Packet Radio

Index

• What is packet radio?
• How do I get started?
• What are some practical uses of packet radio?
• A little history of packet radio
• Packet radio links

Playing around on packet radio is very similar to playing around on the internet. That is, there is usually a computer terminal (although not always necessary), a modem and somebody else to talk to. The difference is that in packet the information is transmitted via radio signals rather than over telephone lines.

• Transmitting a packet signal:
• Information is typed into the computer terminal's buffer.
• After the send command is hit, the buffer dumps the information into the modem.
• The modem converts the information it has just received from the computer into two audio tones that turn on and off according the the ASCII standard.
• These tones are fed into the microphone input on the radio, which automatically turns on the transmitter when there is a signal coming through to be transmitted.
• The radio signal makes it to another station where it is received.


• Receiving a packet signal:
• The packet radio signal is received by the antenna.
• The radio demodulates the signals so that all that is left are the audio tones that were produced by the originating station.
• These tones are fed from the radio into the modem.
• The modem decodes the tones that the radio sent it, turning them into information that sends to the computer's buffers.
• The buffers on the computer are dumped onto the screen, where the information that was sent can be viewed.

Getting started in packet radio requires some equipment:

• a radio--on the band you wish to use packet (2 meters is most often used)
• a packet radio modem--not a telephone modem (packet radio has different standards than ma Bell has)
• a computer--either laptop or desktop
• a pakcet radio program--available through many sources or downloadable from TAPR (see links)
• cables to connect the radio to the modem and the modem to the computer

• faster, more efficient transmission of data
• packet has error detection, so you don't have to worry too much about letters getting transposed or changed altogether
• increases efficiency of emergency communications
• when used with APRS, exact location as well as information that the operator must pass can be very quickly determined
• very fast dissemination of high priority information
• boost field day scores
• won't keep people up at night listening to your voice
• while not exactly limitless, packet radio is very efficient, as stated, and so is very well suited to emergency communications

I don't have that yet, so come back some other time and I should have it up.
Index

• TAPR--the Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio club

Questions? Mail them to [email protected]