catholic installation close-by but in a different direction from here.

I’ll keep you posted on how Plan B goes and if there’s a need for a Plan C.  I know that some of my friends from SQPN and readers of this blog have expressed an interest in helping us fund the equipment and service for internet here at St. Fidelis.

When a workable plan (if any) is finalized, I’ll be sure and let you know.  We’d sure like to have it for the Papal Conclave, but that doesn’t seem to be workable now.