Oddly enough, I've been looking at doing this in Trinidad and Tobago as well with satellite internet access, since the local telecommunications provider has a monopoly (and I can do this for personal use - meaning I don't charge money for it and I don't use their infrastructure)
Andy Carvin wrote: > http://tinyurl.com/ceyud > > Ingredients: > > • Junxion Box wireless gateway $700; junxionbox.com > • Verizon Wireless EV-DO PCMCIA card $100; verizonwireless.com For US applications, in context, these are good (though cheaper alternatives are probably out there) > • Voltaic Systems solar-charging backpack $230; voltaicsystems.com > • 12-volt battery with spade terminals, 1.2 or higher amp-hour $15 A car battery would work just fine, and actually can power more with deep cycles. The higher the amp-hour, the longer it takes for a full charge - but the less it takes to degrade that charge. For a more permanent solution, I usually use gel batteries which are more expensive but can take a complete drain and recharge with no problems. They typically last longer than 5 years... I have one lighting system in Trinidad that has lasted 7 years, and with 6 lights, solar panel and battery weighs less than 12 lbs. And actually, with DIY solar, you could make your own solar backpack... Hmm... Even a jacket, actually. > • Male DC power plug, size M $5 > • 18-gauge wire, black and red $5 > • Female insulated quick-disconnect connectors, crimp-type, sized for > battery spade terminals $3 > • In-line fuse holder $7 > • 20-amp fuse 50 cents These are high prices. Shopping around can net a lower cost. . The tough part is finding a satellite communications provider that services Trinidad and Tobago with bandwidth in excess of 500k. So the original solution works well for the U.S., but can be easily adapted where there is satellite internet access available. The trick is finding the satellite internet access. Now, the reasonable question is 'Why'. The answer is that in the region, there is typically only one link per nation to the internet, and in the case of a disaster, that link could be severed. So a working model of something like this, with a GSM modem and appropriate software perhaps on a Simputer (which lasts 12 hours on battery), there might be a reasonable and lightweight solution for emergency communication. Plus, it's just darned cool. Back to work... -- Taran Rampersad Presently in: Georgetown, Guyana [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran "Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
