NRL Home

I have been based on Camano since 1998, and in the decade since I have accumulated a variety of tools and skills that may be of use to my neighbors.  None of this is my primary business activity, but it's all related... and in many cases is the result of having gone through an extensive learning curve or acquired a specialized piece of equipment.  If I can save you from making a similar investment by solving a one-time problem, in the process making a few bucks myself, then we both win.

I firmly believe that one of the best ways to foster community is to work locally as much as possible, so this page presents a small list of services that I may be able to perform here on the island.  Where predictable, prices are shown; otherwise cost is dependent on the time and complexity of the task.  To discuss a project or inquire about my availability, please contact me.

Geek Services

This is my home territory, so to speak, and it's hard to constrain it to a short list.  But since I don't have time to take on large custom projects or custom engineering jobs, this category is limited to relatively short, high-value services...

• Wi-Fi Site Survey:  I have a 2.4 GHz spectrum analyzer that can accept an external yagi antenna, as well as the software to generate a clear picture of the activity within this critical chunk of the electromagnetic spectrum.  Are you having trouble holding a wireless net connection, getting interference between cordless phones, or worrying about microwave oven leakage?  I can do a three-part survey at your location...

1. 360° scan to identify signal sources, wireless access points, channel interference, and neighboring systems
2. Near-field scan to get an aggregate picture of your local spectrum and see if a channel change is indicated
3. Digital scan to locate open and secured hotspots, test the security of your own system, and do a speed test

You might be surprised at how messy it is out there, and it can be a real eye-opener to see how visible your data (and in some cases, voice communications) might be to unwelcome listeners.  It can also be very instructive to see how much your microwave oven spills into this band... something that can not only interfere with data traffic but, in severe cases, present a health risk.  My standard price for the on-site survey is $75, and images from the spectrum sweep will be yours to keep.

• Setting Up Internet Presence:  Not to be confused with website design, this is all that other stuff that has to happen first:  registering a domain name, setting up DNS pointers, establishing a hosting service, creating email accounts, defining the file system, and putting up a basic page.  Only after all this is done can you proceed with a more robust multi-page site.  I may be able to help you there as well, but that can turn into a long project with ongoing support... so my general preference is to give you the tools and show you how to do it yourself.  If you are just getting started and need to get the Internet presence established that will cost $150.  For this, you will get all the setup work mentioned above, and will have your own accounts with the domain name registrar and hosting service (in both cases, I'll help you get started but only you will have the passwords).  If you also need a simple website, I can probably do it for you for a reasonable price... but if it's a large project I will either refer you to someone else to do the design or help you get started and then send you on your way.
  

• Website Monetizing:  Do you already have a website?  Can you write articles about your areas of expertise?  If so, then it's not a big leap to turn your site into a "nickel generator" that earns its keep (or in some cases, MUCH more).  You don't need me to do this (just open an account with Google Adsense and deploy small blocks of HTML in appropriate places), but if even that makes your eyes glaze over, I can help.  It probably won't take long to get your site to start making little "ka-ching" noises, and with a little more work we can add paying links to books or other products.  Contact me for pricing, which will depend on the complexity of your site... in the simple case, figure about $100 for enough initial hand-holding to get you managing it on your own.
  

• Solar Power consulting:  I've been using solar panels and related technology for years on my bike and boat projects, and can quickly answer questions of general scale and configuration.  Full grid-intertied domestic power systems will take a proper contractor, but if you're building something that calls for some renewable energy I can help get you started.  Price depends on how much actual work is involved; get in touch to see if I can be of assistance.

Ebay Setup and Training

I've been an active eBayer since 1998, and have shipped over 2 tons of stuff to buyers all over the world.  This has not only gotten me closer to moving onto a boat, but has also helped tremendously with cash flow.

Over the years, I've been asked many times to sell things for other people, and have done so on occasion.  Usually, such requests come up because someone is overwhelmed by the thought of setting up to sell (or has heard too many horror stories about what a jungle it is out there).  It is actually a bit of a learning curve, but it's well worth it.

If you want to get started, I can help.  It boils down to this:

1. Open EBay account
2. Open PayPal account, linked to a quarantine bank account for security
   
3. Find a place to host your photos (worth the effort for many reasons)
4. Learn to deal with image sizing, optimization, and file transfer
5. Set up a photo studio with good lighting (and/or a scanner, depending on the merchandise)
6. Learn the art of writing good listings, pricing strategy, and timing
7. If this is to be a business, understand the tax implications
8. Set up USPS/Fedex/UPS tools (I use Endicia to print postage)
9. Learn how to acquire cheap shipping supplies
   
10. Organize your physical space: incoming, photographed, currently listed
11. Set up eBay store if appropriate (depends on your volume; lots of trade-offs)
12. Create an eBay database to log activity; in some cases, listing tools can do this for you
13. Cross-market your eBay items from your website, if appropriate
    
14. Make money
    

Where do I fit in?  My only role is getting you started... there is no reason to pay some consignment service a fat percentage to sell your stuff!  You can do it.  Let me know the general scale of your intended operation as well as your current skills related to the above, and I will quote a price for the time that I'll need to work with you to get you going.  Then you're on your own (though you can still ask questions now and then).

Miscellaneous Jobs

This is a catch-all category, mostly to generate a little cash flow from pieces of equipment that are in only occasional use around here.

• Router-carved wood signs:  I carve, you paint.  I bought all the templates and jigging tools to use with my shop router, mostly because I needed a driveway sign.  Do you need house numbers, mailbox numbers, door signs, or similar?  $20 setup + $2.50 per letter or number

• Product photography:  Small items under 2 feet, multiple views, delivered via email or uploaded to a server.  I use a professional photo tent with three positionable studio lights, not on-camera flash.  I can also do highly detailed scans of small (not necessarily flat) items.  Please contact for quote based on type of objects and number of images necessary, and also let me know if you need small files (as for eBay or website) or high resolution (for print publication).  I can point you to samples of my work if necessary.

• Technical writing:  Before all these technomadic projects, my primary career was writing (6 books, hundreds of articles, technical projects for industrial clients, and countless pages of online content).  I still take on the odd freelance gig... let me know your needs.  My primary "niche" is translation of obscure/dry technical material into something that people enjoy reading, whether for marketing or engineering purposes.