I Have added the "-" to /var/log/messages and to /var/log/rtr to give the following.
--------------------------------------------------
# Log all kernel messages to the console.
# Logging much else clutters up the screen.
#kern.* /dev/console
local7.debug -/var/log/rtr
# Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
# Don't log private authentication messages!
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none;cron.none -/var/log/messages
# The authpriv file has restricted access.
--------------------------------------------------
it seemed great to start with and altho it was slow looking at the log being created all the numbers were incrementing correctly. after 5 mins the numbers started going out of sync and i suspect data is being lost again.
here is a sample of the log
----------------------------------------------------
Jun 21 10:41:51 172.30.255.38 596525: 318203: Jun 21 09:37:16.487: //2443/434C92
1E82E6/DSM

1/0:15):29/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:41:55 172.30.255.38 596531: 318209: Jun 21 09:37:20.363: //2443/434C92
1E82E6/DSM

1/0:15):29/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:00 172.30.255.38 596535: 318213: Jun 21 09:37:24.670: //2439/371E5D
3C82E5/DSM

1/0:15):30/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:04 172.30.255.38 596543: 318221: Jun 21 09:37:31.214: ISDN Se1/0:15
Q931: RX <- SETUP pd = 8 callref = 0x5B5F
Jun 21 10:42:09 172.30.255.38 597055: 318477: Jun 21 09:37:34.738: //2439/371E5D
3C82E5/DSM

1/0:15):30/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:13 172.30.255.38 597061: 318483: Jun 21 09:37:39.626: //2246/9705CB
C088F1/DSM

1/0:15):-1/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:18 172.30.255.38 597065: 318487: Jun 21 09:37:42.782: //2439/371E5D
3C82E5/DSM

1/0:15):30/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:22 172.30.255.38 597856: 318874: Jun 21 09:37:48.222: //2443/434C92
1E82E6/DSM

1/0:15):29/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:27 172.30.255.38 597898: 318904: Jun 21 09:37:52.542: //2439/371E5D
3C82E5/DSM

1/0:15):30/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:31 172.30.255.38 597904: 318910: Jun 21 09:37:56.350: //2452/6E1D04
3681C5/DSM

1/0:15):-1/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
Jun 21 10:42:36 172.30.255.38 598428: 319175: Jun 21 09:38:01.974: //2449/6D8BC4
5A82E8/DSM

1/0:15):28/dsp_stream_mgr_req_stats: .
any other ideas would be great...
Many thanks for your help so far
Terry