What is an AREDN™ Network?

An Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN™) is a high speed data network built with Amateur Radio Operators and Emergency Communications Infrastructure in mind.

AREDN™ is self-configuring and self-healing. Where possible, AREDN™ will establish connections with as many other AREDN™ compatible devices (nodes) as possible and form a redundant mesh like network.

AREDN™ nodes automatically finds the “most reliable” nodes (greatest chance of success on packet delivery) to attempt delivery of the packets sent across the network. One need not know the exact path to get to the destination, only to know what the destination is.

AREDN™ uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware originally intended to be used for unlicensed WIFI and re-purposes it to fits the needs of Amateur Radio Operators.  By using such common gear we are able 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 operating 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.

Examples of what has been and can be deployed across these networks are:
 

• Computer Aided Dispatch (Responder management)
• Incident response and mapping solutions
• Static and video imagery of evolving situations.
• Real-time communications and systems
• Winlink message networks
• Asset management and monitoring (Repeater control, solar power management, etc)

With the flexibility our solution provides, you can now deploy infrastructure to serve the local community by providing the ability to send the data that modern operators need.

At the recent Palm Spings Hamfest on March 14, 2015 Andre Hansen, K6AH, gave an introductory presentation of the AREDN Project and a high-level "how to" on designing a wide-area mesh for restoring Inter/intra data-networking during disasters when primary network infrastructure has failed.

Andre explains what a mesh network is, the types of people who might be interested in this technology, how to setup and use and AREDN network, various applications in support of EMCOMM and civic events, design considerations in building a network, and real world examples from the San Diego area deployment. 

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