We are an AuxComm/ARES group in Nassau County Florida and we've set up VarAC FM nodes across the entire county. Our mission is emergency comms without the use of repeaters, anything government and except for Email (Starlink and generators at 2 nodes), the internet. We ran our first net as kind of a anything goes Broadcast check-in using a middle of the county node as a digipeater. It was a bit of a mess but proved the concept works and the coverage was where we wanted it to be. My question is using EmComm mode with the Checkin Req button. Can we use a digipeater with this? I don't see anywhere to do this unless it uses the Beacon Digipeat Via field. It seems like a really neat tool but, if we can't get to the other side of the county, it wouldn't be of much use. TNX, Mike - N9HEL

I have a VARAC/VARA FM setup and we're trying to build a local network. Currently have 5 people. If I connect to one particular person, we can chat away. If he connects to me, it may last for a minute or two with a beginning S/N and callsign exchange, a line or two of chat and then VarAC disconnects. Sometimes, with the same person, There is a connection but no S/N and callsign exchange and then a disconnect from VarAC in about 30 seconds; He can connect and hold the connection with other people. If I use VARA FM Autotune to this person, sometime I will get APPROVED numbers and sometimes no connection. Same thing with VARA FM Ping. We're 5 miles apart, both running Anytone 578's with Digirigs and Diamond X50's. I run a VARA FM Winlink node with great success and VarAC on HF is bullet proof but FM between two of us is kicking my butt. Any thoughts....... Mike N9HEL