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VarAC 3.3.1 - No transmit

Hello everybody,

I'm having troubles with VarAC and my FT-991A. My setup works fine with Winlink and has previously worked with the first VarAC release. Since the 3.x release I cannot transmit but can receive normally other stations calling CQ. The FT-991A is configured for Data. OmniRig works perfectly and frequency is synced ok. My audio codecs are ok for I use them with Winlink. When I use the VARA soundcard tune button in Winlink all works fine. I can adjust the ALC level without any problem but this is not possible with VarAC. I do not understand why VarAC is not able to pipe the audio output codec to my FT-991A.

Any suggestions ? Thanks, 73 Ezio - F5MWA / K3EK

9 comments

Comments (9)

on2ad.pat

Feb 27, 2022

Hi Ezio,

This only for Winlink use:

FT-991A connected with the USB cable

If you will use the DATA-USB modus :

Set the FT-991A menu

72 on USB

109 on DATA

Set the FT-991A in DATA-USB modus

If you will send in USB modus :

Set the FT-991A menu

72 on DATA

109 on USB

But for both settings see that the OmniRig are not in one of the used COM ports.

Now my Settings for use VarAC

FT-991A connected with the USB cable

If you will use DATA-USB modus:

Set the FT-991A menu

72 on USB

109 on DATA

Set the FT-991A in DATA-USB modus

If you will use USB modus:

Set the FT-991A menu

72 on DATA

109 on USB

I hope this will solve your problem.

73 de Pat

k3ek.us

Mar 02, 2022

Replying to

Hello Pat, Irad and Gary,

First of all I've to thank Pat for his helpful hints. As a matter of fact I started trying different setups and managed to have VarAC working after a while. However Irad is also right, for Omnirig plays a role in the whole setup. I resume (leaving the Winlink setups by side) the different setups :

VarAC on USB-D (U-D on the FT-991A display)

Menu item 72 on USB - if on Data not working (no carrier)

Menu item 109 can be either on Data or USB, both work

VarAC on USB and FT-991A on USB

(Omni Rig must be on FT-991-Data, if on FT-991 it does not work) !

Menu item 72 Data or USB, both work

Menu item 109 USB, if on Data not working (no carrier)

A last word should be said about the ramping complexification of setups in the rigs of the latest generation. There are billions of possible setups and not a single word is spent on the manuals of the different manufacturers to help us Hams use the software of our choice. Not a single example of setup is given on some of the most used software such as HRD or Fldigi only to mention those two. Of course there is Internet but some of us have spent hours to get some of our rigs working with a specific software and manufacturers seem to be unconcerned about this fact. They leave the implementation costs to us Hams or to the software developers (who on their side do NOT have all rigs at their disposal). I've spent my whole life in the world of electronics as an engineer so I can imagine what it means for a newbie to use the newest rigs. And then we complain we have not enough new Hams.....

Thanks again to all of you for your assistance.

73 - Ezio F5MWA / K3EK