Packet Radio in the Amateur Service

During the past several years there has been much activity in the development of networking hardware and software for personal computers. At the same time the amateur radio community has been equally active in the development of networking equipment and procedures especially suited for radio circuits. Although the initial efforts have been with terrestrial circuits, experimentation with and development of satellite-based systems is well underway. While we are aware of the many commercial and government organizations active in specialized packet radio systems, our goal is to establish radio networks with inexpensive equipment that is within reach of a large number of individuals with limited budgets. This article will provide a brief history of hardware, software, and protocol development activities as well as a description of amateur packet radio operations. Also discussed are satellite-based operations and development efforts. These include AMSAT-OSCAR-10 and UoSAT-OSCAR-11, currently operating in orbit, and PACSAT, JAS-1, and Phase 3-C, in the design and construction phases.