Message-ID: <9610218485.AA848596303@lancelot.rtptok.epa.gov> Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 09:09:59 EST From: mailto:GOOZNER.ALAN@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV> Subject: Re[2]: Internet by Satellite To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Do you have any experience with terrestrial packet
radio systems? As a radio amateur in the U.S. I have
experience with digi-peating from one relatively inexpensive
VHF packet station to another. These of course have to be
pretty much in line-of-sight range but relatively low power
(nicad solar cell rechargeable) to a remote high tower sight
can be repeated down to other smaller stations - I have one
that can be assembled into an attach case (lap top
computer, VHF handi-talkie and BayCom modem - I did it for
less than $500 US). Nodes can be set up with a slightly
more powerful radios and the PK-232 (Packrat- sells for
about $300) that stores messages.
A system can be setup that requires no operator
intervention. Only the person sending the message to the
drop site and then picked up by the other party when s/he
pleases.
For the price of one satellite receiver box, I can set up a
complete terrestrial network with one central mail-drop site
and 5-6 remote sites that can directly connect and
reliably cover an area of 10-20 miles depending on the
terrain and the height of the central antenna. (The price
depends on availability of used equipment - computers and
transceivers exclusive of battery charging equipment).
The range can be extended by digi-peating -
- interconnecting one remote station to another closer to
the mail-drop location. In the U.S. on the East Coast, I
have been able to digi-peat, interconnecting several
stations over a range of several hundred miles.
If the remote station can be equipped with a mail-drop
feature (either through hardware or software), another
remote station can digi-peat to it and drop a message.
Relatively reliable networks can be achieved with low cost
equipment, proper training and good networking skills (the
desire to freely disseminate and share information) to map
paths of interconnections for the sending of E-mail messages
from one remote site to another. Interconnection pathways
would probably be a key "public" file on eveyone's mail-drop
to see who's new and who are they talking to.
I would be interested to see if this is being done in
Africa. My experience in Zambia as 9J2AL was devoted to HF
radio.
--AL G> AE4JF maildrop on 144.65 MHz - Alexandria, VA - Home
BBS WA3TAI