In a duplex radio link digital data information is transmitted to a remote terminal at a constant symbol rate in accordance with a selected data rate mode that is a function of direct sequence spreading gain, error correction code rate, and signal constellation type. The data rate is adapted by selecting a data rate mode that is a function of a data packet arrival rate and a link quality measure fed back from the remote terminal. The data packet arrival rate is controlled as a function of the link quality measure and the current data packet arrival rate. In systems with multiple transmit diversity channels, independent data is sent over each of the transmit diversity channels. In an idealized feedback communication example, a single antenna troposcatter system in a Ku-band application is shown to have 15.5 times the data rate capability of a conventional two-antenna system at S-band.