goTenna mesh networking provides critical communication and situational awareness — everywhere
By: Brynne Henn
This summer in Colorado, a convoy of trucks and firefighters heads toward a wildland fire perimeter. The convoy moves into a canyon and out of cell range — but the teams maintain communication with each other using smartphones phones paired with goTenna Pro X mesh networking devices. As the convoy disperses, a trainee finds two spot fires burning across a retardant line, sends the location to the chainsaw team, and the team sees the trainee safely moving away from the fires on a cached offline map.
For firefighters and other tactical operators in the field, staying connected in offline environments traditionally means radios. But in areas with lots of activity, communication can be hampered by crowded frequencies.
goTenna extends offline functionality to the richer set of communication tools in situational awareness apps like goTenna Pro and Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK), which traditionally require connectivity. This enables tactical operators to continue using team tracking, collaborative mapping, and chat messaging without being connected to cell, wifi, or satellite. In areas where connectivity goes in and out, goTenna provides a seamless backup for uninterrupted communication.
goTenna Pro X devices provide up to 5W of output on the UHF/VHF bands that power communication at ranges of several miles, and are designed for professional users who carry an FCC Part 90 license to operate on restricted frequencies, including Special Operations forces, Wildland Firefighters, and Search & Rescue teams. Each device acts as a relay, providing a multiplying force on the range of coverage between networked devices.
goTenna also provides a consumer level device that backpackers or travelers can use to stay connected in the backcountry, or in countries where they don’t have data access. goTenna’s Pro and consumer apps use Mapbox Maps SDK to provide users cached offline maps for wherever they are. Check out goTenna’s mesh networking technology, and start building with offline maps.
Keeping firefighters connected outside of connectivity was originally published in Points of interest on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.