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Manned Digital Communications Network


Notes:

There is a middle ground between fully automatic digital communications and manned voice networks. This is represented by our manned digital operations known at TRR. It is a direct decendant of MARS operations several decades ago when we used electro-mechanical teletype machines for communications.
You can still probably find the machines in the Smithsonian Institution, but today they are replaced by computers. The computer serves a number of functions. First, its keyboard receives the typed message data, and its monitor displays that data. Now the message can be handled as a file, or by the computers “clipboard”, so editing becomes easier and faster. The computer also encodes the message and adds forward error correction. It then modulates the radio on transmit and decodes the message on receipt. This is all done in classic communications net format, under a net control station. The only difference is that we are operating digitally. All you need is a computer with a soundcard to work this mode. I have software discs for members who want to try out this mode of operation.