I decompiled the extension and found that this is simply a syntax error on my part.
the jar defines the following code ...
this.userIdHeaderField = parameters.get("userid.header.parameter");
This means that this is incorrect with test being my header field.
SetTracerParameter: RequestHandlerFrontendTracer test user
This is the correct syntax
SetTracerParameter: RequestHandlerFrontendTracer userid.header.parameter test
This now works like a charm.
Hiko_Davis