computer science

Syrnet

Syrnet is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Syrnet rather than just read about it. In short: Syrnet is a Syrian pirate radio network launched in September 2013 to broadcast information to citizens that is suppressed or manipulated by state-run media. It was developed by Germany-based non-profit organization Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT), with funding provided by the German Foreign Office.

Key takeaways

Syrnet belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Syrnet to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Syrnet from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Syrnet is a Syrian pirate radio network launched in September 2013 to broadcast information to citizens that is suppressed or manipulated by state-run media. It was developed by Germany-based non-profit organization Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT), with funding provided by the German Foreign Office. As of December 2015, there are nine studios producing content in different parts of the country.

Background

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly sabotaged or exerted control over communications infrastructure, disabling Internet, phone networks, and even electricity. The media that is accessible is often created by or filtered by the Syrian government, which makes frequent use of propaganda and misinformation. Radio, as an analog technology, is more difficult than the Internet and phone networks to shut down. It also requires less physical infrastructure and its use is less dependent on a functional electric grid. For these reasons radio is a common medium among resistance and other independent groups. Some Syrians have had access to Western-operated external broadcasts prior to Syrnet, but those stations have typically operated outside of the country, leaving a scarcity of coverage of the most immediate and important news stories.

Operations Syrnet comprises nine geographically separated studios inside Syria's borders, as of December 2015. Two are in locations controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), having begun broadcasting prior to the area being taken over. The multiple operational centers allow for local news and announcements and ensures that a disruption to one or two does not lead to a shutdown of production. The broadcast feed is a combination of local content created at the nine studios with external broadcasts, ensuring as many Syrians as possible have access to reports from outside as well as from parts of the country where the situation may be very different. For those with Internet access, and in order to spread the content more widely, broadcasts are also made available for download on the Web. MiCT employs a number of professional journalists to assist the local stations and reporters.

Technical basis

The original plan for Syrnet called for standard 1–1.5 kilowatt relay antennas to broadcast over sizable parts of the country. The financial and practical challenges associated with their installation, maintenance, and operation led MiCT to explore the deployment of a larger number of small transmitters rather than small number of large ones, eventually leading to the development of Pocket FM. Pocket FM is a small, portable radio transmitter developed by MiCT in collaboration with Germany-based design firm IXDS. Due to its small size and design, it looks more like a receiver than a transmitter, making it more difficult to detect, sabotage, or hijack, and much cheaper to run. As of January 2016 Syrnet operates through twelve Pocket FM transmitters, each of which is capable of reaching up to six kilometers, and five larger relays. The Pocket FM units, which can run on solar power or an automobile's 12-volt battery, are equipped with built-in satellite receivers to pick up the Syrnet feed and broadcast it over-the-air. MiCT collaborates with Syrian activists, journalists, and logistical experts to bring the devices into the country.

Programming Syrnet airs a blend of content produced in the area around the station, created by stations in other parts of the country, and external programming. Broadcasts include information about the opening and closing of borders, the status of refugees and asylum policies, market prices, regional status updates, and even some entertainment. Contributions to Syrnet are evaluated to ensure they meet journalistic standards. The organization is committed to moderate opposition and avoids providing a platform for extremists on any side.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Syrnet

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Syrnet claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Syrnet before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Syrnet ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Syrnet

In research: Syrnet appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Syrnet in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Syrnet is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2013 establishments in Syria, Censorship of broadcasting, Community radio organizations, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Syrnet outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Syrnet in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Syrnet means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Syrnet out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Syrnet in simple terms?

Why does Syrnet matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Syrnet?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Syrnet.