Introducing Megni

For over a year I have been working with Trystan Lea on the OpenEnergyMonitor project. This is a project to develop and build open-source energy monitoring, control and analysis tools for energy efficiency and renewable generation. The project has been very successful, many people have built monitors based on our designs from all over the world. The website openenergymonitor.org is now growing into an active online development community.

Now that the project is getting to the point where we almost have a complete open-source end-to-end web-connected energy monitoring system we are excited to be starting Megni a small business to provide kits, fully assembled units and custom energy monitoring systems and displays to businesses and organisations.

Our core aims are to create:

• Good quality energy monitoring systems.
• Technology that encourages people to make and learn new skills.
• Technology that helps us live within ecological limits.
• Repairable, modifiable technology with a making story

We have been inspired by companies such as howies and Patagonia who combine their love of the outdoors with making clothing and equipment that help people enjoy the outdoors while also striving to produce those things in ways that causes no unnecessary harm. We would love to do something similar for technology.

Web-connected base station unit enjoying late October sunshine near the summit of Crib y Ddysg

The name Megni is made up of the welsh word for energy egni and the M part stands for monitoring or monitro in welsh. We are both welsh speakers and live in the mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales.

Printed circuit board for our wireless transmitter unit - designed by us in North Wales and made in the UK, something we are very proud of

We are currently involved in a local community energy project which is keeping us very busy for the next two months.

Thanks,

Glyn Hudson and Trystan Lea

Cromlech Hit

Since getting back from Lundy the weather (in North Wales at least) has been very wet. I just about managed to do Right Wall E5 6a before what feels like weeks of non-stop rain. It was good to finally do Right Wall. I had been thinking about it for quite a while. It didn't disappoint, I found it pretty hard and scary but an amazing experience.

I got a sequence of moves wrong going left from the first broken pocket, I just about manged to reverse back to the pocket but after that I was fighting pumped forearms all the way up. I could't stay for as long as I liked on halfway ledge since it was getting dark and I was getting cold rather recovering. The top run-out past the portal was terrifying. Pumped and overgripping I was extremely glad to get to the rampline of better holds which lead into the top crack. Abbing down the route after, it looked like it might be possible to get an offset nut in just below the portal once at the portal. I found two gold size 4 cams extremely useful low down and a blue size 5 pretty handy higher up.

Sophie Whyte cursing Right Wall earlier the same day. Photo: Luke Brooks

For past five years, towards the end of the summer I seem to have done big route on Dinas Cromlech :

Cemetery Gates E1 (2007) , Cenotaph Corner E1 (2008) , Left Wall E2/E3 (2009), Resurrection E4 (2010), Right Wall E5 (2011), ?? (2012).

It's a bit scary to think of what next year might have in store!

Its been almost six years now since I started climbing. I feel very lucky to have discovered such an enjoyable and absorbing activity that has given me so many unforgettable experiences, taken me to many beautiful places and connected me with lots of amazing people.