I know that MHV is very different from Entry29, but there are good people working there who have lots of contacts around Canberra. I’m not sure exactly how the Digital Canberra initiative fits in with that but it’s probably worth talking to the folks over there. They also have a really spiffy new space on the top floor of the Health building on Moore Street in the city.
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Thanks for the tip. I know someone that’s worked with DCI. I should discuss some things with them.
money needed for “Australia’s unofficial ESP8266 IoT Hacking/Research Centre (with Drones and SDR)”?
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Please do make suggestions! Given that half the grant money - at least $5k - must come from our own precious MHV funds, it’s debatable whether the current level of interest generated really gives me a mandate to spend it (we did already spend ~$5k on a laser cutter after all).
After a reality-check at the last committee meeting, it seems it mightn’t be in MHV’s best interests for me to commit us to more spending. Especially given that we’re overdue for an AGM. (Having said that… the end of the SCP grant application phase is roughly late April; it’s just that we needed to have something started by now due to the invite-only nature of the programme).
The idea to pursue this grant started from my observation that we lacked an “easy to use” 3D printer, but spending $10k ($5k being MHV funds) to buy a $4k printer when perhaps a sub-$1k printer would achieve the same outcome does, in hindsight, seem a bit mental. Particularly when I’m not a 3D printer user myself. Particularly when there isn’t agreement from our main 3D printer users on what the next printer expenditure should look like.
There will be other grant opportunities in future, and I still intend to talk to DCI & NICTA people. But for now, MHV really does need more than just my own enthusiasm in order to proceed with a dollar-matching grant with a minimum spend of this magnitude.
Which is a long-winded way of saying that unless people step forward with clearly unmet needs that could be filled by an SCP grant, I’m ending my efforts on it here.
I Appreciate all your hard work on this Paul.
But without constructive input and assistance from other members it is probably best to spend your limited time on other things. (such as fun radio things)
It is a shame it has ended up like this, and I am sorry I could be more helpful.
as for AGM…
Paul for President? 
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I would love to see a proper discussion in a new thread about our current 3D printer fleet and how we might improve things.
Perhaps we just need to install some levelling sensors on the Rostock. I would be happy to even donate the parts and a Tuesday or two getting that done. Things have dropped a lot in price recently. I have a friend who has a “CTC Black” - I think it’s this one: http://www.ctcprinter.com/product_detail.php?ProId=23 - and he’d be happy to bring it in some time; he says it’s $600 AUD delivered and prints two colours at once… I’ve got some of his prints - pretty amazingly nifty quality.
Admittedly he did pay $150 AUD or so on a commercial slicer program. He seems to think it made all the difference in ease of use.
All I’m saying is that I need to step back and let 3D-printer-using-people drive this.
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Also, “Paul for president” is mutinous slander 
As the contact for MHV I’ve received the Expressions of Interest form today for the SCP grant from our MP’s office.
The due date for EOIs is 22 February 2016.
Just a heads up, in case anyone has since had a great idea that could (a) address a real need that is currently unmet at MHV, (b) do so while providing significant value for money, © is accompanied by some ownership other than just myself if it were to come to drafting a proposal.