[aprssig] RFM22B UHF Transceiver Module

[Bill Vodall]

Finally a chance, thanks to the Chrismas break, to catch up on some
Email postings.

>> John G8BPQ wrote:
>> A while ago (22 September) Bob posted a message about the RFM22 modules. I
>> was working on a TNC for the Raspberry PI at the time, so decided to try
>> building a TNC round these modules.
>
> On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 at 4:22 PM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga at usna.edu> wrote:
> Fantastic Work, John.  And of course, another tiny device for APRS is
> a great project, but when I first saw this chip and its ability to do 100 kB
> so cheaply, I actually was thinking more of a tiny $20 box that *EVERY*
> ham on the planet might put up on his antenna tower or mast and
> become another node in an all-ham digital backbone.

We pretty much have that now..   The differences are that it costs
$100 instead of $20 - but it gives 10 MB (or more) instead of a mere
100 kB.

Take a $75 Ubiquity bullet, add a POE power inserter and small
antenna.  The cost would be about $100.   Add to it the updated
HSMM-MESH firmware and magic happens...

  http://hsmm-mesh.org/visual-of-a-mesh-network.html

> The transciever in a cigareete sized package on the tower with nothing but
> data and power coming into the shack would maximize RF range and minimize
> installation effort.

Not even data - just power...     Ok - it could be data too but that's
not essential..

  http://www.ubnt.com/bullet

> Also it would make a great "club project".  If cost was low enough, and
> some hams still did not want to btoher, then others in the club would
> buy one for every hamd so tht the network was dense, and not just
> a few adopters... but EVERY ham with a PC supports the network

Exactly!


> Just dreaming outloud of that ham cloud ON RF.

Sometimes dreams come true - and this one is about here...


> Bob, WB4APR


73
Bill - WA7NWP