[Ground-station] Othernet (Outernet)

[Michelle Thompson]

We've looked at Outernet/Othernet several times. There's at least one video
report from us about setting up their hardware and dish pointing.

Wow have we gotten better at video reports since 2016! Here's the first
Outernet report we did. https://youtu.be/1JSah9L886I?t=151

Since then, they've made a lot of changes. More challenging, is that
they've changed bands. Given the number of changes in the past, and given
that it's focused on providing internet to underserved communities, and not
focused on ham radio, they are definitely further back in the plan
alphabet. But, I think it's clear we know about them and are tracking them.

Bob Bruninga wrote me to tell me about the APRS aggregator working on
Othernet right now. We agree about the potential for Othernet for
communications support. They are not a good match for a backup to what
we're looking at doing with Rent-a-GEO. Their vision is to serve a
different community, and the instability of their technical specs is below
what even a big risk taker like me will commit a team to working towards.

As exciting as Rent-a-GEO can be, and as much as it can contribute to
modern channelizers, aggregators, autonomous receivers, and real honest GEO
operating experience for *North America*, it pales in comparison to Phase 4
Space amateur-specific payload proposal. It's both/and, not either/or, but
if you have limited time, then the priority should be the bigger prize.

I need help communicating to ARDC (Amateur Radio Digital Communications
Inc) that the community really wants a dedicated amateur GEO payload system
that covers the globe. We can achieve this, we have international support,
and it will make an enormous educational, operational, technical, and
regulatory difference.

-Michelle W5NYV




On Sat, Oct 5, 2019 at 10:43 AM KC9SGV <kc9sgv at gmail.com> wrote:

> Had a great text discussion with Sayed of Othernet (former Outernet)
> yesterday.
> Text was related to another matter.
> Free downlink, but pay for aggregator uplink on SES2.
> Sounds familiar ?
> Could be plan B for rent-a-GEO.
> They have their own receiver for $80 or so.
>
> Bernard,
> KC9SGV
>
> Sent from my iPad
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