4G LTE Modem setup on Ubuntu Server 18.04

Ubuntu Server 18.04 uses netplan instead of NetworkManager by default. ModemManager is still required to deal with modems and it requires NetworkManager to be in charge. Switch the renderer in /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

network:
  version: 2
  renderer: NetworkManager

You can still define ethernet interfaces, etc in the netplan as normal. Run netplan generate and netplan apply after changes.

apt install modem-manager

Look for interface name. In my case, it wasn't the one shown by ifconfig. It was the one shown in mmcli -i 0 and mmcli -i 0. In my case, cdc-wdm4

Add the NetworkManager config for it as follows:

nmcli c add type gsm ifname cdc-wdm4 con-name NameOfYourChoice apn whatever.example.com

After I unplugged assorted USB devices (keyboard, mouse, etc) and rebooted, the usb devices got renumbered (e.g. cdc-wdm0) so the network failed to come up. It turns out you can go into the generated config file /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/NameOfYourChoice and comment out the line defining the interface-name. At that point, it seems to find the correct device regardless of device name assignment at boot.

Participatory Mapping on Paper - Best Practises for Future Digitization

Participatory mapping is is a great way to collect knowledge about the land from people who know it best.

There are still some very good reasons to do this work on paper but in my experience most folks aren't thinking about the arduous digitization process that inevitably comes afterwards when they do this type of work. They may not give any thought to it at all, or not know when it is going to happen, or who is going to do it. But I say "inevitably" because paper lasts a long time and at some point, the information on that paper will be valuable enough to people that they want to use it digitally or safeguard it from physical decay.

With some simple steps, you can make it *much* easier for you or someone else to do this work later. The savings in time and cost can make the difference between eventually losing the information or retaining it. So if it is valuable enough to collect, it should be valuable enough to preserve properly and the first step in that process is at the collection stage.

Here is my advice based on more than a decade of working with participatory mapping data and bringing it into the digital realm.

• Bring a fresh map for each interview.
• Use a medium tipped marker that stands out clearly on the map.
• Mark the map with the name of participant(s), their home community(ies), and unambiguous ISO 8601 date (i.e. YYYY-MM-DD) in the margin.
• Draw as cleanly and consistently as possible to avoid ambiguity about whether something is intended to be a polygon, line (any directionality?), or point when digitized.
  
• Don't use different coloured pencils/markers to imply anything. Reserve their use stritcly for when you are trying to visually distinguish one line or polygon from another when they may intersect and cause confusion to someone digitizing later.
• Use simple numeric labels on the features drawn on the maps. Don't write other things or use letters, hyphens, underscores (except to resolve ambiguity about character orientation), or other codes whose meanings may end up unavailable to the person digitizing later.
  
• Start at 1 for each map. Features will ultimately be identified by map and feature number together.
  
• Use a new unique number for each feature on the same map. You can reference multiple numbers together in the notes if need be.
• Underline ambiguous numbers such as 6 and 9.
• Use the numbers as a key in written notes and mention them during any audio/video recordings when people point at stuff.
• Immediately transfer audio/video to computer after each interview and consistently name the file something like YYYY-MM-DD_Farrokh_Bulsara_from_Stone_Town.WAV 
• Print clearly.
• Be consistent.
• Document everything as though your memory will be wiped by aliens before the digitizing happens.
  

Following these pointers will make it much easier to digitize and link up off-map info to places later.

I am happy to explain more or help your project. I also lead software development for a web atlas framework called Nunaliit that is purpose-built for the digital side of this sort of rich data and stories. Contact me at ahayes@gcrc.carleton.ca.