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Online Seminars and Training

Please note that all the seminars are free and open to all provided there is space available. Registration is required only to reserve a 'seat' as well as ensure you receive details on how to connect to the seminar. There is no registration or other fee to participate in any of the seminars. Toll-free numbers are provided for a number of countries. If a toll free number is not available to you, then you may incur the cost of a phone call.

Using FrontlineSMS in Hydro-Meteorological Service Applications

Scheduled Time (UTC): Tue, 10/20/2009 - 10:00 - 12:00

Registration: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/rkfuibia1uwt

Alternate Registration: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDFvQ09YaGVnb1Z6TUN0eWpHSTM5S3c6MA..

Description:

With some 2.2 billion users, mobile phones represent one of the fastest growing communication technologies the globe over.  Particularly in developing country contexts, mobile networks have pushed out to rural areas where other communications do not exist, are too expensive, or perhaps unreliable.  While advanced data services over mobile have yet to deploy widely, and moreover voice remains prohibitively expensive for routine use by rural individuals in developing country contexts, mobile text messaging has been used in a number of creative ways to both send and receive information.

Conceptually it is easy to grasp how SMS might be utilized in a National Meteorological Hydrological Service (NMHS) context.  Data observations can be collected through either automated weather stations or even if manually entered by an observer.  Similarly, forecasts, alerts, and other messages can be easily disseminated to selected recipients. 

The problem of course is figuring out how to link mobile (GSM) phones and modems to a computer to send and receive messages.  Moreover, once you receive this data, there is the question of how to store and visualize it.

This online seminar will look at FrontlineSMS (http://www.frontlinesms.com) and its potential for certain applications within the hydro-meteorological community.  The training will discuss the appropriate uses, benefits, as well as limitations of mobile phone networks and service in meteorological operations.  It will then look at 'classes' of applications and services which allow organizations to collect and disseminate information via SMS.  With this short background, the training will then provide an overview of FrontlineSMS installation and use; focusing on applications utilizing more advanced features of the software. 

The seminar is intended for RANET members, however, it is open to all provided there is available conference space.  While the use scenarios and examples will focus on the hydro-meteorological community, many will find the training generally applicable to many other sector applications as well.  Registration is required to participate in this online and tele-seminar.

Chatty Beetle Walk Through (Americas Session)

Scheduled Time (UTC): Thu, 10/08/2009 - 17:00 - 19:00

Registration: CLOSED

Description:

The Chatty Beetle is a device and system designed for alert and notification applications serving rural and remote communities.  In essence it is a two-way paging device built upon Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) service and hardened to work in harsh conditions.  With funding from the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, RANET has begun a two year pilot of the Chatty Beetle to determine functionality, design, and reliability.

This online seminar is intended for participant countries and organizations in the Chatty Beetle pilot.  It will provide a walk through of the overall pilot and goals, a detailed description of the ChB system architecture and function, and finally will provide details on how to use both the web interface and terminals.  Lessons learned to date, in just a few months, will also be shared.  The first 60-90 minutes will be dedicated to presentation and walk through.  At times the presenter may open the meeting up for questions and discussion.  Time at the end of the meeting will also be reserved for discussion and questions.

While the seminar is intended for current and planned participants, it is open to all who are interested assuming availability of conference space.  Priority will be given to RANET pilot participants, if space becomes an issue.  All participants are required to register.

Please note that there will be three different seminars covering the same topic.  These will be held at different times to accommodate time zone differences.  Registration is required.  The phone number provided should be that from which you will be calling one of several available toll free numbers or to which RANET will conference you in just prior to the session beginning.

For those participating on low bandwidth computers, presentations can be downloaded in advance of the online training.  These will be posted to this website and location several days before the event.  An e-mail will go out as a reminder.

Chatty Beetle Walk Through (Africa Session)

Scheduled Time (UTC): Thu, 10/08/2009 - 10:00 - 12:00

Registration: CLOSED

Description:

The Chatty Beetle is a device and system designed for alert and notification applications serving rural and remote communities.  In essence it is a two-way paging device built upon Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) service and hardened to work in harsh conditions.  With funding from the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, RANET has begun a two year pilot of the Chatty Beetle to determine functionality, design, and reliability.

This online seminar is intended for participant countries and organizations in the Chatty Beetle pilot.  It will provide a walk through of the overall pilot and goals, a detailed description of the ChB system architecture and function, and finally will provide details on how to use both the web interface and terminals.  Lessons learned to date, in just a few months, will also be shared.  The first 60-90 minutes will be dedicated to presentation and walk through.  At times the presenter may open the meeting up for questions and discussion.  Time at the end of the meeting will also be reserved for discussion and questions.

While the seminar is intended for current and planned participants, it is open to all who are interested assuming availability of conference space.  Priority will be given to RANET pilot participants, if space becomes an issue.  All participants are required to register.

Please note that there will be three different seminars covering the same topic.  These will be held at different times to accommodate time zone differences.  Registration is required.  The phone number provided should be that from which you will be calling one of several available toll free numbers or to which RANET will conference you in just prior to the session beginning.

For those participating on low bandwidth computers, presentations can be downloaded in advance of the online training.  These will be posted to this website and location several days before the event.  An e-mail will go out as a reminder.

 

Chatty Beetle Walk Through (Pacific / Asia Session)

Scheduled Time (UTC): Tue, 10/06/2009 - 01:30 - 03:30

Registration: CLOSED

Description:

The Chatty Beetle is a device and system designed for alert and notification applications serving rural and remote communities.  In essence it is a two-way paging device built upon Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) service and hardened to work in harsh conditions.  With funding from the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, RANET has begun a two year pilot of the Chatty Beetle to determine functionality, design, and reliability.

This online seminar is intended for participant countries and organizations in the Chatty Beetle pilot.  It will provide a walk through of the overall pilot and goals, a detailed description of the ChB system architecture and function, and finally will provide details on how to use both the web interface and terminals.  Lessons learned to date, in just a few months, will also be shared.  The first 60-90 minutes will be dedicated to presentation and walk through.  At times the presenter may open the meeting up for questions and discussion.  Time at the end of the meeting will also be reserved for discussion and questions.

While the seminar is intended for current and planned participants, it is open to all who are interested assuming availability of conference space.  Priority will be given to RANET pilot participants, if space becomes an issue.  All participants are required to register.

Please note that there will be three different seminars covering the same topic.  These will be held at different times to accommodate time zone differences.  Registration is required.  The phone number provided should be that from which you will be calling one of several available toll free numbers or to which RANET will conference you in just prior to the session beginning.

For those participating on low bandwidth computers, presentations can be downloaded in advance of the online training.  These will be posted to this website and location several days before the event.  An e-mail will go out as a reminder.