Field Day 2025 was a fun and exciting time. While I personally didn’t make time to play on the radios, I along with David – WA0PCC and Greg – W0GSK, deployed a 5.8Ghz mesh network over the campus.
We had 3 stations – CW in the eComms Trailer, Phone and Fun in the Command Center, and the AREDN HQ Tent. At each of the 3 locations we had a Mikrotik hAP Router. This router has dual wifi radios to provide wireless at 2.4 and 5.8Ghz. The logging stations in the eComs Trailer and Command Center used the 5.8Ghz wifi to connect the laptops to the network.
Outside the eComs Trailer, the Command Center, the AREDN HQ Tent, and what I dubbed “the backyard”, we deployed Ubiquiti Rocket 5AC radios with 13 dbi omni antennas. These 4 Rockets were the main high level 5.8Ghz mesh connecting everything together. With them being omnis, each one of them connected to each other thus creating a mesh.
In the Command Center I set up a dedicated mini PC with DX Logger for the Server where each station could sync their contacts and see in real time what the other stations were logging.
We also deployed network cameras where we could see inside and outside each station. Cameras were streamed back to the AREDN HQ Tent using a program called Blue Iris. I had a PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) camera in the main tent as well. We also deployed a portable phone PBX system but our results were less than desired. The phones are still a work in progress.
Shameless plug – The Eastern Iowa Emergency Data Network(EIEDN), CVARC’s local group of Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network(AREDN) meets the First Saturday of the Month – 8:30 am until 10:30 am at the Linn County Emergency Operations Center.
Our next meeting is THIS Saturday, July 5th, 2025.