LANS - THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE FLORIDA LAYERED PACKET NETWORK.

• The primary function of the layered packet network is to provide a local ham radio community with an interference-free Local Area Network (LAN) on 2M. This is effected by each community (i.e. county or groups of counties) being assigned a coordinated frequency. That way, packet operations may be carried out simultaneously on adjacent LANS without interference.

• The secondary function of the layered packet network is to provide interference-free inter-LAN communications. This is accomplished using point-to-point backbones on coordinated UHF frequencies between adjacent LANs using packet switches. A typical packet switch has three packet radio ports: a 2M LAN, and a UHF backbone to each of two neighbor LANS.

• If every ham radio community supported a LAN and backbones to its immediate neighbor (adjacent) LANS, the network would cover vast portions of the state of Florida.

• The LANS in three counties in East Central Florida are schematic of building blocks on the Florida Layered Packet Network.