Othernet Sale: $75 Dreamcatcher LoRa Radio, $99 moRFeus Signal Generator
Othernet (previously known as Outernet) are currently having a 50% off sale on all their products. This means that you can snag a discounted Dreamcatcher at only US$75, and a moRFeus at US$99. The sale expires midnight on the 26th.
The sale is exclusive to RTL-SDR Blog readers (although feel free to share the coupon) and the coupon code to use at checkout is rtlsdrblog83759.
Dreamcatcher and Othernet Data Signal Information
If you weren't already aware, the Othernet project aims to bring live data such as news, weather, video, books, Wikipedia articles and audio broadcasts to the world via a free satellite service and cheap receivers. Although an internet connection provides the same data, Othernet's satellite broadcast is receivable in remote areas, will continue working in disasters, and costs nothing to continually receive roughly 200MB of data a day. The trade off is that the service is downlink only, so the data that you get is only what is curated by the Othernet team.
Othernet can provide this service for free because they are funded by private customers whom they provide private data/audio satellite channels to. One such private customer is attempting to implement an Othernet based Tsunami early warning system in Vanuatu which would work even when the cell phone system fails in a disaster. Each siren is equipped with an Othernet receiver and LNB that receives the Othernet signal. The goal is to allow for any village to be able to set up their own low cost warning system. At the same time the Othernet Tsunami warning receiver is made use of in normal circumstances as it receives a satellite radio broadcast which is then re-transmitted to the village over regular FM radio.
Currently the public service is in a test period and is only available in North America, but public service for the EU and possibly Oceania is planned to begin in Q1 2019. The rest of the world should eventually follow after. Some more information about the data service can be found on our previous post.
Alternatively, if you have no interest in the data service then your Dreamcatcher could also be used as a TX/RX capable LoRa radio. In a previous post we had some fun with two Dreamcatchers and a LoRa chat application.
moRFeus Information
The moRFeus is a low cost signal generator. It's capable of generating a tone anywhere from 85 MHz to 5400 MHz, and it can also be used as a frequency mixer component for implementing things like homebrew upconverters and downconverters.
In the past we've seen it be used as a tracking generator for measuring filters and VSWR, and users from the Othernet community have implemented custom GUIs to control it. Recently @sam210723 released a new very slick looking GUI too.
The Morpheus seems to be a useful device for frequency shifting. I’m using one as a signal generator and have just purchased another to put in front of my 2GHz spectrum analyser.
I am going to gouge my eyes out, chop my ears off and put my eyes where my ears used to be so I never have to look at this DreamCatcher stuff ever again.
Continental US only…give me a break.
Please do not purchase this product if you are located outside of the continental United States…Huh.
“One such private customer is attempting to implement an Othernet based Tsunami early warning system in Vanuatu which would work even when the cell phone system fails in a disaster.”
Funny they’ve been using Ham radio there and in many such locations for years, no outernet required.
There is also Inmarsat and other satellite services that work just fine, are time-proven and not prohibitively expensive. And they allow both voice and data no problem.
I always said outernet was a load of Bull or at least those behind it are, I wonder how much in donations and startup tax payer funded grants they’ve pi**ed away so far?
Here we go. Outernet about to change format, frequency, etc. And force people to buy new HW as they get rid of this old stuff at 50% off. I think that is their business plan. Fell for this once, not again
Yeah and this was aimed at helping POOR people, more like USING them.
Yeah last time they sold …50% … old device to clean stock … and after 1 month stopped Ku service….
I will buy a new product from them when EU beam will be enabled …
Why buying a useless device ??
Hello!
How to purchase moRFeus in Russia?
In shipping method I see: “don’t offer shipping to Russia”
🙁
find a proxy company that you can have the order shipped to and that will forward it to you. search for “us order forwarding” on google, there are several of companies offering such a service.
I asked them to try allowing Russian customers again, so shipping to Russia should be available now.