running access 2k; adp w/ linked tables to SQL server;

I am absolutely stymied, and ticked off beyond belief - I can not
believe how much time I've wasted trying to do something that should be
comically easy!!!!!

I have 2 tables: T_people, T_calls   in a 1 to many relation (many
calls to each person).

I have a form with tabs in it. the form is NOT attached to a record
source. The first tab is filled with UNBOUND fields relating to
T_people. The fields are unbound with no recordsource, because I don't
want users to "browse" the records. They must enter an exact ID#, to
pull up a record. THIS WORKS JUST FINE (obviously, I have code that
does the lookup).

The 2nd tab contains a sub-form which should show only calls related to
the selected person in tab 1.

This sub-form has T_calls as its record source, and filtered by
person_id.
If I open this sub-form ALONE, I have no problem adding records. the >*
nav button is available, and works. As soon as I open the main form
with tabs, and goto this sub-form, the >* nav button is greyed out. I
added a button to this subform "add new call", with code that does a
"DoCmd.GoToRecord".

This button/code fails miserably, and I have tried EVERYTHING I can
think of and MANY permutations on stuff I've read about in this group,
with no success what-so-ever.

I can't just do a simple DoCmd.GoToRecord, because the "object isn't
open".
I can't setfocus on the dam object, because I can't seem to find it in
ANY collection!?!?!?

Forms("MainForm!SubForm").SetFocus  (and all the syntactical
variations) DOES NOT work; apparently because I need to address the
tab. I can't figure out how to setfocus to the sub-form under the tab
in order to do a GoToRecord.

AND - I'm not even sure that once I do this, if the ----'g GoToRecord
will even work!!!!!!

Why the blazes is something that seems so easy, so freaking hard????

any help appreciated...
TIA