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991a. Works great vara hf, Vara fm. Winlink ? Ft8

On Tue, Jul 25, 2023 at 07:15 AM, Bill Roeding - W4BRZ wrote:

I use WFview and SDR Control, both very nice and preform well on my Macs. I use JS8Call with WFview and FT8 on SDR Control.

Bill;

Your response doesn't address the fundamental question you originally asked (restated here)...
>> How well do the Windows-only VARA HF and/or VARA FM (CPU-intensive radio-modem) programs run?on a M1 Mac?

This question can only be answered by Mac users who have actually used VARA HF and/or VARA FM on a Mac with a M1 CPU, on a "guest" Windows operating system, under a hypervisor such as Parallels, VMWare, or Virtualbox. I should have directed my previous comment to Tim KM4ESU and Glenn W5MTR, who, so far, are the only participants on this topic who actually appear to have done this. Erik OH2LAK also reported "It works OK for me. I'm running the Windows11 VM provided with Parallels exactly on a M1 Mac Pro", but didn't respond to my question about whether he was actually able to make successful connections with other RMS gateway or P2P stations.

Tim said "I have run VARA on my M1 Mac and Windows 11 ARM64 as well as packet for winlink", which suggests he's referring particularly to VARA FM. He also went on to say "I have not tried VARA HF...". Glenn W5MTR said "I was able to run VARA FM (and Packet) using VMWare and the Windows 11 ARM beta release. At home the contacts were fine..."

Bill... while the JS8Call and FT8 apps you mentioned do a substantial amount of DSP (Digital Signal Processing), they are available as "native" Mac apps, which can be very effectively translated into efficient M1 code, by the "Rosetta 2" emulation system that is built into MacOS for M1 Macs. This avoids both the the overhead of operating a "guest" Windows OS under a hypervisor (i.e. Parallels or VMWare) and the "Just In Time" emulation of VARA HF/FM x86 code into M1 instructions, that must be performed by the MacOS.

For Windows-only CPU-intensive DSP (Digital Signal Processing) software, such as the VARA HF and VARA FM radio-modem programs, there may be a minimum level of M1 performance, and/or Windows VM configuration, that will support reliable operation of these programs. I thought it would be helpful for other participants to know what actual M1 Mac Tim Glen were using, and what the hypervisor (Parallel, VMWare) settings were for their "guest"?Windows 11 VM.

Mark - AD7EF

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7300 “just works”

Mike AE4ML wrote…

I’m starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.

If you want / need VHF/UHF then the FT-9991A. I find it works very well for VARA HF. It also gives you C4FM.

If not that the 991A, then perhaps the FT-710 or the FT-DX10.

--
73 Keith VE7GDH

Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

Mark,

At this point I have not tried Parallels on my M1 Mac Mini. I will be ordering it since several replies here and on QST have said it works. I am not worried about performance on the M1. It out performs any Intel Windows computers I have worked with. Once I get it up and running I will reply with my results.

For reference, I am running both an M1 Mac Mini, first generation and a M1 MacBook Pro connected to my IC-7300 and IC-705. I use WFview and SDR Control, both very nice and preform well on my Macs. I use JS8Call with WFview and FT8 on SDR Control. I really like the digital modes since I am not much for rag chew.?

Thanks everyone for their replies.

73
Bill
W4BRZ

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Let's see, did you have have this running on a multi-monitor setup, and now you can't find an app when you launch it?

Some apps are 'sticky' and will launch on the 'missing' monitor.? Usually you can hover over the task bar icon of the 'missing' running app and click on 'move' and then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the app onto one of your currently running monitors.? Hit 'enter' to end the 'move' command.

I try to remember to move all my open windows onto my main laptop screen before I disconnect my external display, if I'm taking the shack laptop into the field.? That at least works for apps that were currently open, but occasionally I encounter ones that when launched in the field, appear to be 'lost' on the disconnected screen.? Then the above instructions usually get me out of trouble.

73,

-- Dave, N8SBE

ALSO, next question should be, is it docked on multi sceen so its hidden, checked that too, its just not there.? I HATE EASTER EGG HUNTS!? ;)

Did

Did

Did

Did uncheck minimize, and clicking on it gives me of just the option to close,?

yes and yes VARA by itself and when opening session both the same, no window

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Previous version of VARA Modem with previous VARA HF ran without any issues. Latest version of VARA Modem and latest version of WinLink VARA HF seems to have random issues.?

Participating in. Texas RACES P2P exercise yesterday evening the 991A would hang in transmit with the VU meter blank. Only keying the microphone would clear it. But after shutting down and restarting everything my P2P transmissions worked without issue. Then on the 4th transmission the modem would hang in transmission.

This never occurred with previous version and no settings have been changed.

I would appreciate any and all feedback.

Greg K5KYR?

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Just a question.

When you start winlink do You also start a session?

Is it the same if you start Vara Fm or if you start Vara HF.

Did you try task manager and see if the program was running?

?

If I open VARA, I get no visible application window, same if I open it in Winlink, Just get the session window. Already did all the basic normal? sh..stuff, remove, reinstall, cleanup yada yada. Win10 Pro (22h2), Dell Latitude 7300 x64 Has anyone had and conquered this issue.

If I open VARA, I get no visible application window, same if I open it in Winlink, Just get the session window. Already did all the basic normal? sh..stuff, remove, reinstall, cleanup yada yada. Win10 Pro (22h2), Dell Latitude 7300 x64 Has anyone had and conquered this issue.

I can't speak to Parallels. But I was able to run VARA FM (and Packet) using VMWare and the Windows 11 ARM beta release. At home the contacts were fine. When I took the same system into a training site and shared my screen nothing worked. There wasn't time to debug it before the training.

I've been using a cheap, used Windows laptop for EmComm & WinLink Express. I've just stuck with that instead of trying to get things running on the M1. Even when things were running, the nagware in Windows 11 ARM beta release was frustrating. (There's an update you need! But you can't get to it in the beta.)

YMMV.

73,
Glenn
W5MTR