I can maybe help you with monitor, but look it up. I learned how to use it from the book, basically.
As for the trace feature, I usually use the option to turn trace on to write to file, which then puts the info into trace.log. You would use Alt-F2 instead of Alt-F5. I believe Alt-F2 also makes it show on screen, but then also appends to the trace.log file as well.
As for Minimum Message, it is a VM.CFG entry (usually you would see something like MINIMUM MESSAGE = 2). As I mentioned, though (after talking myself out of it), I don't think this is the problem. If it were, you wouldn't get any message. You said they did get a message with CID attached, just no voice in the message.
