Mesh Networking

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Introduction

  • Portions of the ISM bands including 2.4GHz and 5GHz, commonly used for Wifi, overlap with ham bands.
  • Smart folks have created custom firmware for commercial wifi/wisp hardware that allows them to act as "nodes" in an automatically-configuring fault-tolerant mesh network.
  • It started with the then very common Linksys WRT54G routers but has since moved up to some seriously robust outdoor-rated equipment made by Ubiquity.
  • You can do anything with it that you could do over an ordinary LAN - as long as you conform to the Ham regs.
  • Hams can use
    • More power
    • Higher gain
    • Some frequencies not available to the general public.

See this brochure for a good overview: The AREDN Advantage

Applications and Services

Capabilities such as these could prove invaluable to emergency services in a situation where, for instance, the internet, cell phones and land lines are not available.

Initial Objectives

It was proposed that providing IP phone service connecting multiple fire stations would be well-received.

Node Sites

Google map of potential sites and links

Warren County view of official AREDN live map

Current Sites

  • 83 Fire Washington Boro Complete 12/10/2016
  • WC Tech roof
    • Nanostations facing East & West
  • KD2EVR QTH (Washington Boro)
  • K2FN QTH ?

Prospective Sites

  • 76 Fire Washington Twp.
    • Pleasant Valley Rd.
    • Washburn Ave
  • Montana Moutain Tower
    • Omni antenna w/ Rocket radio
  • 23 Fire Harmony
    • KC2VGY Kyle?
    • KC2WCQ Robert Mohr
    • KC2SJU Brain Unangst
  • 21 Rescue Belvidere
    • KC2SJT Michael Unangst
    • KC2SJU Brian Unangst
  • Lopatcong FD #2


Most wanted list

Hams w/ favorable QTH - need introductions

  • NJ
  • PA
    • Paxinosa Rd. Easton
      • KB3MXP Schwartzman, Daniel M - email on QRZ
      • K3HKZ ADAMS, CHARLES F
      • N3TAN CIACCIO, RAYMOND V
      • W0RSJ Murphy, William T
      • W3DKV CARRON JR, LAWRENCE P
      • KB2WFR LOKEY, PAUL E
    • N3LWY FRANKENFIELD, DAVID J Morgan Hill, Easton

Logistics

Wish List

Background/Reference

LOS Link Checking Tools

Site Requirements

Hardware Types

Node Software

  • Broadband-hammnet (BBHN)
  • Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) https://arednmesh.org/
    • Spun off from BBHN
    • More active development
    • More descriptive and "professional" sounding name when approaching agencies
    • Dropped support of WRT54G
  • HSMM-Pi https://github.com/urlgrey/hsmm-pi
    • Install script for Raspberry Pi
    • Probably works on other Linux PC's as well

Good news as that all current versions still interoperate so far.