Without a parameter, displays the reference name currently stored in the unit. With text supplied, sets the reference — stored in uppercase regardless of how it is entered. It appears on downloaded call records and in PRINTOUT output.

The REF field carries more meaning than a simple label. CHECKLOG uses the 8-character reference to select its input data files and determine the exchange type for charge calculation. The encoding is:

L O G G E R D 1
Characters 1–6: Reference name    7: Exchange Type    8: Tariff Group

Characters 1–6 — free reference name (job number, site etc.).
Character 7 — Exchange Type (ET): a letter A–Z identifying the exchange. For example, D = Strowger UAX13.
Character 8 — Tariff Group (TG): a character from 1–9 or A–C identifying the tariff band.

Character 8 (TG) is used by CHECKLOG to select which data file to open. The filename extension takes the form .{TG}VV — where TG is the Tariff Group digit and VV is a two-digit version number (with leading zero) shared across all files in the set. So a Tariff Group of 1 at version 05 selects CHECKLOG.105. If BT issued a new version, all files would increment together — CHECKLOG.106, CHECKLOG.206, CHECKLOG.306 and so on.

Inside that file is a list of Exchange Types (ET). CHECKLOG reads character 7 of the REF to look up the correct ET entry within the file, which tells it the exchange type to use for charge calculations and to show on the output report.

So a REF of LOGGERD1 opens CHECKLOG.105 (Tariff Group 1, version 05), then looks up ET code D within that file to determine the exchange is a UAX13.

Example: REF LOGGERD1

Command Reference