GoTenna

 

I am posting this here because although this isn't a cell phone forum, since this uses a smartphone and has the ability to send GPS coordinates, this might be of some interest to some members here.

I just heard about the GoTenna this yesterday. Unless I am way off base here, it sounds like they are using MURS frequencies for this. The application that would most interest me would be aboard a cruise ship when we go to the Caribbean. We have gotten by fine in the past with Nextel Direct Talk, but my wife and oldest son are so into texting that this might work for them. Somewhere I read on their website that they tried 900 mHz, but it wasn't successful for them. That sort of surprises me. In fact, I would think that 1 watt on the ISM 902-928 mHz band would have been quite suitable.

http://static.gotenna.com/

http://www.cnet.com/news/gotenna-creates-cell-network-out-of...

Just my opinion !!!

Jim1348 wrote:

The application that would most interest me would be aboard a cruise ship when we go to the Caribbean. We have gotten by fine in the past with Nextel Direct Talk, but my wife and oldest son are so into texting that this might work for them.

Go on a holiday and leave all the electronic crap behind !!!

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Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

Read this

You need two goTenna's within 50 miles of each other to work.

http://mobilesyrup.com/2014/07/17/gotenna-lets-you-send-mess...

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nüvi 3790T | Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable ~ JFK

Good writeup --

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/07/21/gotenna_talks_radio_...

And if it does retransmit in the 151 - 154 MHz band, this is the "MURS" band (see 47 CFR 95 for the mind-numbing details). MURS devices must be certified by the FCC to be used in the United States.

On a boat in the middle of the blue might be a different story.

Good writeup, take a look.

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Nuvi 2460, 680, DATUM Tymserve 2100, Trimble Thunderbolt, Ham radio, Macintosh, Linux, Windows

Interesting for sure. can

Interesting for sure. can buy a set for 150 but really annoying that you need two all the time.

I guess this can work for the family when traveling and not having to pay for service?

very low data rates -- no voice!

this is a very low data-rate, line-of-sight radio link.

Emphasis on very low and line-of-sight!

Their marketing blurbs state (nay, repeat) the very low data rate part: texts, things like that. No voice.

And the 50 mile thing? Maybe from mountain-top to mountain-top, but it's line of sight. Urban, could be a block or two, or could be no blocks if the units are on opposite sides of a large concrete-and-metal structure.

Or on a cruise ship from one deck to another? Trying to get from the inside of a large metal can to the outside? Lots of luck! On deck, if it's line of sight, should work.

And at two watts transmit power (max for an FCC MURS approved device), for the physical size involved, I wonder what the effective battery life is -- transmit duty cycle could be pretty low if you're only transmitting during data exchanges, but I wonder if they do handshaking and/or keep-alive, and fold back transmit power based on link quality... It could last a few hours, I guess.

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Nuvi 2460, 680, DATUM Tymserve 2100, Trimble Thunderbolt, Ham radio, Macintosh, Linux, Windows