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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Donald -
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You can fully investigate, and resolve, any of the transmit and receive audio issues (9600bps vs. 1200bps cabling / SignaLink jumpers / radio settings) with just the VARA FM modem software. There's no need to run Winlink Express at this stage of the game. In fact, there's no point in trying to sort out issues of Winlink Express communicating with the VARA FM modem software until you have the modem software 100% operational with your rig-interface device (SignaLink) and transceiver setup.
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The keys to testing the setup solely with the VARA FM modem software are the 'Auto Tune' and 'Ping' features. 'Auto Tune' is accessed from the VARA FM "Settings -> SoundCard..." window (where the 'Tune' button is found), and 'Ping' can be activated directly from the menus on the VARA FM modem main window. Either feature will allow you establish a brief test connection with either a Winlink VARA FM RMS gateway station, or another station that's set up for VARA FM P2P (Peer to Peer) operation.
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The 'Auto Tune' feature helps you set your transmit and receive audio levels by sending a series of data bursts, at increasing audio levels, and then displaying a report of your transmit signal quality, as received by the other station, and the quality of the signal you're receiving from the other station. Additionally, if the reports in either direction are sub-optimal, the 'Auto Tune' feature will make recommandations for adjusting the audio levels on you system.
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Both 'Auto Tune' and 'Ping' require you to enter the complete call sign of the station you're connecting with in the test window.
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Once you are consistently receiving "Approved" messages from either the 'Auto Tune' or 'Ping' tests, you'll be ready to investigate why Winlink Express isn't communicating with the VARA FM modem software. I have some ideas about that.
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Tue, Aug 27, 2024 at 10:38 AM, Donald Schneider wrote:
Donald - Since the radio is keying when you click the TUNE button in the VARA FM modem program, and a local ham confirms that there is (some) audio when you do this, it's pretty certain that the PTT connection and transmit-audio connections from the SignaLink to the radio are working.?
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Also, in order for your SignaLink to activate PTT on your radio, the USB connection between your computer and the SignaLink is passing transmit audio. The transmit-audio signal drives the VOX circuit in the SignaLink, to activate PTT on the radio.
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Not seeing any audio on the VARA FM VU meter may be due to your SignaLink being jumpered for "1200bps data" and the radio radio-interface cable being wired for "9600bps" operation, or vice-versa... The correct configuration depends on how the radio-interface cable is wired- does the cable have wires for both the "9600bps data" (pin 5 "DATA OUT") and "1200bps data" (pin 6 "AF OUT") receive signals out of the mini-DIN8 radio 'DATA' socket.
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The only ID-800H cable I see on the Tigertronics/SignaLink website connects to the radio mic connector, and is definitely only for 1200bps opoeration... Do you have any details on how your cable is wired? Who did you buy it from?
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In any case, unless the cable has wires for both 9600bps and 1200bps operation, the jumpering inside the SignaLink must match what is supported by the cable.
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Additionally, make sure the radio "BPS" setting matches what your radio-interface cable and SignaLink jumpering is configured for (having the wrong 'BPS' setting could be of your low transmit-audio level):?
Also note that you'll want to disconnect the microphone while doing VARA FM operation if you radio / cable / SignaLink are set for 1200bps operation.
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Mark - AD7EF
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Re: VARA HF with old Flex 3000 and PowerSDR ?
I run a Flex 3000 with either PowerSDR 2.7.2 or 2.8 and VARA HF on a Windows 10 PC, with and .
After 3 or 4 successful connections with traffic through Winlink Gateways, VARA HF just pings back and forth and fails to establish a connection with any other Gateway.
Each time that I stop and restart PowerSDR, VARA HF can again successfully connect with 3 or 4 Gateways before it fails to connect.?
The CPU usage averages about 10-20% and peaks about 40-50%.??Perhaps the problem is a buffer overflow or accumulating latency? ?
73 Carol KP4MD
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Re: Baud Rate Chart
Thank you. Dick, KJ7EAW On Tue, Aug 27, 2024 at 11:24?AM Rkeeton via <Rkeeton=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
1. Whenyou click the TUNE button on the VARA FM
Settings->SoundCard screen, and you see the "bars" on the radio
display, is the 'TX' indicator on, in the upper left-hand corner of the
radio display?? YES
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2. When the VARA FM modem is launched by the Winlink Express VARA
FM session, does clicking the TUNE button on the VARA FM
Settings->SoundCard screen behave exactly the same as it does when
you click the TUNE button on VARA FM launched directly from Windows
(does the TX indicator turn on)? YES?
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3. If an antenna is connected to the radio, and you open the
squelch, do you see any S meter bars on the radio, due to noise? If you
do, is the VARA FM "VU" meter needle anywhere in the green part of the
scale?? Not moving and
(BTW the VARA FM screen is showing RX Disconnected).
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4. What are your TX, RX and DLY knobs set at on your SignaLink (clock positions)? TX 10 o'clock??? RX does not matter where it is set.? DLX between 6 and 7 o'clock And here is the screen shot. Thanks so much. On Mon, Aug 26, 2024 at 8:45?PM Mark Davis via <markad7ef=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Donald;
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I'm trying to get a more precise idea of how your system is set up - please confirm...
1. Whenyou click the TUNE button on the VARA FM Settings->SoundCard screen, and you see the "bars" on the radio display, is the 'TX' indicator on, in the upper left-hand corner of the radio display?
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2. When the VARA FM modem is launched by the Winlink Express VARA FM session, does clicking the TUNE button on the VARA FM Settings->SoundCard screen behave exactly the same as it does when you click the TUNE button on VARA FM launched directly from Windows (does the TX indicator turn on)?
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3. If an antenna is connected to the radio, and you open the squelch, do you see any S meter bars on the radio, due to noise? If you do, is the VARA FM "VU" meter needle anywhere in the green part of the scale?
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4. What are your TX, RX and DLY knobs set at on your SignaLink (clock positions)??
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If you can?
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Can you send us a screen-shot of your Winlink Express VARA FM session "Settings -> Vara TNC Setup" screen?
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Donald;
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Also, when you click the TUNE button, for VARA FM launched directly from Windows, are you sure the transmitter on your ID-800H is actually being keyed (the 'TX' indicator in the upper left corner of the display is on)?
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What is your "PTT via:' setting on the VARA FM modem 'Settings->PTT...' window? For the SignaLink setup, it should be 'VOX'
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Also, on the VARA FM Settings -> SoundCard... window, I recommend setting the (audio) channel to "L + R".
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Donald;
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I didn't see whether you had tried the VARA FM 'TUNE' button when running the VARA FM modem that was launched by the Winlink Express VARA FM session.
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What happens when you do that?
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(I am running the latest versions of Winlink Express and VARA FM)
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: Baud Rate Chart
Hi Bob.
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If you open the VARA HF or FM window and look in the Help menu, each has a relative chart showing the speeds etc.
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I don't recall seeing a "band scope" other than the one in the VARA window and that can be also opened and closed via the View menu.?
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--Pete VK3PYE / VK3YPE |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Yes I do have a valid callsign...selected from the "channel selection" list. Thank you Donald PS? I am considering removing all Winlink/ VARA / RMS programs and started over to make sure there are no duplicates.? Are you all using the latest versions of these programs or older ones? On Mon, Aug 26, 2024 at 4:59?PM Mark Davis via <markad7ef=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Mon, Aug 26, 2024 at 02:15 PM, Donald Schneider wrote:
Yes. It shows like that.?? ThanksDonald... ?
Do you have a valid call-sign entered in the field to the right of the Connection:(Direct) labels??
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Normally, if there isn't a call there, or an invalid call is entered, you'll see a message like this:
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This message might be hidden by another window.
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You typically populate this field by selecting a call from the list that appears when you click the "Channel Selection" button on the session window.
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Mark - AD7EF
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Mon, Aug 26, 2024 at 02:00 PM, WA8LMF wrote:
The com port settings are irrelevant!? They should be set to "NONE" or "VOX" . Stephen;
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The '8300 Command' - '8301 Data' port settings are for the "localhost" (127.0.0.1) virtual-network connection between the Winlink Express VARA FM session program and the VARA FM modem software... they have nothing to do with controlling PTT.
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Mark - AD7EF |
Mark Davis
Carol KP4MD
Dick
Dave KN4OK
Peter VK3PYE