From: Andy Funk 
To: bbssoftware@bbsdocumentary.com
Subject: Landline and Ham Radio BBSs

I just found out about your BBS project.  Cool!

Back in the 80s and 90s, from about 1986 to 1994, I operated a BBS that
was mainly on-the-air over ham radio (the precursor to digital cell
phones, texting, etc.) but also had telephone access.  It was known as
the KB7UV ROSErver/PRMBS, at 718-956-7133.  The software was
ROSErver/PRMBS (Packet Radio MailBox System), written by Brian Riley
(then callsign KA2BQE, now N1BQ) of Vermont . (Brian used to run a
Citadel BBS in NJ.)  ROSErver indicated it was part of the Radio Amateur
Telecommunications Society's RATS Open System Environment.  (Other
elements included an over-the-air, X.25 packer switch.)  ROSErver/PRMBS
ran under DOS, and used DESQview for multitasking.

Amateur (ham) Radio had an international email network via our
interconnected Packet radio BBSs (PBBSs) operating from the early 80s
that hasn't completely disappeared, but has greatly diminished due to
the Internet.  But the pioneering experiments and demonstrations of
wireless computer communications by ham radio operators paved the way
for today's 2-way pagers, digital cellular networks, Blackberries, etc.

You already include FBB in your list -- FBB is another packer radio BBS
system.  There were/are several others, and a rudimentary BBS was
built-into many Terminal Node Controllers (TNCs) -- the "box" that went
between computers and radios, including the radio modem and control
circuitry.

Best of luck,

/Andy