[LINK] No cash for phone alert system

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of 
> stephen at melbpc.org.au
> Sent: Tuesday, 17 February 2009 11:08 PM
> To: link at anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [LINK] No cash for phone alert system
> 
> 
> Richard and Lea write,
> 
> > Yes - the human element. As Stil noted, we have to be 
> prepared to turn 
> > in our geek cards, and admit that wetware is a requirement in 
> > emergency management, and we can't reasonably expect any 
> technology to 
> > replace people ..
> > 
> > >> And - we need to accept that we will never have zero losses
> > >> from major calamities - We can only aim for loss minimisation,
> > >> so we only lose a small amount of people and property ..
> 
> 
> So, from Link informed discussion .. can we draw any 
> conclusions?  What
> can we realistically do, if anything(?) to help prevent 
> dozens of people
> being burnt to death (eg Kinglake) in bed through lack of 
> communications?
> 
> If we can't agree on ideal even-in-part-tech-solutions? maybe 
> a wet-ware
> community-emergency plan which is very widely known and 
> agreed upon? I'm
> not aware of any such community plan even in my tiny-pop900 
> country town.
> 
> Seems we can & should learn from this, and do something, 
> whatever it is?
> 

Stephen, you asked for a solution - Throwing away my Geek badge - and as
much as I hate to say it - possibly it should be mandatory to have a
working CB radio set to the emergency channel 24/7 (in silent telemetry
mode) if you have a rural address.

The cost is $80.00 per unit.
Range in Victoria with the Repeaters all operating is approximately 68%
terrestrial coverage.
(NSW is almost 94%). But with Skip - 100% for both states - Skip means
that signals can bounce of water (ocean, lake, water vapour - clouds,
and travel several hundreds of kilometres.

http://www.cbradioaustralia.com.au/uploaded/Australian_UHF_Radio_Repeate
r_Locations.pdf

The advantage would be the always on Telemetry only mode that could be
coupled to a small in house siren or low voltage bell. Total cost -
under $100.

It sounds simple - and it is - that's the advantage. When the Telemetry
turns on the siren - you change to the emnergency channel to hear whats
up. You leave it tuned there for updates.

I am sure that if the Australian Government asked a manufacturer to
place the siren inside the unit - they would do it.

If the Government then: 
1.	subsidised the units via a 100% taxation initaitive, 
2.	introduced a rural levy of 1% to anyone in a rural area that
didn't claim the subsidy via a valid serial number.

take-up should be ubiquitous.   

Sample "Deal" for 2 radios from CBRadios Australia.
 
* Two TX650 Transceivers
* Two Ear Microphones
* Two Neck Lanyards
* AC Adaptor
* Desktop Charger
* 750 mAh Li-Ion Battery packs
SKU 	TX650
Qty 	Price	$159.00

http://www.cbradioaustralia.com.au/product/TX650

Folks - its cheap - and it works now.

Putting my Geek badge back-on - we played with something like this in
1998 with Highway Road warning signs. Imagine if we added bluetooth to
the telemetry receive option.

Tom











> Cheers,
> Stephen
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