So, with beartooth being vaporware for the past two years, and being kinda pricey to boot, I started poking around the net again to see what I could see. I can across THIS. It's called Serval, and from what I can tell, it does everything Beartooth promises to do, but is free and just an app you download. The software looks to still be in beta, but only because the team is working on range extenders. I have not tested the app yet but will soon, and I'll post a report. Thoughts?
Couple of things... First the RF Modem RFD900 is NOT Type Accepted in the USA, as of yet, and will NOT be, until someone puts an Fixed Antenna System on it, and submits it for Part15 Approval. Now it could be used with a Tech or higher Ham Radio License. The software is in it's infancy, not even out of Alpha, yet... They have a LONG way to go, before it is a viable Comms Device. For those interested below is the RF Modem's Spec PDF...... http://files.rfdesign.com.au/Files/documents/RFD900 DataSheet.pdf
I really didn't give the extenders much attention, nothing about them would be viable in the states. FAA would have a collective heart attack if anyone here airdropped those things like their designed to be. Didn't see that it was still in alpha, but it does need more time to flesh out the bugs. Still it's an actual product that you can actually download. That puts it far ahead of beartooth right now.
So it's in the Ham band and range depends on the antenna. I can take anything and put it on a 60 db dish or yagi and get 40 km LOS. Using a 3 mw phone as a radio leaves a bit to be desired as well.
Nope, you would be bound by Part 97... which has specific regulations for Spread Spectrum, Frequency Hopping, Emissions in the 902-928 MHz Band... Specifically you are limited to 10 Watts PEP Output Power, (Part97:313j) and comply with Part 97.311....
