VarAC - FM discussion forum

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VarAc v 15.0.18 installed and operating, using CAT, will connect and Tx, Ping stations, send Beacons, will not Broadcast on radio, BC shows to Tx in VarAC but does not key radio alert tag triggers and plays alert sound. Win 10 computer, Signalink soundcard, CIV interface on separate comport, IC706MkllG, have tried 9600 and 19200 USB baud rates, Vara FM Pings and Auto tunes. The following is from the log:

30/07/2026 17:46:39 - Queueing a broadcast to ALL

30/07/2026 17:46:40 - Sending Async message: TO:ALL FROM:KF5SMH DATA:WX UPDATE Good morning! We are upgrading the threat level to Moderate on Friday and Saturday for central and eastern New Mexico.

30/07/2026 17:46:47 - PSKReporter self report: Logged successfully

30/07/2026 17:46:47 - PSKReporter: Sending accumulated records

Any thoughts?

88 Views

irad d

Aug 01

Seem like a Kiss port missconfiguraiton

VarAC uses the VARA Kiss interface. Make sure the port numbers are aligned and that he VARA modem shows the kiss port is connected

June 9, 2026

VarAC 2m FM

Thanks Irad and Gary for all of your help so far...

So.. running a FT-991A. Trying to establish a 2m FM presence here.

Assumptions:

VARA FM should be set to wide

VarAC on FM is simplex.

The 991A can be a real pain at times. I discovered this morning that it was using an offset and transmitting on a freq other than 144.950. I manually set that in the radio to simplex, but the 991A has a mind of its own sometimes. I am looking at the VarAC_cat_commands.ini file at the FT-991A section. I also have the Yaesu FT-991A CAT manual open. It says the CAT command is:

252 Views

Stephen Maley

Jun 17

Irad, I have another command that I want to include in the VarACStartCmd. I added the command you helped me with.

VarACStartCmd=,OS00;

Now I want to fix the Width in Data USB. It tends to default to 500 and I have to manually change it to 3000, I tried:

VarACStartCmd=,OS00,SH20; This didn't work.

VarACStartCmd=,OS00,SH17; This also didn't work.

I tried two start command lines, one for OS00 and one for SH17/SH20, those didn't work either.

I also tried those combos with a ";" between commands

So I'm asking the Guru...

February 12, 2026

USB on VARA FM

When starting VarAC for VHF my Cat control sets my radio to 144.950 USB and I have to switch it manually to FM. I changed the setting on the Rig tab under the antenna tuner to FM and it sets the FM mode on startup.

If I switch to a SSB frequency with this setting I now have to set the USB mode manually (which I prefer since not much USB is on VHF)

371 Views

Stephen Maley

Jun 01

I wanted to add, here is the rig section of my UHF/VHF FM profile file:

[RIG_CONTROL]

RigPTTControlType=CAT

RigFreqControlType=CAT

RigCatFreqRead=OFF

RigCatFreqReadIntervalSeconds=2

SafetyPTTOffEveryMinute=OFF

PTTDisableAfterFreqChangeSeconds=0

FrequencyOffsetHZ=0

ActiveAntennaTunerFreqChange=OFF

ActiveAntennaSelectorBandChange=OFF

UsbMode=FM

FrequencySchedule=OFF

FrequencyScheduleStartMode=LAST_STATE

FrequencyScheduleCustomFilePath=

FrequencyListCustomFilePath=

LastFrequency=144.950.000

LastFrequencyLoadUponStartup=ON

February 7, 2026

Help?!

I have been trying to get VarAC to work for about two weeks. When I CQ I hear my packets on a HT, to monitor my transmissions. I will recieve a occasional packet but Vara FM doesn't decode. There is a digipeater close to me found here https://winlink.org/content/gateway_locations. I select Vara FM which gives a applicable digipeaters on that page. I try the frequency of that VARA FM digipeater as well as the 144.950 and give a good amount of time between transmissions before changing frequencies. I am using a digirig, and a Yaesu 7250d. With this set up I am able to get packets as far south as Modesto, ~250 miles, using direwolf for my APRS IGATE. Of course I do not run VARAC and my APRS IGATE at the same time. I have confirmed I do upload data to APRSFI and I can see all the pack…