Kantronics KPC–3 Plus User Manual page 125

This command sets a text message that is sent to users when they enter the PORTS
command after connecting to your node.
EXAMPLE - Ports 145.01 MHz @ 1200 baud
This text can be cleared by entering a % as the port text (PORTS %).
QUALITY m/n (n = 0 - 255)
Default 255/70
This is a two-port command (Port 0 = RS232 port, Port 1 = 1200-baud radio port) that
assigns the quality that is automatically given to a new neighbor node when its nodes
broadcast is heard. It is also used to calculate the path quality to distant nodes that are
listed in the nodes broadcast from a neighbor node. Port 0 quality defaults to the highest
value possible (255) because a back-to-back serial port path is extremely reliable (see
Node Stacking section). The quality value is important for two reasons.
The quality of a node (either automatically or manually assigned) will determine how far
away a node will be visible in the network. Proper use of the QUALITY parameter is
necessary in order to maintain a useable node listing by not allowing a node to
propagate useless distances over the network.
The QUALITY command can also be used to assure that known "good" routes are
chosen by the auto-routing routines. In the event of a band opening, it is possible for
distant nodes to be heard "direct" and be automatically assigned a higher quality than
normally calculated by using "good" neighbor routes. If a user attempts to connect to
this distant node, the first choice route (direct) will probably fail, and then the second
best choice (which may actually be the most reliable route) will be tried.
The K-Net node will automatically calculate the quality to distant nodes based on the
quality that is received from neighbor nodes when neighbor nodes broadcast their
known nodes. If your node hears one of your neighbor nodes (A) broadcast a quality of
70 for a distant node (B), your K-Net will automatically determine the quality of the path
to distant node (B) that will use your neighbor (A) in the route. This is done by
multiplying the quality of the route assigned by you to your neighbor node (A) by the
quality of the distant node (B) received within the nodes broadcast from your neighbor
(A) and dividing by 256. As an example, if your node has an assigned quality of 70 to
your neighbor (A), and receives a nodes broadcast from neighbor (A) containing a
quality of 70 to distant node (B), the K-Net will assign a quality of 19 to distant node (B)
(70 multiplied by 70 divided by 256 and dropping any fraction of a whole number). If
MINQUAL is set to any value greater than 19, distant node (B) will not be added to your
nodes table. On the other hand, if the route quality to your neighbor had been modified
with a higher value, such as 200, a quality of 54 would then be assigned to distant node
(B) (70 multiplied by 200 divided by 256). In this case, if MINQUAL is set to 54, this
distant node would be listed in your nodes table. After you determine a particular quality
that works best for a neighbor, "locking" the quality (!) will assure that the desired quality
will always exits for that neighbor - even if that neighbor disappears from the network
and then returns.
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