--- In D-STAR_23cm@..., "Woodrick, Ed" <ewoodrick@...> wrote:
You didn't indicate if you were including a standard D-STAR repeater in the setup or not, it makes a big difference.
This is the setup we use every year at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon more or less. We use our DD mode "repeaters" each with a Linux box behind them running DNAT. So each ID-1 can talk to the repeater/Linux box, and the ID-1s can also talk to each other. This is not supported by the stock repeater. We run Amateur Radio /runner tracking /chat /query applications that are designed to be web like and friendly but not bandwidth hogs with streaming.
We use routers in front of remote ID-s to control traffic and broadcasts. You can support vast numbers of users on ID-1s in this model – dozens+ - but not for random Internet access and or streaming media. Windows Update is a network killer- and another good reason not to use these systems instead of the five other commercial ways to get to the Internet. Many Internet sites use SSL- not Part 97 friendly.
We are investigating mesh networking on Linksys open source friendly wrt-54g access points- the idea is to keep local traffic that those units can handle- Internet, streaming video, VoIP, off the limited ID-1/RP-1D area backbone, which is used for critical health and welfare data.
You can support weather maps, on scene photos, "slow scan" video etc on ID-1s, but you have to plan and limit the bandwidth used.
And if your agencies find that none of their commercial Internet access methods work, you can set up a gateway for them but DSTAR is a poor Internet Service Provider platform, which is actually good for us or there would be bootleg systems all over.
On the other hand, during an Internet outage, our critical web enabled emergency applications will be up area-wide. Which gives us Part 97 enabled bragging rights, which is as it should be.
