Grid down Mobile calls & text Mesh networking

[draftsman]

Grid down text & VM Mesh networking

Interesting article on Survival Blog about Mesh (peer to peer) networking. Anyone use FireChat or Viber?

https://survivalblog.com/using-mesh-networking-aden-tate/


From the FireChat website..."FireChat has been utilized by community organizers, emergency responders and private citizens to communicate when cut off from outside networks, including pro-democracy protests in Taiwan and Hong Kong, natural disasters in Ecuador and Kashmir, and off-the-grid events like Burning Man and Summit at Sea."

"Every device acts as a relay, creating a mesh network amongst groups within proximity."

Could be a viable communication tool during emergencies and where cell signals are weak.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

I don't pay much attention to these things since I'm a ham operator and can communicate with out the need of a grid or mesh.

 

[rhino]

Interesting article on Survival Blog about Mesh (peer to peer) networking. Anyone use FireChat or Viber?

https://survivalblog.com/using-mesh-networking-aden-tate/


From the FireChat website..."FireChat has been utilized by community organizers, emergency responders and private citizens to communicate when cut off from outside networks, including pro-democracy protests in Taiwan and Hong Kong, natural disasters in Ecuador and Kashmir, and off-the-grid events like Burning Man and Summit at Sea."

"Every device acts as a relay, creating a mesh network amongst groups within proximity."

Could be a viable communication tool during emergencies and where cell signals are weak.

Is that the same kind of thing the bad guys did on "The Last Ship"?

 

[sngehl01]

Is that the same kind of thing the bad guys did on "The Last Ship"?

Yep. Great show too.

 

[Icarry2]

I have been investigating these guys.

"Commercial"
https://gotennamesh.com/
https://www.amazon.com/goTenna-Off-Grid-Devices-Location-Information/dp/B07GZTQ1DX


"Millspec" (ATAK Compatiable)
https://gotennapro.com
These are pricey, $549 for the Pro and $899 for the Pro-X and that is each..

Will probably test the commercial versions this summer, the range can be extended with the use of a drone.

 

[Sailor]

JS8CALL is a mesh network of HF users, We finally have it out of beta and Non-expiring 1.0.0 builds are here http://files.js8call.com/latest.html

 

[rvb]

So Q for the ham guys (I'm AE myself)....

Do many/any of your family friends also have licenses and radios? Who do expect to talk to during some "event" that brings down standard comms, and what would you talk about?

I can see if some kind of large scale outage or emergency brings down standard comms that I could use my radio to find out general information.... ie how localized or broad is the issue, what are the govt agencies up to, etc. Maybe you are part of something like ARES where you could be plugged into some level of community service.

But in a real outage I'm probably going to want to talk to my immediate and extended family and probably some friends, etc... none/few of whom are licensed. (can't talk my wife into even getting a tech license). And I can't legally encrypt, so even "health and welfare" has PII concerns, not to mention concerns about "open" sharing of information (our location, etc)

Other than what I described above, the only emergency use *I* see for ham radio is I have a few extra VHF/UHF handhelds I can hand to immediate family with instructions not to transmit unless it's a real emergency.

So I see a need for things like this that the OP posted... looks interesting and worth being familiar with. Another tool in the toolbox, as they say...

interested in your inputs...

-rvb

 

[Sailor]

Friends, that I possibly would need to rely on or that may rely on me, all have radios. VHF/UHF for the local guys, and HF for the regional ones. We practice monthly, and have practiced during severe weather events. I know who I will be talking to. What we talk about is dependent on the situation. You can relay all the info you need without openly sharing information. It takes some forethought though.

 

[rvb]

Friends, that I possibly would need to rely on or that may rely on me, all have radios. VHF/UHF for the local guys, and HF for the regional ones. We practice monthly, and have practiced during severe weather events. I know who I will be talking to. What we talk about is dependent on the situation. You can relay all the info you need without openly sharing information. It takes some forethought though.

That's fortunate. I have a friend on the east coast I am mentoring, but he's still just getting into basics of tech stuff. Locally I have a couple of friends/coworkers I regularly talk with. No family licensed, though. So other alternate means do have appeal for me....

-rvb

 

[rvb]

Good article:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/a...upts-in-the-us-and-helps-connect-puerto-rico/

Is that the same kind of thing the bad guys did on "The Last Ship"?

I'm not familiar with that movie, but I read these are becoming popular on cruise ships.

-rvb

 

[Sailor]

I also have a business radio license, it was maybe $160 when I got it at the time. No individual license is required, using the itinerant frequencies available. Encryption is allowed. You can use DMR radios for this. Another option is setting up a GMRS repeater. If we had access to a high low cost location I would chip in with this. PM me if you want some more info on the Bus freq licensing, you can test it under my call.

 

[rhino]

Good article:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/a...upts-in-the-us-and-helps-connect-puerto-rico/



I'm not familiar with that movie, but I read these are becoming popular on cruise ships.

-rvb

It was en excellent series on TNT that ran for 3 or 4 seasons. If you have time and you like watching television, I recommend it!

 

[Sailor]

The Gotenna's used to be using the MURS freqs, turns out that was illegal they have switched to 902 MHz ISM bands, so they have to be low power. Seems in Urban areas they are reliable from .35 to .50 miles. The new design looks small enough that you could Velcro one to a small drone and send that sucker up high to get your relay out to a greater distance. That would be a fun test.

I have used a pair of those Mobilinkd Bluetooth KISS TNC's with an HT and an old phone to make my own blueforce tracker. It connects to APRS.fi and has full mapping, I downloaded the maps to the phones so I would not have to rely on the net for the maps. Put one in a buddy's car or on top of his pack, and I can see where he is on the map, or SMS him. Used a different VHF freq so we would not be on the aprs.fi map. Bonus is I can use high power and better antennas.

Finally I have one of these simplex repeaters. https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=98
I keep it for my home station on a specific freq. It repeats what it hears. You can control it to leave voice messages or retrieve messages. I have thrown up a rollup jpole antenna at the Huntington Resevoir and relayed a message to Fort Wayne using this. That is about 20 miles. There are a lot of options out there.