Epson Multi-mode Data Controller MFJ-1278B - Manual (Page 275)

MFJ-1278B MULTI-MODE OPERATIONAL COMMANDS
SLOTS nnn Mode: Packet Default: 3
Parameter:
nnn 0 - 127, specified the number of sides on the slot time dice.
The SLOTS parameter determines how many sides are on the slot time dice. SLOTS
represents an n+1 sided dice the TNC "throws" before transmitting. The SLOTS command
allows any number of slots from 1 thru 127 to be defined.
SLOTS (n) REMARKS
1 Disables Slotting
2
4 This should be the default setting
8 Use only if the channel is VERY busy.
16 VERY VERY VERY busy !
32 You get the idea.
64
128 Might as well print it out & send it in the mail.
The value used on a particular channel should be agreed on by the channel users. Access to
the channel will be equitably distributed among all users if everybody is using the same value
for the SLots and DEAdtime parameters.
The idea is to pick a value large enough that the probability of two queued up stations picking
the same value is relatively small. On the other hand, the value chosen should be small
enough that most of the time, ONE of the queued up stations will have a significant
probability of picking the first available slot. In this way, the channel is reliably arbitrated
and at the same time the overhead required for the arbitration is minimized so that overall
throughput on the channel is maintained. The actual value used will depend on the average
number of queued up stations there are on the channel during busy periods.
SOLF ON/OFF
Mode: AMTOR Default: ON
SOLF determines whether only LINEFEED characters from the AMTOR receiver are
sensed as newline characters. If SOLF is OFF then carriage return and linefeed characters
are passed directly through to the terminal, otherwise every received linefeed character will
generate a <CR>,<LF> newline sequence.