The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN™) is a high speed data network built with Amateur Radio Operators and Emergency Communications Infrastructure in mind.
- Its is a self-configuring and self-healing network. Where possible, AREDN™ can establish connections with as many other AREDN™ compatible devices (nodes) as possible and form a redundant mesh like network.
- AREDN™ nodes will automatically find the “most reliable” nodes (greatest chance of success on packet delivery) to attempt delivery of the packets sent across the network. Knowing the exact path to get to the destination is not necessary, only to know what the destination is.
- AREDN™ uses commercial off-the-shelf hardware originally intended to be used for unlicensed WIFI and re-purposes it to fits the needs of Amateur Radio Operators. Using such common gear allows users to benefit from affordable pricing and easy availability of reliable communications gear.
- By itself AREDN™ is only a networking technology – it provides the basis to move traffic around. It can be thought of as similar to a radio or a repeater, where the infrastructure is an AREDN™ node and the content that flows across it is one that the local users decide.
- Networks built on top of AREDN™ are IP based, very similar to but not dependent upon, the Internet and operat
ing under the rules for Amateur Radio operators. Well-used publicly documented protocols (IPv4) are utilized to provide the greatest flexibility to local implementers of these high speed networks - Services such as VoIP phone systems, email, instant messaging, web cameras, file sharing, etc are all possible
Locally a group of hams has been playing around with AREDN and its predessor BroadBand Ham Net (BBHN) and call themselves the BOAR (Broadband Over Amateur Radio) Net. They will be showing off their network and some of the services they have available on their network at the April 14th meeting of the Ak-Sar-Ben Amateur Radio Club.