If you have a Facebook account, download the Facebook app to your smart phone and you will be able to monitor network outages and news when the Internet is down. Outage updates are posted regularly on Facebook and this news page (below).
ROUTINE NETWORK MAINTENANCE
To keep the network operating at peak efficiency, we perform routine network maintenace on some segment of the network every morning between the hours of 3:00-5:00 am.
Typical maintenace practices includes updating firmware on customer Internet antennas, Internet transmitters, and backhauls; rebooting routers and switches; upgrading firmware on routers and switches; and reconfiguring and calibrating transmitters. During this time, there will be brief interruptions in Internet service (<15 minutes).
VACA SOUTH TOWER DOWN
Looks like the backup battery finally drained at the Vaca South tower (4:24 am today). Power will be off until PG&E turns power back on. Current ETA is 10:30 am today.
DOPPLER WEATHER SCANS AFFECTING MT. VACA AND LAGOON VALLEY
The US Weather Service has been doing Doppler weather scans (DFS) for the last 10 hours! Several transmitters on Mt. Vaca have been offline since Sunday evening. Now the south-facing (Fairfield-Suisun) transmitter is DFSing. The US Weather Service has also released a possible USPS starting Tuesday through Thursday. Based on their map, it does not include Solano County.
But because they are watching the weather, they are running scans and blocking some of our transmitters from broadcasting. There is nothing we can do but wait for them to finish.
ESTATES DRIVE RELAY DOWN
It appears that the new battery backup unit installed at Estates Drive relay yesterday afternoon is bad. Power died around 9:30 pm last night. Techs will be out there this morning to replace.
No other towers or relays are affected.
WIDESPREAD NETWORK OUTAGE
At 2:30 am today we received an alert that some hardware failed at the main Lagoon Valley tower. Techs will trouble-shoot as soon as they can get up there. Currently no ETA.
UPDATE 3:30 am: techs enroute to tower.
VACA SOUTH TOWER DOWN
Looks like the Vaca South battery backup unit has fully drained. Services will be restored as soon as PG&E restores power. Current ETA is 5:00 pm today.
ALL TOWERS ON BACKUP POWER; 50% OF RELAYS ON BACKUP POWER
PG&E PSPS expected to be over Saturday 4:00 pm. All of our mountain-top towers are on backup power. Half of our relays have backup power. Not all relays can have backup power due to equipment, ordinances, relay host requirements.
LOOKS LIKE DOPPLER DFS WEATHER SCANS GOING ON ATOP MT. VACA
Currently, there are four transmitters on the McQueen Tower that are shot off due to a Doppler weather scan. My guess is that Vaca South and/or Vaca North may be next. There's nothing we can do by wait until the weather service is done.
PLEASANTS VALLEY SOUTH RELAY PLANNED OUTAGE MONDAY
The Pleasants Valley South relay host is installing solar power at his home Monday. At some point during the day (exact time not known) the PG&E power will be turned off for about 1 hour. This will cause the Internet equipment to power off as well.
No other towers or relays will be affected.