DocAndersen
When I was younger I was excited by the possibilities of handheld radios. Please note that when I was younger, the concept of a cell phone was still 20 years off. For roughly three years one of my buddies got a push to talk radio set. We would run around the neighborhood talking to people we couldn’t see, but we could still hear. Now, the rise of social media sites has evolved that concept. You can still do push to talk with your cell phone, and many people do. Products like Beartooth and GoTenna allow you to create a mesh network with your phone and any other phone that is paired with a GoTenna or Beahtooth receiver. You can be outside of the traditional cellular tower range and still talk.
Ham, CB and Family Radio Service all do the same thing as the Gotenna and Beartooth in that they create a separate mesh network that isn’t Cellular. What Gotenna and Beartooth do, however, is allow you to have a 10-minute connection to any other Beartooth Devices or Gotenna devices in the area where you are. Walkie talkies are bound to carrying a second device with you. Not, when I was 11, that we minded. We loved playing our movies with our walkie talkies. The rise of CB radios was something that we enjoyed as well. We learned the Lingo of Truckers, and the ten systems used by the police (the most famous being 10-4 or acknowledged.) we learned to say Over when we were done speaking so the other person could speak.
Over and Out meant you finished talking. Today the concept of Mesh networks is one that is expanding. The first responders for Hurricane Dorian used the GoTenna system in many areas to move around and find people (in the Bahamas). It allowed rescuers to stay in touch in places where the cellular signal was degraded or blacked. You are limited to a 10 mile or so connection range between two Gotennas or Two Beartooths. But if you have it lands, you can cover the entire island with 40 of the devices. It allows better more effective communication than spotty cellular service does (in the case of disaster response when the cellular, electrical and other networks are compromised.
https://gotenna.com
https://beartooth.com/
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Question of
Mesh networks work, regarldess of where you are isn’t that interesting?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
did you know, even without cellular a mesh network can save your life?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Would you consider getting a mesh network reciever?
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Yes
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No
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Q: Mesh networks work, regarldess of where you are isn’t that interesting?
Yes (5 votes) – 100%
Q: did you know, even without cellular a mesh network can save your life?
Yes (2 votes) – 50%
No (2 votes) – 50%
Q: Would you consider getting a mesh network reciever?
Yes (3 votes) – 60%
No (2 votes) – 40%
I found this very interesting I need to do some more research. Just yesterday all our phones were down – land line and cell. Bro said I guess we can’t call for an ambulance so I have to fake it till I make it. He was trying to be a good sport and ease the tension. I don’t like it when there is no way to get help.
This probably won’t solve that issue, but there are some interesting technologies that could. The one that is interesting for you in the short term, is the spot communication system that allows you to send text via a Satellite phone connection.
You can’t call but you can test.
It is called the Delorme InReach.
I am aware about this technology for a long time and it was used for various purposes.
we are working to integrate this across a number of platforms today!
Unfortunately, I’m a little more familiar with this technology.
It is good to know about, when you need it…
so the devices create their own ad-hoc network?
yes, they create a mesh network between the devices. the limit is you have to have one of the devices.
It also only interacts with a limited stack on the actual connected device (you can’t do facetime or skype video fro example)
even just audio, bet it runs through the charge hosting the mesh…
It is truly an adhoc network, each of the devices creates their own. Multiple devices in the same space create a larger mesh.
Not sure exactly what you mean…
having to relay traffic and manage a network means constant power drain (you’ve referred to it as vampirism)
that is why these devices are so cool, they reduce the phone searching churn (which eats a cell phone battery). The issue is, of course, the battery in the mesh device.
those drain in about 14 hours today. That reduces the ability of this to provide a pure emergency network, without having more power.
wait, these are two different devices?
yes they are also using the same spectrum, but different devices.
sorry, that wasn’t clear to me
we’ve been working with Gotenna and creating extended ad hoc networks with both drones, vehicles and people. Right now it is for first responders but the applications go well beyond that group of people!
drones? that’s brilliant!
I had dreamed of a walkie-talkie when I was in high school but it evaded me.
They are something I always enjoyed playing with!
Amazing technology especially during the disasters and the first responders. They need all the help they can get.
we put the GoTenna’s on drones and create a MESH network that covers many miles. It is also used by Search and Rescue teams out west!