diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index 9e014f3..364fe44 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -6315,6 +6315,8 @@ void MainWindow::on_cqMacroButton_clicked(){
 
     clearCallsignSelected();
     addMessageText(message);
+
+    if(m_config.transmit_directed()) toggleTx(true);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::on_replyMacroButton_clicked(){
@@ -6322,7 +6324,10 @@ void MainWindow::on_replyMacroButton_clicked(){
     if(call.isEmpty()){
         return;
     }
+
     addMessageText(QString("%1 %2").arg(call).arg(m_config.reply_message()));
+
+    if(m_config.transmit_directed()) toggleTx(true);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::on_qthMacroButton_clicked(){
@@ -6544,6 +6549,20 @@ void MainWindow::buildQueryMenu(QMenu * menu, QString call){
         if(m_config.transmit_directed()) toggleTx(true);
     });
 
+    auto stationIdleQueryAction = menu->addAction(QString("%1* - Is your station active or idle?").arg(call).trimmed());
+    stationIdleQueryAction->setDisabled(isAllCall);
+    connect(stationIdleQueryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, [this](){
+
+        QString selectedCall = callsignSelected();
+        if(selectedCall.isEmpty()){
+            return;
+        }
+
+        addMessageText(QString("%1*").arg(selectedCall), true);
+
+        if(m_config.transmit_directed()) toggleTx(true);
+    });
+
     auto heardQueryAction = menu->addAction(QString("%1$ - What are the stations are you hearing? (Top 4 ranked by most recently heard)").arg(call).trimmed());
     heardQueryAction->setDisabled(isAllCall);
     connect(heardQueryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, [this](){
@@ -8607,6 +8626,15 @@ void MainWindow::processCommandActivity() {
             reply = QString("%1 QTH %2").arg(d.from).arg(qth);
         }
 
+        // QUERIED ACTIVE
+        else if (d.cmd == "*" && !isAllCall) {
+            if(m_idleMinutes < 10){
+                reply = QString("%1 ACTIVE").arg(d.from);
+            } else {
+                reply = QString("%1 IDLE").arg(d.from);
+            }
+        }
+
         // QUERIED GRID
         else if (d.cmd == "^" && !isAllCall) {
             QString grid = m_config.my_grid();
diff --git a/varicode.cpp b/varicode.cpp
index e34c96f..ea97a60 100644
--- a/varicode.cpp
+++ b/varicode.cpp
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ QMap<QString, int> directed_cmds = {
     {"$",     3  }, // query station(s) heard
     {"^",     4  }, // query grid
     {">",     5  }, // relay message
-    //{"|",     6  }, // retransmit message
+    {"*",     6  }, // query idle message
     //{"!",     7  }, // alert message
     {"#",     8  }, // all or nothing message
 
     // {"=",      9  }, // unused
-    // {"/",     10  }, // unused
-
 
+    {" ACTIVE",     10 }, // i have been active in the past 10 minutes
+    {" IDLE",       11 }, // i have not been active in the past 10 minutes
 
     {" BEACON",     -1 }, // this is my beacon (unused except for faux processing of beacons as directed commands)
     {" BEACON ACK", 12 }, // i received your beacon at this snr
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ QMap<QString, int> directed_cmds = {
     {" ",        31 },  // send freetext
 };
 
-QSet<int> allowed_cmds = {-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, /*6,*/ /*7,*/ 8, /*...*/ 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31};
+QSet<int> allowed_cmds = {-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, /*7,*/ 8, /*9,*/ 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31};
 
 QSet<int> buffered_cmds = {3, 5, /*6,*/ /*7,*/ 8, 13, 14, 15};
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ QMap<int, int> checksum_cmds = {
 };
 
 QString callsign_pattern = QString("(?<callsign>[A-Z0-9/]+)");
-QString optional_cmd_pattern = QString("(?<cmd>\\s?(?:BEACON (ACK|REQ)|AGN[?]|QSL[?]|HW CPY[?]|APRS[:]|QRZ[?]|(?:(?:ACK|73|YES|NO|SNR|QSL|RR|HEARING|FB|QTH|QTC|GRID)(?=[ ]|$))|[?@&$%#^> ]))?");
+QString optional_cmd_pattern = QString("(?<cmd>\\s?(?:BEACON (ACK|REQ)|AGN[?]|QSL[?]|HW CPY[?]|APRS[:]|QRZ[?]|(?:(?:ACK|73|YES|NO|SNR|QSL|RR|HEARING|FB|QTH|QTC|GRID|ACTIVE|IDLE)(?=[ ]|$))|[?@&$%#^>* ]))?");
 QString optional_grid_pattern = QString("(?<grid>\\s?[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2})?");
 QString optional_extended_grid_pattern = QString("^(?<grid>\\s?(?:[A-R]{2}[0-9]{2}(?:[A-X]{2}(?:[0-9]{2})?)*))?");
 QString optional_num_pattern = QString("(?<num>(?<=SNR|BEACON ACK)\\s?[-+]?(?:3[01]|[0-2]?[0-9]))?");