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Re: Alinco DR-135TMKIII
Re: "
Our new local VARA node is up?and running." Location? On Sun, Sep 1, 2024 at 3:51?PM Bob W0EG via <morrisnc7=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
After the holiday, you may find a clue to the difference between the computers by examining the "varafm.log" text files that are in the same folder as the installed VARA FM software.?
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Also, compare the "varafm.ini" configuration files for each installation.
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Enjoy the holiday!!
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
Mark...thanks for the screens.? I setup on a different PC....running Windows 10 (same version as my laptop) BUT it worked as advertised with the same radio and the same cables as before! So whatever is wrong is in my laptop.? I am in the process of deleting any updates to see if they are the problem or not. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend....so taking a break from this to enjoy. Thanks again. On Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 1:04?PM Mark Davis via <markad7ef=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 05:00 AM, Donald Schneider wrote:
I never see a count just SENDING that never stops.Donald; ?
I have VARA FM v4.3.7 set up on a WIndows 10 computer, running by itself (no Winlink express). Regardless of whether I have a radio connected, when I click the 'connect' button (power-plug icon) on the Auto Tune (Drive Level Calibration) window, I see a "count up" to the right of where "Sending..." is displayed:
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After the count-up (on the left side of the '/') reaches 10, if I don't get a response from the station identified in the "Calibrate with:" field, I get a screen looking this (always the case if I don't have a radio connected / turned on):
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While the count-up sequence is running, the VARA FM main window looks like this:
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Note the "Drive Level Calibration... nn/10" message displayed on the status line, at the bottom of the VARA FM main window. Also note that, while the VARA FM modem is in a 'transmit' condition, no needle is displayed on the 'VU' meter... this meter only displays the received audio level.
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Do your 'Auto Tune' (Drive Level Calibration) and/or main VARA FM windows behave differently than what I've described?
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Mark - AD7EF?
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 05:04 AM, Donald Schneider wrote:
By strong voice pattern I mean there are lots of bars at the bottom of the radio screenOn pretty much every VHF / UHF FM transceiver with a LCD display (such as on your ID-800H) the bar-graph indicator only shows output power level on transmit... there isn't any indication of the modulation level. ?
Having the 'Listen' (or 'Monitor') box checked in the sound control-panel won't tell you whether transmit audio is actually getting to the radio. To check that, you need to monitor your transmitted signal on a separate receiver. A hand-held VHF / UHF radio is an excellent tool for this purpose.
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Mark - AD7EF? |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Thu, Aug 29, 2024 at 04:55 PM, Donald Schneider wrote:
TUNE button turns on TX and shows a strong voice patternWhat do you mean by "shows a strong voice pattern"? ?
Also, you said: "I can listen and hear the tone using my local speaker when using TUNE...". Which speaker are you hearing a tone from... the radio? the computer? Unless you're monitoring your TX signal on a separate radio, you shouldn't hear any tone when you click the Tune button, or when running an Auto Tune or Ping.
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Mark - AD7EF |
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Thu, Aug 29, 2024 at 11:21 AM, Donald Schneider wrote:
Can I send a NARROW to them also or only a WIDE.The NARROW or WIDE setting has no effect on whether another RMS gateway or P2P station responds to 'Auto Tune' or 'Ping' requests. ?
During email or chat sessions, VARA FM automatically negotiates the connection between the stations, to the lowest common denominator of the NARROW or WIDE capabilities of either station.
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Mark - AD7EF
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Re: VARA FM never triggers Transmit on Icom ID-800H
On Thu, Aug 29, 2024 at 07:45 AM, Lloyd KO4L wrote:
while monitoring via a second receiver, each level should be distinctive in its level ,especially the upper levelsDefinitely!!! ?
A separate hand-held VHF/UHF radio is an excellent tool for monitoring / diagnosing your VARA FM setup.
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Mark - AD7EF
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Re: DRA-50 with Yaesu FT-857D
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýPaul,
I'll assume you're considering installing a DRA-45 with a? to give similar compatibility as a DRA-50. The Yaesu FT-857D has a Mini-DIN-6 female data connector and requires a male to male Mini-DIN-6 cable to connect a DRA-50 (or adapted DRA-45) to this radio.? I offer two cable lengths: The instructions on making VARA FM or HF work with a DRA are detailed on the website, here is the link: Unlike VOX derived PTT sound cards - you are free to set the transmit level with any of the following controls: 1 - The onboard pots (usually R14). 2 - Windows Speaker Level - (doesn't need to be 100%). 3 - The "Drive" level in VARA. The two DRA's mentioned here do not have VOX, and use "C-Media Hardware PTT" - which explained in detail here: Other than setting the receive audio level (using control R12 on the DRA) the default jumper settings (for digital) should work fine.? Remember to properly select the RX baud correctly depending on the radio's mode.? If you're looking for a recommendation - the DRA-50M is a good choice, but a standard DRA-50 or even the adapted DRA-45 all have about the same performance and capability. Hope this helps... Kevin W3KKC On 8/29/2024 5:01 AM, Paul Tuttle KD7ISA wrote:
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Re: DRA-50 with Yaesu FT-857D
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýOn 8/29/2024 5:01 AM, Paul Tuttle
KD7ISA wrote:
? The FT-857 performs very well on VARA, both on HF and VHF, but
you will require different settings/connections to the 6-pin
mini-DIN data port for VHF/FM and HF/SSB operation. This is the insustry-standard pinout of? the 6-pin mini-DIN data port: Note that there are TWO receive audio contacts but only ONE
transmit audio contact.? You will need two different cables and/or
jumper settings,?? and different radio menu settings, ? to use the
two modes (VHF/FM or HF). ? Note that these discussions refer to "1200 baud" and "9600 baud"
packet -- however these labels also apply to other modes that also
use either low-speed narrow-band data or high-speed wide-band
data.?? The FT-857 has two non-voice modes select-able :?? "DIG" and
"PKT" .??? It is not immediately obvious, but these two modes
really mean? "data modes over HF/SSB ("DIG") and "data modes over
VHF/FM" ("PKT") -- even if you are using non-packet modes.?? These
non-voice modes automatically cut off the radio's front-panel mic
input so that random room noises don't get mixed with your
transmitted data.?
RECEIVE???? For VHF/FM, you must connect the receive line of the interface to the "9600" receive audio pin. If you use the "1200" pin, you will not be able to achieve the higher speeds of VARA-FM. ? For HF, you must connect to the "1200"? Receive Audio pin of the port.? (The wide-band "9600" pin is only active on FM.) ? The Masters interfaces have a jumper? ("JU-5") to select one or the other.??? [For convenience, I have connected a single-pole, double-throw toggle switch to the pins of JU-5, so I can switch between HF/1200 or VHF/9600 instantly, without opening the case.? I have done this to all my interfaces including SignaLink USB, Yaesu SCU-17, and my homebrew ones.]
TRANSMIT ? ? The single "Data In" TRANSMIT audio line on
the DIN port is used by both modes, but the signal levels required
are wildly different.? On HF only a few hundred millivolts of TX
audio are required to drive the SSB transmitter to full output. ?
On high-speed VHF, several VOLTS of audio, similar to
TTL-logic-level signals are required. You make this change? in transmit sensitivity with the FT-857's
menus.?
Bottom line:? You will have to change radio modes ("DIG" vs
"PKT"), shift a jumper in the interface (or cable), and change a
radio menu setting to shift between HF and VARA-FM modes. ? (In
addition, of course, to starting different versions of the VARA
program.) ?
I have tested and verified that this works, and have been able to
achieve 25,000 bits/sec on VARA-FM FAST with the FT-857 (and it's
little brother the FT-818 "porta-luggie") on 2 meters.
Stephen H. Smith??? wa8lmf (at) aol.com Skype:??????? WA8LMF EchoLink:? Node #? 14400? [Think bottom of the 2-meter band] Home Page:????????? APRS-over-VARA igates now operating on 30 & 60 meters ?? "Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels ?? -- APRS over VARA? -- ?? ?
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Carol Flaherty
Mark Davis
Kevin Custer