Abstract: A network of nodes communicates using plural, shared parallel data channels and a separate reservation channel. Access to the data channels is coordinated among the nodes by communicating message requests and corresponding replies on the reservation channel. In addition to a primary transmitter/receiver (e.g., a modem), each node includes a secondary receiver that permits each node to continuously monitor the reservation channel. When not engaged in a message transfer on one of the data channels, the primary receiver monitors the reservation channel. If the primary becomes engaged in a message transfer, the secondary receiver is activated and monitors the reservation channel. Use of the secondary receiver avoids loss of channel access information resulting from use of a single receiver for both the reservation and data transfer mechanisms. By transmitting requests for channel access on the reservation channel and continuously monitoring the reservation channel, message collisions are dramatically reduced.