Gulf Wars questions

[Dietrich von Stroheim]

It is LOOKING like I may be able to pull things together and get myself to Gulf Wars this year.

If I do take the time off, I will need to teleconference in to a board meeting on Wednesday--anyone know if there is sufficient cell phone reception on site to be able to do so from my tent or whatever? Or would I have to drive off site?

Secondly, are there any good tourneys that Archivers can recommend at Gulf Wars? I love a good melee as much as the next man but I'm still a tourney fighter first and foremost.

[John Widcombe]

I use AT&T and get 3-4 bars onsite.
The site is right next to the interstate so most cell services should work although I used to have Sprint and they were spotty.

If you need a wireless connection, a quick trip into Poplarville and you can get a free wifi and a decent mid-week burger at Hardee's (about 10-15mins offsite).

If Hardee's is not your thing, the Poplarville library also provides free wifi.

-John

[asbrand]

Sprint was VERY spotty last year.

Dunno about others.

[Gaston de Clermont]

I've never had a reception issue there. You might want to at least watch The Deed on Friday after the main melees are done. The schedule has a lot of tourneys listed, and there are always good pick ups. The squires tourney is a good one if you're eligible to play.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

The pick-ups at Gulf Wars are just incredible.

[Hugh Prescott]

We had no problems with Sprint for the last two years.

Camped north of the ravine in Calontir.

Hugh

[Roisin]

The only time I had much trouble with verison was when I decided the best reception would be on top of the castle. On the ground was better.

Good Luck,
Roisin

[Dietrich von Stroheim]

Ok, thanks for the information. On the reception side, I use AT&T, so it sounds like I'll be in good shape for the teleconference.

It had better be a damn short meeting because I do NOT want to miss that Spear dueling tourney on Wednesday.

I'm looking over the schedule now...can someone kindly tell to me what is a 'King Renee Tournament'?

Also, Gaston you mentioned a squires tourney...do you have to actually be a squire, ie in fealty to a knight, or is it open to a freelance unbelt like me?

And the armored champions lyst sounds like exactly the kind of thing I'm looking to fight in...hmm, probably need more renown to get in on that...all the more incentive to rock hard at Ymir this weekend!

Finally, yes, there's always pickups. I'm basically planning to spend my free time in between battles or tourney out on the pickup field.

Increasing my skill is the main reason I'm taking this vacation, well, that and seeing friends and making some new ones. All of which I can do with my helm on!

[Baron Alejandro]

The pick-ups at Gulf Wars are just incredible.

Are you going?

[InsaneIrish]

Also, Gaston you mentioned a squires tourney...do you have to actually be a squire, ie in fealty to a knight, or is it open to a freelance unbelt like me?

Yes, it is the Known World Squires Tourney. You MUST be a squire to enter.

And the armored champions lyst sounds like exactly the kind of thing I'm looking to fight in...hmm, probably need more renown to get in on that...all the more incentive to rock hard at Ymir this weekend!

Depends, talk to your King and Queen. There are no set rules for getting on your team. Lots of factors are involved, including how many slots are given to your kingdom.

[Bristlebeard]

If you want a bunch of fights in a short period of time the Trimarian Bear Pit tourney is always a blast.

[Gaston de Clermont]

My understanding of the squire's tourney is that unbelted fighters can enter with the sponsorship of a knight. There's nothing that explicitly forbids someone from being a squire for a couple hours besides the willingness of two eligible parties to don that feudal bond. It's a contract, and like marriage there are typical relationships and odd ones.

King Renee's tournament book described an idealized tourney in 15th century France. They fought with clubs and blunted swords in what we'd call a melee on horseback in a field enclosed in a field enclosed by a wooden fence. It's interpreted in many, many different ways in the SCA. It could be foot combat, and it could be on horseback. Hopefully it has the flavor of a 15th century deed- lots of banners, pageantry, and brutal, brutal violence.

[Cisco]

No man...I had AT&T for a work blackberry for the last two years. The coverage is crap for most of the site.

It's not bad if you are doing low usage stuff like talking on a cell phone, or receiving text messages (assuming you don't care if it goes out in one minute or ten) but teleconferencing is going to be pretty difficult.

If you find a spot (near the equestrian area worked best for me), it'll work for a while as a slow internet connection but I'd guess it wouldn't be ideal for video teleconferencing.

You'd be better off going to a free wifi spot like one of the others suggested (unless your teleconference is just being on the phone).

[Dietrich von Stroheim]

Hmm, I was hoping to video into the meeting, yes. How awesome it would be if I could give a presentation to a bunch of board members, in my armor!

Well, one way or another I'll make it work. I'm not going to let little details like telecom get in the way of enjoying a rocking Gulf Wars vacation.

As far as being a squire 'just for the tourney', that sounds a little too deceptive to me. If it's a tourney for squires, I'll let them have at it.

Instead, I'm going to see if I can talk/fight my way into that armored champions list! And failing that, it sounds like there are quite a few other fun ones on the agenda.

Thanks again for the responses. I'll post on the GW RSVP thread after I've settled which group I'm camping/fighting with.

[Geoffrey of Blesedale]

Having worked for a merchant a couple years with a wireless creditcard machine, service was sometimes temperamental, especially during afternoon rush hour @ 4-6PM. Voice calls on my Verizon were never an issue.

[Eirik]

Keeping my phone charged was an issue .

We use Verizon and had no connectivity issues, though

[Geoffrey of Blesedale]

I have used a portable charger at Pennsic. I got mine at Lowe's or Home Cheapo, can't recall which (likely Lowe's). Takes a couple AA batteries, will recharge a phone in a few hrs. I didn't use my phone much at Pennsic, just left it on in camp in case my father needed to call me, but it did the job.

At Gulf Wars, I used it every night to call my wife, but I was staying in the hotel on-site, so I charged itin my room.

[Tailoress]

Do the cabins have plug-in electricity? Also, no-one's mentioned T-Mobile that I noticed -- how's reception for that carrier on the site, if anyone else here uses them..?

[Baron Eirik]

Do the cabins have plug-in electricity?

Some do at least. I don't know if all do.

[Aaron]

If I do take the time off, I will need to teleconference in to a board meeting on Wednesday--anyone know if there is sufficient cell phone reception on site to be able to do so from my tent or whatever? Or would I have to drive off site?

Those horns on Nissan's head is for teleconferencing during battles.

[sha-ul]

Do the cabins have plug-in electricity? Also, no-one's mentioned T-Mobile that I noticed -- how's reception for that carrier on the site, if anyone else here uses them..?

Since T-mobile shares 3 of 4 frequencies with at&t wireless, you probably would be OK