PiGate 1st Mile Emergency Email Server

Welcome

CREDIT:  The original “PiGate EMERGENCY EMAIL GATEWAY” was developed by Mr. Mark Griffith, KD0QYN.   In May of 2024, Mark officially authorized the Anchorage ARC to start work on modifying / updating the project.  One of our updates was to rename the system to “PiGate 1st Mile Emergency Email Server“.   Much of the information you see on the pages on this website can be attributed to Mark.  Thank you Mark!

When disaster strikes, communication is the most important missing service.  Amateur radio operators have a long history of helping in disaster situations and this device was created to assist in that effort.

The PiGate is a small piece of hardware that can be set up and ready to go in congregate care centers, or brought into a disaster area, connected to an already existing VHF or HF amateur radio and antenna (like in your car or truck), and used to send e-mail to the global Winlink2000 system through a Radio Message Server (RMS) station.

Users connect to the PiGate through a WiFi port either using a web browser, or an e-mail application, on their smartphone, tablet, or laptop.  From there they can compose and send e-mail to their family and friends.

The Winlink2000 global e-mail radio service then routes the e-mail to any address in the world.

The PiGate is very small and has a very low power requirement, allowing it to be used in disaster situations without relying on any other services.  Except for an external power requirement and a connection to VHF or UHF radio, an available AREDN Mesh Network, or even a portable satellite internet system like Starlink, it is completely self-contained.