My bad, see this is what happens when you use someone else's configuration without reading EVERYTHING associated with it.
I used Damien Miller's flashboot to bring up my 4801 and hadn't noticed that he'd changed the setting in sysctl.conf for ddb.console=1 # 1=Permit entry of ddb from the console I learned something new today, cu sends BREAK on disconnect. sorry for the noise, I'll go back to being an observer again. diana
