Ryan Lackey wrote:
Is anyone else interested in setting up a radio net (probably packet radio relay) to relay small quantities of data in the event the telecommunications infrastructure becomes unavailable (either technically or legally/politically/ militarily)? There are existing packet relay nets, but in my experience amateur radio people, especially in the US, are very willing to roll over for the government at the slightest cause.
I think the cost would be something like $1-5k per station, and it could be done in a fairly turnkey fashion. Exactly how to handle routing and what protocol to use on the network is kind of an open question -- there are a lot of solutions, none of them optimal.
This is a very nice idea but tread carefully here. RF communications is one area in which the no-domestic-crypto law IS established. The idea of spies with shortwaves in their cigar boxes may seem hopelessly outdated but I think the law still stands. Talk to some packet radio guys - I think some have had trouble just sending unknown file formats. This was a while back though - who knows - progress may have been made. Mike