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AL0Y > SYSOP 03.01.21 21:15l 142 Lines 6883 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 14471_AL0Y
Read: GUEST
Subj: Forwarding in BPQ systems
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<IK5FKA<IK5FKA<LU9HGS<LU3DVN<LU9DCE<EC5W<KD8FMR<AL0Y
Sent: 210103/1913Z 14471@AL0Y.#NNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.21
Hello, all...
I would like to take a moment and speak about forwarding and HRoutes in BPQ system.
I am sure that other system may be similar, but this message focuses on how forwarding
is done in BPQ-based BBSs.
IN BPQ, the system differentiates between three types of messages
1) Flood bulls
2) Directed Bulls
3) Personal messages
There is a very small difference between "Personal Messages" and "Directed bulls"
that I will be mentioning later in this message. But to keep it simple and to not
confuse people.. Let's talk about bulls first.
When you first setup your BBS using BPQ, one of the fields you enter is the BBS
HA route.
I will use mine as an example: AL0Y.#NNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM
This field is very important, as this is how the BBS later differentiates between
directed bulls and flood bulls.
So, let's assume I receive a message on my BBS (locally or forwarded to my BBS),
the BBS will then examine the destination flood area.
If the message is addressed to @NJ.USA.NOAM, this message will be considered to
have reached its flood area (because my BBS is in NJ.USA.NOAM)
If the message is addressed to @USA.NOAM, it's also considered to have reached its
flood area, because my BBS is in USA.NOAM..
Same applied if I received a message for @NOAM.. You get the idea.
So, the 3 previous examples are considered by the BBS to be "FLOOD Bulls"
Now, let's assume I receive a message for KY.USA.NOAM..
Even though I am located in USA.NOAM, this message is directed to only
KY state, and not NJ. The BBS considers this a "DIRECTED BULL"
Same applies if I receive a message for @CAN.NOAM
or even if I receive a message addressed to @EURO, @AUNZ, @SOAM..etc.
They are all considered as "Directed BULL"
Now, we know how the BPQ system differentiates between DIRECTED and FLOOD bulls.
But what difference does it make?
The difference is how and where the messages are routed....
When the BBS wants to forward a "Flood bulls", it will send it to *ALL* BBSs that have
the route in their forward configuration.
Where "Directed Bulls" are forwarded to *ONLY* one BBS which has the best match
for a HR.
The best match, is based on WHICH LEVEL of the HR is matched.
So, I usually send all EURO messages to PE1RRR... but I have a GB7YEW configured to
receive @GBR.EURO..
If I have a message for FRA.EURO (and I have no configured BBS to receive FRA), my message
will go to PE1RRR for relay, but a message for GBR, will go to GB7YEW.
Since GB7YEW matches 2 levels of the route, but PE1RRR matches only one level.
Now, Let's say I am configuring forward with N5MDT, who is in #STX.TX.USA.NOAM
N5MDT and me, are in different states, but both are in USA.NOAM.
So, in my BPQ forwarding configuration for N5MDT, I put "USA.NOAM" in the "FLOOD BULLS"
I can also add "WW" in "Flood bulls" since any WW message is a flood bulls by definition.
See, we both are in USA.NOAM.WW (if you will).
However, I also want to send him "Directed Bulls" addressed to @TX.USA.NOAM..
So, I add "TX.USA.NOAM" in the field of "DIRECTED BULLS and PERSONAL MESSAGES"
I also know (by having a conversation with N5MDT) that he has an out let to
AR.USA.NOAM and GA.USA.NOAM.. Since I don't have any forwarding partner to those states,
I can add those HRs for AR, and GA..in N5MDT's "directed bulls" field.
Now, Let's say I receive a bull directed to "IN.USA.NOAM" , and I don't have IN.USA.NOAM
in any of my forwarding partners configurations. This message will die on my BBS.
Same happens for messages directed to un-recognized areas like "latnet" for example.
But we will get to that in a moment.
I hope the previous explained the difference between Flood and Directed Bulls.
Flood are directed to your same area, and are sent to ALL who match.
Directed bulls are for areas outside your HR, and are sent ONLY to best match.
So, where do personal messages fit?
Personal messages are routed EXACTLY as directed bulls (and hence share same configuration
field)... But there are two difference still:
1) if you receive a Personal message on your BPQ BBS, and you don't have a route to forward,
your BBS will generate a Service message to the "FROM" callsign informing them that the BBS
is unable to forward that message and it may not reach its destination.
For directed bulls, a similar message is generated but to the SYSOP of that BBS instead of the
bull's originator.
2) the second difference, is in BPQ, you can choose to "SEND P messages to more than one BBS"
This is a checkbox that you can choose in BPQ. Enabling this options sends the P message to
ALL matching routes and not only the best match. It adds confidence that the message will be
received by allowing multiple paths (in case one route is incorrected, forwarding station
across the route is no longer functional, or lost forwarding with another station)
Remember that BBSs will not receive a message twice though (they still have same BID)..
but it allows multiple paths (I recommend having this option enabled)
I will probably write another BULLS later about how FBB manages forwarding.
FBB is another beast that I have tried (not for long), but I can say for now that FBB
considers all bulls as "GROUP AREAs" or "G" in the forward.sys. FLOOD or DIRECTED.
FBB also sends personal messages to all matching routes in the "H" lines and not
just best match. you will actually need to exclude a route if you don't want them to
receive a message.
so, in FBB, if I have PE1RRR receive all EURO messages, and GB7YEW receive GBR.EURO
and I have a message addressed to GBR.EURO, both of them will receive it since GBR
is in EURO.
Unless if I add "! H GBR.EURO" in PE1RRR's configuration.
Back to BPQ...
I mentioned earlier that there are non-recognized (HR-wise) area like LATNET, VKNET, etc
To forward those to a specific station, you will need to add those in the "ATSIGN" field
of that station.
In BPQ you can also add "ALIASES" .. so for me, I added the following aliases to my BBS:
AMSAT:WW
ARRL: USA
LATNET:SOAM
VKNET:AUNZ
But note that aliases in BPQ is not a re-write of the HR. It only tells your own BBS to
treat LATNET as if it was addressed to SOAM. but doesn't change that to the receiving
station (not as rewrite.sys in FBB where it actually changed the destination)
So, unless your forwarding partner (assuming running BPQ) has configured LATNET as an
alias, or added it to some other station's ATSIGN field... messages to @LATNET will die
there.
If you want more information about how BPQ systems route and forward, I recommend their
GROUPS.IO group at http://bpq32.groups.io ... If you want to keep the information in
packet, feel free to send your questions to me AL0Y@AL0Y.#NNJ.NJ.USA.NOAM and I will
reply if I know the answer.. or we both will begin a treasure hunt to find the information.
I hope this can be useful to someone. and can clear some of the mis-conceptions one might
have.
73 de AL0Y.
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