Hardware Ideas

[delirereste]

Separately I start discussion for one-way data transmission software: #17 (comment)

This is an ancient wireless data protocol called POCSAG, which is uni-directional and broad-cast, so no identifiers whatsoever about receiving devices are known. There can be no triangulation or RF signature on receiving devices. It is strictly one way.

There is a modern amateur radio network called DAPNET (hundreds of amateur transmitters around the globe) that uses the POCSAG protocol:https://hampager.de/dokuwiki/doku.php

Tiny, extremely low memory, cheap, black and white LCD off-the-shelf hardware can currently be purchased and easily reprogrammed on the devices itself to receive messages over this free and open network: For example this older model, currently readily available: https://hampager.de/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=alphapocdescription

and even more modern hardware: https://hampager.de/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=swissphonedescription

I can only imagine that modern hardware implementation could be small and low power and fit inside the precursor device.

As one can imagine, this is an incredible fit for security and privacy centered device: extremely cheap off the shelf components like a raspberry pi, and even rust based software for the transmitter (https://github.com/rwth-afu/UniPager) and a person can set up their own transmitter and send arbitrary data to themselves without any fear of triangulation. I have not researched the state of encryption on the network, but it is easy to imagine a person, for only a few dollars, setting up an antennae at their home and using it to push notifications to their precursor while they are out and about: reminders, forwarding email notifications, emergency alert, one time pad (like a number station) or of course simple one way messages like in the old days. solving one way messaging has easily 80% of the benefit of two way messaging, with infinite more privacy.

a very great loss happen when we switch from the older pager technology. it is wonderful that the technology exist and precursor is perfect project to implement a radio receiver for it.

[delirereste]

Unrelated to radio, I reference here a horizontal hardware keyboard concept: #13 (comment)