Date of activity: 7–8 March 2026 Location: Mass Disaster Response Center, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand
During March 7–8, 2026, our team conducted a field demonstration and technical knowledge sharing session on New Packet Radio (NPR) for the Mass Disaster Response Center in Ratchaburi Province.
The purpose of this visit was to introduce the capabilities of high-speed digital data communication using amateur radio spectrum and to demonstrate how NPR-based Go Box systems can support disaster response operations when conventional communication infrastructure is unavailable or degraded.
Practical Demonstration
The session included both technical discussion and hands-on demonstrations, covering topics such as:
Overview of New Packet Radio technology
Architecture of the NPR Go Box deployment model
Field setup procedures for portable communication nodes
Integration with operational data systems for disaster response
Use cases for emergency communication networks in Thailand
Participants from the Mass Disaster Response Center were able to directly observe the system components, including the portable Go Box communication units and the associated field equipment. Integration with Team Awareness Kit (TAK) One of the most important aspects explored during this activity was the integration of New Packet Radio with the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) ecosystem, including:
WinTAK
iTAK
ATAK
This integration allows NPR links to support situational awareness data exchange, enabling responders to share:
real-time map positions
operational markers and mission data
field reports and coordination information
Through this approach, NPR can serve as a radio-based data backbone for TAK systems, especially in environments where internet connectivity is limited or unavailable.
The demonstration showed that NPR is capable of supporting tactical data networking for disaster response operations, providing an alternative communication layer that remains functional during infrastructure failures.
Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange
The visit also provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with the local disaster response team regarding:
practical deployment strategies for radio-based data networks
integration with existing emergency communication workflows
potential use of NPR for supporting coordination during large-scale incidents
We are grateful to the Mass Disaster Response Center, Ratchaburi for their interest and collaboration in exploring innovative communication technologies for disaster response.
Looking Forward
This activity represents another step toward expanding the New Packet Radio ecosystem in Thailand and demonstrating how open, community-driven communication technologies can contribute to resilient disaster response capabilities.
With continued support from the OpenCollective community, we will keep working to:
develop more portable NPR Go Box systems
improve interoperability with emergency response platforms
expand training and demonstrations across Thailand
