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Interesting, if somewhat limited. I see some difficulties, however, first because it is basically a streaming satellite-based server and not a stable configuration as it depends upon “votes” to decide what content to carry, and second, although it is a satellite receiver and dish antenna setup, it is not a standard receiver. It is, or appears to be from the description (I could not find any schematics) instead what is called an SDR (Software Defined Receiver) so you can not simply cobble one together from standard parts.

Also, although the principal(s) downplay it as being necessary for the startup, it relies upon closed-source software to run which is rather problematical for some. They say they hope to change that to open-source in the future, but then again try hoping in one hand and catching raindrops in the other and see which one fills up sooner.

Just a few thoughts.

The Outernet website is a maze—not very well done in my opinion. But there is a Do-it-yourself way. Go to

https://www.outernet.is/en/receive

Under “Connect to Outernet,” see the link, “receiver.”

http://outernet-project.github.io/orx-install/

Then follow either of the OS links, for example,...

Arch Linux ARM
https://github.com/Outernet-Project/orx-install/blob/master/archarm/README.mkd

See the list of components.

“Satellite dish (60cm or larger)
LNB (must support Ku band)
USB satellite tuner (see below for devices know to work)
Raspberry Pi (model B or B+ recommended)
...”

[See ellipsis above. There’s more.]

I ran

LNB Ku band

as keywords, and saw an EBay hit pretty quickly. Cheap antennas for dishes. Real cheap. What’s Ku band? Range...?

11.7 to 12.75 GHz

Wow!

10.750 GHz LO (for setup)

That’s quite a frequency range from an old timey radio perspective! [Been looking at the challenge of maybe building a stronger HF antenna for a mobile application...maybe a loop roof rack or something.]

I’ll dig around, when time allows, to see if it can be done with a laptop instead of a Crackberry...er, Rasperry. Maybe a package, or an emulator, virtual machine or something.

"...and second, although it is a satellite receiver and dish antenna setup, it is not a standard receiver. It is, or appears to be from the description (I could not find any schematics) instead what is called an SDR (Software Defined Receiver) so you can not simply cobble one together from standard parts."

Thanks! I attempted to look those three devices up now and only see the PCTV 461e from foreign sources. Expensive, too!

Outernet (discussion forum) Content Request: survival/preparedness resources https://discuss.outernet.is/t/content-request-survival-preparedness-resources/1090

Looks like they're interested. It's all the rage.

The "Lantern" is slower, but it's cheap. Very slow but potentially useful, if nothing else were available.

I suppose that an occasional file TX (tech. info for a friend, for example) would be legal for amateur radio using appropriate parts of the permitted band plan, but only station-to-station or BBS with no advertising or QRM, of course. And mail carried the old fashioned way (paper, station to station...

Until then, it might be a good idea to each stash away our own tech. libraries...even print important tech. material to paper for storage.