digipeaters

A digipeater is a type of digital repeater used in amateur radio (ham radio) and other non-commercial radio systems. Its primary function is to receive a digital packet transmission and then retransmit it, effectively extending the range of the original signal. This process is a form of store-and-forward communication, where the digipeater temporarily stores the data before sending it out again.

Digipeaters are crucial for building robust digital communication networks, especially in areas with limited direct radio line-of-sight between stations. They are particularly useful for packet radio networks, allowing for communication over longer distances than would be possible with a single hop. When a station sends a packet to a digipeater, the digipeater receives it, checks for errors, and if the packet is valid, transmits it on its own frequency, often with a slightly different callsign in its header to indicate it's acting as a repeater.

In packet radio, a station can "chain" multiple digipeaters together, with each digipeater forwarding the packet to the next one in the chain until it reaches its final destination. This is known as multi-hop operation. The configuration and operation of digipeaters are typically managed by amateur radio operators who set them up and maintain them. They operate on specific frequencies allocated for digital communication.