The spotting network offers several advantages to the user who supplies some information. Let's walk quickly through the steps that are necessary to do that. Some nodes require you to "register" before you can access most Packet Cluster features. If so, send your SYSOP a message with your name/call/address/phone# along with your request to register.
1. Connect to your local node.
2. Enter SET/NAME, followed by a space and your first and last names (21 characters max).
3. Enter SET/QTH, followed by a space and your address. Home and/or work phone numbers are encouraged but optional. The system allows a total of 79 characters and spaces, or just under one normal screen width.
4. Enter SET/LOCATION. Your geographic coordinates are used by the system to calculate beam headings to all DXCC countries, propagation between you and that country, and your local sunrise and sunset (See Chapter 5 for details). The system will prompt you for your latitude and longitude in the format Lat-deg Lat-min N/S Long-deg Long-min E/W. For example:
45 15 N 71 30 W
Be careful to enter it exactly as shown, including spaces. If you don't know your own latitude and longitude, you can use the SHOW/LOCATION [callsign] command to check the coordinates for a station near you, and use those.
5. Enter SET/HOME, followed by a space and the callsign of your usual node. It's best to do this at a time when as many nodes as possible are interconnected with yours, because the information is distributed in real time, and is then used by far-away nodes to route mail and "talk" messages to you. You can always do it again (and again), as the mega-cluster grows or if new nodes connect.