Hi,
I appreciate your help as I get started with, what I believe, is the future of off grid communications for Search Teams. Clearly, there are already some really robust systems out there that many search and rescue teams use already, but those are typically for full-time teams and generally too costly for casual searchers. These systems feature robust two-way communications and some permit a 30K foot view of the terrain with almost realtime locations of searchers.
What drew me to meshtastic is the coupling of text messages and almost realtime location of nodes on a simple, but effective map. Coordinators can, if needed, mass the response of other personnel once the lost person is located.
For instance, a few years ago, I was involved in a search for around 12 mentally handicapped hikers who had wandered off with their female guide/counselor who happened to be 7 months pregnant. The weather was dry when we got the call, but cool with predictions of heavy rain shortly after sunset. The cool weather and rain given the victims could turn dangerous if the people weren't located and given adequate cover. The Fire Department arrived and immediately set up a proper team of searchers, but had to carry loads of equipment to a location that might be the location of the victims. All along the clock was running and cell coverage was spotty at best. Since I wasn't a part of that team I offered to trek out to insure the victims didn't follow the trail we supposed they were on, which would have been the opposite direction of the Fire Department's search team. Fortunately, the people were found long after dark, were ambulatory, and made it back to the rally point just before the heavy rains began.
My point in all this verbage is to show that Meshtastic may have been a good supplimental tool for those of us who didn't have the HD tools used by the professional search team. The grid basically failed us too. We were searching in a cove below a large mountain.
I guess my question would be could the BRAVO units be good devices to attach to each searcher or small search team, with one or more RAK type device on the ridge above the search area? Internet might be available at the rally point so maps could possibly be available to search managers.
I am not asking you to certify this approach would work, but wanted to see if the approach might be realistic enough to test while not in an actual search. Since this area is prone to repeated lost hikers, solar RAK devices might be a good longer term / permanent device to station at the ridges in advance of any searches.
Thanks in advance.
