Packet Stations

For many emergency communications needs, packet radio (transmitting computer data over the air) is more efficient and reliable than voice radio. Additional equipment is needed for a station to use packet radio.

Santa Clara County packet operators are trained to use the packet station equipment described here. When setting up a new packet station, minimize deviations from this setup, so that your station can be used by other operators when the need arises. It’s fine to innovate on a personal system that isn’t used in emergencies. But for emergency use, stick close to the standard.

NOTE: Packet radio involves simplex communications to distant BBS systems. It is therefore highly susceptible to the hidden node problem. For this reason, only high-powered stations (at least 25W, prefer 50W) with a good, tall antenna should be used for packet radio, especially during emergencies. Use an HT only as a last resort, as it will cause lots of retransmissions and slow down the frequency for all users. If you must use an HT, be sure to turn its “battery saver” feature off, as that will cause even more retransmissions.