disaster.radio

DESCRIPTION 

I am to build a prototype of the open-source project, disaster.radio. As a second-year Electrical Engineering student, getting hands on experience with understanding, building, and testing useful projects - like communications equipment - is a great way to excel at my coursework and prepare myself for an eventual career. I believe the role of an engineer is to "do less with more" while providing essential services for our society. 

Communications projects, like disaster.radio, protect us from threats of natural disaster, government censorship, and simple technical failure. By distributing traffic and control across multiple decentralized nodes, rather than one central provider, no single point failing can take out the whole system. End users are more educated and actualized, cooperating with fellow users & society, rather than consuming a service they don't understand or have power over. 

Our world is changing more rapidly than at any prior point in history. In times of great social and economic struggle, the society more able and quick to react fares better. Society faring well means people fairing well. Likewise, a quick and able society, is one of a quick and able people. That is why I believe in the fundamental power of decentralized, open-source communications to change our world. Furthermore, I believe a huge economic opportunity is available to anyone who wanted to provide professional support for such a network. 

TECHNICAL DETAILS 

Each unit will be built from several off-the-shelf components (batteries, charging circuit, solar panel, LoRa transciever, antenna, WeMos D1), a 3d-printed enclosure, and a custom-milled 26x33mm PCB board. 

Additionally, custom firmware libraries and end-client applications are available and open source, along with the basic build guide and full parts list.

Words to PCBWay

Thank you for considering my proposal. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions about the project. 

Sincerely, 

Kris Keillor