Re: radio net

[Michael Motyka <mmotyka@lsil.com>]

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spies with shortwaves in their cigar boxes may seem hopelessly outdated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