I recently switched to a much shorter USB cable between the rig and my PC (6 Ft long vs 14 Ft log). There never was a problem when using the longer cable, but since switching, I've experienced what others have mentioned on the Facebook group.
The only way to extinguish the indicator, is to keep decreasing the "microphone" setting in Windows 11 till about 70 %. At that point, the indicated volume in VARA-HF is so low that nothing is decoded. My receive bandwidth is 600 Hz, as usual.
No changes have been made to rig settings. The only difference is the shorter cable. All other digital software continues to work as expected (JTDX, FLDIGI/FLRIG, Multi-PSK).
73, Joe
A constant "BUSY" signal appears to be stuck ON for my VarAC v11.0.7 with the v4.8.9 HF modem installed on a Dell laptop PC running Windows 7 that I have always used with the RT Systems software on the IC-7100 but recently failed to write to my IC-7100's memory. RT Systems remotely connected to my laptop PC today and cured the RT Systems memory write problem by updating the "Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridges" that create com ports 8 & 9 for the IC-7100. That update also cured the VarAC glitch I experienced yesterday where the CAT would not control Tx or Frequency of the Icom IC-7100 when tested during setup.
I have VarAC v11.0.7 and the v4.8.9 modem on a Kenwood TS-590SG connected to a Windows 10 PC (in the same shack, different antennas) and everything is working correctly on that setup.
The audible background noise of each, on the same band is about the same and the VU meters on both systems are indicating the same until they swing into the top 25% of the meter scale, then the meter for the IC-7100 some times swings into the red while the one on the 590 remains in the green. But the IC-7100 VarAC display is stuck on "Busy" and does not display the incoming beacons and CQ's that the 590 system does.
What to do?
Dave K7ORV
Isn't it this that was introduced in the VARA Modem 4.8.3? I've been seeing more frequent busy indicators than before since I upgraded the modem. But in my case, it's not constant on. You may want to see how it changes after rolling it back to an earlier version of the modem.
v4.8.3 (07/02/2024)
...
Improvements in Busy detection
...
Gene (JI1BQW)
Hi,
Without any modification on the configuration (HW & SW), I have today the same problem ie BUSY flag go to Red state after the first beacon sent....
BUSY is NOT determined by VarAC but by the VARA modem.
Closing bug.