Outernet

[Martyn]

Just picked up a channel IDed as "Outernet" on 97W this evening.

12177 V 23000
V64, P64, No Audio

The logo flashing away on the screen is the same as the one here: https://www.outernet.is/

It appears to be some outfit that wants to collect Internet content and send it through cubesats to receiving stations that will collect it and allow local access. Cubesats, if you haven't been paying attention, are the latest "cool" thing to capture the interest of Silicon Valley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outernet

The idea is interesting, although those cubesats will be in LEO so the receiving station might be a good deal more complex than the one shown in the YouTube video. I'm also not sure how they might stream video. Sure, you could probably do it from a Cubesat but in LEO you're going to have to keep repositioning the dish every 10 minutes or so when the satellite falls below the horizon -- or goes behind a tree.

Anyway, something worth keeping an eye on. I wonder what the 97W transponder will be used for?

Says it launches on Monday, so perhaps as a demo.

 

[. Raine]

There was some talk a while ago about this within a thread somewhere, a person from Outernet was asking what sat would be best to broadcast from. I tried to find the thread, but couldn't.

 

[KE4EST]

Here is the thread; the guy that runs it is a member here.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/thr...asting-websites-to-western-hemisphere.338835/

 

[Cham]

Noted a few days ago as well. Thought it was a temporary broadcast, but that is not likely the case if it is still there.

Think the cubesat thing is lower S-band like GPS, but they would be really low power so you might require a tracking station antenna. They likely have something ready to retail as a kit, plug and play. Sounds interesting...

 

[. Raine]

Just went on Wikipedia and read a bit on the cubesats, crazy stuff. Says they're only 10x10cm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CubeSat

 

[Martyn]

The thread makes a bit more sense. I see they are looking at geostationary satellites as well as Cubesats.

I'll be interested to see how this develops.

 

[Outernet]

Hi. I'm the founder of Outernet and the one who started that previous thread. To clarify, we are running two separate services. One is the Ku-band service and the other is over UHF (300 MHz to 3 GHz). The best way to think about the two is broadband and mobile service. Our goal is to put a library in every home and a bookshelf in every pocket.

If you're handy with the command line and have a Linux-box lying around, or a Raspberry Pi, you should be able to pull down the ancillary data feed associated with the blinking-logo video channel (we'll eventually have explainer text on that page).

Here's the documentation to get started. It's definitely super-alpha right now but it does perform as expected.
https://github.com/Outernet-Project/orx-install/tree/master/archarm

Happy to answer any questions, but it's probably easiest to sign up for the newsletter on the website. Thanks.

 

[lost_mesa]

I hope you will soon add support for the Prof line of USB tuners. They are a common DVB-S2 tuner around here.

 

[Outernet]

Are the Linux-compatible?

 

[lost_mesa]

I haven't tried it with Linux, but they appear to be.

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Prof_Revolution_DVB-S2_7500_USB

 

[Outernet]

Interesting. Yes, it should be very possible. As a matter of fact, if anyone feels like tinkering with an old computer and their tuner, you should be able to receive the data signal with these instructions. https://github.com/Outernet-Project/orx-install/tree/master/archarm

 

[pickone4me]

thats real interesting.

 

[Outernet]

Quick correction: For the time-being, our software will only run on a Raspberry Pi.

 

[N5XZS]

Should be fun to play with!!

 

[Outernet]

It would be great to get as much as the community here involved as possible. If you have certain types of files you'd like to receive, please let us know. You can submit your request through this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kjrgeva2yoePEwl0yQv68NHM4wDjftXzvwZRQcWvo-8/viewform

The process is a little clunky right now, but I guess that's what being super-early stage is all about. Thanks for your interest.

 

[Wayn23]

I will try this but have to order one of the supported usb tuners first, I have a Pi to play with already.


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[Scott Greczkowski]

The dish looks cool!

 

[Outernet]

Thanks. But to be clear, a Prof should work just as easily. The tuner is not changed at all; it's a matter of installing the drivers on the rPi.

 

[Outernet]

To be clear, the dish is still a work in progress. We are currently much more focused on software and tuners.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thanks we have got to get you on one of our radio shows. Contact WALLYHTS or KE4EST as I am sure they would love to have you on!