The following is an attempt to define the information that should be placed in the "TO" and the "@" portions of a message. These help comprise the HIRARCHIAL ADDRESS of a message. The two types of messages that are discussed here are PERSONAL and BULLETINS. If it is a Personal Message, the first line that is sent may look like this: � �������������������������������� Send the Private message � ������������������ TO K7AYC � � ������� distribute to the BBS N7FSP � � � located in WAshington state � � � in the USA � � � in North America �� ����� ��������������� example 1: SP K7AYC @ N7FSP.WA.USA.NA Or, if it is a Bulletin, it may look something like this: � ���������������������������� Bulletin � ������������������ addressed TO anyone interested in � � AMSAT information � � ����������� distribute to the geographic � � � location Pacific NorthWest �� ����� ��� example 2: SB AMSAT @ PNW In example 1 the message being sent is Personal and needs a specific GEOGRAPHIC HIERARCHICAL address. The hierarchy of the address is parsed from right to left and identifies the location of the station to whom the message is addressed. The format of that address is as follows: ����� Send Personal �� NA - N. America � �� SA - S. America �� �� EU - Europe SP AAAAAA @ DDDDDD.SS.BBB.CC �� AS - Asia ������ ������ �� ��� �� �� AF - Africa � � � � ��� CONTINENT �� examples ��� AU - Australia � � � � � � � ��� COUNTRY ���� examples ������ ARG - Argentina � � � �� AUS - Australia � � ��� STATE or PROVINCE �� CAN - Canada � � (see note below) �� FRA - France � � �� GBR - Great Britan � � �� JPN - Japan � ��� DESTINATION BBS CALLSIGN �� MEX - Mexico � �� NZL - New Zeland ��� ADDRESSEE CALLSIGN �� MEX - Mexico �� USA - United States NOTE - The state (or province) can be left out if it is not requ`red for the country to which the message is destined. In example 2 the message being sent is a Bulletin. In Bulletins the hierarchy of the address is expressed in both the TO (expressing an AREA OF INTEREST) and the @ (expressing the GEOGRAPHICAL ADDRESS) portions of the address. Send Bulletin ���Ŀ ���������������� TO portion of address identifies � � the AREA OF INTEREST � � ������� @ portion of address identifies and �� ������ ������ limits GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION SB TTTTTT @ DDDDDD The TO portion identifies the AREA OF INTEREST, which usually is a topic such as ARRL, EXAMS, SALE, SAT, etc. It helps identify the population of persons who have an interest in reading the Bulletin. The @ portion of the message narrows the distribution of the Bulletin to specific GEOGRAPHIC AREAS (e.g. ALLBBS, PNW, ORGB, etc.) and in a few cases to a broad topical area (e.g. SYSOP, AMSAT). Some examples: SB SALE @ PNW �������� advertise an ham gear for sale in Pacific NW SB DX @ USA �������� a DX bulletin for distribution in whole USA SB MSYS @ SYSOP �������� MSYS information (for SYSOPs only) SB USERS @ K7UKP �������� Information for users of K7UKP BBS SB CLUB @ K7UKP �������� a club bulletin for persons on K7UKP BBS The following are examples of the information that should be placed in the TO position of a BULLETIN. They identify the AREA OF INTEREST. �ALL All packet sta.(see note below)�MODS re: equipment mods. �ARRL ARRL/CRRL bulletins �MSYS MSYS BBS info(SYSOP only) �CALLS last calls issued FCC �NETWRK packet network info. �CLASS re: ham license classes �NTS Nat. Traffic System �CLUB Club events/meet/etc. �PUBSVC Public service info. �DX DX reports and info �REBBS AA4RE info (SYSOP only) ���ĴEVENT announcment ���ĴRLIBBS RLI BBS info (SYSOP only) � �EXAMS re: ham examinations � �RTTYDX VK2SG RTTY news � �HAMFST Hamfest/flea mkt info. � �SAT Satellite info � �HELP need help, questions � �SALE Items for sale/trade � �INFO General information � �SPACE SpaceNews-KB2BD � �KEPS Keplerian Elem.(satellite) � �SWAP SWAP meet � �LIST Lists, BBSs, Nodes, Freqs � �SYSOP For SYSOPS only! � �MBLBBS MBL BBS info (SYSOPs only) � �TCPIP TCPIP information � �MAPKEY Index or lists of maps � �USERS All users of a single BBS ����������������������������������������� �WANTED Ham gear wanted ����� MSG # TR SIZE TO FROM @BBS DATE TITLE 18414 PN 2166 SYSOP K7UKP PNW 910527 MESSAGE ROUTINGS NOTE (ALL) - Use the ALL designation sparingly. Instead, use the @ ALLBBS or @ALLUSA GEOGRAPHIC ADDRESS along with an AREA OF INTEREST. The following are examples of the information that should be placed in the @ (BBS) position of a BULLETIN. They identify the GEOGRAPHIC ADDRESS. � � �ALLBBS National distribution � �ALLUSA National distribution � �ALLUSW West Coast only � �AMSAT National AMSAT info. � �EWGB East WA only � �IDAHO Idaho only � �LAN80 Limited Distribution � ��ĴLAN40 Limited Distribution � � �MTGB Montana only � � �NWS WX report (very limited) � � �ORGB OR only � � �PNW Entire Pacific NW (NWGB obsolete) � � �PUGET Limited dist. for Puget Sound � � �SYSOP SYSOPS only! � � �WAGB Washington State only � � �WWGB West WA incl. some OR & BC BBS � � � ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� � ����� MSG # TR SIZE TO FROM @BBS DATE TITLE 18414 PN 2166 SYSOP K7UKP PNW 910527 MESSAGE ROUTINGS Send any suggestions to Jay K7UKP @ K7UKP.OR