Packet radio is a type of digital data transmission which is most commonly used to link two computers together. It is based on the X.25 protocol used previously by amateur radio enthusiasts. The new generation of this technology as it is used in packet radio is known as the AX.25 data link layer.

Packet radio gets its name from the technology behind it. A type of technology known as packet switching is the primary driving force of packet radio. Packets, or small bits of information, are switched between nodes, such as computers or other electronic devices, on their way to their final destinations. This type of packet switching allows for multiple circuits to exist at the same time on one radio channel – hence the name packet radio.

When was Packet Radio First Used?

People first begin to experiment with packet radio in 1978. An amateur radio enthusiast group in Canada began to tinker with the various aspects of packet radio through an early terminal node controller. It was not until 1980 that the United States approved the use of packet radio by allowing the transmission of text via computers for amateur radio operators. In 1983, the first commercially available packet radio system, the Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio Corporation terminal node controller was released to the market.

When did Packet Radio become Popular?

After the release of the first easy to use, cheap to build, terminal node controller was made available, packet radio begin to experience dramatic gains in usage. In 1984, it was so popular that the first bulletin boards, or text based answering machines, began to pop up so that people could stay in contact without being at their computer all of the time. Finally, in 1986, packet radio entered the public eye in a big way when it was used to provide information about a plane crash in a town in California. Packet radio was used as an alternative to traditional voice transmission in an attempt to keep the voice frequencies from getting clogged following the disaster.

In order to construct the most basic of packet radios, four essential devices are required. These devices include a computer, a modem, a transceiver, and an antenna. When the computer and the modem are combined, it creates a device known as a terminal node controller which can be used to input data, transmit data, receive data, and display data.