As a possible local for deployment, how about the Hawaiian Islands? I don't know if one Strat could handle the geography, but two looped/linked probably could.
Using one Strat to relay to another would also benefit HI going to mainland. If I recall the bandwidth is limited on existing cable.
The govt also has existing infrastructure on I believe Hawaii to allow testing of aircraft. I believe they have flight tested some solar powered electric UAV's at that facility. They would be familiar with FAA concerns, and although the population isn't as great or condensed as the greater North East, I'm sure the good folks on Hawaii would appreciate an alternative source for good communications.
Some of you sharp guys have any thoughts on Strat to Strat range? I could wonder about but not figure out the line of sight distance for that altitude vs earth curvature. I got as far as imagining an inverted triangle atop a sphere and then spacing the strats apart until the hypotenuse intersected the sphere surface. That would be the max line of sight, less a wiggle waggle factor for altitude and movement. Of course the Strats have a fixed operational "desired altitude" so somewhere in that figuring you have to drop the triangle through the sphere to rationalize the outcome.
Any rocket scientists on this board????
Stakddek
