Or you could buy a $20 baofeng and just yell "WHERE YOU AT?" via FRS
Beartooth
21–30 of 152 posts
Re: Beartooth
#22That website is hard to look at, it couldnt be more busy.
Re: Beartooth
#23Is this basically the same as goTenna? http://www.gotenna.com/
Yes, a comparison between goTenna and BearTooth would be good.
Re: Beartooth
#24Is this basically the same as goTenna? http://www.gotenna.com/
Is it just me? or are there two videos--one hidden? I can't seem to watch it in any browser without getting two overlapped audio streams that are offset...
Re: Beartooth
#25Does this use a mesh network?
It's not mesh. It's just a typical data radio. If the person you want to communicate with isn't in range then you can't bounce the signal through other people.
It sounds like the MURS (150 MHz) band that goTenna and Beartooth use doesn't allow store and forward, or a connection to the Internet.
Which is unfortunate since one use case would be having a relay in car at trailhead to pass messages from internet.
Re: Beartooth
#26Would love to see this in action as it solves my music festival communication woes. The price tag is a little steep though for adoption.
Try buying a bunch of two ways on amazon. You can get 6 of them for $150 and they work for 10 hours on 2 AA batteries and have a 23 mile range.
If you're talking about 2-meter radios, you're going to need a ham radio license to use them in the US. It's not hard, but it is necessary. Also, FCC regulations do not permit "broadcasting" on these bands. That is, you can't play music over them. Having a music festival playing in the background is flirting with that rule. You're better off just using FRS radios.
Re: Beartooth
#27It transmits via some sub-1ghz free spectrum bands, which travel a good distance and have decent structure penetration. https://beartooth.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/216797018-Wh... This is why unlicensed spectrum bands are great; they allow for stuff like this to be built without a billion dollar spectrum price tag.
I don't think 2 miles is a good travel distance. (or maybe it is from a technical perspective but not from a practical one). That would assume lots of users which I feel can be problematic with a $399 price range and big form factor.
It states 2 devices for $249 at the top of the page.
Re: Beartooth
#28Does the device constantly broadcast something so you can see when people are in range? Can this be turned off? What if I don't want to announce everyone where I am? (yeah, it probably doesn't send GPS constantly, but constant radio signals are pretty easy to triangulate). I would just want to broadcast a message and then all devices within range should pick it up and see if they can decrypt it (i.e. was it meant for them)
Re: Beartooth
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think 2 miles is a good travel distance. (or maybe it is from a technical perspective but not from a practical one). That would assume lots of users which I feel can be problematic with a $399 price range and big form factor.
I've been trying to solve an issue similar to what Beartooth is doing, and 2 miles is amazing range. Bear in mind, these aren't huge towers hundreds of feet above the ground with 50kWh power sources and million dollar price tags, they're battery-powered, handheld, and consumer-priced. And cell towers with all the advantages listed only travel less than 20 miles. 2 miles with those limitations is a great distance. I t…
...or you're on a small farm that's half a mile on each side and you need to know that the gate on the opposite corner from the farmhouse is still closed.
A minor change of perspective and suddenly a 2 mile range is fantastic!
Re: Beartooth
#30As with any smartphone product being marketed for use in wilderness environments, a note of caution is necessary.
Rescue services have seen an increasing number of life-threatening situations caused by the unwise use of smartphones. Phones aren't sufficiently rugged and often lack user-replaceable batteries, so cannot be relied upon as a navigation tool or as a means of emergency communication.
If you're considering buying a product like this, think again. An FRS radio and a Garmin Etrex cost about the same, but are vastly better suited to the task. They are drop resistant, waterproof and will run on ordinary AA batteries.
If you are in a remote area, always carry a magnetic compass and paper map and ensure that you have the skills required to use them. Consider carrying distress flares, a signal mirror or a SPOT beacon.
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/smartphone-apps-handle-with-care
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-3380...