What is the primary purpose of an Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) mesh network?
Why AREDN (Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network) firmware turns inexpensive commercial Wi-Fi routers into amateur band nodes on frequencies like 2.4 GHz, 3.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz that automatically link to each other in a self-healing mesh. The point is a local high-speed IP network that can carry VoIP, video, file transfer, email and served-agency applications when the internet or other infrastructure is down, or to support a public service event. It is a data infrastructure, not a voice repeater system or a reporting service.
Watch out The propagation-monitoring choice describes systems like WSPR, PSK Reporter or the Reverse Beacon Network, and the spotting choice describes DX cluster networks, both of which are internet-based reporting tools rather than an emergency data network.
Read the name: Amateur Radio EMERGENCY DATA Network. Emergency plus data equals high-speed data in emergencies.