After DX spotting, one of the most popular and enjoyable network functions is electronic mail. This chapter walks you through the commands for the various communications modes that are available.
Addresses
Before we get into mail specifics, we need to talk about addressing. Because of the explosive growth of interconnection between local PacketCluster networks, this has become an important issue, and one that is not dealt with very explicitly by the software.
If you want to communicate with someone on your local network, you only need to know his or her callsign, and the system takes care of the rest. However, if the station is outside the local network, it gets more complicated. Because not all the information about who is connected is transmitted to each node (a "limited protocol" may be in use between networks because of technical limitations), your node may not know to which node another station is connected. If this is the case, your electronic mail (or your "TALK" message, for that matter), will not be delivered.
You might think that you could follow the usual packet E-mail convention and send your message to the other station "@" the node where you believe the station will usually connect. Don't do it! The "@" character isn't recognized by PacketCluster. If you happen to know the node, or one that you're sure is on the same local network, use the ">" character instead. For example, send a message to WD4NGB at the K4CN node or one near it by "S WD4NGB >K4CN."
A much better approach is to have each station set an explicit home node by using the command SET/HOME [node]. When a station sets its home node, information about where the station can be found is forwarded to every other node connected at that time. To check, send SH/STA [callsign] where [callsign] is the station to which you want to send mail or a TALK message. Your node should return a brief message giving the other station's home node. If it does, then you do not need to worry about knowing it when you send mail or a TALK message. If it doesn't, get your friend to do a SET/HOME so that the system knows where he or she can be found. And if you haven't done so for yourself, get on with it! It's a good idea to reset your home node periodically to refresh records on distant systems.
Now that that's behind us, let's discuss how you communicate on PacketCluster. There are two kinds of communications available - messages and immediate mode.
Messages
The principal advantage of leaving messages is that the addressee doesn't have to be connected to the network when you leave the message. Messages can be read whenever the addressee has time. An additional blessing is that sending a message uses a minimum amount of system resources, since it is only transmitted once and stored until someone wants to read it.
The system will automatically forward such mail immediately to the node where the addressee last logged on. If for any reason that node is down, mail is held on the sender's node until the problem is cleared up. If it is forwarded to a user's home node, and the node goes down before the mail is read, it is retained on the node until service is restored (there can be no guarantee in the case of a hard disk failure, of course).
Messages are retained on the system for approximately 30 days, and then automatically deleted. Some nodes delete them after 14 days.
Directory
To find out what messages are posted on the node, use the DIRECTORY command in any of its several variations (for those used to other Packet BBS systems, LIST is also accepted, anywhere DIRECTORY is).
DIRECTORY by itself will list all new non-private mail messages since the last use of this command, or the most recent five messages, whichever is more. It will also list all private messages of which you are the sender or receiver (see below). These privacy restrictions apply to all other uses of the DIRECTORY command below.
DIRECTORY/n will list the last n messages.
DIRECTORY/ALL will list all active messages on the network. You will probably be sorry if you use this one, because running a list of everything on your local node will take some time! "Active" here means non-private, or private to/from you.
DIRECTORY/BULLETINS will list all bulletin messages on the system, which is defined as messages which are addressed to any collective address (FORSALE, WANTED, DXINFO, ALL, etc.).
DIRECTORY/NEW will list all new messages since your last use of the DIRECTORY command.
DIRECTORY/OWN will list all messages to or from you.
DIRECTORY [addressee] will list all the messages addressed to [addressee], whather that's an individual or a group, like FORSALE.
DIRECTORY/SUBJECT [text] will list all messages with <text> contained in the subject line. Example:
DI/SUBJ QSL will return all messages with QSL in their subject line.
Any DIRECTORY command may be modified to specify the number of messages you wish to have listed. DIRECTORY/BULLETINS/10, for example, will display the headers of the last 10 messages addressed to ALL.
Any DIRECTORY command except DIRECTORY/OWN may also be modified by adding a space plus a callsign. In that case, the system will list only messages that fit the qualifier and are either to or from the callsign specified. For example, DIRECTORY/BULLETINS K4CN will list only messages addressed to ALL from K4CN.
After a message has been read by a user to whom it is addressed, a hyphen (-) is displayed next to the message number.
Read
To read messages, use the READ command.
READ without a message number will read each unread message addressed specifically to you, oldest first.
READ n will read message number n.
You can only read one message at a time. Attempting to concatenate more than one READ command (entering one before the last has finished) will simply abort readout of the previous message.
Occasionally, while you are connected to the network you will receive notice that you have new mail from another station. Rather than doing a DIRECTORY command to identify the message number, the simple READ command will read the new mail automatically.
Delete
When you have read a message addressed specifically to you, we encourage you to delete it. The same goes for messages you have posted, including ALL messages, after they have outlived their usefulness.
DELETE can be used by itself immediately after reading a given message, and will then delete that message. You can delete more than one message at a time by specifying a range of message numbers (e.g. DELETE 330-350) or by specifying several message numbers, separated by commas (be sure not to include any spaces after the commas). Example:
DELETE 314,315,320
KILL [n,n,n] works the same way.
To delete a message that has gone out over the entire network, wait until you can see that all (or nearly all) the active nodes are connected, and the use DELETE/FULL [n,n,n,] to delete it across the system.
Send
Messages are sent using the SEND command.
Many messages are sent for everyone's information. Enter SEND ALL to post a bulletin or other message for everyone to read. This command is generally not supported within the SEDX packet network.
The system also permits group addresses. As an example, SEND SYSOPS will post a message on the system to all node SYSOPS, while SEND [call,call,...] will send to an ad-hoc group of addressees. There are a large number of customary group addresses now being used on the system (DXINFO, FORSALE, SEDX, etc.).
If you give the SEND command alone, the network will prompt you for the callsign of the addressee, the subject of the message (maximum 30 characters and spaces), and the text. Use either Control-Z (hold down <CONTROL> and press <Z>) or /EXIT on a line by themselves, followed by <CR>, to end a message. Use Control-Y on a line by itself, followed by <CR>, to cancel a message you've decided not to post.
If you wish, SEND [callsign] will skip one prompt, but you will still be prompted for the subject and text.
In sending messages, be sure to enter a carriage return at or before the end of each line on your screen, to prevent badly formatted messages or, on some terminals, the loss of all information between the 80th character and the end of the line. This is particularly important if you use a word processor and a proportional font to prepare messages off-line. It's best to use Courier or some other non-proportional font, and limit your line length to 75 or so.
SEND/PRIVATE (with or without callsign) will send a private message to the named recipient. Only you and the recipient can list or read the message, it does not appear in the directory except to you and the recipient, and then the message is flagged in the directory with a "p". Please note, though, that this is not a private messaging system -- your message may be read by anyone monitoring the channel (MON ON) while you send it to the system or while the recipient reads it. On some nodes, by the way, S/P is the default for messages addressed to a callsign
You can get confirmation that your message has been read by using the command SEND/RR [call] to ask for a "return receipt."
SEND/COPY [message-number, callsign] allows you to forward a message to someone else, for example:
SEND/COPY 3112 W4TCC send a copy of message #3112 to K4UU.
You can skip several steps in responding to a message you've received by using the REPLY command immediately after reading it. In that case, the sender of the message becomes the addressee of your reply, and the subject is "Re: (subject of received message)." The rest of the process is the same as with the SEND command. The reply to a private message is automatically "private" too.
Reply
You can reply to a given message without reading it immediately beforehand, by using REPLY [message number].
To save one more step and make it easier to delete messages once they have been read, use the REPLY/DELETE [message number] command. The process is as above, except that the received message is automatically deleted once the reply has been completed.
List/Count.
Another command that is not in the standard Manual is List/Count. This will tell you how many people have read a certain message. To use it, just put in the call sign of who the message is going to or who it is from. Sample: L/C WD4NGB ,will show all messages to ,or from WD4NGB and how many have read each message.
Buying and Selling Over the Air
The following is quoted from a typical FORSALE policy. These policies may not be exactly the same on every node - but all carry similar cautions.
This node permits the advertisement of articles for sale provided such advertisement is not in violation of Part 97.113 of the FCC rules. Basically, that means you may advertise anything that is used by radio amateurs in pursuit of the hobby. Obviously we cannot list everything that can or cannot be advertised, so you are asked to use your good judgment. Examples of what would be permissible include rigs, antennas, test gear, computers and computer peripherals used by amateurs. Household goods, automobiles and other such materials used by the general public are prohibited. You should post an asking price but you are not permitted to negotiate a price over the air; that is, no auctioneering. You must include your phone number so that transactions can be concluded by means other than amateur radio. You are not permitted to advertise any services such as repair or for hire or rent. Finally, you are not permitted to conduct any commercial transactions over the air, that is, no messages to or from dealers.
From time to time there has been some advertising that has the appearance of being commercial in nature. We ask that individuals that are engaged in reselling equipment that was purchased with the intent to make a profit, refrain from advertising such equipment on any of the system nodes. Dealers are generally known to the amateur community and we ask that they comply with the spirit of this request.
All of the sysops agree that we want to keep this resource as open as possible; the fewer rules, the better. At the same time we must ensure that we are operating in full compliance of the law. Failure to comply places all of our licenses in jeopardy. Messages which are not in compliance with these guidelines will be deleted by the sysops.
Should you have any questions feel free to leave a message for the SYSOP or consult Part 97. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Immediate Communications
There are several ways that you can communicate immediately with others currently on the system. Of these, the posting of DX spots is the most obvious and the most welcome.
If you want to talk to a single station currently on the system, you can use the TALK command. However, there ARE some special wrinkles if you're trying to do this with stations beyond the local network. See below for more info on that, but for now, the basics.
TALK [callsign] [message] may be used to send a one-line message to a specific station. For example:
TALK K4CN Hi Don!
will send the message only to that station. The recipient can give a one-line response the same way: TALK [yourcall] [message].
For a more extended chat, just enter TALK [callsign]. The network will confirm that all further input will be sent to [callsign] until you enter a Control-Z or /EXIT on a line by itself to terminate TALK mode. The other station must do the same to enter or leave TALK mode with you.
Please remember to enter SET/NOHERE if you wish to remain connected to the network but will not be at your rig, so that you will not miss TALK messages if the sender checks who is connected. Enter SET/HERE to restore your connection to active status.
While the general idea of the network is an open system for the sharing of information, it is perfectly all right to use the TALK mode if you need a brief exchange with a friend. It is much preferred over the ANNOUNCE mode (see below) unless a message is of true general interest, because TALK messages go only to the addressee, with minimal impact on system resources.
If you have something that simply must be shared with everyone on your local node RIGHT NOW, use the command ANNOUNCE followed by a space and a one-line message. Use it sparingly, though, because every ANNOUNCE message is immediately retransmitted to many other stations. Most messages ANNOUNCED on the system (even those of general interest, such as QSL information,planned skeds, etc.) would be better sent as mail messages to ALL instead, so that they would be available more broadly. About the only time that ANNOUNCE mode is really appropriate is for real-time operational info about a DX station that many network members are chasing.
If you want to see previous announcements that have been made on the network, use SHOW/ANNOUNCEMENTS. As usual, you can qualify this command by SHOW/ANNOUNCEMENTS/n, to display the last n announcements. You can also specify SHOW/ANNOUNCEMENTS [text], where [text] is a phrase, word, etc., and the system will display only those announcements containing [text].
If you must ANNOUNCE, be aware of several qualifiers that may help you to limit the impact on the entire system. Using the command without qualifier causes the announcement to be limited to your local node.
ANNOUNCE/[callsign] will send the announcement only to stations connected to the node [callsign].
ANNOUNCE/SYSOP can be used to send an immediate notification of some sort to the system's SYSOPS. This might be appropriate, for example, in the event a node's software crashes..
Finally, an announcement can be sent to all stations connected to the entire system by using ANNOUNCE/FULL. Please think several times (at least) before using it, because a single ANNOUNCE/FULL message can become several hundred messages and ACKS/NACKS by the time it has been sent to everyone on the system.
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