Cave Radio Test Extends Range to One Mile
Posted: Mar 8, 2013 3:56 pmCave Radio Test Extends Range to One Mile
By Bob Bruninga
A radio test conducted during the recent NSS Volunteer weekend at Mammoth Cave National Park has extended the range of UHF communications to nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) underground.
On Saturday March 2nd, a string of 14 UHF text-messaging and position reporting APRS HAM radios used each other as automatic relays to provide continuous communications to the surface from anywhere along the mile. Cavers carried maps with a lat/long grid and could manually enter their position and send simple text messages. Establishing the network was as easy as walking to the end of each radio’s range, and then backing up a few dozen feet to regain contact and placing a walkie-talkie on a rock… then continuing.
Full story on cavingnews.com here.
By Bob Bruninga
A radio test conducted during the recent NSS Volunteer weekend at Mammoth Cave National Park has extended the range of UHF communications to nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) underground.
On Saturday March 2nd, a string of 14 UHF text-messaging and position reporting APRS HAM radios used each other as automatic relays to provide continuous communications to the surface from anywhere along the mile. Cavers carried maps with a lat/long grid and could manually enter their position and send simple text messages. Establishing the network was as easy as walking to the end of each radio’s range, and then backing up a few dozen feet to regain contact and placing a walkie-talkie on a rock… then continuing.
Full story on cavingnews.com here.