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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 29, 2022
In VarAC - HF discussion forum
Hi all. I see daily many stations using PinPoint APRS as a sidekick to VarAC and a discussion has arised that for more APRS activity, maybe it's not good to have that ongoing on the VarAC calling QRG. This topic is not related to VarAC per se, but this might be a good place to start the conversation and thoughts of more dedicated VARA-based HF APRS frequency? PinPoint APRS with VARA-HF is dependent on VarAC as it is the actual application keying the radio, but of course there could be other solutions for that, for example ask the author of PinPoint APRS to implement it. I see that there is currently an issue with KISS-based traffic besides the VarAC traffic as it looks like the VARA-HF does not implement DCD for KISS-based traffic but just keys that on top of ongoing QSO or other detected traffic. 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 27, 2022
In Bugs - Fixed
Hi. Noticed a anomaly with new version v3.6.5 that the <DISC> command was omitted. I sent out a canned message which included 73's and a <DISC> command but it got maybe confused with the outgoing prompt with the R-report. The canned message at 11:26:15 did go out but VARA-HF did not response to the disconnect request or VarAC failed to recognize it. I clicked the DISCONNECT-button then at 11:26:50 and the connection was gracefully disconnected. VarAC log: 27/04/2022 11:22:45 - LOCATOR Received: JO22jp
27/04/2022 11:26:07 - Report Received: -5
27/04/2022 11:26:50 - Disconnecting PA0LDE
27/04/2022 11:26:57 - Disconnected from PA0LDE
27/04/2022 11:26:57 - Loggin QSO with PA0LDE
27/04/2022 11:26:59 - Yes
27/04/2022 11:26:59 - Changing frequency: QSY back VARA-HF log: 2022-04-27 11:15:51 Connected to PA0LDE VARA HF v4.6.1
2022-04-27 11:26:50 DISCONNECT command received
2022-04-27 11:26:57 PA0LDE Average S/N: 14,1 dB
2022-04-27 11:26:57 Disconnected TX: 1158 Bytes (Max: 270 bps) RX: 607 Bytes (Max: 270 bps) Session Time: 11:06 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 15, 2022
In Feature requests
As not everyone talks or understands English, localization support for VarAC client would be a great addition with the VarAC community supporting the translation process. For example in Finland there is a good portion of hams who don't speak or understand English well enough to be comfortable with it, and thus mostly use modes like FT8 where they do not need to actually communicate with the other QSO party. Localization so translating VarAC client to other languages would overcome this barrier and enable more hams to join VarAC. Of course then the QSO's are in any given language but it would boost the popularity of VarAC anyhow and make us make more domestic QSOs! 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 09, 2022
In Bugs - Fixed
I have noticed in few QSO's with low signal levels or other issues with a lot of retries that the transmit buffer (Messages currently being sent) is not flushed after the other party has sent <DISC> successfully and the QSO has been finished. In these cases my transmit buffer had included my '73s' canned message including the <DISC> command. With the next QSO, being either the calling or called party. this remaining buffer has then been the first thing to be sent in the new QSO, eventually disconnecting it immediately. The only way to get around this now is to close VarAC and restart. I recall seeing a feature request of possibility of clearing the transmit buffer but could not find it now so I don't know the status of that or is it related to this finding. 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 07, 2022
In Feature requests - Released
At least in Finland, the amateur radio regulations do not allow unattended operation without a specific automatic station license. This causes a problem that even when I would like to leave VarAC on overnight to gather up beacons and CQ's, I should not as there is a possibility that someone might call me and my station would be operating unattended, thus not by regulations. If I turn off beacons and not call CQ, I am close to not making any noise about myself so nobody should be calling me either. Only if they just type my call on the connect window and try randomly :) Bulletproof solution if of course to switch TX inhibit on on the radio.. 73
Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Apr 03, 2022
In Feature requests - Released
Whilst all development should lean to off-grid operation possibility, given that zero connectivity is very difficult to achieve these days I propose a feature of; - VarAC publishing the station callsign and QRG through internet to a common list for others to see who is active and on what frequency. The frequency part not always is 100% accurate of course but it's a best guess. Frequency change should trigger an update of the station status. - VarAC publishing as well the last heard beacons and CQ's to PSKreporter to add up VARA 'who heard who and how well'. PSKreporter does not have VARA as a mode (yet) but it does have ROS in the list already. In addition to VarAC itself publishing the activity, there could be monitoring stations to push heard beacons/CQ calls to PSKreporter. This should be achievable just with VARA-HF modem and a script looking what the modem hears and pushing it to the list, need to study the PSKreporter API for this purpose a bit. 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Jan 08, 2022
In VarAC - HF discussion forum
Hi all. I looked a bit around the different IARU region bandplans to find a suitable QRG for VarAC in the 80m band. Not that the recommendation frequency must be the same across the globe due to the behaviour of the band but it could well be. Looks like the range 3605-3620kHz would be available worldwide for 2700Hz wide digital mode transmissions. Regions 1 and 2 already from 3600kHz, whilst R3 has emergency center frequency at 3600kHz with +-5kHz span Are there any frequencies already used as 'standard'? 73, Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Jan 01, 2022
In VarAC - HF discussion forum
I'm trying to understand what goes wrong with automatic or manual logging as I end up with an error message always with all stations. What's wrong? 01.01.2022 19.36.34 - Connecting LA5XTA
01.01.2022 19.36.44 - Connected to LA5XTA
01.01.2022 19.37.28 - Report Received: -3
01.01.2022 19.40.22 - NAME Received: Erik
01.01.2022 19.40.22 - QTH Received: South of Trondheim
01.01.2022 19.40.22 - LOCATOR Received: JP42VV
01.01.2022 19.41.31 - Error loggin QSO with LA5XTA , missing inforamtion
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Jan 01, 2022
In Feature requests - Archive
Not sure if VARA modem supports connections with multiple stations simultaneously but if it does, a group chat would be a fantastic addition to PtP chats! This would mean joining all stations within coverage and who hear each other (or a master station) to chat together similar to IRC channel, for example. If not all stations hear eac other, other stations could relay the messages onwards. Maybe this needs a solution of TDMA of some sort then? Identification of membership to a certain group chat could be similar to a service ID used in WinLink. 73 Erik OH2LAK
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
Jan 01, 2022
In Feature requests - Released
I think it would be convenient to have a clock displayed in the UI, so current time. Related to clock, a new column in the last heard windows for CQ/Beacon, a delta column showing how long time ago they have been heard, updated maybe every minute, not seconds. 73 Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
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Erik Finskas OH2LAK TF3EY
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