The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

From the Great Lakes Zephyr Idea Factory:

"VoIP Walkie Talkies" For First Responder Communications Networks:

If the walkie talkies used by first responders utilized VoIP technology, they could:

1. Have a unique address for each handset in use.

2. Incorporate GPS position flags in every voice packet sent as simple Lat-Long data bit fill.

3. Act as mini-routers to relay packets for any FirstRep VoIP set in range, effectively extending the communications range of each handset beyond simple radio range without need for relay towers or sattelite connections. If there is a handset within range of you, and you want to talk to a handset - or base unit - 50 miles away, data packets addressed to the handset you need to speak to could be sent to any other VoIP Talkie in range and travel throughout the "cloud" of VoIP Talkies in the area until they reach the unit you are looking for - even if it's fifty miles away, or a hundred. All there needs to be is enough relay points in the general range, or access to a supporting backbone network.

4. Each handset could contain a data file listing VoIP Talkie addresses, including for instance, every unit in your own department, be it police, fire, national guard, coast guard, etc. It could also include significant addresses within other groups. Say a police chief needs to speak to a fire chief. He could flag a call to go to a fire chief, and the unit could address the message to the nearest (remember the GPS flag) fire chief VoIP Talkie.

5.You could use one 64-bit data word in the message flag and probably address every First Responder VoIP Talkie in the U.S. - three bits for what type of unit, fire - police- coast guard, etc - three bits for "rank" from chief to trainee, maybe four bits, three bits for U.S. State, four bits for county within that state, remaining bits for what organization within that county.

These calls could hitch a ride on other talkies or whatever network was available within range that could decipher these packets, and they could all be assigned priority for routing through the network.

Such a system could extend the useful range and scope of first responder communications in a disaster area with nothing more than the handsets the first responders themselves carry, no installed networks required, the handsets ARE the network, and can be complemented by mobile "expanded routing" stations in the backs of trucks or boats, ay remnants of the internet that have wireless access points in range, remants of the PSTN, any network segment of any type. All it would take is a technology software update mandated by the FCC similar to the "emergency broadcast system".

Inspired by Katrina.

Dan Stafford