I expand, improve, and monitor regional wireless capabilities in the Howard County, MD area. The primary focus of my work is in the installation and operation of wireless nodes, or hotspots, that provide data transmission and communication services on the Helium Network.
What is the Helium Network
The Helium Network is a decentralized wireless alternative to the current localized or globalized Wi-Fi solutions. It is used to support the Internet of Things (IoT) and provide “untethered” connectivity for countless possible applications, devices, and other innovative solutions.
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| Unfettered access enabled by decentralized wireless network |
With the Helium network, the reliance on a local Wi-Fi connection or the requirement of combining a Bluetooth-enabled device with a 5G device in order to access a broader network, is a thing of the past.
The Helium network is the first globally contiguous, peer-to-peer, decentralized long-range wireless network. It enables free and open source development of new technologies that can use the network to provide solutions for logistics management, medical tracking, personal identification, safety sensors deployment, and more.
Here are some examples of how the Helium network is being used by some big players in IoT as well as the small businesses who are being given the opportunity to expand into this “green field” of new technology.
Solutions Provided by Freedom RF Technologies
There are two areas of service that the Helium network depends on to support itself and its ecosystem.
- Quality of communications between nodes
- Balanced density within regions
Both of these needs are met by the installation and operation of Helium network nodes or, hotspots.
What I do involves site selection, planning, installations, and management of these hotspots to ensure the broadest coverage and most consistent performance of the network.
Here is a current view of the network in Howard County. The node density is not balanced and the overall communication quality is low (orange, not green).
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| Current node density in Howard County, MD 02/22 |
My Mission
I want to accomplish 3 things in support of decentralizing wireless networks, enabling new innovation, and giving back to Howard County some of the opportunities it has provided so many business owners over the years.
- To build a foundation for growth and sustainability. The technology is new and if there is to be sustained success, there must be a plan to move it forward. The largest part of that plan is taking the early steps to secure optimal locations that increase consistency and quality of communications between wireless nodes
- Ensure coverage that lasts and provides unilateral coverage of the region. If there are gaps or over-crowding the quality and speed of communication can be negatively affected. Managing the deployment patterns and adjusting for density shifts is a must.
- Bring new business to Howard County. This is an opportunity to establish Howard County as a tech hub in the region and has the potential for bringing in new businesses or helping to develop some home-grown start-ups. There are numerous ways the county can use this effort to grow economically and socially.
Freedom RF Technologies 