Danes build radio network for messages without mobile service

People across Denmark are building a Meshcore radio network that can carry short messages without mobile service or internet, DR reports. Aarhus Municipality has approved a pilot project to test whether the system could support communication during emergencies.

The network uses small, privately owned radio devices that run on batteries or solar power. A LoRa radio device that connects to a phone costs around 500 Danish kroner, and the network can carry either public messages or encrypted private ones.

Torben Mørk, who lives in Grindsted, says the system works a little like text messages. It encodes messages as short signals, which can be relayed across Denmark, he said.

Dennis Borup Jakobsen, head of the ITK Tech Lab at Aarhus Municipality, estimates there are about 400 Danish users, though he says the figure is uncertain. He also runs Meshview.dk in his spare time. Danish-language guides are available online for people who want to join the network.

Aarhus Municipality has set aside 200,000 kroner for its pilot. The project will examine whether messages can be sent to local public schools during an emergency, including information about expected timelines and access to drinking water, IT team leader Kristian Risager Larsen said.

Laurits Rauer Nielsen, a lecturer in disaster and risk management at Copenhagen University College, said it would make sense for authorities to monitor the network’s development. He noted that Danish authorities have previously worked with amateur radio operators.

The Danish Agency for Societal Safety and Preparedness said it welcomes citizen-led initiatives that could improve local resilience, but considers Meshcore unsuitable for official emergency communications at present. The agency said the system uses open, unlicensed frequencies and is not controlled or sufficiently encrypted. It added that low bandwidth can limit encryption key sizes, potentially making encryption vulnerable to relatively simple attacks.

Mørk, who is interested in emergency preparedness and new technology, said he was not concerned that private individuals like him are expanding the network.