[NLRS] NLRS Reflector news from your list-admin

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

I have found that some mail servers look for embedded urls (internet 
addresses) in e-mail contents and flag those as spam. The greater the 
number of urls the more likely that tag. That's why I prune the http 
prefix from all the links in all my outgoing e-mail. More e-mail gets 
delivered that way. Lots of links are unfortunately a result of 
technical discussions of sources and references and common in much spam.

For your own safety NEVER allow your e-mail program to automatically 
open embedded links or graphics, that's how many a trojan horse or virus 
gets into your computer.

I have also had mail rejected recently when it had many quotes, a string 
of e-mails that concerned a programming topic with a paying client. When 
I pruned off all but the last one I was answering it was delivered 
instantly.

NLRS and BC reflectors reject any e-mail with more than two addresses in 
the to fields. That's a setting chosen by Bruce.

Some antispam filters view any e-mail with lots of addressees as likely 
spam and mails from some reflectors can show up with lots of addresses. 
It sometimes takes training a server filter by turning off as much 
filtering as possible and then using a smarter e-mail program like 
Thunderbird that is trainable as to what is and isn't spam. Entering 
server IDs for wanted mail can be important. But its also important to 
check the junk directory occasionally to see if the supposed smarts 
rejected something improperly.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 3/24/2014 7:12 AM, Bruce Richardson wrote:
>
>
> Hello NLRS members:
>
> Our email reflector is hosted at QTH.net.  That is a place that hosts
> over 200 ham radio related reflectors. It was started by a guy named Al
> Waller but is now operated by KA9FOX, K5TR, and other volunteers.  NLRS
> sends support dollars every year to QTH.net and is one of the stronger
> supporters in the nation (financially).
>
> I am your list (reflector) admin. If you ever have problems with the
> list, come to me first. I can help you keep multiple addresses
> subscribed (so that you can post from whatever address is convenient)
> but yet turn off delivery to some of the addresses so that you don't get
> swamped with duplicate emails.  I can help you set up "digest mode" if
> the daily email traffic is too much and that way you can periodically
> check up on what you missed when the "digest" bundle is spit out.  The
> drawback to the digest, is that you lose any timeliness about VHF-DX
> spots :-) .
>
> Since VHF is so regional, and our reflector is regional (with nationwide
> lurkers), don't hesitate to make VHF-DX posts to the NLRS lists and help
> out your NLRS brethren.  But just make sure you put your Callsign, the
> time, and your location in your posting.
>
> QTH.net operates on just a few IP addresses. Occasionally, one of the IP
> addresses gets placed on a "real-time blocking list" for perceived
> abuse.  Usually, within a few hours, the IP address is removed from the
> RBL because the perceived abuse is not continuing.  The problem comes
> when a provider like ameritech.net, msn.com, hotmail.com, mts.net, and
> others rely on the "real-time blocking lists" and then bounce NLRS
> emails because the QTH.net IP address is currently on the RBL.  KA9FOX
> and his team do what they can to keep the QTH.net IP addresses OFF of
> any "real-time blocking lists" but it happens occasionally.
>
> This reflector uses something called "mailman" software.  The software
> detects when your provider is rejecting NLRS email and attempts
> redelivery. When the attempts to deliver email to your provider exceed a
> threshold, the software turns off delivery to you for a temporary period
> (about a week). Then it turns on delivery again. Usually I'm sent
> warning emails about this. Sometimes, I let the software do its thing
> and sometimes I jump right into the membership management page and turn
> on delivery to those addresses that had been temporarily disabled.
>
> This has been a long way to let you know that over the past 10 days,
> ameritech.net, hotmail.com, msn.com, mts.net, live.com, and one or two
> others have bounced a fair amount of NLRS traffic.  You can check the
> archives for what you missed.  KA9FOX has tried to work these providers
> to get them to whitelist the QTH.net IP address. They have not been
> cooperative.  KA9FOX wrote me this morning:
>
>       "Bruce, we keep complaining to AT&T and they keep removing
>       our IP from the block, but then they just put it right back
>       again.  We keep asking WHY but they never respond with a
>       reason.
>
>       Perhaps the only thing that can be done is for users to
>       COMPLAIN to their provider, and show copies of the bounce
>       message to them, so they understand the situation.  Maybe
>       if enough customers complain they will actually take action
>       and tell us what the problem is.
>       - Scott"
>
> At the moment, all things are "green" and things are flowing smoothly.
> But I wanted you to know that there have been some "hiccups" recently.
>
> Lastly, KA9FOX also runs QTH.com. While QTH.net is gratis, free, and
> donation only, QTH.com is "for profit".  Since the names are so similar,
> it's easy to get confused.  When we have a problem with our reflector,
> we need to confine our service requests to QTH.net channels so that they
> stay in the "donation only" area and don't burden support channels for
> the QTH.com side.  I must tell you that the support on the QTH.net side
> has always been quick and helpful.  In general, I should be your first
> contact if you have ANY problem with the NLRS reflector and I will
> elevate issues I can't solve.
>
> If there is an NLRS member who is interested in also being a reflector
> admin, let me know because I'm the only guy at the moment :-) .
>
> 73
> Bruce Richardson W9FZ
>
>