RAT (Robust Audio Tool) is a program that allows a phone-like conversation to take place across the Internet. Each end of the connection must have a RAT program installed.
Obtain RAT here. It is shipped as an executable, and a simple
local-> zcat rat.tar.Z | tar xvf -
does the trick.
RAT is typically used by the WIYN operator and the remote observer. RAT actually runs on almond, not the operator's workstation, so the operator must fire up the program on almond and send the GUI to the operator's workstation. Note that RAT MUST be run from local machines listed here.
The operator at WIYN:
ivory-> rlogin almond almond-> setenv DISPLAY ivory:0 almond-> rat grays.astro.wisc.edu/12000
The remote observer at home:
grays-> rat almond.kpno.noao.edu/12000
The large number (12000) is the TCP port number; it can differ from 12000, but must be the same at both ends. Choose high numbers, 4 or 5 digits, to avoid conflict with "well known" TCP services such as ftp, http, and so on.
When you fire up RAT for the first time, you will get prompted for your name. This is used to identify you to the people you call, so you should use something obvious like your real name.
First, make sure "Suppress Silence" is NOT selected in the "Options" box, make sure the microphone is NOT muted, and make sure that the microphone and speaker volume bars are above 0.
If you mute the microphone, you have to click the right-mouse button when talking in order to be heard. It's like a walkie-talkie. If your microphone is not muted, you are always heard.
Here are some common problems and things to try.
You type "rat" and get "rat - Command not found". See this.
You can't connect to the other party. See this.
You get a "connection refused" message. See this.
You can't hear the other party. Is the speaker volume slider up all the way in the RAT GUI? There are sliders for speaker and microphone. Is your speaker muted? Check if the speaker mute button in the upper right corner of the GUI is "pressed". Did someone leave headphones plugged in to the computer? Is the other party's microphone muted?
The other party can't hear you. Is your microphone muted? Check if the microphone mute button in the upper right corner of the GUI is "pressed".