[liberationtech] Can HAM radio be used for communication between health workers in rural areas with no cell connectivity?

Wed Mar 6 17:06:17 PST 2013

Dr. Dey,

It appears you let the list off the response to me. Likewise it appears you
have been dropped from the list discussion. You can see everyone's
responses at:

https://mailman.stanford.edu/pipermail/liberationtech/2013-March/thread.html(Scroll
toward bottom for thread)

The Android HAM option is software control of an external HAM receiver or a
web-site that relays HAM radio groups. It is not an actual radio solution
and will require the regular cellular data network to function - which
defeats the purpose of what you require.

Good luck, Cheers, -Ali

On Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 7:39 PM, Dr.Tusharkanti Dey <
dr.tusharkantidey at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you very much for your inputs.
>
> Transmission of voice communication in tribal inhabitated hilly areas  is
> really difficult as the strength of the signals from mobile transmission
> towers are almost nil. I thougt that, the solution in this situation can be
>
> 1. Setting up of mobile signal strength boosters.
>
> 2. Setting up mid range wifi system .
>
> Both this options are not suitable for our organisation as our resources
> are limited to bear the cost.
>
> Android phones are avilable in Indian Markets at a price of Rs. 3000/- to
> 4000/- ( approximately) ., where as HAM radio transrecivers are more
> costly. Also, HAM radio operators transmit valuable voice communications in
> timre of emergencies. Why this can not be used for voice communication in
> difficult areas while HAM radio transreceivers can be installed on android
> phones. Will any body pl reply in details?
>
> If HAM radio can not applied what is the other low cost solutions ? My
> intension is that voice communication will be trans mitted between
> headquarters to health workers and amongst health workers. I would like to
> transmit vioce over an area of 10-20 sq. Km.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dr.Tusharkanti Dey
> On Mar 7, 2013 1:38 AM, "Ali-Reza Anghaie" <ali at packetknife.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm assuming privacy issues are of minimal concern given the other
>> problems at play here - I could be wrong but bear with me.
>>
>> Trying to think of lowest-cost, reliable, easiest to expand and re-deploy
>> without a telco or other licensing.
>>
>> I wonder is a low-bandwidth text HF APRS (
>> http://www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html) option with a laminated deck of
>> shorthand medical terms would be a reasonable remote field option? About
>> as rudimentary as you get but considering a worst case scenario - it
>> might just work. -Ali
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 5, 2013 at 9:15 PM, Sky (Jim Schuyler) <sky at red7.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Since "HAM" (amateur radio) is real radio, not phone, an Android app
>>> wouldn't use it directly. The app might -control- an amateur radio
>>> remotely, and there is software available to do this. However, I'm not sure
>>> what benefit it would bring to this project.
>>>
>>> In the US, amateur radio operators must send all information in "clear
>>> text," and encryption is illegal, thus you would not want to try to
>>> exchange medical info because you'd need to encrypt it. In other countries
>>> it -should- be illegal to transmit medical info in the clear, so I'd
>>> suggest avoiding this.
>>>
>>> Also, "high frequency" amateur radio doesn't have sufficient bandwidth
>>> to transfer much digital information. VHF/UHF does in theory, but in
>>> general amateur radio operators restrict their bandwidth and the maximum
>>> usable transfer rate is under 9600 baud. i.e. very slow.
>>>
>>> -Sky  AA6AX
>>>
>>>      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>>> - - - -
>>> Sky (Jim Schuyler, PhD)
>>> -We work backstage so you can be the star
>>> Blog: http://blog.red7.com/
>>> Phone: +1.415.759.7337
>>> PGP Keys: http://web.red7.com/pgp
>>>
>>> On Mar 5, 2013, at 5:47 PM, ITechGeek <itg at itechgeek.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Depends on what information you might be transmitting and the specific
>>> laws of the local country/countries involved.
>>>
>>> HAMs have to be licensed through the local countries licensing
>>> authority (in the case of the US would be the FCC).
>>>
>>> Under US you could probably get away with allowing them to coordinate
>>> if it is non-profit in nature, but you would not be able to discuss
>>> any medical information that would allow a third party to possibly
>>> identify the patient.
>>>
>>> And some countries are very restrictive on who can get HAM licenses
>>> due to the potential to get around their propaganda controls.  Also
>>> rules can change based on frequencies being used cause lower
>>> frequencies can transmit further.
>>>
>>> Can you provide the country or countries involved?
>>>
>>>
>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> -ITG (ITechGeek)
>>> ITG at ITechGeek.Com
>>> https://itg.nu/
>>> GPG Keys: https://itg.nu/contact/gpg-key
>>> Preferred GPG Key: Fingerprint: AB46B7E363DA7E04ABFA57852AA9910A DCB1191A
>>> Google Voice: +1-703-493-0128 / Twitter: ITechGeek / Facebook:
>>> http://fb.me/Jbwa.Net
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 5, 2013 at 8:07 PM, Yosem Companys <companys at stanford.edu>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> From: Dr. Tusharkanti Dey <dr.tusharkantidey at gmail.com>
>>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>> I am proposing to set up a ICT based health project in tribal areas with
>>> poor infrastructural facilities with poor cell phone connectivity due to
>>> unstable signal strengths. i have learnt that HAM radio software from
>>> HamSphere is downloadable on android phones.I would like to know whether
>>> these android phones with HAM radio software installed can be used for
>>> communication used for voice communication between health workers
>>> themselves and with head quarter staff. Will it be legally permissible and
>>> what technical requirements will be needed to set up such system. The other
>>> alternative of setting up of mobile signal boosters or long distance WiFi
>>> hubs are currently not affordable to our limited resource organisation
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Dr.Tusharkanti Dey
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>>
>>
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