How goTenna extends RF to the mainstream & adds to every Ham’s toolbelt

Clever! MURS is basically the VHF CB, and it doesn't seem very busy, at least not on my scanner. Put the spectrum to good use!

I could see a tie-in to ham usage if the encryption was turned off in that operating mode as is done with "shouts" etc.

Why is the FCC balking on mesh? What is the position of the ARRL on this concept? Could be some EMCOMM role (especially if bridging to ham equip).

Watch out that it doesn't become like the WINLINK tug-of-war though.

 

While data transmissions are allowed on the MURS frequencies that this device covers, the FCC does NOT allow store and forward of the data, which is what the mesh would need to do to reach further away. Simplex/point-to-point between devices is one thing and store and forward is totally different.

As for eventually using this on amateur radio frequencies, the encryption needs to come out of the equation and be changed to a common codec or messaging format like packet or one of the digimodes as found in FLdigi.

 

I saw this on Gizmodo a few months ago and thought it would be a great tool to keep in touch with friends and family while hiking or skiing in the back country. I have been tempted to give it a try, but it's not at the price point to be able to experiment with it. I'm interested in testing the robustness of the messaging and the usefulness of the map features. I also see the form factor being easier to carry and pack.

Almost all of my friends and family have no interest in ham radio, but we do have the need to communicate (but not rag chew) in the wilderness. Most of what is communicated is ETA, status, and location information. FRS isn't usable at the distance my kids can travel ahead of my wife and I on the trail. GRMS is better, but not great. MURS radios aren't worth the expense.

 

@KD2HDN haters gonna hate. Don't care how you came to be a ham. Welcome to the amateur radio community.

 

I really don't see how this gadget adds anything to my tool belt, even if I had a cell phone. I'd still need someone with another device paired up with mine to even use it.

1) Bluetooth? Why would a Bluetooth interface antenna be of use to a ham?

2) VHF? We already have VHF radios that directly interface with our antennas. Personally I find that situation far more preferable than relying on a very crowded unlicensed bands, especially in the 2.4 GHz area.

3) Low bandwidth text only? VOX is out of the question, DTMF maybe if you translate into the old telephony alpha codes...

4) Encrypted link. This one is security theater. Bluetooth has a very, very, very bad security system and it can normally be broken in seconds. So unless you're encrypting the data from point to point at the sending device before the Bluetooth interface your encryption is essentially useless. You don't give enough information in your blog to determine whether or not the encryption system is anything more than PR for the masses.

5) "Direct, peer-to-peer communication is not available explicitly using amateur bands." Simplex anyone? Although if you mean direct encrypted communications, that's true, and frankly as a ham I don't see why anything we'd transmit actually needs encryption. Authentication perhaps, but that's not really difficult.

So... why exactly is this something for a ham operator's tool box?

Seems "In brief PR layman's terms, this is how goTenna works." is a more accurate title.

 

I'm going to be harsh because I don't appreciate at all what you're doing here. Your'e not a ham. You're the poor guy who didn't duck fast enough when someone in the goTenna marketing department thought it would be a great idea for someone to get a license and go talk to us 'ham to ham', like we can't figure out for ourselves what goTenna is and how it can be used.

We had those discussions weeks ago, thank you.

 

"Pre-Order"?

Think PrestonTucker.

 

So this is your company and this is a sales pitch. How long have you had a Ham Ticket. This is not Ham Radio.

 

I concur, this is not my Ham radio.

 

This is NOT amateur radio....not even close...FRS at its best, which is really not very impressing nor reliable. You just got your license and already want to change 100 years of radio along with traditions.....I am not in.

 

No need to beat Matt up.


It is not Ham Radio, It is a Toy that any Ham would enjoy to play with.


When will the free test samples be shipping ?

 

And thus providing the criminal element of New York City with a private, secure, easy to use communications channel they can be assured that neither NYPD nor the FBI can listen in on.

 

That's very true. I have half a mind to file a petition asking the FCC to deny their license on that basis. But the FCC probably doesn't need us to tell them about it.

 

I seen this on the site "FCC regulations prevent hams from employing any sort of encryption in their communications."

I think the rule, Is encryption that they can not de-crypt. ?


And that rule is not only for a Ham.

 

I am an amateur without a tool belt, so this item is useless for me.

Fortunately, when I'm out in the wilderness, my need for solitude far outweighs my urge to "gomunnicate". Plus, having this means having to recharge IT, and the appliances to which it talks.

I laughed when I first saw this, and I see a few very limited uses - like in an office, or perhaps at the EOC where a local net like this might actually save a lot of shouting, but otherwise?

What does this have to do with amateur radio? I guess the experimental part?

Oh, and my HT has what, five times the range or better, and with a repeater? Oh, the gotenna does not need a license...I forgot, studying and passing tests is so 20th century.