[sliken]

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 have to program in repeaters, every node can repeat.

[vvanders]

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 to build up from scratch.

[sidewndr46]

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

[vvanders]

Sure, that's "technically" correct but most usage of Lora is going to be in ISM since that's where they are traditionally deployed. That doesn't require a license which can be a hurdle if you don't already have one.

I've got a ham license so not a big deal for me but for those wanting to try radios without a huge investment a pair of $20 Lora AT serial radios are a great way to dip into digital radio.

[tzs]

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.

[agiacalone]

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.

[sidewndr46]

Encryption is permitted for remote control of space borne systems.

Repeaters may use any method to limit access and control to authorized users.

[agiacalone]

I forgot about that one use case. But it's not allowed for most practical purposes in the U.S. at least.

[userbinator]

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

[threemux]

In the US, there certainly is. The rule doesn't mention encryption specifically, it just prohibits "encoding for the purpose of obscuring meaning". The intent is what matters not the method.

[sliken]

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.