
                            Echoing QWK Mail

                        By John "MegNET" Kleinbauer


                               Introduction

         Ok you have your BBS almost the way you want it but now Echoing
    Mail has caught your eye. Well you are in luck because I will show
    you Step By Step how to do it. I have taught dozens of people how
    to echo and all of them say I am a good Teacher. Lets hope that I
    can help you learn Via the written word. Besides the Step By Step
    method I will also give you other Info to ponder, Read on.....


                         How it Works,When It Works!

         During the Board's Event in the early morning hours your BBS drops
    to DOS and loads a Mail Tosser which takes new messages entered
    on your BBS and puts them into a REP packet. Now a program like ROBO-
    COMM or a Communications program that can use a script dials out to
    the main HUB. While Online it goes into a Front Door or a Mail Door
    and Downloads a QWK mail packet, it then uploads your REP mail packet.
    The program then hangs up and unloads letting the Mail Tosser like RNET,
    QNET,TRINET etc. load and Import the messages into the BBS. Easy Read On....


                                Step By Step

    1. Look around at different NETS that you might be interested in
       and download any info packs you find. If you still have support
       call your support board because they have a whole bunch of info packs.

       HINT: When you decide what NET you want sign on to the local HUB
             and look in each conference checking the date of the last
             message and if the messages are good or just Ads for other
             BBSs. Also look for stupid fights and how the Mediators do
             or do not stop them. Try to figure out if you can call local
             to save money. Believe it or not it is cheaper to call across
             the country at night than to call across some states.


    2. OK now that you have decided what NET you want to join, you
       now have to fill out an application to join. Some small NETS
       like mine only require you to be serious about joining. Alot
       of the larger NETS require a FEE plus you must buy their special
       software. The other thing is some NETS move very slowly in
       letting you join until they check out your BBS. Most NETS want
       you to have a BBS that has been up over one year.

       HINT: Be curtious, Echo Mail takes more work than running a BBS
             so stay calm. Some Sysops are very busy and they have to set
             aside the time to help you.


    3. With the permission of the HUB Sysop and having read all you can it
       is time to capture the conference Screen of the HUB. You can use
       Shift-Print or turn your log on. You will need the correct names
       of the conferences as well as their numbers for the Mail TOSSER.

       HINT: Save this file or sheet of paper in a safe place!


    4. Now it is time to setup your conferences so lets get to it. Your
       conferences can be in any order but keep the same names for them
       as the HUB. There is one big difference between a Local conference
       and a Echo Conference. You must turn the ECHO FLAG ON in your
       software or force in in the tosser.

       HINT: Increase the message block size at this point if you join
             a large NET.

    5. Well now it is decision time! without any help from me it is
       time to play with the program that will call out and bring back
       the Mail Packet. Do some dry runs watching the program as it
       calls out and brings the packet back.

       HINT: Make sure the program can be called from a DOS line command
             like RoboComm. Example   ROBOCOMM /AFREE /R


    6. If you are still there it is time to choose and play with a Mail
       Tosser. Call the HUB and go into the Mail Door and select the
       conferences you want and set the last read message so you will
       get at least ten messages or more per conference. Now leave the
       BBS and get ready to play. Send you ROBO type program out and
       watch it bring back the packet. Now it is time to play with the
       Mail Tosser. Follow the directions that come with the Tosser very
       carefully and good luck!

       HINT: While you are downloading look to see if it mentions NET
             STATUS or you see (n) after each Conference name will the
             conferences are being scanned. Make a copy of the QWK packet
             before you run the Mail Tosser just in case something goes
             wrong. RNET 109 will not work with older Qmail doors so
             use QNET or get the Sysop to upgrade his mail door.



                          Glossary of Echo Mail Terms


        NET STATUS: Without this mail packets are useless. The HUB
                    Sysop sets this in the mail door. It allows messages
                    for people who don't exsist on your BBS to be uploaded
                    into the message area.

         Echo Mail: Messages that are passed from BBS to BBS usually
                    during the night when phone rates are low.

       Mail Tosser: A program such as RNET,TRINET or QNET which will Import
                    or Export messages in and out of your BBS. See your
                    support board for a tosser that will work for your
                    BBS software.

          Mail HUB: A BBS with a Front End Mail Door or Regular Mail
                    DOOR. Just like the HUB of a wheel this BBS is in the
                    center and all the systems call it to exchange mail.

         Mail Door: A Door program that lets your users download mail
                    packets to use in their offline mail reader.

               NET: A Mail Network with certain rules and Regulations plus
                    it is the people who belong to it. Some NETS even have
                    partys and elections.


                           Some Closing Thoughts


              I use ROBOCOMM to get my mail because it is made to work
         with PCBoard and like PCBoard it is one of the best. I use QMAIL
         for my mail door because it is the most popular and has many
         options one of them being it works with ROBOCOMM. I use RNET to
         Toss my mail but QNET will work and if you register it you will get
         the QMAIL door FREE. The reason I use RNET is I used to have a
         FREEWARE mail door which no longer supports all the new mail options.
             To echo mail you don't need a Mail Door but you must have a
         Mail Tosser, Likewise you must have a way of going and getting the
         mail packets.
              Well I hope this file has made Echoing Mail as easy as it
         is and I wish you luck with your BBS, you will need it. More
         information can be found in the RNET,TRINET and QNET DOCs....

                                                    John Kleinbauer
                                                    Founder of MegNET
                                                    Voice 201-991-6659
                                                    BBS   201-998-7337
