modify RBN timing arrangements
[spider.git] / perl / RBN.pm
index 15b4aa479fc86b1dd2702233dda887f0d380e243..8c2fbaadc5911079367118faac7a1c71ac4987e6 100644 (file)
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use DXUtil;
 use DXLog;
 use DXUser;
 use DXChannel;
-use Math::Round qw(nearest);
+use Math::Round qw(nearest nearest_floor);
 use Date::Parse;
 use Time::HiRes qw(gettimeofday);
 use Spot;
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ use constant {
                          CData => 2,
                         };
 
+use constant {
+                         DScore => 0,
+                         DGood => 1,
+                         DBad => 2,
+                         DLastin => 3,
+                         DEviants => 4,
+                        };
+
 
 our $DATA_VERSION = 1;
 
@@ -77,6 +85,11 @@ our $beacontime = 5*60;                      # same as minspottime, but for beacons (and shorter)
 our $dwelltime = 10;                   # the amount of time to wait for duplicates before issuing
                                 # a spot to the user (no doubt waiting with bated breath).
 
+our $limbotime = 5*60;                         # if there are fewer than $minqual candidates and $dwelltime
+                                # has expired then allow this spot to live a bit longer. It may
+                                # simply be that it is not in standard spot coverage. (ask G4PIQ
+                                # about this).
+
 our $filterdef = $Spot::filterdef; # we use the same filter as the Spot system. Can't think why :-).
 
 my $spots;                                             # the GLOBAL spot cache
@@ -88,13 +101,16 @@ our $cache_valid = 4*60;           # The cache file is considered valid if it is not more
 
 our $maxqrgdiff = 10;                  # the maximum
 our $minqual = 2;                              # the minimum quality we will accept for output
+our $maxqual = 9;                              # if there is enough quality, then short circuit any remaining dwelltime.
 
 my $json;
 my $noinrush = 0;                              # override the inrushpreventor if set
+our $maxdeviants = 5;                  # the number of deviant QRGs to record for skimmer records
 
 sub init
 {
        $json = DXJSON->new;
+       $json->canonical(0);
        if (check_cache()) {
                $noinrush = 1;
        } else {
@@ -206,7 +222,7 @@ sub normal
        my $self = shift;
        my $line = shift;
        my @ans;
-#      my $spots = $self->{spot};
+       my $dbgrbn = isdbg('rbn');
        
        # remove leading and trailing spaces
        chomp $line;
@@ -241,7 +257,7 @@ sub normal
        $sort ||= '';
        $tx ||= '';
        $qra ||= '';
-    dbg qq{RBN:input decode or:$origin qr:$qrg ca:$call mo:$mode s:$s m:$m sp:$spd u:$u sort:$sort t:$t tx:$tx qra:$qra} if isdbg('rbn');
+    dbg qq{RBN:input decode or:$origin qr:$qrg ca:$call mo:$mode s:$s m:$m sp:$spd u:$u sort:$sort t:$t tx:$tx qra:$qra} if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
 
        ++$self->{noraw};
        ++$self->{noraw10};
@@ -294,37 +310,33 @@ sub normal
                # process to just the standard "message passing" which has been shown to be able to sustain over 5000 
                # per second (limited by the test program's output and network speed, rather than DXSpider's handling).
 
-               my $nearest = 1;
                my $search = 5;
-               my $mult = 10;
-               my $tqrg = $qrg * $mult; 
-               my $nqrg = nearest($nearest, $tqrg);  # normalised to nearest Khz
-#              my $nqrg = nearest_even($qrg);  # normalised to nearest Khz
+               my $nqrg = nearest(1, $qrg * 10);  # normalised to nearest Khz
                my $sp = "$call|$nqrg";           # hopefully the skimmers will be calibrated at least this well!
 
                # find it?
                my $cand = $spots->{$sp};
                unless ($cand) {
                        my ($i, $new);
-                       for ($i = $tqrg; !$cand && $i <= $tqrg+$search; $i += 1) {
+                       for ($i = $nqrg; !$cand && $i <= $nqrg+$search; $i += 1) {
                                $new = "$call|$i";
                                $cand = $spots->{$new}, last if exists $spots->{$new};
                        }
                        if ($cand) {
-                               my $diff = $i - $tqrg;
-                               dbg(qq{RBN: QRG Diff using $new (+$diff) for $sp for qrg $qrg}) if (isdbg('rbnqrg') || isdbg('rbn'));
+                               my $diff = $i - $nqrg;
+                               dbg(qq{RBN: QRG Diff using $new (+$diff) for $sp for qrg $qrg}) if (isdbg('rbnqrg') || ($dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn')));
                                $sp = $new;
                        }
                }
                unless ($cand) {
                        my ($i, $new);
-                       for ($i = $tqrg; !$cand && $i >= $tqrg-$search; $i -= 1) {
+                       for ($i = $nqrg; !$cand && $i >= $nqrg-$search; $i -= 1) {
                                $new = "$call|$i";
                                $cand = $spots->{$new}, last if exists $spots->{$new};
                        }
                        if ($cand) {
-                               my $diff = $tqrg - $i;
-                               dbg(qq{RBN: QRG Diff using $new (-$diff) for $sp for qrg $qrg}) if (isdbg('rbnqrg') || isdbg('rbn'));
+                               my $diff = $nqrg - $i;
+                               dbg(qq{RBN: QRG Diff using $new (-$diff) for $sp for qrg $qrg}) if (isdbg('rbnqrg') || ($dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn')));
                                $sp = $new;
                        }
                }
@@ -333,12 +345,12 @@ sub normal
                my $respot = 0;
                if ($cand && ref $cand) {
                        if (@$cand <= CData) {
-                               unless ($self->{minspottime} > 0 && $now - $cand->[CTime] >= $self->{minspottime}) {
-                                       dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' call: $call qrg: $qrg DUPE \@ ". atime(int $cand->[CTime])) if isdbg('rbn');
+                               if ($self->{minspottime} > 0 && $now - $cand->[CTime] < $self->{minspottime}) {
+                                       dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' call: $call qrg: $qrg DUPE \@ ". atime(int $cand->[CTime])) if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
                                        return;
                                }
                                
-                               dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' RESPOTTING call: $call qrg: $qrg last seen \@ ". atime(int $cand->[CTime])) if isdbg('rbn');
+                               dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' RESPOTTING call: $call qrg: $qrg last seen \@ ". atime(int $cand->[CTime])) if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
                                $cand->[CTime] = $now;
                                ++$respot;
                        }
@@ -347,12 +359,10 @@ sub normal
                } elsif ($cand) {
                        dbg("RBN: key '$sp' = '$cand' not ref");
                        return;
-               }
-
-               # here we either have an existing spot record buildup on the go, or we need to create the first one
-               unless ($cand) {
+               } else {
+                       # new spot / frequency
                        $spots->{$sp} = $cand = [$now, 0];
-                       dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' call: $call qrg: $qrg NEW" . ($respot ? ' RESPOT' : '')) if isdbg('rbn');
+                       dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' call: $call qrg: $qrg NEW" . ($respot ? ' RESPOT' : '')) if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
                }
 
                # add me to the display queue unless we are waiting for initial in rush to finish
@@ -380,12 +390,12 @@ sub normal
 
                ++$self->{queue}->{$sp};# unless @$cand>= CData; # queue the KEY (not the record)
 
-               dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' ADD RECORD call: $call qrg: $qrg origin: $origin") if isdbg('rbn');
+               dbg("RBN: key: '$sp' ADD RECORD call: $call qrg: $qrg origin: $origin respot: $respot") if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
 
                push @$cand, $r;
 
        } else {
-               dbg "RBN:DATA,$line" if isdbg('rbn');
+               dbg "RBN:DATA,$line" if $dbgrbn && isdbg('rbn');
        }
 }
 
@@ -440,6 +450,7 @@ sub dx_spot
        my $quality = shift;
        my $cand = shift;
        my $call = $dxchan->{call};
+       my $seeme = $dxchan->user->rbnseeme();
        my $strength = 100;             # because it could if we talk about FTx
        my $saver;
        my %zone;
@@ -457,16 +468,22 @@ sub dx_spot
        foreach my $r (@$cand) {
                # $r = [$origin, $qrg, $call, $mode, $s, $t, $utz, $respot, $qra];
                # Spot::prepare($qrg, $call, $utz, $comment, $origin);
-               next unless ref $r;
+               next unless $r && ref $r;
 
                $qra = $r->[RQra] if !$qra && $r->[RQra] && is_qra($r->[RQra]);
 
                $comment = sprintf "%-3s %2ddB $quality", $r->[RMode], $r->[RStrength];
                my $s = $r->[RSpotData];                # the prepared spot
                $s->[SComment] = $comment;              # apply new generated comment
-               
+
                ++$zone{$s->[SZone]};           # save the spotter's zone
+
+               # if the 'see me' flag is set, then show all the spots without further adornment (see set/rbnseeme for more info)
+               if ($seeme) {
+                       send_final($dxchan, $s);
+                       next;
+               }
+
                # save the lowest strength one
                if ($r->[RStrength] < $strength) {
                        $strength = $r->[RStrength];
@@ -479,7 +496,6 @@ sub dx_spot
                        dbg("RBN: FILTERING for $call spot: $s->[SCall] qrg: $s->[SQrg] origin: $s->[SOrigin] dB: $r->[RStrength] com: '$s->[SComment]' want: " . ($want ? 'YES':'NO')) if isdbg 'rbnll';
                        next unless $want;
                        $filtered = $s;
-#                      last;
                }
        }
 
@@ -496,22 +512,8 @@ sub dx_spot
                # alter spot data accordingly
                $saver->[SComment] .= " Z:$z" if $z;
                
-               dbg("RBN: SENDING to $call spot: $saver->[SCall] qrg: $saver->[SQrg] origin: $saver->[SOrigin] $saver->[SComment]") if isdbg 'rbnll';
-               if ($dxchan->{ve7cc}) {
-                       my $call = $saver->[SOrigin];
-                       $saver->[SOrigin] .= '-#';
-                       $buf = VE7CC::dx_spot($dxchan, @$saver);
-                       $saver->[SOrigin] = $call;
-               } else {
-                       my $call = $saver->[SOrigin];
-                       $saver->[SOrigin] = substr($call, 0, 6);
-                       $saver->[SOrigin] .= '-#';
-                       $buf = $dxchan->format_dx_spot(@$saver);
-                       $saver->[SOrigin] = $call;
-               }
-#              $buf =~ s/^DX/RB/;
-               $dxchan->local_send('N', $buf);
-
+               send_final($dxchan, $saver);
+               
                ++$self->{nospot};
                ++$self->{nospot10};
                ++$self->{nospothour};
@@ -527,89 +529,270 @@ sub dx_spot
        }
 }
 
+sub send_final
+{
+       my $dxchan = shift;
+       my $saver = shift;
+       my $call = $dxchan->{call};
+       my $buf;
+       
+       dbg("RBN: SENDING to $call spot: $saver->[SCall] qrg: $saver->[SQrg] origin: $saver->[SOrigin] $saver->[SComment]") if isdbg 'rbnll';
+       if ($dxchan->{ve7cc}) {
+               my $call = $saver->[SOrigin];
+               $saver->[SOrigin] .= '-#';
+               $buf = VE7CC::dx_spot($dxchan, @$saver);
+               $saver->[SOrigin] = $call;
+       } else {
+               my $call = $saver->[SOrigin];
+               $saver->[SOrigin] = substr($call, 0, 6);
+               $saver->[SOrigin] .= '-#';
+               $buf = $dxchan->format_dx_spot(@$saver);
+               $saver->[SOrigin] = $call;
+       }
+       $dxchan->local_send('N', $buf);
+}
+
 # per second
 sub process
 {
+       my $rbnskim = isdbg('rbnskim');
+       
        foreach my $dxchan (DXChannel::get_all()) {
                next unless $dxchan->is_rbn;
-               
+
                # At this point we run the queue to see if anything can be sent onwards to the punter
                my $now = $main::systime;
-
+               my $ta = [gettimeofday];
+               my $items = 0;
+               
                # now run the waiting queue which just contains KEYS ($call|$qrg)
                foreach my $sp (keys %{$dxchan->{queue}}) {
                        my $cand = $spots->{$sp};
+                       ++$items;
+                       
                        unless ($cand && $cand->[CTime]) {
                                dbg "RBN Cand $sp " . ($cand ? 'def' : 'undef') . " [CTime] " . ($cand->[CTime] ? 'def' : 'undef') . " dwell $dwelltime";
+                               delete $spots->{$sp};
+                               delete $dxchan->{queue}->{$sp};    # remove
                                next;
-                       } 
-                       if ($now >= $cand->[CTime] + $dwelltime ) {
+                       }
+                       
+                       my $ctime = $cand->[CTime];
+                       my $quality = @$cand - CData;
+                       my $dwellsecs =  $now - $ctime;
+                       if ($quality >= $maxqual || $dwellsecs >= $dwelltime || $dwellsecs >= $limbotime) {
                                # we have a candidate, create qualitee value(s);
                                unless (@$cand > CData) {
-                                       dbg "RBN: QUEUE key '$sp' MISSING RECORDS, IGNORED" . dd($cand) if isdbg 'rbn';
+                                       dbg "RBN: QUEUE key '$sp' MISSING RECORDS, IGNORED" . dd($cand) if isdbg 'rbnqueue';
+                                       delete $spots->{$sp}; # don't remember it either - this means that a spot HAS to come in with sufficient spotters to be processed.
+                                       delete $dxchan->{queue}->{$sp};
                                        next;
                                }
                                dbg "RBN: QUEUE PROCESSING key: '$sp' $now >= $cand->[CTime]" if isdbg 'rbnqueue'; 
-                               my $quality = @$cand - CData;
+                               my $spotters = $quality;
+
+                               # dump it and remove it from the queue if it is of unadequate quality, but only if it is no longer in Limbo and can be reasonably passed on to its demise
+                               my $r = $cand->[CData];
+                               if ($dwellsecs > $limbotime && $quality < $minqual) {
+                                       if ( $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim')) {
+                                               $r = $cand->[CData];
+                                               if ($r) {
+                                                       my $lastin = difft($ctime, $now, 2);
+                                                       my $s = "RBN:SKIM time in Limbo exceeded DUMPED (lastin: $lastin Q:$quality < Q:$minqual) key: '$sp' = $r->[RCall] on $r->[RQrg] by $r->[ROrigin] \@ $r->[RTime] route: $dxchan->{call}";
+                                                       dbg($s);
+                                               }
+                                       }
+                                       delete $spots->{$sp}; # don't remember it either - this means that a spot HAS to come in with sufficient spotters to be processed.
+                                       delete $dxchan->{queue}->{$sp};
+                                       next;
+                               }
+
+                               # we have a possible removal from Limbo, check for more than one skimmer and reset the quality if required
+                               # DOES THIS TEST CAUSE RACES?
+                               if (!$r->[Respot] && $quality >= $minqual && $dwellsecs > $dwelltime+1) {
+
+                                       # because we don't need to check for repeats by the same skimmer in the normal case, we do here
+                                       my %seen;
+                                       my @origin;
+                                       foreach my $wr (@$cand) {
+                                               next unless ref $wr;
+                                               push @origin, $wr->[ROrigin];
+                                               if (exists $seen{$wr->[ROrigin]}) {
+                                                       next;
+                                               }
+                                               $seen{$wr->[ROrigin]} = $wr;
+                                       }
+                                       # reset the quality to ignore dupes
+                                       my $oq = $quality;
+                                       $quality = keys %seen;
+                                       if ($quality >= $minqual) {
+                                               if ( $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim')) {
+                                                       my $lastin = difft($ctime, $now, 2);
+                                                       my $sk = join ' ', keys %seen;
+                                                       my $or = join ' ', @origin;
+                                                       my $s = "RBN:SKIM promoted from Limbo - key: '$sp' (lastin: $lastin Q now: $quality was $oq skimmers now: $sk";
+                                                       $s .= " was $or" if $or ne $sk;
+                                                       $s .= ')';
+                                                       dbg($s);
+                                               } 
+                                       } elsif ($oq != $quality) {
+                                               if ( $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim')) {
+                                                       my $lastin = difft($ctime, $now, 2);
+                                                       my $sk = join ' ', keys %seen;
+                                                       my $or = join ' ', @origin;
+                                                       my $s = "RBN:SKIM quality reset key: '$sp' (lastin: $lastin Q now: $quality was $oq skimmers now: $sk was: $or)";
+                                                       dbg($s);
+                                               }
+                                               # remove the excess
+                                               my @ncand = (@$cand[CTime, CQual], values %seen);
+                                               $spots->{$sp} = \@ncand;
+                                       }
+                               }
+
+                               # we now kick this spot into Limbo 
+                               if ($quality < $minqual) {
+                                       next;
+                               }
+
                                $quality = 9 if $quality > 9;
                                $cand->[CQual] = $quality if $quality > $cand->[CQual];
 
-                               my $r;
-                               my %qrg;
+                               # this scores each candidate according to its skimmer's QRG score (i.e. how often it agrees with its peers)
+                               # what happens is hash of all QRGs in candidates are incremented by that skimmer's reputation for "accuracy"
+                               # or, more exactly, past agreement with the consensus. This score can be from -5 -> +5. 
+                               my %qrg = ();
+                               my $skimmer;
+                               my $sk;
+                               my $band;
+                               my %seen = ();
                                foreach $r (@$cand) {
                                        next unless ref $r;
-                                       ++$qrg{$r->[RQrg]};
+                                       if (exists $seen{$r->[ROrigin]}) {
+                                               $r = 0;
+                                               next;
+                                       }
+                                       $seen{$r->[ROrigin]} = 1;
+                                       $band ||= int $r->[RQrg] / 1000;
+                                       $sk = "SKIM|$r->[ROrigin]|$band"; # thus only once per set of candidates
+                                       $skimmer = $spots->{$sk};
+                                       unless ($skimmer) {
+                                               $skimmer = $spots->{$sk} = [1, 0, 0, $now, []]; # this first time, this new skimmer gets the benefit of the doubt on frequency.
+                                               dbg("RBN:SKIM new slot $sk " . $json->encode($skimmer)) if  $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim');
+                                       }
+                                       $qrg{$r->[RQrg]} += ($skimmer->[DScore] || 1);
                                }
-                               # determine the most likely qrg and then set it
+                               
+                               # determine the most likely qrg and then set it - NOTE (-)ve votes, generated by the skimmer scoring system above, are ignored
                                my @deviant;
                                my $c = 0;
                                my $mv = 0;
-                               my $qrg;
+                               my $qrg = 0;
                                while (my ($k, $votes) = each %qrg) {
-                                       $qrg = $k, $mv = $votes if $votes > $mv;
+                                       if ($votes >= $mv) {
+                                               $qrg = $k;
+                                               $mv = $votes;
+                                       }
                                        ++$c;
                                }
-                               # spit out the deviants
-                               if ($c > 1) {
-                                       foreach $r (@$cand) {
-                                               next unless ref $r;
-                                               my $diff = nearest(.1, $qrg - $r->[RQrg]);
-                                               push @deviant, sprintf("$r->[ROrigin]:%+.1f", $diff) if $diff != 0;
-                                               $r->[RSpotData]->[SQrg] = $qrg; # set all the QRGs to the agreed value
+
+                               # Ignore possible spots with 0 QRG score - as determined by the skimmer scoring system above -  as they are likely to be wrong 
+                               unless ($qrg > 0) {
+                                       if ( $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim')) {
+                                               my $keys;
+                                               while (my ($k, $v) = (each %qrg)) {
+                                                       $keys .= "$k=>$v, ";
+                                               }
+                                               $keys =~ /,\s*$/;
+                                               my $i = 0;
+                                               foreach $r (@$cand) {
+                                                       next unless $r && ref $r;
+                                                       dbg "RBN:SKIM cand $i QRG likely wrong from '$sp' = $r->[RCall] on $r->[RQrg] by $r->[ROrigin] \@ $r->[RTime] (qrgs: $keys c: $c) route: $dxchan->{call}, ignored";
+                                                       ++$i;
+                                               }
+                                       }
+                                       delete $spots->{$sp}; # get rid
+                                       delete $dxchan->{queue}->{$sp};
+                                       next;
+                               }
+
+                               # detemine and spit out the deviants. Then adjust the scores according to whether it is a deviant or good
+                               # NOTE: deviant nodes can become good (or less bad), and good nodes bad (or less good) on each spot that
+                               # they generate. This is based solely on each skimmer's agreement (or not) with the "consensus" score generated
+                               # above ($qrg). The resultant score + good + bad is stored per band and will be used the next time a spot
+                               # appears on this band from each skimmer.
+                               foreach $r (@$cand) {
+                                       next unless $r && ref $r;
+                                       my $diff = $c > 1 ? nearest(.1, $r->[RQrg] - $qrg) : 0;
+                                       $sk = "SKIM|$r->[ROrigin]|$band";
+                                       $skimmer = $spots->{$sk};
+                                       if ($diff) {
+                                               ++$skimmer->[DBad] if $skimmer->[DBad] < $maxdeviants;
+                                               --$skimmer->[DGood] if $skimmer->[DGood] > 0;
+                                               push @deviant, sprintf("$r->[ROrigin]:%+.1f", $diff);
+                                               push @{$skimmer->[DEviants]}, $diff;
+                                               shift @{$skimmer->[DEviants]} while @{$skimmer->[DEviants]} > $maxdeviants;
+                                       } else {
+                                               ++$skimmer->[DGood] if $skimmer->[DGood] < $maxdeviants;
+                                               --$skimmer->[DBad] if $skimmer->[DBad] > 0;
+                                               shift @{$skimmer->[DEviants]};
                                        }
+                                       $skimmer->[DScore] = $skimmer->[DGood] - $skimmer->[DBad];
+                                       if ($rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim')) {
+                                               my $lastin = difft($skimmer->[DLastin], $now, 2);
+                                               my $difflist = join(', ', @{$skimmer->[DEviants]});
+                                               $difflist = " band qrg diffs: $difflist" if $difflist;
+                                               dbg("RBN:SKIM key $sp slot $sk $r->[RQrg] - $qrg = $diff Skimmer score: $skimmer->[DGood] - $skimmer->[DBad] = $skimmer->[DScore] lastseen:$lastin ago$difflist"); 
+                                       }
+                                       $skimmer->[DLastin] = $now;
+                                       $r->[RSpotData]->[SQrg] = $qrg if $qrg && $c > 1; # set all the QRGs to the agreed value
                                }
 
-                               $qrg = sprintf "%.1f",  $qrg;
+                               $qrg = (sprintf "%.1f",  $qrg)+0;
                                $r = $cand->[CData];
                                $r->[RQrg] = $qrg;
                                my $squality = "Q:$cand->[CQual]";
                                $squality .= '*' if $c > 1; 
                                $squality .= '+' if $r->[Respot];
 
-                               if ($cand->[CQual] >= $minqual) {
-                                       if (isdbg('progress')) {
-                                               my $s = "RBN: SPOT key: '$sp' = $r->[RCall] on $r->[RQrg] by $r->[ROrigin] \@ $r->[RTime] $squality route: $dxchan->{call}";
-                                               $s .= " Deviants: " . join(', ', sort @deviant) if @deviant;
-                                               dbg($s);
-                                       }
-                                       send_dx_spot($dxchan, $squality, $cand);
-                               } elsif (isdbg('rbn')) {
-                                       my $s = "RBN: SPOT IGNORED(Q $cand->[CQual] < $minqual) key: '$sp' = $r->[RCall] on $r->[RQrg] by $r->[ROrigin] \@ $r->[RTime] $squality route: $dxchan->{call}";
+                               if (isdbg('progress')) {
+                                       my $rt = difft($ctime, $now, 2);
+                                       my $s = "RBN: SPOT key: '$sp' = $r->[RCall] on $r->[RQrg] by $r->[ROrigin] \@ $r->[RTime] $squality route: $dxchan->{call} dwell:$rt";
+                                       my $td = @deviant;
+                                       $s .= " QRGScore: $mv Deviants: $td/$spotters";
+                                       $s .= ' (' . join(', ', sort @deviant) . ')' if $td;
                                        dbg($s);
                                }
+
+                               # finally send it out to any waiting public
+                               send_dx_spot($dxchan, $squality, $cand);
                                
                                # clear out the data and make this now just "spotted", but no further action required until respot time
                                dbg "RBN: QUEUE key '$sp' cleared" if isdbg 'rbn';
-                               
-                               $spots->{$sp} = [$now, $cand->[CQual]];
+
                                delete $dxchan->{queue}->{$sp};
+
+                               # calculate new sp (which will be 70% likely the same as the old one)
+                               # we do this to cope with the fact that the first spotter may well be "wrongly calibrated" giving a qrg that disagrees with the majority.
+                               # and we want to store the key that corresponds to majority opinion. 
+                               my $nqrg = nearest(1, $qrg * 10);  # normalised to nearest Khz
+                               my $nsp = "$r->[RCall]|$nqrg";
+                               if ($sp ne $nsp) {
+                                       dbg("RBN:SKIM CHANGE KEY sp '$sp' -> '$nsp' for storage") if  $rbnskim && isdbg('rbnskim');
+                                       delete $spots->{$sp};
+                                       $spots->{$nsp} = [$now, $cand->[CQual]];
+                               } else {
+                                       $spots->{$sp} = [$now, $cand->[CQual]];
+                               }
                        }
                        else {
                                dbg sprintf("RBN: QUEUE key: '$sp' SEND time not yet reached %.1f secs left", $cand->[CTime] + $dwelltime - $now) if isdbg 'rbnqueue'; 
                        }
                }
+               if (isdbg('rbntimer')) {
+                       my $diff = _diffus($ta);
+                       dbg "RBN: TIMER process queue for call: $dxchan->{call} $items spots $diff uS";
+               }
        }
-       
 }
 
 sub per_minute
@@ -636,6 +819,7 @@ sub per_10_minute
        while (my ($k,$cand) = each %{$spots}) {
                next if $k eq 'VERSION';
                next if $k =~ /^O\|/;
+               next if $k =~ /^SKIM\|/;
                
                if ($main::systime - $cand->[CTime] > $minspottime*2) {
                        delete $spots->{$k};
@@ -649,7 +833,8 @@ sub per_10_minute
        foreach my $dxchan (DXChannel::get_all()) {
                next unless $dxchan->is_rbn;
                my $nq = keys %{$dxchan->{queue}};
-               dbg "RBN:STATS 10-minute $dxchan->{call} queue: $nq raw: $dxchan->{noraw10} retrieved spots: $dxchan->{norbn10} delivered: $dxchan->{nospot10} after filtering to  users: " . scalar keys %{$dxchan->{nousers10}};
+               my $pc = $dxchan->{noraw10} ? sprintf("%.1f%%",$dxchan->{norbn10}*100/$dxchan->{noraw10}) : '0.0%';
+               dbg "RBN:STATS 10-minute $dxchan->{call} queue: $nq raw: $dxchan->{noraw10} retrieved spots: $dxchan->{norbn10} ($pc) delivered: $dxchan->{nospot10} after filtering to  users: " . scalar keys %{$dxchan->{nousers10}};
                $dxchan->{noraw10} = $dxchan->{norbn10} = $dxchan->{nospot10} = 0; $dxchan->{nousers10} = {};
        }
 }
@@ -659,7 +844,8 @@ sub per_hour
        foreach my $dxchan (DXChannel::get_all()) {
                next unless $dxchan->is_rbn;
                my $nq = keys %{$dxchan->{queue}};
-               dbg "RBN:STATS hour $dxchan->{call} queue: $nq raw: $dxchan->{norawhour} retrieved spots: $dxchan->{norbnhour} delivered: $dxchan->{nospothour} after filtering to users: " . scalar keys %{$dxchan->{nousershour}};
+               my $pc = $dxchan->{norawhour} ? sprintf("%.1f%%",$dxchan->{norbnhour}*100/$dxchan->{norawhour}) : '0.0%';
+               dbg "RBN:STATS hour $dxchan->{call} queue: $nq raw: $dxchan->{norawhour} retrieved spots: $dxchan->{norbnhour} ($pc) delivered: $dxchan->{nospothour} after filtering to users: " . scalar keys %{$dxchan->{nousershour}};
                $dxchan->{norawhour} = $dxchan->{norbnhour} = $dxchan->{nospothour} = 0; $dxchan->{nousershour} = {};
        }
 }
@@ -671,10 +857,21 @@ sub finish
 
 sub write_cache
 {
-       my $fh = IO::File->new(">$cachefn") or confess("writing $cachefn $!");
-       my $s = $json->encode($spots);
-       $fh->print($s);
-       $fh->close;
+       my $ta = [ gettimeofday ];
+       $json->indent(1)->canonical(1) if isdbg 'rbncache';
+       my $s = eval {$json->encode($spots)};
+       if ($s) {
+               my $fh = IO::File->new(">$cachefn") or confess("writing $cachefn $!");
+               $fh->print($s);
+               $fh->close;
+       } else {
+               dbg("RBN:Write_cache error '$@'");
+               return;
+       }
+       $json->indent(0)->canonical(0);
+       my $diff = _diffms($ta);
+       my $size = sprintf('%.3fKB', (length($s) / 1000));
+       dbg("RBN:WRITE_CACHE size: $size time to write: $diff mS");
 }
 
 sub check_cache
@@ -700,10 +897,11 @@ sub check_cache
                                eval {$spots = $json->decode($s)};
                                if ($spots && ref $spots) {     
                                        if (exists $spots->{VERSION} && $spots->{VERSION} == $DATA_VERSION) {
-                                               # now clean out anything that is current
+                                               # now clean out anything that has spot build ups in progress
                                                while (my ($k, $cand) = each %$spots) {
                                                        next if $k eq 'VERSION';
                                                        next if $k =~ /^O\|/;
+                                                       next if $k =~ /^SKIM\|/;
                                                        if (@$cand > CData) {
                                                                $spots->{$k} = [$cand->[CTime], $cand->[CQual]];
                                                        }
@@ -712,8 +910,8 @@ sub check_cache
                                                return 1;
                                        } 
                                }
+                               dbg("RBN::checkcache error decoding $@");
                        }
-                       dbg("RBN::checkcache error decoding $@");
                } else {
                        my $d = difft($main::systime-$cache_valid);
                        dbg("RBN::checkcache '$cachefn' created $p ago is too old (> $d), ignored");