Quoting Anthony Monteiro aa2tx@comcast.net:
At 06:44 PM 1/13/2007, Bruce Robertson wrote:
Quoting Anthony Monteiro aa2tx@comcast.net:
Here is a wild idea for you. The Nintendo DS Lite video game has a built-in wireless Instant Messaging (IM) capability that runs at 2.4GHz using standard WiFi. It would be really cool for kids to be able to chat with other kids via satellite using their Nintendo game.
...
That's a great wild idea, Tony! How would WiFi's modulation scheme
react to
the doppler shift?
Hi Bruce,
A Nintendo game wouldn't be able to directly hit a satellite but I was thinking that some kind of hack using a cheap Linksys WiFi box could be used as a groundstation and it would include whatever was needed to talk to the satellite.
The sat links do not even need to be on 2.4GHz as you could just send the IM text up and back via a low-speed link and translate back to WiFi for the Nintendo in the Linksys.
73, Tony AA2TX
I see. These are interesting ideas. I wonder if a cubesat project such as this would provide a workable test-bed for one or more layers of the proposed Eagle text-messaging service, which then could be bridged in software to the ground-based messaging you propose.
I'm not sure if this is what you have in mind, but some Linksys WiFi boxes have enough RAM to run a stripped-down version of Linux. The trick would be to get the data into them. The WRTSL54GS has a USB port, reputedly for network storage, but it might be hackable in order to get serial data from a TNC or other demodulator using a USB-to-serial bridge.
It might be in AMSAT's interest to partner with a Cubesat project to explore this. I understand the processing power onboard a cubesat would be much less; but just as Suitsat II will test the SDX, a flying testbed for SMS would be great. It would make for an excellent sales-pitch at conventions, etc.: imagine a table with a radio, demodulator and hacked WiFi box, and a couple of laptops. When the bird is in range, a Jabber-based messaging program comes alive with contacts across N. America. for 8 minutes or so. Then the pitch: you can help make this system work for hours-on-end across a large part of the globe with your donation to Eagle.
73, Bruce VE9QRP