Emergency Cloud System

Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS/3

Prince George's County ARES/RACES, Clinton
CERT, SKYWARN
wb2ifs@arrl.net

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0

Unported License.
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Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS/3

It's (been) alive!!!

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Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS/3

It all started with a troll I put on

linkedin.com..

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Then I got...

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Basic Idea: when all else fails send

in
the
Cloud
Mesh Web server connected in a
true cloud: mesh of diverse
devices providing diverse
services

Survivable

Self healing

Low power consumption

(battery/solar operated)

Deployable

Mobile

Portable

Battery backed solar

Small and lightweight

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Uses

Emergency management site

Winlink.org/Mesh Gateway

Digital Resource net: Knowledge for

deployed volunteers (manuals, ICS
forms, private email and chat, etc.)
3rd responder Situational Awareness
VoIP and messaging server (DRATS, Echolink, etc.)
Health and welfare site (
Red Cross safe and well, Ushahidi
mapping)
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Use case: Situational Awareness

Web server

Triage site

Blog running on Raspberry PI

provides history/status
Chat using D-RATS, file transfer
via telnet, etc.
Remote video feeds
Health and welfare beacon

Web cam
Incident command
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Use case: Shared Paclink email

server
Stations set up throughout a
large shelter/site
Mobile/portable stations
Multiple hams use one
Paclink email server
Access to social media
through email gateways

Web server

Winlink.org
station

Mobile Triage

Web cam
Incident command

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Raspberry Pi Installation
1.Install basic firmware and remote
login support
2.Move main partitions from Flash
Card to HDD
3.Install Hardware and software for
GPS/RTC support
4.Install web server and Content
Management System
5.Configure HSMM nodes
6.Create content for web site

http://www.raspberrypi.org/
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Install basic firmware software and

remote login support

Connected the PI to TV analog input and used USB keyboard

and mouse

Installed & configured PuTTy client on test laptops (except for

the MacBook which doesn't need it)
Configured static IP on the PI

http://www.raspberrypi.org/faqs Has instructions.

http://www.penguintutor.com/blog/viewblog.php?blog=6306

Installed tightvncserver (Optional)

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10

Move main partitions from Flash

Card to HDD

I tried other instructions but these worked best

for me:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=275750#p275750

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11

Pi doesn't have a real time clock!

Adafruit GPS provides battery backed RTC function

Network Time Server capabilities

Location telemetry!

See
https://www.adafruit.com/blog/2012/08/28/adafruit-ultimate-gps-on-a-raspb
erry-pi/

https://www.adafruit.com/products/746

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12

Install Hardware and software for

GPS/RTC support

Configured Pi to allow use of /dev/ttyAMA0

Installed minicom to test Adafruit Ultimate GPS

Installed ntp

Installed gpsd

Configured it to use /dev/ttyAMA0

Configured gpsd.php in /var/www

See the following sites:

http://www.akadia.com/services/ntp_synchronize.html

http://www.catb.org/gpsd/index.html

http://open.konspyre.org/blog/2012/10/18/raspberry-pi-time-serve
r/
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GPS Status Screen-shot

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Install web server and Content

Management System

I used instructions from this site:

http://mitchtech.net/wordpress-on-raspberry-pi/
I also configured WordPress.org with a child
Theme so I could hack it without losing
configuration during upgrades
Configured gpsd.php to display localized
information with gps status
Used the WebMail/Paclink install instructions from
Active Ham to set up the webmail system
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Configure HSMM-MESH node

Took several tries to find the right configuration

for the HSMM-MESH node connected to the PI
Wordpress.org is persnickety about IP
addressesespecially when it comes to pictures
The 5-host DMZ mode worked best
Needed the search and replace WP plug in to
clean out unroutable addresses from first pass
Wordpress.org configuration on the PI

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HSMM-Mesh Server Configuration

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HSMM Server Configuration (cont.)

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HSMM Server Configuration (cont.)

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Mesh Server Schematic

12-13vdc

Compact USB
MausBerry
Charger
5vdc @ 1A Switch

GPS
Receiver/Real
Time Clock

Serial Port0

USB
10.1.224.218

5vdc @ 2A

10.1.224.217

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WRT54GS running
HSMM-MESH

250GB Laptop HD

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Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS
1/28/2013

Bill of Materials

ITEM

Quantity

Price

subtotal

Model #

Compact USB Charger

$20.00

$20.00

USBCC-COMPX2

HDD enclosure

$15.99

$31.98

IM25COM-BK

WD Notebook Hard Drive

$58.99

$58.99

WDBABC3200ANC-NRSN

USB to Micro-USB cable

$10.00

$20.00

all-in-one Card reader

$10.99

$10.99

Raspberry PI B

$35.00

$70.00

RASPBERRY-PCBA

Serial GPS/RTC unit

$39.95

$39.95

Adafruit Ultimate GPS

1220 Lithium battery

MausBerry Shutdown switch

1
1

$5.00
$20.00

$5.00
$20.00

Shutdown switch with rocker

HSMM-MESH access point

totals

$3.99

$3.99
$280.90

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WRT54GS

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List of Wordpress.org Plugins

Plugin

Why it's installed

List Yo' Files

Package support for e-gokit

Quick Chat

Allow operators at multiple stations to collaborate in real

time

Search & Replace

Allows the changing of the servers IP address in all the

wordpress tables

Vasaio QR Code

Allows easy data transfer from Wordpress pages to smart

phones and tablets

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Next steps

Add system status page for vitals telemetry (CPU temp, usage, memory and disk
capacity, etc.) DONE
Add Paclink integration for Webmail via ham radio DONE: RPi is web server and
Paclink running on Laptop with Kantronics modem and VHF Radio (Rpi may not have
enough horse power to run it all)
Set power budget for solar array and battery capacity (Calculated need for 100W PV
array, very expensive)

Add content for health and welfare system

Determine best way to package system

Using an old plastic tool box

Inverted 5-gal jug bell-jar vs. briefcase vs. NEMA box

Pi components are rated for commercial temperature range 0-70deg C will it work
outside?

R&D on integration with Commotion Wireless and Project Byzantium

Replace AP with 2nd Raspberry PI running Broadband-hamnet

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Test Configuration
WB2IFS-103-RPi
44.128.60.27

WB2IFS-100
44.128.60.25

WAN port to
Internet (DHCP)

10.1.224.217
172.27.0.1

10.1.224.220
(DHCP)

10.1.224.218
(Static)

172.27.0.148
(DHCP)

Console,
2nd Web server

Primary Web server

CLIENT
WL2K modem

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VHF radio

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Client test Configuration

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