NA Guru K8CC recently wrote:
> Peter, PB0AIU asked whether there was a way to remotely
>access the log of another station (perhaps a multi) to check the
>log for mults, talk to the ops, etc.
> There is no capability to do this in NA. A number of years
>ago, K5ZD and I talked about such capability, but we decided it
>was of marginal benefit.
Well, at least less benefit than another feature described by yours
truely in 1990 in the Mad River Flash:
NEW PACKETCLUSTER RELEASE
Arriving too late for the April issue of the Flash is word of
release of Version 4.01 of the poplular PacketCluster software.
The new features of this version are two new commands,
SHOW/FREQUENCY (SH/FR) and SET/FREQUENCY (SET/FR).
The SH/FR command provides information from digitally
interfaced radios when they are connected into the cluster via
logging programs such as CT or NA. <SH/FR call> will tell you what
frequency the other guy's radio is tuned to. For example "SH/FR
K8CC" will generate a reply such as "K8CC on 14.016.22". If the
other station is not connected or does not have his radio
interfaced the response will be "K8CC frequency not available".
It can be seen that this feature will be quite handy in the
contests. It can take the guessing out of where and what the big
guys are doing. You won't have to be wasting time scratching out
South Americans on 80 when your competition has found the big
European morning opening on 20 meters.
(1997 update: with worldwide internet connections, it will
also be very neat to do a "SH/FR HZ1AB" when you are looking for
the Zone 21 mult).
The SET/FR command provides the ability to tune the other
guy's radio. For example, should K8CC unknowingly start CQing on
3Y5X's transmit frequency of 14022, a "SET/FR K8CC 14030" will get
Dave off of there before a policeman can even send a "QSY U LID".
This command will not accept frequencies outside the band the radio
is tuned to (you can't blow up his amp by sending him to 15 meters)
nor outside the amateur bands (you can't send someone off to
13998.5 to work the FCC).
As the country becomes more connected on packet, the
possiblities become very interesting. Tired of fighting it out for
a frequency? Type "SET/FR K1AR 14313", wait a few seconds, and
14150 is all yours, while some Maritime Mobile net gets very upset
at the loud jerk who suddenly showed up on the frequency they had
been using for the last 14 years!
Here's a tip of the hat to the genuiuses who write all this
good stuff. Have fun with it in the contests!
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