Devices similar to gotenna

[dyoung]

@MikeL

I think it’s important to clarify that when I discuss FCC regulation, it’s in regard to how the radio, which in this case is an SDR radio, manages access to things like freq use, time on the air, and anything related to the timing and use of the designated 50+ freqs that the goTenna Mesh uses. Some of this is defined by the FCC (like the band, modulation, and ERP), but my guess (because I’m not a software engineer as you well know) the rest of its implementation is solely up to the code. Perhaps I’m presuming too much, but wouldn’t making that code public/open source (are these one in the same?) then give access to these parameters and thus potentially allow users to then adjust the device to out of the limits it was originally licensed under?

When I think of an SDR, I think of a software implementation of functions such as radio modulation, scrambling, filtering. In the GTM, it looks like those functions reside in a Silicon Labs chip. The chip has several adjustable parameters, but it’s not software-defined in that it’s not going to do anything that’s not built into it.

The FCC cannot prevent determined people from misusing bands. I don’t think the FCC operates under any illusions about that. Rather, their custom is to protect against casual or inadvertent misuse of radio spectrum. If you lift the lid on your radio, or if you modify, recompile, and reload the software for your device, then you are not a casual operator any longer.

I hadn’t heard of Baofeng before you mentioned it. I’m just skimming, but it seems like an operator could tune a Baofeng radio to public-safety and aviation channels and broadcast just as easily as they operated on an amateur channel? And they don’t have to pry open the radio to do it? If I have that right, then it sounds like casual or inadvertent misuse is definitely possible using the Baofeng radios.

I agree 100% that not everything needs to be or should be open source. As you say, if you want to build a sustainable company, you cannot just hand out a blueprint for your technology!

David

[MikeL]

@dyoung

When I think of an SDR, I think of a software implementation of functions such as radio modulation, scrambling, filtering. In the GTM, it looks like those functions reside in a Silicon Labs chip. The chip has several adjustable parameters, but it’s not software-defined in that it’s not going to do anything that’s not built into it.

If the sensitive parameters are functionally burned into the SL chip and not accessible to be changed via soft- or firmware updates, then that would would place that functionality where it can’t be easily altered. That leaves just the network routing protocols, such as messages allowed per minute and maximum hops allowed, as potentially troublesome to the mesh commons. They may not be FCC-regulated, but access to them could create problems for other users.

@dyoung

The FCC cannot prevent determined people from misusing bands. I don’t think the FCC operates under any illusions about that. Rather, their custom is to protect against casual or inadvertent misuse of radio spectrum. If you lift the lid on your radio, or if you modify, recompile, and reload the software for your device, then you are not a casual operator any longer.

Yep, that’s pretty much it. The FCC knows that a determined person can mod a radio, they just want to be sure it’s not an easy turn-key operation if they do. That’s why the rule about having a non-detachable antenna is there, for instance, but it applies to the manufacturer. If a few consumers manage to hack a coax into the device, as they have done, it’s not a big deal.

[feralist]

Arduino / LoRa project. Texting device with keyboard.

https://docs.greycat.co/outsetDemo.gif(image larger than 4096KB)

https://greycat.co/goods

https://docs.greycat.co/demo.html#intro

[sam_uk]

I’ve been playing around with these $20 devices https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000396836096.html

Web
https://disaster.radio/

Code

sudomesh/disaster-radio

Protocol

sudomesh/disaster-radio

I get about 1.5 miles with them NLOS with the stock antenna.

This case might do, with this antenna Use the supplied antenna to block the ‘spare’ gland, active antenna through the second gland and cable through the third gland.

[geeksville]

I and some friends have been making this project and it seems to be working pretty well. About $30 with GPS and lora radio, 8 day battery life (soon - currently 3 day), 100% open source and extendable. 3d printable case. We’d love any feedback/help:

LoRa Mesh Network With Off-the-Shelf Hardware

[feralist]

I just came over here to bump this topic with Meshtastic, which I’ve been following for a few months. Good to see it’s already listed, so I’ll just say +1.

Momentum is building!

#337 LoRa Off-Grid Mesh Communication: Meshtastic (ESP32, BLE, GPS)

[vp-mesh-inventor]

I can understand the frustration is not seeing a mesh device that can truly replace pretty well all short and long distance communication, that is free to use and truly a user base or peer to peer dynamically created infrastructure, and not a fee for service or use pay to use system. I originally wrote the patent for this back in 1994, knowing that eventually the future would be this way, You can read it at https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b9/13/5a/78c6cb44237355/WO1996008884A1.pdf
It is fairly easy to read.
Regards,
VP