AbstractIn a packet radio network that employs frequency‐hop transmission and error control coding, the use of side information permits identification and erasure of symbols that have been corrupted by multiple‐access interference, and thus greatly enhances multiple‐access capability. In one approach, side information is generated from an error detecting random code. We investigate the trade‐off between the reliability of side information and the rate of the code, and derive the maximum allowable code rate to achieve a certain reliability of side information. An achievable region and the channel throughput are examined for an unslotted frequency‐hop packet radio network that employs Reed‐Solomon codes and side information generated within the radio by an error det