Anyone use radio to stay in contact with other stargazers?

[Peje]

Had a thought this evening it could be interesting to chat to some other users while viewing or imaging using some sort of radio To have instant response to queries and perhaps share observations or suggest something to view.

Being in N.Ireland I'm prob more limited to 20m band but for you guys on the mainland it could help expand your local astronomy club

Pete

[m.tweedy]

We have invested in some for our large events (Sunderland Astro) and they worked very well indeed to help maintain a flow of people between scopes and lectures.

[Peje]

We have invested in some for our large events (Sunderland Astro) and they worked very well indeed to help maintain a flow of people between scopes and lectures.

What band were you using?

[mcolbert]

Pete I think that that's a great idea!

Just remembering the thread from a few days ago now about a 'mysterious' light / satellite and it turned out to be the 'Dragon' flight.  With radio events like that could be shared between more observers.

Of course the (equipment) costs could be prohibitive for some as well as the need for a ham license to spread the word.

OTOH if an alert system could be established where an observation was made, contact to a base made by mobile and then SMS's could be sent...?  I wonder what it would need to get up and running?

michael

[LukeSkywatcher]

Wouldn't Skype be as easy and less costly. You can made video calls, voice only calls or even just IM's. Mind you, such a system would mainly be used by imagers because i wouldnt say many purely observational types would have a laptop outside with them. Then again.................most people would have a smart phone in their pocket.

Edited April 19, 2015 by LukeSkywatcher

[wuthton]

Yes, Skype and various IM services are far more accessible to most and offer the same level of communication.

But... Radio vs Skype. It's much like comparing a hand written letter to an email. It's the same communication but there's something missing in the latter

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yes, Skype and various IM services are far more accessible to most and offer the same level of communication.

But... Radio vs Skype. It's much like comparing a hand written letter to an email. It's the same communication but there's something missing in the latter

What does radio offer you that the telephone doesnt?. They are the same thing essentially. Skype offers so much more and its free. Ive only started using skype in the last couple of weeks to keep in touch with family here in Ireland and in the UK. I love it. I think its the best thing since sliced bread.

Last week my nephew who has been living and working in London since January, gave me a guided tour of his house. Can radio do that?.

Any way you care to connect with others is great. We can all set up in our profiles our preferred methods. I personally would hate if i was outside observing and i kept getting contacted by others saying "did you see that?" etc. 

Thats just me though.........so i would not subscribe to such a system. I'm just offering up a suggestion of skype that is a lot cheaper them ham radio. If ham radio users want to set up a system them fair play to them. It would be a pretty exclusive club.

Edited April 19, 2015 by LukeSkywatcher

[Peje]

Pete I think that that's a great idea!

Just remembering the thread from a few days ago now about a 'mysterious' light / satellite and it turned out to be the 'Dragon' flight. With radio events like that could be shared between more observers.

Of course the (equipment) costs could be prohibitive for some as well as the need for a ham license to spread the word.

OTOH if an alert system could be established where an observation was made, contact to a base made by mobile and then SMS's could be sent...? I wonder what it would need to get up and running?

michael

Firstly apologies for replying to rveryone individually, using my phone so a multiquote would be too much for my tiny screen lol

The SMS system could be costly as it will be tied to a network provider but I see the potential. A slight variation on this would be a basic smartphone app that would utilise push notifications, like the ISS Tracker one does.

[Peje]

What does radio offer you that the telephone doesnt?. They are the same thing essentially. Skype offers so much more and its free. Ive only started using skype in the last couple of weeks to keep in touch with family here in Ireland and in the UK. I love it. I think its the best thing since sliced bread.

Last week my nephew who has been living and working in London since January, gave me a guided tour of his house. Can radio do that?.

Any way you care to connect with others is great. We can all set up in our profiles our preferred methods. I personally would hate if i was outside observing and i kept getting contacted by others saying "did you see that?" etc.

Thats just me though.........so i would not subscribe to such a system. I'm just offering up a suggestion of skype that is a lot cheaper them ham radio. If ham radio users want to set up a system them fair play to them. It would be a pretty exclusive club.

I do see where you're coming from, I'm also a fan of using current tech to complete a job where possible; however...

The problem I see with Skype, telephone and email is anonymity. There is a stigma surrounding giving out contact details online that direct someone to you in such a definitive way.

As you say Skype is fantastic, I use its messager feature to contact my wife and family while in work (mainly because I don't trust Facebook).

Perhaps radio is not the way forward but I think a system to communicate live could be extremely useful

[Cath]

As you say Skype is fantastic, I use its messager feature to contact my wife and family while in work (mainly because I don't trust Facebook).

ooooooo noooo

You might like to do a little research into skype and where you're personal skype traffic is often routed/copied too. I'm not saying facebook is anymore private though, cuz it isn't.

[Peje]

ooooooo noooo

You might like to do a little research into skype and where you're personal skype traffic is often routed/copied too. I'm not saying facebook is anymore private though, cuz it isn't.

LOL yes I do accept very few are secure, anything I worry about keeping confidential uses a different method of communication with some rather excessive encryption. My main objection to FB was the settings they imposed (or at least tried to) regarding their mobile app's. Full remote control of cameras and microphone without the user being alerted was the bigger one

[MattJenko]

Skype and bandwidth heavy applications are not going to work for all, especially those heading to remote dark skies where reception is terrible. I live in rural Essex and phone reception is hit and miss in some places, let alone 3G .

[Peje]

Perhaps there is a group messaging application already available that could work in the interrim to see how useful this will really be?

[Peje]

Did some quick Googling and found a couple of (free) cross-platform apps that seem to offer functionality we're talking about:

Google Hangouts

http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

One drawback is it's only available for Apple & Android

GroupMe

https://groupme.com/

Can be used with Apple, Android, Windows Phone, Windows and OSX

I would be swaying towards GroupMe due to it being useable across more platforms. Do we think everyone would have smartphones these days or are we risking excluding too many people??

Pete

[johnrt]

What about periscope for smart phone users?

[Peje]

What about periscope for smart phone users?

You got a link? When I google 'periscope android' its showing a storage monitor??

[Peje]

Changed to an iOS search and found it, basically a video sharing application. Those with poor reception would struggle with something video based, even sending still images could be an issue.

[Cath]

I don't see video communication as something you're looking for at all though Peje.

I'm guessing others aren't seeing what it is you're suggesting would be useful - a purely realtime audio (at the very most) and/or textual group/hug link for highlighting those ever so rare events the lucky few first notice out there ?

Which of cause is a low bandwidth requirement.

Edited April 20, 2015 by Cath

[Peje]

I don't see video communication as something you're looking for at all though Peje.

I'm guessing others aren't seeing what it is you're suggesting would be useful - a purely realtime audio (at the very most) and/or textual group/hug link for highlighting those ever so rare events the lucky few first notice out there ?

Which of cause is a low bandwidth requirement.

Sorry I'm not with you there, I had suggested no video (either RT or not) due to the required bandwidth. I would have invisaged text only, even audio uses additional bandwidth over text.

I was originally thinking of something more social, for those who do not sit on a laptop beside their scope. For example someone getting ready for a nights viewing and checks the group to see what others are looking at. This would offer up a live group view but with the users being spread across a much wider area than a traditional club. There would also be the chance for imagers to review settings and techniques while pointed at the same target.

[Cath]

Yes I know, but I get the impression others might be seeing current realtime internet communications as being similar to what it is you're talking about - which if it is often includes video (which means high bandwidth) - which is not what you're talking about.

[Peje]

OK I'm with you now,

My criteria would have been:

Real-time

Low Bandwidth (preferrably text based only)

As little specialised equipment as possible

Accomodates a large user base

[JamesF]

A private chat server (IRC-based, perhaps) might do the job.  It would need some sort of sign-up validation though.  The one advantage radio does have over internet-based services is that you don't tend to get quite so many people joining in who just want to sell you viagra or  request your help to transfer millions of dollars from Nigeria.

James

[Cath]

The one advantage radio does have over internet-based services is that you don't tend to get quite so many people joining in who just want to sell you viagra or  request your help to transfer millions of dollars from Nigeria.

so very true lol

The main problem though is that 99% of those here probably have little idea of the significance of basic radio comunications

[m.tweedy]

What band were you using?

sorry for delay in replying. I have no idea what band (probably Queen ) Our technical wizards dealt with that.

Another tool I use for group communication on my iphone that goes to all society members is an app called group text. I send out alerts ranging from Dark site observing at short notice to requests for help. again it may do what you want as messaging is virtually instantaneous

 https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/group-text!/id377826584?mt=8

[Peje]

A private chat server (IRC-based, perhaps) might do the job. It would need some sort of sign-up validation though. The one advantage radio does have over internet-based services is that you don't tend to get quite so many people joining in who just want to sell you viagra or request your help to transfer millions of dollars from Nigeria.

James

Do you think such a thing exists with free mobile app support? I certainly have the hardware here to support such a server.