Maeshowe research project
1998/1999 project plan
The status of this project plan
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status: final
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date: Febr. 10, 1999
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version: 0.7
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Changes with regard to 0.1:
updated planning and costs
updated the options document and a graph
on technical network
Goal of the pilot
This project plan describes all the activities, timing,
organization
and costs involving the set up of investigations
at Maeshowe in 1998/1999. The main goals are derived from the results
of the project in 1997/1998.
The main goals for doing this pilot, which ends Febr. 1, 1999, are
many fold:
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Enhancing the present information/model of passage mounds/cairns.
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Videotaping (including time stamping) the sunsets in the chamber of Maes
Howe from mid Nov. 1998 until end Jan. 1999, so as to record the reappearing
sun
around 20 days before and after winter solstice day.
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Making a mock-up of the passage blocking stone and its effects on the sun
beam in the chamber needs to be investigated.
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Videotaping and/or photography at other sites with
possible alignments (like Staney, Bookan, Brodgar, etc.).
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Broadcasting the sunset from Maeshowe chamber
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Have a better quality video on The Internet (besides the static pictures,
also real time video over the network)
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Have a stable and single user Internet account, using a fast (telephone)
link (ISDN).
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Presenting the sunset inside Maeshowe at the visitor center in Tormiston
Mill
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A broadcast quality educational and promotional videotape to be made of
the whole sequence. If good enough royalties from this could further finance
the project.
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Determine organizational aspects of the project
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Investigate, through Historic Scotland and Orkney Tourist Board, if this
project has increased the amount of visitors for Maeshowe and Orkney in
general in 1998.
-
Determine if any sponsorship can be gained to continue the project for
winter 1998/1999, referable by Scottish or Orcadian firms and public bodies.
More financial input is to be sought from the local
businesses of Orkney, as well as Orkney Enterprise, Orkney Island
Council and Historic Scotland to sponsor a continuation of the project.
-
Determine the public relations and copyright issues for the continuation
of the project.
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Determine the liability and insurance issues for sponsored equipment.
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Determine the steps for 1999/2000.
Activities and their timing
The following planning is made (the organisations/people that take part
can be found in the section Organization):
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Activity: determine how the sunset will be presented
at Tormiston Mill
Description: This will be done using a PC/TV convertor. The cabling
has been finalized.
Action by: Victor Reijs
Start date: March 1, 1998
End date: Aug. 31, 1998
Actual date: Sept. 15, 1998
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Activity: Investigate technical possibilities
for dial-in or direct connection and IAP
Description: Finding sponsor for dial-in connection (ISDN) or direct
link and IAP (Internet Access Provider).
Action by: Victor Reijs and Charles Tait
Start date: March 1, 1998
End date: Aug. 31, 1998
Actual date: Sept. 29, 1998
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Activity: Investigate the way how
to make the promotional video
Description: finding out how to make it (with what equipment) and what
scenario/script.
Action by: Victor Reijs and Charles Tait
Start date: March 1, 1998
End Date: Dec 11, 1998
Actual date: posponed
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Activity: Find sponsors for this project
Description: Finding sponsor for the equipment and travel needed in
this project. Already found sponsors are: SURFnet
bv (a Dutch projectplan for these activities can be found here),
UU
Physics , Alligator Descartes
and you???
Action by: Victor Reijs and Charles Tait
Start date: March 1, 1998
End date: Nov. 30, 1998
Actual date: Dec 1st, 1998
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Activity: Investigate effect of Maeshowe 1997/1998 project
Description: Investigate if 1997/1998 project has increased the amount
of visitors for Maeshowe and Orkney in general in 1998.
Action: Historic Scotland, Orkney Tourist Board
Start date: March 15, 1998
End date: Dec. 1, 1998
Actual date: posponed
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Activity: Decision process within Historic Scotland
Description: Historic Scotland has to discuss internally if they will
support this continuation of the project
Action by: Historic Scotland
Start date: March 15, 1998
End date: May 1, 1998
Actual date: Aug 10, 1998
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Activity: Decide on PR and liability strategy around 1998/1999 broadcasts
Description: Decisions have to be taken and implemented with regard
to WWW pages, advertisements in internal Historic Scotland newsletter,
Orcadian newspapers, etc. Furthermore the liability in case of problems
need to be finalized.
Action by: Victor Reijs, Charles Tait, Historic Scotland
Start date: April 1, 1998
End date: Dec. 1, 1998
Actual date: Dec 10th, 1998
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Milestone: Approval from Historic Scotland
Planned date: May 1, 1998
Actual date: Aug. 10, 1998
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Milestone: Final project plan ready
Planned date: May 1, 1998
Actual date: Oct. 3, 1998
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Activity: testing other broadcasting techniques
Description: Beside the periodically update web picture, things like
IP multicast and application using that (like Real or Icast of vic) will
be tested
Action by: Victor Reijs
Start date: Nov. 9, 1998
End date: Nov.13, 1998
Actual date: Nov. 13, 1998
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Activity: installing ISDN
Description: Installing ISDN at Tormiston Mill/Maeshowe
Action by: BT
Start date: Sept. 29, 1998
End date: Oct. 15, 1998
Actual date: Nov. 4, 1998
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Activity: making shots for the promotional video
Description: Shot will be made for the promotional video of the sunsets
and the Maeshowe environment
Action by: Charles Tait and Victor Reijs
Start date: Nov.1, 1998
End date: Febr.1, 1999
Actual date: posponed
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Activity: Installing video- and PC equipment
Description: Equipment will be installed at Tormiston Mill and/or the
mound
Action by: Victor Reijs, Charles Tait and Historic Scotland
Start date: Nov. 29, 1998
End date: Nov. 30, 1998
Actual date: Dec 1st, 1998
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Activity: Make mock-up of passage blocking stone
Description: To determine the light path changes due to the passage
blocking stone a mock-up will me made.
Action by: Victor Reijs and Charles Tait
Start date: Nov. 29, 1998
End date: Jan. 10, 1998
Actual date: Dec. 31, 1999
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Activity: Run the broadcast and measurements with regard to blocking stone
Description: The people that initiated the megalithic cam page for
Maeshowe will be present at Maeshowe, to see how things are working and
try to get an automated working system.
Action by: Victor Reijs, Charles Tait, Historic Scotland
Start date: Dec. 2, 1998
End date: Dec. 11, 1998
Actual date: Dec. 11, 1998
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Milestone: Decision if automated run is possible
Action: Victor Reijs, Charles Tait
Planned date: Dec. 11, 1998
Actual date: Dec. 11, 1998
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Activity: Automated run
Description: The equipment is able to run without any attendance (beside
perhaps change videotapes/film).
Action: Equipment;-)
Start date: Dec. 13, 1998
End date: Febr. 1, 1999
Actual date: Jan 31, 1999
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Activity: making the promotional video
Description: A promotional video will be made of the sunsets and the
Maeshowe environment
Action by: Charles Tait and Victor Reijs
Start date: March 1, 1999
End date: June 1, 1999
Actual date: posponed
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Milestone: End of pilot
Planned date: June 1, 1999
Actual date:
Organization aspects of project
The project will be run with the following people as initiators: Victor
Reijs (project leader), Charles Tait and Historic Scotland. The sponsors
for this project will be drawn from local Orkney/Scottish enterprises if
possible. If needed, other sponsors can be involved.
Communication channels
The communication within the project will be done with several methods:
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Between Historic Scotland and Victor Reijs/Charles Tait
WWW, fax and e-mail
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Between Victor Reijs and Charles Tait
WWW and e-mail
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Within Historic Scotland
The responsible person of Historic Scotland, to be decided by Historic
Scotland, will have to communicate within his/her own organization (thus
including head office, regional office and Maeshowe warden)
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To rest of world
WWW pages and e-mail
distribution list of people doing comparable work on broadcasting megalithic
cam pages.
Costs
The following costs (estimated from the results of the 1997/8 project)
can be seen below (until Feb. 1999). This list excludes manpower, but includes
33% of the equipment costs* (a write off of 3 years):
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equipment*
Video grabber £ 50
Two S-Video Camera £ 200
video recorder £ 50
2 * PC £ 750 (£ 500 + £ 250)
ISDN router £ 120
2 * ethernet hub: £ 40
wirelessLAN £ 850
ISDN connection: £ 150
PC/TV convertor: £ 100
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other stuff
Software £ 100
video tapes £ 25
cables £ 50
repairs £ 150
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travel
plane £ 400
car + petrol £ 300
B&B £ 340
travel insurance £ 40
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communication
telephone £ 425
letters/parcels £ 50
ISP/WWW £ 125
So this project could cost around £ 4 315, excluding man power (some
1000 hours). With the help of the sponsors this is not always real
money!
Disclaimer and Copyright
Last content related changes: Febr. 10th, 1999