Who and what is RANET

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Presentation Outline

• Who and what is RANET?
• What does RANET do?
• Core RANET principles and philosophies.
• Overview of Technologies
• Satellite
• Community FM
• Other
• Where does RANET work?

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Who are we?
Just tell me where it has rained, and I will
know what to do. - A nomad from Niger
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Who are we?
The RANET program began in Africa in 1998/9,
following the experience of Seasonal Outlook
Forums. It was recognized that benefits from
advances in science and applications could only
be realized if populations outside central cities
could be reached.

• Africa 1998/99/00 - present
• Pacific 2003 - present
• Asia, Indian Ocean 2005

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Who are we?
RANET is a cooperative effort of various
national, regional, and international partners,
who seek to
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Who are we?

• RANET is a cooperative effort of various
  national, regional, and international partners,
  who seek to
• Make weather and related environmental
  information more accessible and useful to rural
  and resource poor populations in order to aid
  day-to-day resource decisions and prepare against
  natural hazards.

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Who are we?

• RANET is a cooperative effort of various
  national, regional, and international partners,
  who seek to
• Make weather and related environmental
  information more accessible and useful to rural
  and resource poor populations in order to aid
  day-to-day resource decisions and prepare against
  natural hazards.
• Improve the dissemination capacities of national
  hydro-meteorological and related national
  services, NGOs, and other information producers,
  thereby increasing the profile of and active
  value of these organizations to local populations.

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What we do?

• RANET INCLUDES
• Web and Internet
• Community FM Radio
• HF Radio
• SMS (Cellular Text) Messaging
• Other Equipment Use and Maintenance
• RANET Community Building Newsletters, etc
• Web Hosting
• Network Development and Management
• Maintain Satellite and Associated Server Systems
• Pilot and Training Activities
• Test and Identify Communication Solutions

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Core principles? RANET IS A CONCEPT
All activities are done in collaboration with,
and with the approval of, the communities and
national meteorological and associated services.
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Core principles?
Core principles? RANET IS A CONCEPT
Ensuring sustainability and maintenance of
systems is a priority of all RANET activities,
therefore we encourage local ownership and use of
communication systems for multiple purposes such
as education, health campaigns, community
discussions, etc.
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Core principles?
Core principles? RANET IS A CONCEPT
RANET also works to build upon and augment
existing networks and means of communication.
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RANET Product Delivery - application
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Wantok Community FM Radio Station

• A Professional Quality FM Radio Station
• A complete broadcast station in a suitcase
• Ideal for a Community FM Radio Station
• Readily accepts any audio source
• Can be solar/wind powered for remote communities

The Wantok Suitcase FM Radio Broadcast
System. Hakupu Village, Niue FM station on the
air
Funded by NOAA, and NZAID
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Wantok Community FM Radio Station

• Applications for the Wantok SBS-1
• Low cost, low power community radio station
• Education and training
• A tool for Socio-Economic Development
• Ideal for Disaster Alerting and Response
• Gets important information to the end user
• Owned by the Community - for the Community

The Wantok Suitcase FM Radio Broadcast System
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HF Radio Email

• What is HF Email? (two way communications)
• Email received and sent via a HF Radio
  Transceiver
• Requires a special radio modem
• Modem interfaces to PC or laptop
• Software can interface with many applications,
  e.g. Outlook Express, our mSTAR automatic weather
  station

Niue HF email system, quickly installed after TC
Heta
Funded by Met Office, UK
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HF Radio Email

• Why HF Radio Email?
• Cost effective two-way remote communications
  system
• Easy to install and operate
• Some Pacific NMS already have suitable HF Radios
• Many staff already have HF radio experience

Typical HF radio Email system set-up
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Commercial satellite - Iridium

• A Reliable Portable Internet Backup Solution
• (two way communications)
• Constellation of 66 LEO satellites
• Small Cellular phone type handset - SMS capable
• Can access Iridium Direct Internet Gateway
• Built in Modem
• Rugged external marine antenna
• All weather capability
• Can use any Internet Email or
  Browser Client

Niue Iridium Backup Coms System installed April
2005
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EMWIN Emergency Managers Weather Info Network

• The Emergency Managers Information Network is a
  wireless, priority-driven computer weather data
  broadcast system.
• EMWIN provides rapid dissemination of
• Warnings
• Forecasts 5 minutes
• Graphics 10 15 minutes
• Imagery 10 15 minutes
• Other (as time permits)

Typical EMWIN setup - Bonriki Airport Met Office
Tarawa
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EMWIN

• Data are collected from a variety of sources
• NOAA NWS Gateway, Weather Wire
• FTP, Internet
• They are assembled at the EMWIN servers and
• Prioritized
• Split into packets
• Assembled into a data stream
• The data stream is then sent to Wallops CDA
  (NESDIS) where it is
• Up-linked to satellite (GOES 10 12
  Worldspace ASIA-STAR)
• The data stream is then available to be received
  by user stations
• From here EMWIN products
• FM Radio, HF Email
• Commercial satellite

EMWIN C-Band Dish Antenna at Met Office, Port
Vila, Vanuatu
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Sample Warning

• WEHW40 PHEB 012158
• TSUHWX
• TEST TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 003
• TEST PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER
• TEST 1158 AM HST 01 APR 2003
• TEST
• TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST
  TEST TEST TEST
• TEST
• TEST THIS FOLLOWING BULLETIN IS FOR A CIVIL
  DEFENSE EXERCISE.
• TEST
• TEST TO CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII
• TEST
• TEST SUBJECT LOCAL TSUNAMI WARNING
  CANCELLATION BULLETIN TEST
• TEST
• TEST EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE URGENT TSUNAMI
  WARNING ISSUED
• TEST FOR ALL COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF HAWAII IS
  CANCELLED.
• TEST
• TEST AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THE
  FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY

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Sample Graphic
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WorldSpace satellite broadcast

• WorldSpace satellite broadcast (receive only)
• Latest Satellite Digital Audio Broadcast
  Technology
• Uses low-cost radio receivers and antennas
• Data Interface available for PC or Laptop
• Able to send HTML and images at 128 Kps
• Data easily viewed using Internet Browser eg. IE6
• Will carry the Pacific component of the EMWIN
  broadcast in the Asia-Pacific region on AsiaStar
  satellite
• Issues
• AsiaStar broadcast not received east
• of about 180 degree meridian

Typical WorldSpace outdoors antenna and receiver
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WorldSpace AsiaStar Coverage
AsiaStar Footprint and West Pacific Reception Area
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WorldSpace Equipment Requirements
USD 160 In Footprint Costs
USD 160 Out of Footprint Costs
USD 500
AsiaStar Footprint and Out of Footprint Costs
(excluding PC)
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EMWIN and RANET Systems
Woleai Atoll, Yap
Tarawa
Nanumea Vaitupu Funafuti Niulakita
Kiribati
Papua New Guinea
Tokelau Is.
Solomon Islands
Tuvalu
KEY
Samoa
EMWIN systems all countries RANET WorldSpace
satellite receiver installed or pending RANET HF
Email / FM radio installed RANET HF Email / FM
radio installations in progress Iridium Satellite
/ HF Email systems installed or pending
Vanuatu
Cook Is
Fiji
Tonga
Siviri Village, Port Vila, Bauerfield Efate
Liku Hakupu Villages Hanan Airport Niue
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WorldSpace RANET Product Delivery
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Tuvalu RANET Project

• Project deliverables
• At three atolls RANET systems at Met Offices
• WorldSpace satellite receivers
• HF Radio digital email systems
• Community FM Radio stations
• FM solar/hand cranked radios for community
• At a further atoll (Met Office)
• HF Radio digital email system
• In-country assistance
• Training

Main atoll -Funafuti from the air
Funded by Met Office, UK
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Meteorological Disaster Mitigation
Communications Blueprint (Pacific)

• Primary communications
• EMWIN for warnings to selected locations or
• WorldSpace satellite (where reception possible)
• A coms link between selected locations and
  secondary (FM)
• FM Community radio for redistribution plus some
  civil defence type siren for villages
• FM solar/hand cranked radios for community
• Local ISP for outbound coms
• Back up communications
• HF Radio email and/or
• Commercial satellite email

FM solar/hand cranked radio
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• RANET
• info_at_ranetproject.net
• http//www.ranetproject.net
• THANK YOU AND RANET WELCOMES YOUR PARTNERSHIP!
• IOC ITIC
• l.kong_at_unesco.org
• http//www.tsunamiwave.info

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