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Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

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Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#31

Post by sliken »

vvanders wrote: post #16
sliken wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might want to consider the meshtastic, something like a lilygo t-echo. A few advantages over the standard ham radio: * Nodes automatically forms a mesh * works with any android/IOS widget, simple text message like interface * store and forward means all nodes don't have to be online at the same time. * Cheap, no soldering, and no ham license required. * Can use phones GPS, makes it easy to track other nodes * Don't h…

Meshtastic(Lora) also doesn't require a license since it's in the ISM bands. Lora also has really good FEC and other things that make it work incredibly well(at the cost of throughput). Honestly I wish we saw more things like that in the ham bands(other than FT8). There's a couple Lora radios out there that are USB serial based and can be controlled with AT commands that would let you so something similar if you want…

JS8call is pretty similar to FT8, but can do keyboard to keyboard chat. Not quite auto-mesh, but can store/forward through multiple other nodes.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#32

Post by tzs »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #17
vvanders wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meshtastic(Lora) also doesn't require a license since it's in the ISM bands. Lora also has really good FEC and other things that make it work incredibly well(at the cost of throughput). Honestly I wish we saw more things like that in the ham bands(other than FT8). There's a couple Lora radios out there that are USB serial based and can be controlled with AT commands that would let you so something similar if you want…

This isn't true, it is not exclusive to the ISM bands. You can run it on any band you choose so long as you have a license to do so. Case in point: the ham bands

Note that various ham bands have limitations on what types of emissions are allowed. For example some only allow RTTY and data, so no phone or image. And some allow phone or image but no data. Even if the type of information is allowed there might be technical restrictions prohibiting some forms of modulation.

So before using something that was designed depending on some non-ham part of the regulations for its legality, such as part 18 (ISM) in the US, on a ham band I'd want to look into the details and make sure it is not doing something under that part but not allowed under the ham regulations.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#33

Post by agiacalone »

stavros wrote: post #28
cactacea wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I own one of these, easily the worst radio I have. Fine for receive but please don't hit that transmit button.

Why? What happens?

I have one too, and it gives off tons of spurious emissions (RF interference).

I pretty much only use it for experimentation and receive.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#34

Post by agiacalone »

tzs wrote: post #32
sidewndr46 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't true, it is not exclusive to the ISM bands. You can run it on any band you choose so long as you have a license to do so. Case in point: the ham bands

Note that various ham bands have limitations on what types of emissions are allowed. For example some only allow RTTY and data, so no phone or image. And some allow phone or image but no data. Even if the type of information is allowed there might be technical restrictions prohibiting some forms of modulation. So before using something that was designed depending on some non-ham part of the regulations for its legali…

Also, the ham bands as a whole cannot be used for profit-motives or any financial gain. People often forget this rule. Not to mention the (kind of absurd, IMO) rule against any form of encryption.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#35

Post by stavros »

agiacalone wrote: post #33
stavros wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? What happens?

I have one too, and it gives off tons of spurious emissions (RF interference). I pretty much only use it for experimentation and receive.

Ah, ouch. I have two Baofengs as well, I think they're a bit better, but probably not too much better.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#36

Post by mschuster91 »

sliken wrote: post #13
jrockway wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the whole point of having a ham license is the permission to build and use your own equipment. The compromise vs "buy some spectrum for 8 trillion dollars" is that you can't use ham radio for commercial (or musical) purposes.

Heh, ask 10 hams what the whole point of a ham license is and you'll get 10 different answers. I've heard "permission to build" before, but rarely.

I'm an aspiring ham myself :D For me, I'm interested in emergency communications, others in the club are DXers... truly fascinating.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#37

Post by RenThraysk »

lormayna wrote: post #30
RenThraysk wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sim card radios exist. eg https://www.wouxun.com/radios/two_way_radio_kg-v98.aspx

Yes, but think about having a mobile that has native integration with APRS or can make voice/packet radio or even DMR. It would be perfect for hiking or adventures. Even better with LORA. Probably the main issue is RF compatibility.

LTE over satellite is going to be the solution, as all existing 4g phones can do it.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#38

Post by userbinator »

agiacalone wrote: post #34
tzs wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that various ham bands have limitations on what types of emissions are allowed. For example some only allow RTTY and data, so no phone or image. And some allow phone or image but no data. Even if the type of information is allowed there might be technical restrictions prohibiting some forms of modulation. So before using something that was designed depending on some non-ham part of the regulations for its legali…

Also, the ham bands as a whole cannot be used for profit-motives or any financial gain. People often forget this rule. Not to mention the (kind of absurd, IMO) rule against any form of encryption.

However, I don't believe there's a rule against steganography.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#39

Post by kanbankaren »

agiacalone wrote: post #33
stavros wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? What happens?

I have one too, and it gives off tons of spurious emissions (RF interference). I pretty much only use it for experimentation and receive.

Did you actually see the spurious emissions on a spectrum analyser?

The old Baofengs had that problem, not Quansheng which are actually clean and the harmonics are within FCC specs.

Re: Turn your Android phone into a modern ham radio transceiver

#40

Post by kanbankaren »

capitainenemo wrote: post #8
RobCodeSlayer wrote: post #3

This would be amazing for backcountry communication - e.g when backpacking with a large group. Is there any way to enable this for iOS?

I wonder how good the range would be. I was thinking that even if I didn't have the appropriate license, having something like this in a pocket on my backpack would at least give me one more signaling option in an emergency. I could deal with the fines later.

That range depends on the height of the antennaes(sender and receiver). I have been able to hear repeaters 150km away because it is on a hill.
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