World Photo by Madeline Steege Nothing beats free advertising. The city of Coos Bay’s new downtown hot zone is online, and it was a featured announcement on the the scrolling digital reader-board at the main fire station on the corner of Fourth Street and Anderson Avenue.

Although the city of Coos Bay's wireless Internet hot zone is only one antenna strong, it is up and running.

According to Coos Bay City Manager Scott McClure, the downtown wireless Internet hot-zone is active, but the city hasn't installed the second or third of the three projected antennas. The first antenna is temporarily installed on the roof of the Umpqua Mortgage building, at the corner of Second Street and Anderson Avenue, but McClure said the city plans to move it to a permanent location nearby.

“We just wanted to get it up and running for tourist season. We have a better location for the first one, but we're still working with the property owner to get everything arranged,” he said.

Wi-Fi, or wireless fidelity, means antennas will transmit radio-like Internet access signals, which wireless-equipped laptop computers, personal data assistants and cell phones can use to surf the Web. The technology already is used in local coffee houses and both the North Bend and Coos Bay public libraries.

Right now the best wireless Internet access stretches about 1,500 feet around the antenna, McClure said. But once the rest of the antennas are up the hot-zone is expected to stretch from Market Street to Hall Avenue, along U.S. Highway 101. The Wi-Fi access could reach back up along Central Avenue to City Hall, McClure added, without much extra work.

“We talked to some folks who were getting a good signal at the Outdoor In, and chief had a good signal at the fire station,” he said.

The other two antennas will be installed on either side of Anderson Avenue, McClure said. The city is hoping the hot zone will lead more tourists to stop and enjoy local businesses, or sit on the boardwalk while checking e-mail.

“The main intent is to get people to stop. We're trying to get that pass through traffic to stay a bit,” he said.

The Public Works and Development Department hasn't received the blue tourist information signs ordered weeks ago, said Operations Manager Steve Doty. One sign will be installed on Central Avenue to alert travelers driving down the hill into downtown, and two signs will be installed along Highway 101, around the north and south borders of the hotzone, he said.

With Wi-Fi, McClure has found another challenge to overcome. Almost anyone using the Wi-Fi hot zone will want to sit, especially if they're accessing the service with a 5-to 12-pound laptop computer.

Although there is plenty of seating inside downtown restaurants, to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine a traveler may have to trek down to the boardwalk to find a bench.

McClure said he expects the city may need to invest in more places to sit downtown - but needing more seating would be an indication of a bustling, and successful, hotzone.

Hearing reports from downtown businesses on any increase in business due to the free Wi-Fi will help the City Council ascertain the success of the hot zone, McClure said.

Otherwise the city will have a difficult time measuring the economic impact of Wi-Fi on the community, he added.

“If we're not getting any benefit as a community, we wouldn't want to expand it,” McClure said. “Input is going to be very important for us.”

In the meantime, McClure said he's hoping community members with wireless computers and devices will help the city adjust the hotzone.

“We need to hear where our low-signal spots are, and where the good signals are,” he said.

Baring any unforeseen circumstances, McClure said he expects the entire hot zone to be online around Aug. 1.