ALOHA packet broadcasting: a retrospect

Packet broadcasting is a technique whereby data is sent from one node in a net to another by attaching address information to the data to form a packet---typically from 30 to 1000 bits in length. The packet is then broadcast over a communication channel which is shared by a large number of nodes in the net; as the packet is received by these nodes the address is scanned and the packet is accepted by the proper addressee (or addressees) and ignored by the others. The physical communication channel employed by a packet broadcasting net can be a ground based radio channel, a satellite transponder or a cable.