Well our teams are something between 5 (assesment teams) to 78 (search and rescue teams). As we have the rule everybody gets same information content, we need to build teams according their task and size.
Therefore the mesh seems not be the choice, hope the pro version will allow bigger teams.
Pitty there is no complete data sheet of the device where really all technical data and specs are listed. If there is a way to publish this, it would be great help to users for sure.
That is part of my intention with my Android project. I think we can use Android as a gateway between the two. I have a Mobilinkd bluetooth tnc. With that and a handheld we could make a decent gateway that is super portable and reasonably power efficient. I am quite a way from having a functional gateway. Iām working on other core features right now.
Since you donāt need encryption there is no reason I am aware of why your team size could not be nearly infinate. A customized app would work like the shout function. The messages would be sorted by the app into groups with key flags instead of the GID.
EDIT: You make a good point about contact sharing. Iām going to add that as a feature of my app. We should be able to do that through the Gotenna network even Grid down.
I dont know why there is some limitation, but was advised by the sales that we can use with the mesh only max 10 units in a team. What are the technical reasons behind that I dont know.
Our first test are running now on the mesh version, we hope to be able to get some of the pro units soon. in a gov org complex enough
As far as contacts:
I have abt following in mind. I have stock of gontenna. I have different teams. I have set up once for different teams contacts and exported them to a file.
Now I get order to equip a team.
I fetch number of phones and gotennas.
I will import the right contact list now somehow into each phone, so the team is ready with all contacts in need.
If the contact list can propagate even itself,well nice, but it would be OK if I can just copy a file to each phone while setting them up and import into the app somehow.
We do the procedure also with DMR radios, where we import it on a windows pc, or with āoldfashionedā phones when we use also pc software to import contacts prior team departure.
There is definitely no way to set up even those 10 units by hand. It means to type all the contacts by hand on every single phone. This was not needed in year 1998 with old Nokia phones. So it should not be needed 20 years later
Iām not saying encryption will from a technical standpoint cause a limit to team size but if you take it out of the equation things are not as complex. The current restrictions of the SDK would allow us to work around team size limitations if we donāt use encryption.
@ottosykora the goTenna app does allow you to import phone contacts.
Create & share your phone contacts.
Re-start the goTenna app to see an updated list of contacts.
KA3BQE/9 running two plugged in stationary nodes from the top floor of our house in Indy (one East and one West). Also have multiple battery packs to plug them into in case of an electrical outage. Havenāt been active but do have 2m and 70cm handie talkies. Going to a CERT class in April. I was first licensed in 1974 Novice and loved CW.
The group chat function is the limiting factor in net size. You could use the built-in Shout or Emergency chat features with no encryption and virtually unlimited goTenna Mesh count. In this fashion, they would act exactly like 2-way radios, but with text instead of voice. The Emergency chat allows relaying. The only thing to keep in mind is anyone else with a gTMesh in range can listen in on Shout and Emergency chatter.