The costs I quoted for are to call landline numbers (non VOIP) in the UK and the USA. Free calls are also available if both ends of the call are using Draytel VIOP configured clients.

The main problem for the smartphone handset using VOiP is that many portable smartphone handsets will not allow VOIP clients to work if locked to a specific carrier.

It is for the Mac PC that syncs with your iPhone to display the geo track log file data rather than for the iPhone itself.

I've added this "5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner" app to my preparedness file:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/5-0-radio-pro-police-scanner/id341776037?mt=8


Living in DC, there's usually some chatter going on.

Also got (for free) the Red Cross Tornado, Red Cross Hurricane and Red Cross Earthquake apps.

That WISER app is must-have for anyone interested in biological/chemical, etc. incidents.

Was at the hairdresser today looking through all this stuff. Fortunately she was focused on her task at hand -- my head.


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You will be wanting one of these then to cover the RN in CBRN.

I was thinking of building a portable phone using a rotary retro red GPO 746 and stuffing inside a cheap Edimax 3G-6200NL router and Draytek VigorTalk Analogue Phone Adaptor and Lithuim Battery PSU inside.


It would make for a cool looking portable telephone and wireless Access device WiFi hotspot even if a little bulky.

This looks like a useful app for Californians. So you know what dangers lurk nearby...

http://myfaultapp.com/



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My brother is building a Skype phone box from a traditional old UW West (AT&T) phone box out on the Pacific Coast. the phone box has been empty of a phone for years and the last tenant hasn't ripped it out. There's no cell reception near there, so the idea is use a pay telephone handset to connect to the wifi from the local Inn or Resort 100 feet away, and let folks make calls that way for free. So that the person reporting a loved one having a heart attack can dial 911, or I suppose dial their long lost cousin in Ireland or Malta. Its all free, and doesn't cost the Inn much of anything except the equipment to set it up. I'll make a point to take a picture of it this summer when I'm out there to show the setup.

In my searching for a map app that would be useful if the phone couldn't get a cell signal or wi-fi, I found this. So far I've downloaded DC and some counties in Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax). [ $1.99 ]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/city-maps-2go-offline-map/id327783342?mt=8


City Maps 2Go - Offline Map and Travel Guide

Interactive offline map PLUS Wikipedia travel guides for the whole world. INCLUDING unlimited map downloads. 100% offline. No data roaming or WiFi required. The most downloaded app of its kind. Ideal for trips abroad and at home.


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Not Free, cost me $1.99, but City Maps 2Go looks like a keeper on the iPad. I always check stuff out on the iPad before downloading to the iPhone. Nice thing is that once you pay for one iDevice, you can download to your other iDevices at no charge.

It's a different signal and a different receiver. Receiving GPS signals has nothing to do with your carrier. Note that your carrier can triangulate your rough position without the onboard GPS sending them "here I am" data, and that your GPS will work better when using WiFi and cellular receivers to know what it's closest to.



GPS is a one-way signal. The satellites broadcast their precise location and the precise time. By listening to the differences in the time signals from multiple satellites your GPS device (iPhone or whatever) can figure out where it is. The trick is getting maps on your device that work without a data connection.

The current version of iTopoMaps seems like it's stable, so I'm putting it back on my list.