A distributed processing system for configuring multiple processing channels of a radio system, the distributed processing system comprising: a main processor configured to execute main processor instructions; and a plurality of processing channels (14a-d, 16a-d), wherein each of the processing channels comprises: registers (36, 46) configured to store data; a co-processor (32, 42) configured to execute co-processor instructions and to receive a trigger from the main processor that causes the co-processor to execute a set of instructions of the co-processor instructions including at least one instruction to access at least one of the registers of the respective processing channel, radio event contacts (38, 48) and dedicated circuitry connected to the radio event contacts, wherein the dedicated circuity is configured to execute a first type of instruction received at the radio event contacts; and a stream trigger interface (34, 44) configured to receive an input signal from external to the distributed processing system and to cause the co-processor to execute a second type of instruction in response to receiving the input signal, wherein the second type of instruction is unmapped to specific circuitry, wherein the distributed processing system is configured to divide processing between the main processor and the co-processor such that the main processor executes instructions with longer latency and the co-processor executes instructions with lower latency. a main processor configured to execute main processor instructions; and a plurality of processing channels (14a-d, 16a-d), wherein each of the processing channels comprises: registers (36, 46) configured to store data; a co-processor (32, 42) configured to execute co-processor instructions and to receive a trigger from the main processor that causes the co-processor to execute a set of instructions of the co-processor instructions including at least one instruction to access at least one of the registers of the respective processing channel, radio event contacts (38, 48) and dedicated circuitry connected to the radio event contacts, wherein the dedicated circuity is configured to execute a first type of instruction received at the radio event contacts; and a stream trigger interface (34, 44) configured to receive an input signal from external to the distributed processing system and to cause the co-processor to execute a second type of instruction in response to receiving the input signal, wherein the second type of instruction is unmapped to specific circuitry, registers (36, 46) configured to store data; a co-processor (32, 42) configured to execute co-processor instructions and to receive a trigger from the main processor that causes the co-processor to execute a set of instructions of the co-processor instructions including at least one instruction to access at least one of the registers of the respective processing channel, radio event contacts (38, 48) and dedicated circuitry connected to the radio event contacts, wherein the dedicated circuity is configured to execute a first type of instruction received at the radio event contacts; and a stream trigger interface (34, 44) configured to receive an input signal from external to the distributed processing system and to cause the co-processor to execute a second type of instruction in response to receiving the input signal, wherein the second type of instruction is unmapped to specific circuitry,