[IP] more on Katrina and the folly of trusting cell phones

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@dandin.com>
Date: September 1, 2005 1:02:38 PM EDT
To: Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>
Cc: Bob Frankston <Bob19-0501@bobf.frankston.com>, dave@farber.net,  
"'David P. Reed'" <dpreed@reed.com>
Subject: Re: [IP] Katrina and the folly of trusting cell phones



On Sep 1, 2005, at 9:44 AM, Lauren Weinstein wrote:


> > As I keep pointing out we need are simple packet radios that  
> > automatically
> > configure into a mesh and connect via whatever transport including
> > satellite links. If they are packaged properly and can use various  
> > sources
> > of power ranging from batteries to solar to "whatever" then they  
> > can be
> > deployed from the air.
>
> There is certainly merit in such concepts.  However, my "complexity
> alarm" starts to trigger when I think about the actual deployment
> and use of such systems in real-world situations.  The farther we
> get from KISS ("Keep It Simple Stupid") engineering principles in
> emergency systems, the greater the concern.  I'm not convinced that
> the "simple packet radios" such as you describe wouldn't turn out to
> be anything but simple by the time they were actually designed
> and deployed.
    I beg to differ with you on this.  The amateur radio service  
(aka hams) have been using such systems since the late 80s to provide  
digital communications during emergencies.  They are 'battle  
tested'.  They are being used right now in the Katrina Recovery  
efforts.  To keep track of amateur radio efforts to support this  
emergency, checkout the ARRL's site <http://www.arrl.org>.

-- Dewayne


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