I am worried that this great mode is turning into yet another "Zombie mode" by a few who are using the "Ping" facility of the mode to collect grid squares in the same way as FT8, FT4 etc. This practice is using up much of the time on the calling frequency making it very hard, if not impossible to make a real QSO possible.
I am sure I will have opened up a can of worms with this comment, however, for those who are only interested in Zombie mode "QSO"s please use the FT8 etc. modes elsewhere.
Would it be possible to make a modification to the VARAC program to prevent the abuse of the PING facility being used in such a manner?
Worse, I have had a few actual QSOs that were just another FT-8 style exchange - CONNECTED, INFO, 73. The beauty of VarAC is its ability to provide error-free conversations with poor conditions, weak signals, noise, and QSB. Although increasing interest and activity for VarAC is great, those operators wanting impersonal computer-to-computer exchanges should stick with FT-8.