[GreenKeys] Torn tape continuous transmissions

[Jim Haynes]

On Fri, 24 Jul 2026, Nick England via GreenKeys wrote:

> The messages were sequentially numbered on each outgoing channel. The header
> contained station and channel ID characters plus the message number. 
> The receiving station checked the numbers to detect missing or garbled
> messages and request retransmission if needed. This was particularly
> valuable for RTTY channels. 
> 
It's interesting that W.U. and the military systems all used message
numbers and checked them.  Some Bell Labs guys wrote that they didn't
need message numbers because any incorrectly addressed messages would
be delivered, either to the wrong place or to an intercept position,
and there the problem would be detected and could be remedied from there.