Article: Hams and Hurricane Sandy Disaster Response

[backwoods_engineer]

As a ham who has participated in emergency communications, I think if we do the TSP Disaster Response Team as Jack suggested yesterday, ham radio needs to be a part of it.

http://electronicdesign.com/blog/secondary-emissions-4/analog-and-mixed-signal/amateurradio-emergency-services-disasters-74616

[Alan Georges]

Seconded.  So much we can do with this, either on the spot or as a reliable contact at a distance.

[austinrob]

With the proper setup, a HAM operated trailer could provide a wi-fi hotspot with a redirect to a locally served web page that let people with their own devices address and enter messages to send to loved ones to let them know they are OK.  All in an automated fashion through a PC connected to a HF radio + winlink software.  Take a couple of donated laptops and add to the mix as message stations for those without a functioning laptop, tablet or smart phone.

[doublehelix]

Check out pirate box for a similar non-internet connected use:
http://wiki.daviddarts.com/PirateBox_DIY

Can be adapted for local-only private net use, and you can put info for download on the USB stick like water purification, first aid, etc.

Low power consumption as well.

Put a QR code on a sign outside your hotspot for direct access to the internal webpage by smartphone.

Add a low power consumption single board pc as the router to airmail HF and you have access to the outside world.

With the proper setup, a HAM operated trailer could provide a wi-fi hotspot with a redirect to a locally served web page that let people with their own devices address and enter messages to send to loved ones to let them know they are OK.  All in an automated fashion through a PC connected to a HF radio + winlink software.  Take a couple of donated laptops and add to the mix as message stations for those without a functioning laptop, tablet or smart phone.

[backwoods_engineer]

With the proper setup, a HAM operated trailer could provide a wi-fi hotspot with a redirect to a locally served web page that let people with their own devices address and enter messages to send to loved ones to let them know they are OK.  All in an automated fashion through a PC connected to a HF radio + winlink software.  Take a couple of donated laptops and add to the mix as message stations for those without a functioning laptop, tablet or smart phone.

Rob, you just gave me a great idea for something to do with a Raspberry Pi!

[austinrob]

Rob, you just gave me a great idea for something to do with a Raspberry Pi!

like this?
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/661214_.html

[ImNotGivngMyName2AMachine]

Rob, you just gave me a great idea for something to do with a Raspberry Pi!

I like the e-radiogram to Winlink idea Austinrob.

I've been looking around for a few years now for an open source project that would:
 - Modify Squid to strip everything but HTML
 - Use mod_gzip for the above when talking to remote servers that support it (most do, now in 2012)
 - Work on a low power platform (Raspberry Pi is the current winner.. former: Cradlepoint routers, Linksys WRT54GL's, etc)

The basic idea is you're working with small bandwidth. What can you stick in between a person with an iPad/notebook/etc and a BGAN terminal ($1 per megabyte) or similar high-cost bandwidth to maximize your efficiency? Letting people email their family with webmail minus the tons of data that usually flows between (hard with https)? What about keeping your retail environment alive that uses many GB a day on a slow VSAT link (part of my job).

If you are an amateur radio operator check out HSMM-MESH. It doesn't do the above but with OpenWRT and it's meshing stuff it's pretty nice and is catching on. I just wish there was a simple ready to go project that could be installed anywhere (heck let's get crazy and say your Sprint android phone still works and nobody else's does; make it a hotspot, add this strip-it-all Squid package and you're done! People see 1995 Internets!)