FIG. 3B is a block diagram that depicts a master test packet 360 that is sent by a master to slaves to test channel performance, according to an embodiment of the invention. Master test packet 360 includes a known preamble 340, a packet header 364, a payload header 366, and copies of known preamble 370, 372, 374.
Known preamble 340 is analogous to known preamble 310 of FIG. 3A, but known preamble 340 is unique for the FH communications system that uses master test packet 360.
Packet header 364 is analogous to packet header 320 in FIG. 3A, but may differ based on the content of master test packet 360, such as the particular original and destination addresses of the packet.
Payload header 366 contains control information relating to the payload portion of master test packet 360, such as the type of data contained in the payload. For the example depicted in FIG. 3B, payload header 366 identifies that the payload of master test packet 360 contains a specified number of copies of known preamble 340, depicted as copies of known preamble 370, 372, 374. Although master test packet 360 is depicted and described as including three copies of the known preamble 370, 372, 374, any number of copies may be used, subject to the capacity limits of the payload portion of the packet, and the payload portion of the packet may contain other data besides copies of the known preamble.
