PC Packet Cluster Protocol

The PC Packet Cluster Protocol

Introduction

The PC Packet Cluster protocol is used to communicate between two DX Cluster nodes. It is an ASCII protocol that is designed to work in a directed graph with no loops or duplicate routes. Unfortunately, in this modern world, that is exactly what we want to do! If you would like to participate in the discussion for a replacement protocol please join the Cluster-tech mailing list.

Basic Format

Each protocol message started with the letters PC, each protocol message is sent in packet by itself and is terminated with a carriage return character. The letters PC are followed by two digits starting at 10. All the fields in the message are separated with the ^ character. The last field may be terminated by a ^ or a ^~ sequence. I don't know why. All fields are in ASCII.

The Message Formats

I have tried to show what is actually being used, as opposed to what is documented. What is shown here is therefore my impression of how it looks and what the fields do - YMMV.

Talk mode	PC10^from-user^to-user^msg^bell-flag^ ^from-node^~ PC10^from-user^route-via-node^msg^bell-flag^to-user^origin-node^~
DX info	PC11^DXfreq^DXcall^date^time^comment-txt^user-rprt^origin-node^hops^~
Announcement	PC12^from-user^route-to-node^msg^sysop-flg^origin-node^wx-flg^hops^~
Stn into CONF	PC13^user^hops^
Stn out of CONF	PC14^user^hops^
Conference Mode	PC15^from-user^msg^hops^~
PC user add	PC16^node^user talk-mode here^user talk-mode here^...^hops^
PC user delete	PC17^user^node^hops^
PC initialization: RequestInit	PC18^cluster info^ver^
PC initialization: NodeAdd	PC19^here^node^talk^ver^...^hops^
PC initialization: InitDone	PC20^
PC initialization: NodeDelete	PC21^node^reason^hops^
PC initialization: PCDone	PC22^
WWV info	PC23^date^hour^SFI^A^K^forecast^logger^origin-node^hops^~
Here status info	PC24^user^here^hops^
DX/WWV merge req	PC25^route-to-node^route-from-node^DX-cnt^WWV-cnt^
Merge DX info	PC26^DXfreq^DXcall^date^time^comment-txt^spotter^origin-node^ ^~
Merge WWV info	PC27^date^hour^SFI^A^K^forecast^logger^origin-node^ ^~
PC Mail: SendSubject	PC28^route-to-node^route-from-node^to-user^from-user^date^time^private-flg^subject^bbs^no-lines^rr-flg^via-node^origin-node^~
PC Mail: SendText	PC29^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^text^~
PC Mail: AckSubject	PC30^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
PC Mail: AckText	PC31^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
PC Mail: CompleteText	PC32^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
PC Mail: AckCompleteText	PC33^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
Remote commands: Command	PC34^route-to-node^route-from-node^cmd^~
Remote commands: Response	PC35^route-to-node^route-from-node^cmd-resp^~
Remote commands: Show Command	PC36^route-to-node^route-from-node^cmd^~
Remote commands: Needs db update	PC37^route-to-node^route-from-node^user^stream-no^cmd^~
PC initialization: Connected nodes	PC38^node,node,...^~
NodeDelete w/Discon	PC39^node^reason^
PC file forward	PC40^route-to-node^route-from-node^filename^bulletin^linecnt^
User info	PC41^user^type^info^hops^~
Forwarding abort	PC42^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
Remote DB request	PC44^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^qualifier^key^user^
Remote DB response	PC45^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^info^~
Remote DB complete	PC46^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^
Remote DB update	PC47^route-to-node^route-from-node^user^qualifier^key^stream-no^
Remote userDB req	PC48^route-to-node^route-from-node^stream-no^qualifier^key^user^
Bulletin delete	PC49^from-user^subject^hops^
Local User count	PC50^node^user-count^hops^
Ping	PC51^route-to-node^route-from-node^ping-flag^

Glossary

Some of the terms used above are explained

node

The Callsign of a node

user

The Callsign of a user on a node

Route-to|from|via-node

Route this message via the nodes specified. Usually the 'route-to-node' callsign is pointed to the node receiving this sentence (ie the directly connected neighbour), but this is not a requirement. Nodes should obey the routing even if the callsign isn't the local one. This is the method used to (for instance) pass messages direct from one node to another via one or more intervening nodes without the usual store and forward. It also allows nodes request files from nodes more than one hop away.

origin-node

This is node upon which this sentence originated. This field should never be changed by any intervening node.

stream-no

This is a number issued by the receiving node in (for instance) message handling and is used as a key for both ends to distinguish one stream of similar sentences from another. In theory, it is possible for node to send more than one message to the same other node at a time. Each message is distinguished from the other by the stream no.