Packet Radio, Past, Present and Future

Back in the early 80's packet was new, exciting and something completely different from anything else in amateur radio. This excitement caught the imagination of an exploding number of amateurs keen to be involved with this technology. The only way in those days was to have a TNC, and as there were no commercial ones available, we had to purchase a PCB from the USA, plus a number of essential parts that were unobtainable here in the UK and make our own. This was known as the TNC-1. I still have mine to this day. We even put our call-signs on the PCB itself!

I still remember my first "Connected to" message coming up on the screen. I thought this was really a mode of the future and I could see auto-start RTTY being confined to history. It was difficult to work auto-start RTTY with the technology we had then, but this provided the means to have mail delivered to the screen on a non-real-time basis. This dream caused a huge development of commercial TNC's and there were queues at dealers stands at the exhibitions, selling TNC's like hot-cakes. Siskins was the most populated stand at the shows in those days and he did very good business.

My TNC-1 in those days cost £250.00, which 20 years later would be considered extortionate. However, such was our enthusiasm to become involved. The computer I used was also brought in from the USA, and it was an old CPM machine, by Xerox. In fact it was just a board with a load of connections. I had to obtain two 8 inch disk drives to run my first BBS. I always found it strange that such a large disk could only hold 250k of data per side! Wow!! It used to run on HF and link with W3TMZ in Maryland, and we forwarded mail using that system for some time. Since then, and several desk-top computers, TNC's and DRSI cards later, the software has become mainly FBB and the platform we use mainly Windows variants with some Linux as well.

I wrote a booklet entitled "The BBS Survival Guide" and sold over 1000 of those, lots of them on Siskins stand. All the profits went to Amsat UK for donation to the AO-40 project, which sadly did not live up to expectations.

However, the passage of time has seen the peak of the packet network, and we are now witnessing the fall from grace of what could have been a radio based network but with limitations. Since the Internet has overtaken packet radio in respect of speed and use, the migration to a telephone based system has grown to the detriment of the radio based network, and is still growing. In fact there are more BBS each day turning over to Telnet and poaching users and forwarding partners from the radio network. The gradual destruction of the radio network is killing innovation, de-populating the VHF and UHF bands of the packet signals, and turning us into a telephone-based hobby.

I can see the attractions. The Internet is faster, more and more users are migrating there, Emails take seconds to reach their destinations, and the protocol allows pictures, diagrams, and interesting layouts to be used. Packet, by comparison, is slow, not always 100% reliable, text only, and not as attractive. I did say it had limitations. However, there is no spam on packet (real spam, not just the "debating") very few virii, and bugs, and a lot more satisfaction at achieving the objective.

There is a packet conference due in middle September - as I write this - so that will be well over by the time you read this. It will be interesting to read the minutes and see what conclusions are reached, if any!

It looks like we now have an Internet based network plus the occasional radio link with BBS's doing their thing on the Internet rather than on the air. This old Luddite has to accept this as a fact and get used to it, even though I disapprove. It's not that I am anti modern technology; it's just that I think the telephone has no place in our hobby as far as communications is concerned. I use the Internet as a reference and for Email, but like to keep all amateur radio traffic on the amateur bands. Indeed, as far as the technology is concerned, I ran a Satgate until a couple of months ago, when UO-22 went into eclipse and that network effectively closed. It was not missed however, as all that traffic we used to handle now goes via the Internet. Similarly my HF packet port has been closed for the last year, but was not missed as all that traffic is now on the Internet.

Here in Norfolk, the user base has dropped dramatically. I had 70 plus users a few years ago, now it's less than 15. GB7VLS, now an Internet broadband connected BBS, has less than 5 users, on the radio links anyway, and GB7TDG in Thetford, and GB7CFB in Huntingfield both have none at all! They are considering closure, effectively cutting off Norfolk altogether. Looking at the sysop mail on my BBS, the accusations and frustrations are becoming apparent. GBR mail is fair game now for passing to just anywhere, so designators are history. Intercontinental arguments are on-going, and there is a deluge of hate-mail! The DX Cluster is mainly Internet based, so you can now choose a Cluster in ZS, W6 or VK and log in. Chat-rooms are common, and a poll at my local Radio Club showed that out of 26 people, 24 were on the Internet and 2 were on packet. What hobby are we in?? I thought it was amateur RADIO, not amateur TELEPHONE.

Taking this to the extreme, we don't really need call-signs any more. You don't need an amateur licence to operate on the Internet. Anybody could obtain the software, and together with a computer and modem, set up and become part of a new network on the Internet, with users logging in as and where they pleased. This would free up the VHF/UHF bands completely from data signals, and even phone, because with VOIP the end user could also have instant access to anywhere in the world. Indeed this already exists with Echolink and the Internet connected repeaters, so no need to buy/make amateur equipment. There is no propagation concerns or QRM, QSB, no expensive antennas are needed and you can chat for the price of a local telephone call. The vultures must be rubbing their hands with glee, seeing all our VHF/UHF bands being free of amateur RADIO. They can see £ signs in the air, selling off these frequencies to the highest bidder and relegating us permanently to the landline. What a dreadful thought!

There is little incentive for running a Satgate, virtually none for running an HF port, and very little left for even running a basic RADIO-based BBS. The Internet is killing innovation, motivation, education, and self-training of the individual in getting RF circuits to work, RADIO links to work, and so on. Personally, I get far more satisfaction from receiving a packet message than 100 Emails.

I have seen no comments from the DCC, in fact I tried four times to send packet mail and got no response at all, and even my Email has not had a reply either! It would be interesting to know just how the DCC view the situation.

When I think of the money I could have saved, the frustrations I need not have had, the hard work putting my station together, life could have been so much easier, when all I needed was a telephone! However, I shall keep taking the pills, and eventually recover, so don't worry 'bout me - Hey that's a good title for a song!! Just one thought though, the Internet ain't amateur radio however you paint it.

Roger, G3LDI 6th September 2003

G3LDI @ GB7LDI.#35.GBR.EU

Home   Send this page to a friend   Articles Index

	Your comments: (newest first)
	You are 100% on target. I ran a BBS (as N8GTC) from 1988 to 1998. 3HF ports, 2 UHF ports, 220 port and dual 2m ports (1200 and 9600). I had to get out of the game when I had to move in 1998. Recently I was approached by N9LYA here in Indiana who is desperately trying to rebuild the packet system ON THE RADIO. I have put up a 1200/9600b port on 2m, a 9600 port on UHF to N9LYA (50km away) and a 20m High profile HF port. While the User base was already well in decline in 1998, it is non-existant now. In the 4 months that I have put the system back up, I have yet to see ONE user. I am passing a LOT of bulletins over my 20m Net, and forward them to N9LYA on 2m or 440, but that is ALL. No one ever reads the bulletins, because there are no users. I plan on leaving things going here until I need to equipment for other purposes. But it seems to me an effort in futility. The Packet traffic here in the US seems to be all BBS to BBS traffic. Without the users, what is the point?? Very sad, because packet once was cutting edge. It's about useless now. Maybe it is time to just let it go. Thanks for a nice article. Gary Gorniak, W9BS, USA (originally N8GTC during packet's heyday)
	Yes Roger the same thing has happened in Canada. However there seems to be interest being generated by the Emergency Measures Group. There are also a lot of aprs stations still on the air also. Our networks are now missing key links, but there has been some interest in restoring them. I always liked walking into my shack and seeing the flashing mail light and knew it was from one of my ham friends, rather than sorting through all the spam to find a message via the internet. Are there any satellites bbs or nodes still working? 73 John
	John, VE3VGI, Canada
	Hi Being in the electronics field, I've long been interested in radio, and am now looking at packet radio in the license free bands. I find it naive that people like you lament the decline of packet radio. The reason as you so rightly pointed out, is that you don't need a license to use the internet, or callsigns. I've baulked for years at the stupid notion of learning morse code to be able to say something like; 'breaker breaker, come in please'! to someone I don't know, merely for the reason that they happened to answer. I imagine it was like that in the early days of telephony, there were 20 phone numbers and you all phoned each other simply because you had a handset. Packet radio wannabees should be freely allowed to use specific bands, license free, the only limitation being power output, and limitations on sidebands etc. Looking at our local radio regulations(SA), they are draconian to say the least. Regards
	Roland, South Africa
	Hello Roger and readers, As is apparant from my packet bulls, I couldn't agree more! Then I'll leave you to read all about the details on your BBS, that is if my callsign hasn't been blocked by a sysop or two who happens to disagree with me, thereby depriving you of your freedom to read what you will. That's another subject of heated debate, the tin plated gods of packet, but I won't bore you with details, just let you think about it in quiet solitude. Yes, packet is dying for the above reasons plus several more, such a shame since it used to be one of the favorite ways of communicating, especially for the VHF/UHF only class license holders who can't make those long haul QSOs on thier own. Oh, Don't Worry 'Bout Me already WAS a song, but I much prefer "It's alright ma, I'm only bleeding." which is a lyric from Bob Dylan but I can't remember the title, darn. (;->)
	Warren, KB2VXA, USA
	I too agree with Roger in principal, however here in Northern Ireland there is now only ONE operational BBS here which is out of RF range from my QTH unless there are lift conditions. So if it wasn’t for Richard G4TUT’s good offices I’d be packetless, I’ve been a packeteer since the early 90’s via RF when I lived in Potters Bar and ironically my access to GB7TUT depended on how much gas was in the holders at Ponders End, so I used GB7MSW. I would prefer to connect to the packet network via RF but it isn’t possible without major investment in hardware, and who knows how long it’d last – so as far as I’m concerned long live Telnet and packet.
	Reg Penn, GI4GEL, Northern Ireland UK
	I agree with everything that Roger says. I was one of those dead against amateur radio/internet connections but you have to face facts. When RF links dissapear and you are stuck with mail to forward you will use an alternative. I emailed bulletins and SP mail into Norfolk for many years because no RF links excisted. When the means became available to have full time Internet links, forwarding was switched to that method. However, it's not all bad because without the Internet links many BBS would have closed long ago leaving users with no alternative but to use the Internet. G1NNB @ GB7ESX
	George Lloyd, G1NNB, UK
Home   Send this page to a friend   Articles Index