Can We Create an AM Wide Area Network for Virtual Learning During Quarantine?

[hagopbul]

TL;DR Summary

About a network but with am radio

Hello all:

I hope all are fine and well in their houses

As I am looking into ways to fill my empty time other than reading undergraduate physics books I start to look around and wonder about giving online lessons for public school students , which they are now without a school , but I found that the main problem facing some of them that they can't afford the internet as it is way too expensive or they don't have telephone access but with little research found that they can buy a router ,

My question is can we make an AM wide area network , we create some AM transmitter / receiver with A/D converter that have a lan output and connected to the router

AM range is about 120 km so it should cover a wide area

With that they can make a video conference calls or vertual classes over that area

Is that possible I am not a radio amateur nor a network engineer to know if that even possible

But in case they shut down the schools for this year I am planning to ask few engineering students to make this and offer it freely online

But the network thing is out of my knowledge

 

[berkeman]

It's good to think about such things, good for you. The main problem is one of bandwidth. Most AM radio stations only use about 10-20kHz of bandwidth, which is fine for audio, but way too narrow for video.

https://www.fmuser.net/Keditor/attached/image/20191220/20191220153892139213.png

 

[hagopbul]

There is way more problems than the bandwidth

But for this thing could we use FM or VHF

 

[some bloke]

You could always broadcast a radio-lesson out, and have several ways for people to contact you with questions. It might not be ral-time, but it would still offer the kids some education.

 

[anorlunda]

Watch out for radio license requirements for AM broadcasting.

I remember this from the 90s. It may be myth. It's not my field.

Using point-to-point directional antennas (such as made from Pringle cans) you can make WiFi work over mile-long distances. In theory, using a bunch of repeaters, you might be able to make a community wide private network. Because they are highly directional, they would be less likely to cause interference and get you in trouble.

But within the constraints of this lockdown and a reasonable budget, such a WiFi network is more of a daydream, not a practical reality.

 

[hagopbul]

point-to-point directional antennas (such as made from Pringle cans) you can make WiFi work over mile-long distances.

Wi-Fi ?
we are talking about areas which is scattered all over the country
the teachers are scattered also

and i agree in the face of the lock down it is just to reasonable if the lock down was short in period

but if it is long one on school level at least we have a problem the privet school children are all learned , the public ones with only limited knowledge if they have any .

now it is a month on school closer and the privet school students are taking some sort of education , others have only their parents to teach them , not even privet teaching at houses are possible

but for the current time frame and budgets add to that the lock down it is hard to implement

but for the future it would be good to make a plans to be able to deploy them in a case of similar lock down , that why i put it on DIY not on engineering section

best Hagop

P.S. : radio wave licensing is it only in the US or all around the world

 

[anorlunda]

we are talking about areas which is scattered all over the country
the teachers are scattered also

Sorry, your post sounded like they are all located in the same school district.

 

[berkeman]

P.S. : radio wave licensing is it only in the US or all around the world

Pretty much all around the world. Some countries are more lax in enforcement, but it's never good to interfere with other radios and means of communication. Just think about it -- how would you feel if the signals interfered with the emergency call to an ambulance to go to your home to help someone who was having a heart attack?

Wi-Fi ?
we are talking about areas which is scattered all over the country
the teachers are scattered also

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/satellite-internet-constellations.971771/

 

[Baluncore]

@hagopbul
What country are you in?
Who provides the internet service?
How is it distributed, landline, fibre, wireless modem, or mobile phone?
Are the schools run by the State, or by private groups?

Whatever you do will take 6 months, by which time the shutdown may be over.

Maybe each student should be given internet access to the school website only. That way students would NOT directly access the wider internet, so would not need to pay for the service. They could do school work on the school website only.
The school would pay for the bandwidth required which would cost less than school buildings, maintenance and school transport.

 

[Devils]

Summary:: About a network but with am radio

My question is can we make an AM wide area network , we create some AM transmitter / receiver with A/D converter that have a lan output and connected to the router

AM range is about 120 km so it should cover a wide area

I do have a ham radio licence. There are "band plans" on which frequencies you can transmit on. You don't want to interfere with aircraft or airport frequencies, or mining companies, etc.

Most local amateur transmissions are about 146 MHz or 434 MHz. (because most amateur radio repeaters are at those frequencies). You can get handheld radios that do this for under $40.

For AM frequencies the commercial equipment is a lot more expensive. You can buy some cheap DIY projects int he 3-10MHz range; these have a fixed frequency crystal oscillator.

There is also a range of digial radios, which link nationally & internationally eg http://www.miklor.com/COM/Review_DMR6X2.php

Another thing to look into is LoRa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa

I think looking at getting an amateur radio license & going to your local club would be a good idea. There's a huge range of activities you can get into,