The Gotenna

[@Combat_Pyro]

Open one up and solder an sma antenna connector onto the board. Hook it up to a folded j-pole and hoist it up into a tree 40-50’ you’ll drastically increase range to 5-7mi.

[@donnareeves9613]

Thanks So Much...I caught part of this on tv one day, didn't catch the name of it. Now, I don't have to go looking. Thanks for showing how it works too...😀

[@5thGenNativeTexan]

Very interesting product! I like the form factor, and it looks like a lot of the value is in the app's ease of use. I've always wished that vendors like Baofeng would incorporate Bluetooth in their products and offer an app like this, or an open source for app builders. Thanks!

[@Forestriveroutfitter]

I had looked at those a few weeks ago as a possible secure communications platform for the group. Good Info.

[@Tatertot24401]

In your video about ram pumps, your wearing a Pawley's Island t shirt. I grew up there. I live in Va now but visit Bevard where my brother's family has a cabin. I am a BIG fan of yours and am currently setting up my house with the thermo syphoning technique you discussed in " Hot water the old fashion way" was wondering if you could answer a couple of questions?

[@engineer775]

+Jeff Dixon Jeff. Send me an email with your questions. [e-mail]

[@hgw90026]

It's a great idea but I would like to to interject a few additional feature request in order to make the system truly cell tower independent. 1) Powerbank to provide enough power to keep itself going and to charge the phone 2) Has the ability to keep transmitting it's location after the phone goes dead. 3) Mesh network capable 4) ability to send files, this is more on the app side, to provide hotspot capability to send computer generated text and files for emergency coordination effort. 5) ability to track a person when GPS is not practical such as a lost person inside a mall or a collapsed building. Thanks.

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+Harold Wong Hi! Nick from goTenna here. Regarding your feature requests: 1) This would likely require the design of the device to change significantly, as it would need to be large enough to accommodate charging hardware for the phone. 2) We actually are implementing through a forthcoming update the ability to send a location using a hidden button on the goTenna. This would allow you to broadcast your location and other vital comms, even if your phone died. Also, it's worth mentioning that your goTenna can still receive messages, even if your phone dies, and you can see those messages when the phone is powered back on and the Bluetooth connection is reestablished. 3) Meshing on the frequencies where goTenna transmits (151-154 MHz) is prohibited by the FCC. 4) Sending files and larger data packets on these frequencies would yield much shorter range, but sending data other than text and GPS locations is something we're absolutely considering. 5) Tracking location currently requires GPS functionality, but we understand the value in your idea, and it's worth exploring possibilities for a feature of this sort down the road. Thanks for your suggestions!

[@hgw90026]

Thanks Nicholas for the feedback. Really appreciate it.

[@OH8STN]

+Nicholas Baker So your gotenna can receive messages when the phone is dead, but it can't send a distress beacon without the phone? Would it be correct in saying the gotenna without a functioning mobile phone, is the same as an old modem without a computer?

[@samuelluria4744]

This is genius! These are the types of communications solutions the preparedness community really needs to be developing. Too bad I don't know enough about how "BlueTeeth" work, to ascertain whether they could be preserved for post-EMP situations...

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+Samuel Luria Hi! Nick from goTenna here. The device has the capability to work in the event of an EMP because goTenna does not rely on any centralized network or existing infrastructure. That being said, it does also require the use of your cell phone, so both the goTenna and your phone would need to be either protected from an EMP, or outside the radius of the EMP when it goes off.

[@samuelluria4744]

Right. That's what I figgered. THANKS Nick, and, let's hope that it doesn't come to that

[@OH8STN]

+Nicholas Baker hello Nicholas. Can you give us some advice on how to protect our gotenna from an EMP?

[@GUERRILLACOMM]

Any development in the works on providing the interface alone where you can adapt any radio to it, instead on being stuck on MURS. This could really appeal to someone that is concerned with adaptability if it were allowed to interface to more powerful radios and bands. As is, its too restrictive for preppers.

[@noahalkinburgh]

+Nicholas Baker how is the map generated if there is no cell signal? Does it require you to download maps ahead of time? If so are the maps stored by the app on the phone or on the device?

[@bubba1984]

true about spot, it uses Globalstar and their design is a "bent pipe" so even basic switching won't work if ground stations are out, the continuously broadcast mode is definitely lacking on this product

[@lookbeyondthechatter706]

What's the battery life? Thanks for doing a review!

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+LookBeyondTheChatter Hi! Nick from goTenna here. Battery life is 24+ hours on standby. A better way to quantify battery life would be to say that you can send about 700 messages on one charge, and you can receive many more!

[@olemanwinter1]

If there was a way to scale up this technology to more than a couple of miles it's usefulness would be exponentially greater. Many people all shop, work, and go to school within 5 or 10 miles, but a single mile? Only a few specific applications that I can think of. I keep waiting on some way I can do this with a 10 mile range.

[@Wolfgang-the-Gray]

So if you have no cell signal, how does it download that map you show for indicating location? The GoTenna doesn't connect to the internet, does it?

[@kkunkel8]

You think it would be of any worth holding the antenna up in the area with a selfie like stick to get it up higher? Just when trying to get extra distance?

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+linebacker Hi! Nick from goTenna here. Elevation can always help increase your range. When you're on the move, we recommend wearing the device as high as possible. If you used something like a selfie stick, you can get some added elevation without interfering with the radio's tuning by holding it in your hand, so that would probably work pretty well! If you're stationary, suspending the device high up can also certainly increase range.

[@danr97123]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. This is an amazing idea. Over time this could be a $75 device. Too bad the HAM radio community doesn't have this kind of device. Seems like the goTenna could run on HAM frequencies with a radio change. I know some might mention ARPS, but the user experience is nothing like goTenna.

[@bosborn1]

Very cool, but at $199 for a pair its sort of a high price for convenience.

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+bosborn1 Hi there. Nick from goTenna here. It's worth mentioning that there are no fees of any sort associated with goTenna beyond the price of purchase - the app and offline maps are all free, and there are no subscriptions or usage fees!

[@bosborn1]

+Nicholas Baker I understand, but I can get two baofengs for less than half. That would give me more functionality and more range also. Like I said your product seems neat, but being priced more than a pair of Ham radios makes it hard to justify its purchase, for me. Might be just the thing for others

[@OH8STN]

no fee, however, one often overlooked point is "A gotenna can only talk to another gotenna!". If one is looking for a grid down communication solution, having a gotenna doesn't really help much, as one still has to buy a proper VHF, UHF, GMRS,... radio.

[@OH8STN]

+Mik Wri Good point, but you can only text with another gotenna! So if you are trapped in some type of life threatening situation, and there are people within range of your gotenna, but none of them actually have one, (let's say they have s FRS radios) your gotenna is still useless!

[@OH8STN]

Mik Wri very cool but why not use Wi-Fi?

[@brianhong2183]

regarding mesh networking....understood if you're transmitting directly from device to device. However, if you're in group chat and everyone receives your text, each unit is smart and knows who received the message. for example, A sends out to B and C. A gets confirmation that B received but C is out of range. B confirms it received the text but notices C did not....so, B smartly resends the original text to C. So there, you're not using each device as a repeater per se, rather it knows when to resend a text to someone that's out of range from the original sender.

[@technician172]

Interesting, I had been looking at this for over a month. My parents live within the most regulated area of the national radio quiet zone. I was going to purchase a SPOT for them because of it's locating capabilities, but if I can get a signal out of a hollow 3/4 of a mile away, this would be a much more reasonable solution for emergencies.

[@renaissancemarinetv3536]

do cell phones use actual gps off of sattelites or just triangulate off cell towers?

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+Renaissance MarineTV Hi. Nick from goTenna here. More recent smartphones contain built-in GPS functionality that enable positioning, even when there are no cell towers to help triangulate the location.

[@renaissancemarinetv3536]

interesting! i didnt know that. thanks!

[@OH8STN]

No, GPS is not cell tower dependant! Base stations can triangulate your position without GPS, for quality of service QOS. Actual positioning from your phone is only done through GPS satellites.

[@OH8STN]

***** Agreed

[@markcohen5555]

See www.quora.com/How-does-a-smartphones-GPS-work-Does-it-work-only-with-internet

[@barryschwienteck5412]

The system has some limitations, but see it could be advantageous in certain situations or as a redundant application. Thanks for sharing.

[@vforveracity7487]

Would this work on a repeater, assuming it was at your house on generator and could use that frequency?

[@datajam6009]

Can a regular standard MURS radio send a TXT to a gotenna?

[@mlim8]

How does it get proper map data if it is off the grid?

[@GriffinBenchmark]

👍Great product!

[@M1P1954]

Mounting one to your drone creates some possibilities in areas that has obstructed views. Remember no higher than 400 ft....:)

[@structuremanchop6054]

These work regardless if your phone has cell service? Does it connect through the APP? how much is it? very interesting If my kids were younger might be more useful Semper Fi

[@structuremanchop6054]

+Structureman Chop sorry asked question before I watched the end. no cell service is pretty cool thanks Semper Fi

[@OH8STN]

+Structureman Chop please note that it only works with another gotenna. it's not compatible with any other types of radio communications.

[@WeaponsMachinist]

I'm thinking a encrypted industrial can signal ?

[@Ladyshystar]

Looks like a useful gadget. TY :-)

[@userx200]

Do they act as repeaters if you have a group of them?

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+Mr./Mrs. User Hi. Nick from goTenna here. Because the FCC does not permit meshing on the frequencies over which goTenna transmits, you won't be able to use the device as a repeater. Instead, we focused on maximizing point-to-point distance using these frequencies.

[@Constitutionalable]

+Nicholas Baker Still - would be a great optional mode if the SHTF. Don't know how many folks would be concerned about FCC do's & dont's when lives are at risk.

[@parfumatu2003]

They came out with a new product named gotenna mesh ?

[@dalemyers9265]

there are 5 simplex frequencies, you can transmit no more than 2 watts as the radio's are type accepted. you can add external antennas such as vertical antenna's "omni directional" or antenna's with gain "a beam antenna or collinear antenna's (high gain omni directional antenna's) " using a stand alone mast mount with a max height of 60 feet above ground. or 20 feet above any structure or trees, used to mount an antenna to. aiding you range abilities. and who doesn't like range?

[@AnnBearForFreedom]

Very cool if youre someone who has use for a locator. Though I'm not sure the cats would carry one. Might cramp their mousing style, dunno.

[@tazaxx21]

So this gadget basically turns your phone into a radio, and has no normal connection to a cell network so you can make calls??

[@DougsterCanada1]

Nice idea. Obviously it has it's limitations, as with all things. I do find it odd that the kids would resist a small HAM radio though. But hey... kids, right?

[@brucewayne-cave]

Spiffy ! Thanks for sharing.

[@markcohen5555]

At 2:50 you say the GPS will work regardless of cell tower availability. This is not necessarily the case, depending on the phone and its configuration. Have you tested it GoTenna with your phones in Airplane mode (turns off cell radio)? See www.quora.com/How-does-a-smartphones-GPS-work-Does-it-work-only-with-internet

[@belindaedenfield883]

Thanks so much

[@tonydivine2551]

I also like that fact that other people that have this can find me

[@mysciencenow]

Good for mines or scout camp

[@sighpocket5]

Is it voice capable?

[@NCHeel]

+Sigh Pocket no

[@nicholasbaker3773]

+Sigh Pocket Hi! Nick from goTenna here. The reason we're avoiding voice and images is that consumers and partners told us text and location were the most important kinds of communication when no service is available. Moreover, by limiting goTenna to text and location, the devices are smaller, lighter, less expensive, and last longer. Plus, in the event of an emergency, text allows for less opportunity for miscommunication, and you can always go back to reference your conversation.

[@sighpocket5]

+Nicholas Baker that makes sense.... Digital is more robust in a shtf situ i like it!!

[@365techtips]

Was this a sponsored demo?

[@engineer775]

+John Derry nope. I just thought they might be a useful gadget.

[@StackedStoneTech]

+engineer775 Practical Preppers Have you compare this to firechat. If you used a external WIFI antenna via USB you can get 1 Watt of output.

[@wafi0123]

But you need to set reaper end of the day if can create community like coffee shop supermarket , pub etc can setup repeater then may be get popular.

[@egACRE]

I have 4 mesh units and they will not pair with iOS anymore!!!

[@snaprollinpitts]

thanks that's a pretty cool little device, thumbs up and a sub from me .

[@kuhrd]

While most of the cell phones that advertise GPS have a GPS chip in them i would not trust the gps to be anywhere near as reliable once the assistance of the cellphone network gone. Sure they may get a GPS lock but you are going from needing 3 satellites plus cell tower data to needing 4 or more to get a decent lock. The antennas and chips used in modern cell phones are inexpensive and low powered so they will not be as good as a dedicated gps beacon in a SHTF cell network down scenario. However something is better than nothing.

[@KyleLeeWoyote]

It seems like the SPOT system would be more useful than this, with it's distance limitations.

[@sighpocket5]

Spot maybe satellite based... But it still requires ground based infrastructure to access.... And be useful(requires cell phones to work to get messages)

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Why not just buy a bubble pack gmrs radio?

[@budchestnut9303]

Interesting. Underdone. 3 miles would be much better but there are limitations on ERP, (Effective Radiated Power) for unlicensed devices. A high quality emergency whistle can be heard for 1/2 mile. Super compact HT, (handy-talky) is still better. Pappa Romeo. IMHO, anything that is smartphone centric is NG for SHTF conditions. People die depending on smart phones in emergencies.

[@tonydivine2551]

I seen them on Amazon I like the fact it can find me but for the common man its cost is out of my reach I am a hunter and I ride 4 wheeler this is a fantastic devices just wish I could afford

[@brockstout2194]

bad assery bud

[@philrichmond7567]

nice gadget

[@dsarti1]

Take the teenagers toys away until they learn to use and carry the ham radio... I hate that statement parents use " I cant get my children to do that" They would do that if the parents did not spoil them rotten.

[@MrRljohnson77]

+Doctor Dave AMEN BROTHER

[@Recceboi0690]

There's a difference between spoiling children, and keeping up with technology. The location aspect is far more valuable than a ham radio. Depending on the case they may not know their exact location. Especially at night. I plan on getting a few of these to try out. It isn't designed to replace a ham, it's a different nitch entirely.

[@dsarti1]

James Cates that unit had no gps capability

[@dsarti1]

James Cates ham radio has more location capability... that cell phone is a radio too...the teens are using it as a toy

[@Recceboi0690]

+Doctor Dave the cell phone has GPS. you have to have the phone to use the antenna. and yes I'm sure the ham radio is better. once again... not a replacement but fills a different nitch

[@timtitus2823]

cool beans

[@AnnBearForFreedom]

....although! If you really just want a locator pinger and don't need communuication capability, I've seen pet tags that broadcast GPS coordinates to an app on your phone or computer. Much greater range too. Pets, backpacks, kids, ex-wives...all sorts of possibilities there, I think.

[@wp4565775]

FYI: You know Bluetooth was invented in Arkansas. Of course it was because if it had been invented anywhere else it would have been called Blueteeth. Thank you, I'll be here all week and don't forget to tip your waitress.