Packet Radio
Post date: Aug 25, 2013 3:29:31 PM
Tidbits From: http://www.k7yca.org/packet_radio.htm
Packet Radio Is:
Communications between computers using radio (RF) as the medium rather than wires or solid mediums. Your personal computer in your ham shack coupled to your VHF or UHF transceiver via a terminal node controller (TNC) is the makeup of the Packet Radio station. There are now programs available to use the soundcard in your computer in lieu of an outboard TNC.
Packet Radio is a product of the computer age, and as a result, Packet Radio has computer-age features that provide a very efficient means of Communication. Packet Radio provides error-free communications. With Packet Radio, no time is wasted trying to decipher communications that contain "hits' or "misses" caused by electrical interference or changes in propagation. The receiving station receives information exactly as it is sent by the transmitting station.
Packet is communications between people either director indirect. You can work keyboard to keyboard or use electronic mailboxes to leave messages. Due to error checking by the TNC, all of it is error free, too. As the data is received it is continuously checked for errors, and isn't accepted unless it is correct. You don't miss the information if it has errors because the information is resent again.
The data that is to be transmitted is collected by the TNC and sent in bursts, or packets, of information; hence the name. Each packet has the callsign or address of who it's going to, who it's coming from and the route between the two stations included, along with the data and error checking. Since up to 256 characters can be included in each packet, more than three lines of text can be sent in a matter of a couple of seconds. There is plenty of time between packets for several stations to be using the same frequency at the same time.
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RMS Express - This is the preferred Winlink 2000 (WL2K) radio email client. It is in active development by the Winlink Development Team and is well-supported. RMS Express is designed to be most easily used by single users with a single call sign but it may be used to access one or two preset tactical addresses or alternate callsigns. RMS Express supports a wide selection of TNCs and multimode controllers, the new sound card mode WINMOR, as well as support for HF Pactor, SCS Robust Packet, VHF/UHF packet and direct telnet to WL2K CMS servers (for amateur radio High Speed Multimedia [HSMM], D-Star DD mode, or internet).
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ARES/RACES PACKET…..
We know there are several ARES/RACES members out there with a packet TNC sitting on a shelf collecting dust or packed away in a box in the garage or storage room. It is time to haul them out, hook them up and put them back into service. ARES/RACES currently has two packet nodes in operation on Mt. Union and as soon as some hurdles can be overcome we are looking to have one on Mingus Mountain. If enough interest in packet operation can be sparked we would like to see an ARES/RACES Digital Net in operation. It would be a good form of training for emergency communications.
Tidbits From: http://www.k7yca.org/packet_radio.htm