added packet counter random int

The packet counter now starts at a random number between 1 and 9999
instead of always at 1.

aprsd/packets/core.py

@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class Packet:
         # 67 displays 64 on the ftm400. (+3 {01 suffix)
         # feature req: break long ones into two msgs
         if not msg:
-            raise ValueError("No message text to send. call prepare() first.")
+            return ""
 
         message = msg[:67]
         # We all miss George Carlin

aprsd/utils/counter.py

@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 from multiprocessing import RawValue
+import random
 import threading
 
 import wrapt
 
 
+MAX_PACKET_ID = 9999
+
+
 class PacketCounter:
     """
     Global Packet id counter class.
@@ -17,19 +21,18 @@ class PacketCounter:
     """
 
     _instance = None
-    max_count = 9999
     lock = threading.Lock()
 
     def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
         """Make this a singleton class."""
         if cls._instance is None:
             cls._instance = super().__new__(cls, *args, **kwargs)
-            cls._instance.val = RawValue("i", 1)
+            cls._instance.val = RawValue("i", random.randint(1, MAX_PACKET_ID))
         return cls._instance
 
     @wrapt.synchronized(lock)
     def increment(self):
-        if self.val.value == self.max_count:
+        if self.val.value == MAX_PACKET_ID:
             self.val.value = 1
         else:
             self.val.value += 1