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Table of Contents
List Stations You Hear
This exercise is as much about bragging rights as it is about any particular technical skill 
Just like all things ham radio, the better your antenna system is, the more you'll hear, so make a list, and brag to your friends about it!
Making the List, Least Automated
If you have a node up and running, the “simplest” way to create your list is to fire up QTtermTCP or Paracon - you probably got one of them up and running in these earlier exercises:
Connect and interact with your node using QTtermTCP
Connect and interact with your node using Paracon
With either of the applications running, you can watch the “monitor” half of the window, and start making a list of the callsigns that scroll by. You'll see packets with a number of different formats, but generally the callsign that comes before the '>' character is the one transmitting, that you're hearing. i.e. in this example line, VA2PGN is the station I am “hearing” and everything after that is the “message” - in this case an ID message with some extra info in it.
20:19:07R VA2PGN-4>ID Port=1 <UI C>: This node is located at Saint-Georges qc.ca any comments to: ..... Thanks.
Making the List, More Automated
Just like in the prior method, start by firing up QTtermTCP or Paracon.
Connect and interact with your node using QTtermTCP
Connect and interact with your node using Paracon
When connected to your node during the prior exercises, you may have noticed the 'MHEARD' command and maybe even typed it. Basically, MHEARD, followed by the “Port number” that your radio is attached to (if you don't remember from setting it up, the PORTS command will give you a reminder), will give you a list of stations that your node has heard! you can abbreviate it as 'MH' instead of typing it all out.
>? COOPNT:N3VEM-7} BBS CONNECT BYE INFO NODES PORTS ROUTES USERS MHEARD >PORTS COOPNT:N3VEM-7} Ports 1 300Bd FX.25 20m<1200 40m>1200 3 AXUDP IPv6 FARPN Mesh 4 Telnet >MH 1 COOPNT:N3VEM-7} Heard List for Port 1 KA9QJT-1 00:00:10:43 via KB9PVH*,N0HI-2 KB9PVH-5 00:00:15:27 KB9PVH-3 00:00:20:52 VA2PGN-4 00:00:24:53 VA2PGN 00:00:26:20 NN4NC 00:00:29:45 via KB9PVH-7* KA9QJT-7 00:00:29:50 via KB9PVH-7* KB9PVH-7 00:00:33:43 KB9PVH 00:00:37:26 KB9PVH-5 00:01:08:47
There is a catch to all of this - stations can be relayed, or use “hops” through multiple nodes, so when you see “via” in these lists, or multiple calls in the monitor window, the call that is the “sender” isn't the one you're hearing directly - you're hearing the first one in the via list, relaying the message. When there are multiples, like in my first one, it means a couple hops happened between the original sender and you!
But wait, there's more! There are a couple variants of MHEARD that will work, here's a quick list of what they are and what they do:
MH X: lists calls heard on port X. Most recent is at the top of the list, and it shows time since hearing it. i.e. the first one in my list above was heard 10 minutes and 43 seconds ago.
MHV X: is more verbose, giving headings and packet counts
MHU X: gives the timestamps in clock time (as set per the system, likely either local or UTC)
Making the List, Very Automated
There are a number of ways out there in the world to use data from your node to feed spotting networks and create those pretty maps like you see, with the big swoopy lines going between your station and stations you've heard. One of the FARPN members even has a mini spotting map thing set up to capture and display this info. Its a slightly more advanced topic, but if you want to have a go at it, check out the article on mwtchahrd