full circle... What made the "Geek Trifecta" So powerful back in the day was the three elements: Independent communication "the radio", Building the modem, "the soldering iron", and that new device "the home computer". I clearly recall watching the packet network for hours on my DOS XT system.
But now, we have Android and hand held "hot spots"... so why bother? Like almost all that posted to this thread, it was fun while it lasted. It seems it's day is gone. Sure there are people creating cool stuff, but who wants to be Gram Bell with no Watson? I think I have the perspective I was looking for. On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 9:54 AM, Chris Knadle <[email protected]>wrote: > On 2011-05-02 18:55, Joseph Apuzzo wrote: > >> Wow great find! Uber-cool stuff. >> But, microwave is Line-of-Site and don't think it can be deployed in an >> emergency situation. >> Thus I was thinking a lower frequency one that anyone can purchase ( as >> in License and money ) and deploy with lower power need (thinking solar >> etc ) thus GMRS radios at UHF 462.550MHz to 467.725MHz so with a >> repeater can go up to around 20 miles. >> >> Best would be 2 meters with repeaters (144.000 Mhz to 148.000 MHz) But >> back down to 1200Bps or less. >> With good repeater maybe 100 miles over flat land. Then down to super >> slow SSB and AM with 27Mhz ( old CD radio ) but really long distances >> and no longer line of site. >> >> But then I'm thinking the info passed is "tweeat" like very short >> messages like "120 casualties at location gps coordinates ..." >> Not talking about downloading all 1.2 Teri-bites of star trek. >> > > If understanding communications in disaster scenarios is what interests > you, look into the local ARES/RACES group(s), because that's what they > practice. > > http://www.qsl.net/ocar/home.htm > > Additionally, hams regularly practice emergency communications once a year > in a big event called "Amateur Radio Field Day" in which hams take their > radio gear into remote areas (such as campsites) and have a friendly > competition to see how many other stations also participating in Field Day > events they can contact. These pictures may give you some idea of what the > event is vaguely like in practice: > > http://www.gunkswriter.com/h/omarc/ > > This year Field Day takes place on June 25 - 26, starting at 1800 UTC > Saturday June 25 and finishing 20:59 UTC on Sunday. Lots more information > about what Field Day is about here: > > http://www.arrl.org/field-day > > > > > Now... having been involved in both Field Day events as well as ARES/RACES, > I've found that Voice communications plays a far bigger role than Packet > Radio does. Part of this is that people can talk a lot faster than they can > type, and part of it is that pressing a single button and talking into a > microphone is a lot easier than figuring out all the equipment hookups to do > packet radio is. > > However, on the flip-side, packet radio guarantees that /if/ the message is > delivered, that it's delivered /correctly/ and will automatically handle > retransmission of garbled packets. Additionally, because there are packet > <-> internet links, packet allows for sending an email to someone to notify > someone's loved ones in a foreign country that they've survived the local > disaster. So regardless of the fact that it likely wouldn't be the primary > communication mode, I do see how it could be very useful in disaster > situations. > > > -- > -- Chris > > -- > Chris Knadle > [email protected] > _______________________________________________ > Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org > http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug > > Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium > May 4 - Inkscape > Jun 1 - Zimbra > Jul 6 - Jul 2011 >
_______________________________________________ Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium May 4 - Inkscape Jun 1 - Zimbra Jul 6 - Jul 2011
