A tip for Omnirig IC-7300 users... When checking the frequency for a CQ call (slot sniffer), my IC-7300 took around 3 or 4 seconds to QSY, yet when releasing the slot sniffer button it changed back instantly. The problem is related to the VFO selection in the settings box, make sure it is set for VFO A, not A + B Attached image shows the correct setting. 73 Dave

I have overcome the link delays of a remote VarAC connection, this PowerPoint shows how to run VarAC on Icom radios by remote. https://www.qsl.net/g4aon/resources/remote_operating.pptx 73 Dave

As I type this, 0703 UTC, 7th September, I have seen 8 stations sending beacons on 20m, only myself sent a CQ (5 times in the past hour), sadly no replies. I feel that many hams these days are afraid of their own shadow, let alone want to actually have a QSO. What is wrong with everyone? The "C" in VarAC is CHAT, let's have a QSO! I am usually active on 14.105 weekday mornings, around 0630 to 1030 UTC. 73 Dave

I'm away from home for the weekend, so cannot post a screenshot. Yes, it's the PSK Reporter link to automatically report stations heard/seen. 73 Dave

It's not a short duration "retry" issue as such, If my router is off and I run VarAC, then several minutes later turn on the router, I see error messages saying unable to report stations seen. It is resolved by closing VarAC and opening it again. Can VarAC be configured to retry to connect to the internet perhaps every minute without a time limit, until it establishes a connection? Thanks Dave

This is an old thread, but perhaps of interest to those who need to complete an EMF assessment. There is an RSGB on-line calculator that shows ICNIRP 2020 and 1998 limits. The important part of the duty cycle relates to the percentage of transmit time in a 6 minute period on frequencies above 10 MHz. Averaged over 6 minutes, even a 100% duty mode, such as FM, would drop to 50% due to the TX/RX timing. Note that on frequencies below 10 MHz (40m/80m, etc), the compliance distance is based on peak power, not on percentage of time transmitting in a 6 minute period. This is different for the ICNIRP 2020 Limits compared to the ICNIRP 1998 Limits. Try the calculator and you will see the effect, for example a half size G5RV with the lowest part of the antenna at 3.5 metres and 1KW of RF on 40m, as you change the duty cycle you will see the compliance distance change for the 1998, but not for the 2020. https://rsgb.services/public/software/emccalculator/ Funny how physics varies depending on where you are located in the world too, equally you can opt to use the 1998, or the 2020 figures for our OFCOM, depending on which works out "safer" for your garden arrangement, what a crazy situation... 73 Dave G4AON

VarAC is excellent for “chatting”, however for contest style operating it is bit long winded. Unfortunately ARRL seem uninterested in sorting LOTW and Vara. I raised the issue with them months ago and they just say to translate the mode to digital in the TQSL app/program. Log4OM is not any better, it records the mode as dynamic, but if you try to edit the log, it changes the record reports to 599… Oh well, at least VarAC works for its intended purpos.

Irad, I swapped to a direct connection, although I still had Omnirig for the logging with Log4OM, and still had the same problem. See my post with the image showing the red circle. I am not at home, but will try the updated version on Monday. 73 Dave

Bill, can I clarify a couple of points. Firstly most stations are running 100W transceivers “barefoot”, with around 50W of RF out on VarAC. Your IC-705 is likely only outputting 5W, so you are going to struggle to be seen. What does PSK Reporter show after you send a beacon and click the PSK Reporter button after 2 or 3 minutes (allows time for receiving stations to send reports)? With 50W to my relatively low doublet, I can reach VK, ZL and KH6 around breakfast time on 20m. However, those DX contacts are often with barely audible signals showing a signal to noise of -15 to -20, you are running ten dB less power than I use! Still, contacts out to 1000+ miles with a half decent antenna should be easy. What antenna is your ‘705 hooked up to? 73 Dave

Well I changed from Omnirig to a direct connection, nothing else running and when I replied to a CQ the radio changed frequency but the frequency shown on VarAC stayed at 14.105, even though the slot was showing "1". See attached screen shot. Very odd.

I have just given up trying to get VarAC and Log4OM to co-exist via Omnirig. My Elecraft K4D has USB and RS232, the USB port presents 2 x virtual serial ports, one is now connected via Omnirig to Log4OM and the other directly to my K4D. The problem that I began to experience was that Log4OM would cease to display the frequency a few seconds after starting VarAC. I also had a QSY request issue that may have been Omnirig related. Can you see 2 x RS232 via USB with your 7610? If so, you might try the split port solution. 73 Dave

See attached Demetre, you will note the auto QSY is ticked. The radio isn't the IC-7300 as shown under CAT, it's my K4D via Omnirig. 73 Dave

It would be good to remove automatic beacon repeat too. It looks like many users leave their beacon on and leave the shack. The whole point of VarAC is that C stands for Chat, yet there are sometimes 10 times the number of beacon signals compared to CQ calls. 73 Dave

To recap, my VarAC was locking up, or at least my Vara modem program was. It had been working perfectly until around 2 weeks ago. My desktop PC is a Dell Optiplex running Windows 11 Pro, new in Jan 2023. My laptop is an Asus Vivobook also running Windows 11 Pro. Both had exactly the same Windows/VarAC/Vara software versions and exactly the same versions of sound card drivers (Windows generic). The Dell had problems driving my Elecraft K4D, but the Asus didn't. The Dell would drive my other radio, an Icom IC-7300 without a problem, as did the Asus. The problem was eventually resolved by deleting the Dell Windows sound card driver and "updating it" with an identical replacement version. The current working version is 10.0.22621.608 from 27/09/2022 and is the same version on the laptop, 73 Dave

Is the simple solution to remove the facility to automatically send a beacon signal? After all, the “C” in VarAC stands for chat. Those that just want to beacon can use WSPR and leave VarAC for those of us who wish to call CQ and have a real 2 way QSO. Sometimes there are many beacon signals and no CQ calls… very disappointing. 73 Dave

Just had a couple of quite long QSOs using the Asus laptop and had no problems at all. It’s pointing to the Dell desktop install as the issue, after the weekend I will fully de-install both Vara and VarAC and try fresh installs and see if that makes a difference. 73 Dave

What PC/notebook are you using Orrin? There is a suggestion that it may be an issue with Dell computers, my laptop is an Asus Vivobook (i5, Win 11 Pro) and I am currently trying that to see if the same issue occurs, so far no QSOs (typical) and therefore no issues... 73 Dave

Orrin, with my "hang up" problem (on another but similar thread), sometimes I cannot see a sound card in the Vara program, or if it is there I have -97dB of input level (ie no input). Like you found, hitting the tune button sometimes clears it. This problem has only happened here in the past few days. Which leads me to suspect something in Windows updates... That might be false info, but I have been using VarAC for months with zero issues until this week. My system is a relatively new Dell Optiplex 7000 series, vPro i5, Windows is 11 Pro, In use in the shack since purchase in January 2023. 73 Dave

Hi Markus I just managed to have it hang up again, the Windows Log shows the app svchost.exe_Audiosrv hanging up at the time of Vara.exe hanging. There is nothing of interest in the Vara log, except a lost connection. I have not got the log program (Log4OM) running and I was able to send a quite long email via Winlink Express (using Vara) before running VarAC. VarAC/Vara only seems to lock up when in a QSO, receiving, or sending a beacon doesn't appear to be a problem. This is the xml view of the svchost lockup event: - - 1001 0 4 0 0 0x8000000000000000 11013 Application New_Dell - 0 AppHangXProcB1 Not available 0 svchost.exe_Audiosrv 10.0.22621.1 6dc5c2a5 0a58 64 audiodg.exe 10.0.22621.1344 \\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppHang_svchost.exe_Audi_40e1e972ce438fc9f7720c05a9d6e88a91be5ab_6e9b4276_c3713a3c-ccc2-4405-9a76-1adc01418980 0 55725951-41cc-425b-9508-01ac21d9db57 100 0 And this is the one for Vara: - - 1002 0 2 101 0 0x8000000000000000 11017 Application New_Dell - VARA.exe 4.7.0.6 0x804 0x1d96e44a0db9a61 4 C:\VARA\VARA.exe 7bd92784-ab07-4002-8a76-75356189fef9 Unknown 73 Dave

Unfortunately the suggestions to stop the Waves Audio Services hasn't fixed the problem. To reiterate, the issue only seems to have started after the latest Windows update. The problem is that VARA HF stops responding while in a QSO, it is not specifically audio that stops, but the program stops responding. Image attached. Also attached is an image showing the Waves Audio settings (now back to automatic). 73 Dave G4AON