2 # please put your help in in alphabetical order
4 # a string search is done in the command field (case is ignored)
5 # and all commands matching the asked for command are printed out
7 # the order of the fields in each header is
8 # privilege, command, Description
9 # if the command ends in a - then that line isn't printed, but any
10 # subsequent lines are
12 # Comment lines are indented before printing
14 === 0^ANNOUNCE <text>^Send an announcement to LOCAL users only
16 === 0^ANNOUNCE FULL <text>^Send an announcement cluster wide
17 This will send your announcement cluster wide
19 === 5^ANNOUNCE SYSOP <text>^Send an announcement to Sysops only
22 <text> is the text of the announcement you wish to broadcast
24 === 0^APROPOS <string>^Search help database for <string>
25 Search the help database for <string> (it isn't case sensitive), and print
26 the names of all the commands that may be relevant.
28 === 0^BYE^Exit from the cluster
29 This will disconnect you from the cluster
31 === 5^CONNECT <callsign>^Start a connection to another DX Cluster
32 Start a connection process that will culminate in a new connection to the
33 DX cluster <callsign>. This process creates a new 'client' process which will
34 use the script in /spider/connect/<callsign> to effect the 'chat' exchange
35 necessary to traverse the network(s) to logon to the cluster <callsign>.
37 === 9^DEBUG^Set the cluster program into debug mode
38 Executing this command will only have an effect if you are running the cluster
43 It will interrupt the cluster just after the debug command has finished.
44 === 0^DIRECTORY^List messages
45 === 0^DIRECTORY ALL^List all messages
46 === 0^DIRECTORY OWN^List your own messages
47 === 0^DIRECTORY NEW^List all new messages
48 === 0^DIRECTORY TO <call>^List all messages to <call>
49 === 0^DIRECTORY FROM <call>^List all messages from <call>
50 === 0^DIRECTORY SUBJECT <string>^List all messages with <string> in subject
51 === 0^DIRECTORY <nn>^List last <nn> messages
52 === 0^DIRECTORY <from>-<to>^List messages <from> message <to> message
53 List the messages in the messages directory.
55 If there is a 'p' one space after the message number then it is a
56 personal message. If there is a '-' between the message number and the
57 'p' then this indicates that the message has been read.
59 You can use shell escape characters such as '*' and '?' in the <call>
62 You can combine some of the various directory commands together eg:-
66 DIR SUBJECT IOTA 200-250
68 You can abbreviate all the commands to one letter and use ak1a syntax:-
74 Sysops can see all users' messages.
76 === 8^DISCONNECT <call> [<call> ...]^Disconnect a user or cluster
77 Disconnect any <call> connected locally
79 === 0^DX <freq> <callsign> <remarks>^Send a DX spot throughout the cluster
80 <freq> is compared against the available bands set up in the cluster.
81 see show/bands for more information.
83 === 1^FORWARD/OPERNAME <call>^Send out information on this <call> to all clusters
84 This command sends out any information held in the user file which can
85 be broadcast in PC41 protocol packets. This information is Name, QTH, Location
86 and Homenode. PC41s are only sent for the information that is available.
88 === 0^HELP^The HELP Command
89 HELP is available for a number of commands. The syntax is:-
93 Where <cmd> is the name of the command you want help on.
95 All commands can be abbreviated, so SHOW/DX can be abbreviated
96 to SH/DX, ANNOUNCE can be shortened to AN and so on.
98 Look at the APROPOS <string> command which will search the help database
99 for the <string> you specify and give you a list of likely commands
100 to look at with HELP.
102 === 0^KILL <msgno> [<msgno..]^Delete a message from the local system
103 Delete a message from the local system. You will only be able to delete messages
104 that you have originated or been sent (unless you are the sysop).
106 === 5^KILL FULL <msgno> [<msgno..]^Delete a message from the whole cluster
107 Delete a message (usually a 'bulletin') from the whole cluster system.
109 This uses the subject field, so any messages that have exactly the same subject
110 will be deleted. Beware!
112 === 9^LOAD/ALIASES^Reload the command alias table
113 Reload the /spider/cmd/Aliases file after you have editted it. You will need to
114 do this if you change this file whilst the cluster is running in order for the
115 changes to take effect.
117 === 9^LOAD/BANDS^Reload the band limits table
118 Reload the /spider/data/bands.pl file if you have changed it manually whilst
119 the cluster is running.
121 === 9^LOAD/CMD_CACHE^Reload the automatic command cache
122 Normally, if you change a command file in the cmd or local_cmd tree it will
123 automatially be picked up by the cluster program. Sometimes it can get confused
124 if you are doing a lot of moving commands about or delete a command in the
125 local_cmd tree and want to use the normal one again. Execute this command to
126 reset everything back to the state it was just after a cluster restart.
128 === 9^LOAD/MESSAGES^Reload the system messages file
129 If you change the /spider/perl/Messages file (usually whilst fiddling/writing new
130 commands) you can have them take effect during a cluster session by executing this
131 command. You need to do this if get something like :-
133 unknown message 'xxxx' in lang 'en'
135 === 9^LOAD/PREFIXES^Reload the prefix table
136 Reload the /spider/data/prefix_data.pl file if you have changed it manually whilst
137 the cluster is running.
139 === 8^PC <call> <text>^Send text (eg PC Protocol) to <call>
140 Send some arbitrary text to a locally connected callsign. No processing is done on
141 the text. This command allows you to send PC Protocol to unstick things if problems
142 arise (messages get stuck etc). eg:-
143 pc gb7djk PC33^GB7TLH^GB7DJK^400^
145 pc G1TLH Try doing that properly!!!
147 === 1^PING <node>^Send a ping command to another cluster
148 This command is used to estimate the quality of the link to another cluster.
149 The time returned is the length of time taken for a PC51 to go to another
150 cluster and be returned.
152 === 0^KILL <msgno> [<msgno> ...]^Remove or erase a message from the system
153 You can get rid of any message to or originating from your callsign using
154 this command. You can remove more than one message at a time.
156 === 5^KILL <from>-<to>^Remove a range of messages from the system
157 === 5^KILL FROM <call>^Remove all messages from a callsign
158 === 5^KILL TO <call>^Remove all messages to a callsign
159 === 5^KILL FULL <msgno> [<msgno]^Remove a message from the entire cluster
160 Remove this message from the entire cluster system as well as your node.
163 As a sysop you can kill any message on the system.
165 === 5^MERGE <node> [<no spots>/<no wwv>]^Ask for the latest spots and WWV
166 MERGE allows you to bring your spot and wwv database up to date. By default
167 it will request the last 10 spots and 5 WWVs from the node you select. The
168 node must be connected locally.
170 You can request any number of spots or wwv and although they will be appended
171 to your databases they will not duplicate any that have recently been added
172 (the last 2 days for spots and last month for WWV data).
174 === 8^PC <call> <text>^Send arbitrary text to a connected callsign
175 Send any text you like to the callsign requested. This is used mainly to send
176 PC protocol to connected nodes either for testing or to unstick things.
178 You can also use in the same way as a talk command to a connected user but
179 without any processing, added of "from <blah> to <blah" or whatever.
181 === 1^PING <node call>^Find out the delays an a circuit to another node
182 This command will enable sysops to determine the speed of an inter-cluster
185 Any visible cluster node can be PINGed.
187 === 1^RCMD <node call> <cmd>^Send a command to another DX Cluster
188 This command allows you to send nearly any command to another DX Cluster
189 node that is connected to the system.
191 Whether you get any output is dependant on a) whether the other system knows
192 that the node callsign of this cluster is in fact a node b) whether the
193 other system is allowing RCMDs from this node and c) whether you have
194 permission to send this command at all.
196 === 0^READ^Read the next unread personal message addressed to you
197 === 0^READ <msgno>^Read the specified message
198 You can read any messages that are sent as 'non-personal' and also any
199 message either sent by or sent to your callsign.
202 As a sysop you may read any message on the system
204 === 0^REPLY^Reply to the last message that you have read
205 === 0^REPLY <msgno>^Reply to the specified message
206 === 0^REPLY PRIVATE <msgno>^Reply privately to the specified message
207 === 0^REPLY RR <msgno>^Reply to the specified message with read receipt
208 You can reply to a message and the subject will automatically have
209 "Re:" inserted in front of it, if it isn't already present.
211 You can also use all the extra qualifiers such as RR, PRIVATE,
212 NOPRIVATE that you can use with the SEND command (see SEND
215 === 0^SEND <call> [<call> ...]^Send a message to one or more callsigns
216 === 0^SEND RR <call>^Send a message and ask for a read receipt
217 === 0^SEND COPY <msgno> <call>^Send a copy of a message to someone
218 === 0^SEND PRIVATE <call>^Send a personal message
219 === 0^SEND NOPRIVATE <call>^Send a message to all stations
220 All the SEND commands will create a message which will be sent either to
221 an individual callsign or to one of the 'bulletin' addresses.
223 SEND <call> on its own acts as though you had typed SEND PRIVATE, that is
224 it will mark the message as personal and send it to the cluster node that
225 that callsign is connected to.
227 You can have more than one callsign in all of the SEND commands.
229 You can have multiple qualifiers so that you can have for example:-
231 SEND RR COPY 123 PRIVATE G1TLH G0RDI
233 which should send a copy of message 123 to G1TLH and G0RDI and you will
234 receive a read receipt when they have read the message.
236 SB is an alias for SEND NOPRIVATE (or send a bulletin in BBS speak)
237 SP is an alias for SEND PRIVATE
239 === 0^SET/ADDRESS <your address>^Record your postal address
241 === 0^SET/ANNOUNCE^Allow announce messages to come out on your terminal
242 === 0^UNSET/ANNOUNCE^Stop announce messages coming out on your terminal
244 === 0^SET/BEEP^Add a beep to DX and other messages on your terminal
245 === 0^UNSET/BEEP^Stop beeps for DX and other messages on your terminal
247 === 9^SET/DEBUG <name>^Add a debug level to the debug set
248 === 9^UNSET/DEBUG <name>^Remove a debug level from the debug set
250 === 0^SET/DX^Allow DX messages to come out on your terminal
251 === 0^UNSET/DX^Stop DX messages coming out on your terminal
253 === 0^SET/HERE^Tell the system you are present at your terminal
254 === 0^UNSET/HERE^Tell the system you are absent from your terminal
256 === 0^SET/HOMENODE <node> ^Set your normal cluster callsign
257 Tell the cluster system where you normally connect to. Any Messages sent
258 to you will normally find their way there should you not be connected.
262 === 9^SET/ISOLATE^Isolate a node from the rest of the network
263 Connect a node to your system in such a way that you are a full protocol
264 member of its network and can see all spots on it, but nothing either leaks
265 out from it nor goes back into from the rest of the nodes connected to you.
267 You can potentially connect several nodes in this way.
269 === 9^UNSET/ISOLATE^Stop Isolation of a node from the rest of the network
270 Remove isolation from a node - SET/ISOLATE
272 === 0^SET/LANGUAGE <lang>^Set the language you want to use
273 You can select the language that you want the cluster to use. Currently
274 the languages available are en (english) and nl (dutch).
276 === 0^SET/LOCATION <lat & long>^Set your latitude and longitude
277 === 9^SET/SYS_LOCATION <lat & long>^Set your cluster latitude and longitude
278 In order to get accurate headings and such like you must tell the system
279 what your latitude and longitude is. If you have not yet done a SET/QRA
280 then this command will set your QRA locator for you. For example:-
281 SET/LOCATION 52 22 N 0 57 E
283 === 9^SET/LOCKOUT <call>^Stop a callsign connecting to the cluster
284 === 9^UNSET/LOCKOUT <call>^Allow a callsign to connect to the cluster
286 === 0^SET/NAME <your name>^Set your name
287 Tell the system what your name is eg:-
290 === 9^SET/NODE <call> [<call>..]^Make the callsign an AK1A cluster
291 Tell the system that the call(s) are to be treated as AK1A cluster and
292 fed PC Protocol rather normal user commands.
294 === 0^SET/PAGE <lines per page>^Set the lines per page
295 Tell the system how many lines you wish on a page when the number of line
296 of output from a command is more than this. The default is 20. Setting it
297 explicitly to 0 will disable paging.
301 === 9^SET/PRIVILEGE <n> <call> [<call..]^Set privilege level on a call
302 Set the privilege level on a callsign. The privilege levels that pertain
303 to commands are as default:-
305 1 - allow remote nodes normal user RCMDs
306 5 - various privileged commands (including shutdown, but not disc-
307 connect), the normal level for another node.
308 8 - more privileged commands (including disconnect)
309 9 - local sysop privilege. DO NOT SET ANY REMOTE USER OR NODE TO THIS
311 If you are a sysop and you come in as a normal user on a remote connection
312 your privilege will automatically be set to 0.
314 === 9^SET/PASSWORD <callsign> <string>^Set a users password
315 The password for a user can only be set by a full sysop. The string
316 can contain any characters but any spaces are removed (you can type in
317 spaces - but they won't appear in the password). You can see the
318 result with STAT/USER.
320 === 0^SET/QRA <locator>^Set your QRA locator
321 === 9^SET/SYS_QRA <locator>^Set your cluster QRA locator
322 Tell the system what your QRA (or Maidenhead) locator is. If you have not
323 done a SET/LOCATION then your latitude and longitude will be set roughly
324 correctly (assuming your locator is correct ;-). For example:-
327 === 0^SET/QTH <your qth>^Set your QTH
328 Tell the system where you are. For example:-
329 SET/QTH East Dereham, Norfolk
331 === 0^SET/TALK^Allow TALK messages to come out on your terminal
332 === 0^UNSET/TALK^Stop TALK messages coming out on your terminal
334 === 0^SET/WWV^Allow WWV messages to come out on your terminal
335 === 0^UNSET/WWV^Stop WWV messages coming out on your terminal
337 === 0^SET/WX^Allow WX messages to come out on your terminal
338 === 0^UNSET/WX^Stop WX messages coming out on your terminal
340 === 0^SHOW/DX^Interrogate the spot database
341 If you just type SHOW/DX you will get the last so many spots
342 (sysop configurable, but usually 10).
344 In addition you can add any number of these commands in very nearly
345 any order to the basic SHOW/DX command, they are:-
347 on <band> - eg 160m 20m 2m 23cm 6mm
348 on <region> - eg hf vhf uhf shf (see SHOW/BANDS)
350 <number> - the number of spots you want
351 <from>-<to> - <from> spot no <to> spot no in the selected list
353 <prefix> - for a spotted callsign beginning with <prefix>
354 *<suffix> - for a spotted callsign ending in <suffix>
355 *<string>* - for a spotted callsign containing <string>
357 day <number> - starting <number> days ago
358 day <from>-<to> - <from> days <to> days ago
360 info <text> - any spots containing <text> in the info or remarks
362 spotter <call> - any spots spotted by <call>
367 SH/DX on 20m info iota
368 SH/DX 9a on vhf day 30
370 === 0^SHOW/DXCC <prefix>^Interrogate the spot database by country
371 This command takes the <prefix> (which can be a full or partial
372 callsign if desired), looks up which internal country number it is
373 and then displays all the spots as per SH/DX for that country.
375 The options for SHOW/DX also apply to this command.
379 SH/DXCC W on 20m info iota
381 === 0^SHOW/FILES [<filearea> [<string>]]^List the contents of a filearea
382 SHOW/FILES on its own will show you a list of the various fileareas
383 available on the system. To see the contents of a particular file
386 where <filearea> is the name of the filearea you want to see the
389 You can also use shell globbing characters like '*' and '?' in a
390 string to see a selection of files in a filearea eg:-
391 SH/FILES bulletins arld*
393 See also TYPE - to see the contents of a file.
395 === 0^SHOW/PREFIX <callsign>^Interrogate the prefix database
396 This command takes the <callsign> (which can be a full or partial
397 callsign or a prefix), looks up which internal country number
398 it is and then displays all the relevant prefixes for that country
399 together with the internal country no, the CQ and ITU regions.
403 === 0^SHOW/PROGRAM^Show the locations of all the included program modules
404 Show the name and location where every program module was load from. This
405 is useful for checking where you think you have loaded a .pm file from.
407 === 0^SHOW/WWV^Show last 10 WWV broadcasts
408 === 0^SHOW/WWV <n>^Show last <n> WWV broadcasts
409 Display the most recent WWV information that has been received by the system
411 === 5^SHUTDOWN^Shutdown the cluster
412 Shutdown the cluster and disconnect all the users
414 === 5^STAT/CHANNEL [<callsign>]^Show the status of a channel on the cluster
415 Show the internal status of the channel object either for the channel that
416 you are on or else for the callsign that you asked for.
418 Only the fields that are defined (in perl term) will be displayed.
420 === 5^STAT/USER [<callsign>]^Show the full status of a user
421 Shows the full contents of a user record including all the secret flags
424 Only the fields that are defined (in perl term) will be displayed.
426 === 0^SYSOP^Regain your privileges if you login remotely
427 The system automatically reduces your privilege level to that of a
428 normal user if you login in remotely. This command allows you to
429 regain your normal privilege level. It uses the normal system: five
430 numbers are returned that are indexes into the character array that is
431 your assigned password (see SET/PASSWORD). The indexes start from
434 You are expected to return a string which contains the characters
435 required in the correct order. You may intersperse those characters
436 with others to obscure your reply for any watchers. For example (and
437 these values are for explanation :-):
439 password = 012345678901234567890123456789
443 aa2bbbb0ccc5ddd7xxx3n
447 They will all match. If there is no password you will still be offered
448 numbers but nothing will happen when you input a string. Any match is
451 === 0^TALK <call> <text>^Send a text message to another station
452 === 0^TALK <call> > <node> <text>^Send a text message to another station via a node
453 Send a short message to any other station that is visible on the cluster
454 system. You can send it to anyone you can see with a SHOW/CONFIGURATION
455 command, they don't have to be connected locally.
457 The second form of TALK is used when other cluster nodes are connected
458 with restricted information. This usually means that they don't send
459 the user information usually associated with logging on and off the cluster.
461 If you know that G3JNB is likely to be present on GB7TLH, but you can only
462 see GB7TLH in the SH/C list but with no users, then you would use the
463 second form of the talk message.
465 === 0^TYPE <filearea>/<name>^Look at the contents of a file in one of the fileareas
466 Type out the contents of a file in a filearea. So, for example, in
467 filearea 'bulletins' you want to look at file 'arld051' you would
469 TYPE bulletins/arld051
471 See also SHOW/FILES to see what fileareas are available and a
474 === 0^WHO^Show who is physically connected
475 This is a quick listing that shows which callsigns are connected and
476 what sort of connection they have
478 === 0^WX <text>^Send a weather message to local users
479 === 0^WX FULL <text>^Send a weather message to all cluster users
480 === 5^WX SYSOP <text>^Send a weather message to other clusters only
481 Weather messages can sometimes be useful if you are experiencing an extreme
482 that may indicate enhanced conditions