Re: Vara with Pin Point APRS
I had it working with my Surface Go tablet and Yaesu 991A. I had to replace the tablet now nothing. Cant get VARA to show the PTT menu even though PinPoint says TNC connected.
John Madden N4EJM DMR ID 3165878 Hamshack Hotline 6102039
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On Nov 18, 2024, at 4:17?PM, WA8LMF via groups.io <wa8lmf3@...> wrote:
?
On 11/18/2024 3:49 PM, wa5luy wrote:
Has anybody been successful running Pin Point APRS on Vara
HF?
?
I can use a Kantronics Kam XL ,with Pin Point, and send a
position report to my 30M AX25 packet receiving station ok. So,
I know Pin Point is set up properly.?
When I switch to Pin Point using Vara and send a position
packet the Vara tones go out on the connected transceiver.
However, the tones run for about 18 seconds (way to long). No
position is reported through my 30M Vara receiving station.?
My 30M Vara station hears most of the traffic in the US
including WA8LMF-5.
I am testing Pin Point connected tp a transceiver running 10
watts to a dummy load ao as not to overload either of my Vara or
AX25 stations.
?
Any comments on a fix are appreciated.
Wayne
Wa5luy-10 AX25 Packet
Wa5luy-11 Vara?
?
How are you linking PinPoint to VARA??? Note that VARA doesn't
support traditional serial com port connections (real or virtual)
like the KAM does.? One way or another, you have to connect
KISS-over-IP from PinPoint to VARA,? on both the test setup, and
on the actual off-air receive setup. ? PinPoint, APRS-is32,? and
YAAC can do this natively - no "middleware" kludges are required.
)
Could you inadvertently have one station on USB and the other on
LSB?
?
I have successfully linked the two via KISS-over-IP.?? Note that
the VARA transmission wraps the KISS packet in a couple of layers
of forward error correction - as a result, the transmitted packet
is much longer than one over classic AX.25 packet.?
[My main off-air? RX/TX/igate setup uses UIview using
KISS-over-serial linked to VARA using KISS-over-IP connected via
the VSPE (Virtual Serial Ports Emulator) IP<-->serial
converter.? This is connected to a Yaesu FT-891 transceiver via a
homebrew tone-activated interface.???
??? The local test setup used a Panasonic Toughbook CX-53 laptop.?
PinPoint was direct KISS-over-IP linked to VARA.? In turn, the TX
audio was coupled to a Yaesu FT-818 5-watt "porta-luggie"
transceiver via a SignaLink USB interface.? I have also tested
with a Yaesu SCU-17, a DigiRig and one of my homebrew
tone-activated interfaces.???? It worked with all of them.]
Details of these hookups is here on my website:
???
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
??
|
DX Engineering sells a two coil kit that can be used with four 17' wires as an inverted V dipole & be used on 80 meters. Of course most of the band would need a tuner, but I got mine resonant right in the middle of the 75/80 meter band.
?
73
John Denison
KD5YOU
|
Thanks for the heads-up. I did see that earlier today and from it got an idea of what it does. In my case the antenna situation is in a bit of a limbo. I stepped away from the hobby for about 10 years and got into it again about 2 years ago. The difference from now and back then was, earlier I had a good assortment of dipole antennas plus more room.? For the last year I’ve been operating solely on 20M and more recently played with a 10 M dipole. I’m in the process of changing that with the purchase of an end-fed 40 M to 10 M. I got mine from HFkits in Holland. It’s the same one being sold by ARRL. I can’t use 80 M anymore because, in this location, I just don’t have the room (Trees/lot size/wires. I’m trying to get my hands on a couple of parts to use in a small circuit as described by WA7ARK. He did extensive work to see if the ARRL kit did what they said it could do. Seems it didn’t quite live up to the promotion. I’m also planning a vertical. It’s all a great bit of fun and good to be back.. While the FT8 and a couple of its buddy modes are now working fine for me, the VARA/WinLink is proving more challenging. I appreciate the help fellow HAMs have given me. In the meantime, I will certainly wean out the frequencies, as you described. 73s for now. ? [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Brian - W7OWO
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2024 1:05 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [VARA-MODEM] Problems - Vara Modem and Winlink Express #icom #newuser #varahf ? The Winlink Express in a VARA HF session mode has an Auto-connect feature that is great for finding a workable frequency.? ? ?Within the VARA HF session window Settings, you can modify the Auto-Connect Settings to tailor it to your wants.? ?I usually try for stations in the 17 meter to 10 meter frequencies as they usually aren't as busy.? To ensure a good connection limit the Maximum VARA SNR to -9.? Make sure you also have a minimum bandwidth for VARA at 500.? There are other parameters such as minimum distance if you wish for a station further away, though that may limit you success.?? Expect to find HF frequencies busy.? FCC rules and regulations pertaining to amateur radio, Part 97, limits the HF operations of automatically controlled Stations? (a station that can transmit with no human intervention) to a small subset of the digital frequencies.? This only applies to automatically controlled stations that have a bandwidth > 500 Hz. Band | Start Freq | End Freq | 80 | 3.585000 | 3.600000 | 40 | 7.100000 | 7.105000 | 30 | 10.140000 | 10.150000 | 20 | 14.095000 | 14.099500 | 20 | 14.100500 | 14.112000 | 17 | 18.105000 | 18.110000 | 15 | 21.090000 | 21.100000 | 12 | 24.925000 | 24.930000 | 10 | 28.120000 | 28.189000 |
Considering that the standard bandwidth of a VARA transmission is 2300 Hz and on 40 meters the whole allowed bandwidth is 5000 Hz, only two connections in propagation distance to each other can operate.? If a 2750 bandwidth Vara session is chosen, only one can operate if one was trying not to impact another connection.? Fortunately VARA HF also has a narrow mode (500 Hz) that can operate most anywhere digital modes can operate.? Since there are many other digital modes that have standard locations or watering holes that like transmissions can be found, so prior to? attempting a connection.? ?WSJTX modes all have a short period of quiescence within their timed signal periods or other modes may be communicating with a station you can't hear, so listen for a period before attempting a connection on what at first listening sounds like an open band.? While a VARA 500 connection is a bit slower,? I find the time waiting for a clear frequency for those using wider modes usually take way more time and usually use VARA 500 for most of my contacts.? ?Also on some digital contest weekends, you may find it is best to use Winlink on the WARC bands or VARA FM on UHF/VHF FM gateways.? I am often surprised how well a connection I can get with a some of the gateways on the higher frequencies and will use them during busy periods.?
|
Re: Vara with Pin Point APRS
On 11/18/2024 3:49 PM, wa5luy wrote:
Has anybody been successful running Pin Point APRS on Vara
HF?
?
I can use a Kantronics Kam XL ,with Pin Point, and send a
position report to my 30M AX25 packet receiving station ok. So,
I know Pin Point is set up properly.?
When I switch to Pin Point using Vara and send a position
packet the Vara tones go out on the connected transceiver.
However, the tones run for about 18 seconds (way to long). No
position is reported through my 30M Vara receiving station.?
My 30M Vara station hears most of the traffic in the US
including WA8LMF-5.
I am testing Pin Point connected tp a transceiver running 10
watts to a dummy load ao as not to overload either of my Vara or
AX25 stations.
?
Any comments on a fix are appreciated.
Wayne
Wa5luy-10 AX25 Packet
Wa5luy-11 Vara?
?
How are you linking PinPoint to VARA??? Note that VARA doesn't
support traditional serial com port connections (real or virtual)
like the KAM does.? One way or another, you have to connect
KISS-over-IP from PinPoint to VARA,? on both the test setup, and
on the actual off-air receive setup. ? PinPoint, APRS-is32,? and
YAAC can do this natively - no "middleware" kludges are required.
)
Could you inadvertently have one station on USB and the other on
LSB?
?
I have successfully linked the two via KISS-over-IP.?? Note that
the VARA transmission wraps the KISS packet in a couple of layers
of forward error correction - as a result, the transmitted packet
is much longer than one over classic AX.25 packet.?
[My main off-air? RX/TX/igate setup uses UIview using
KISS-over-serial linked to VARA using KISS-over-IP connected via
the VSPE (Virtual Serial Ports Emulator) IP<-->serial
converter.? This is connected to a Yaesu FT-891 transceiver via a
homebrew tone-activated interface.???
??? The local test setup used a Panasonic Toughbook CX-53 laptop.?
PinPoint was direct KISS-over-IP linked to VARA.? In turn, the TX
audio was coupled to a Yaesu FT-818 5-watt "porta-luggie"
transceiver via a SignaLink USB interface.? I have also tested
with a Yaesu SCU-17, a DigiRig and one of my homebrew
tone-activated interfaces.???? It worked with all of them.]
Details of these hookups is here on my website:
???
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
??
|
Has anybody been successful running Pin Point APRS on Vara HF?
?
I can use a Kantronics Kam XL ,with Pin Point, and send a position report to my 30M AX25 packet receiving station ok. So, I know Pin Point is set up properly.?
When I switch to Pin Point using Vara and send a position packet the Vara tones go out on the connected transceiver. However, the tones run for about 18 seconds (way to long). No position is reported through my 30M Vara receiving station.?
My 30M Vara station hears most of the traffic in the US including WA8LMF-5.
I am testing Pin Point connected tp a transceiver running 10 watts to a dummy load ao as not to overload either of my Vara or AX25 stations.
?
Any comments on a fix are appreciated.
Wayne
Wa5luy-10 AX25 Packet
Wa5luy-11 Vara?
?
|
VARAHF: "Wrong Command" error when attempting to connect to gateway.
This is using Linux (Raspberry PI OS) with wine and Vara HF 4.8.9 and also 4.8.7:
?
This was working, and then it just suddenly stopped working.? Every time I attempt to connect via PAT, it does not even attempt to connect, and I get a "wrong command" error in the VARAHF Log. For instance, I try to connect to the AC8NP gateway via PAT. No connection occurs and the VARA log entry is "wrong command: CONNECT KD8K AC8NP".?
?
For testing purposes, I connected via telnet directly to VARAHF on port 8300 (command port). I can enter MYCALL KD8K it responds with OK, but when I enter "CONNECT KD8K AC8NP" It simply says "wrong". When I follow that procedure on another computer it starts to connect, so I believe that sequence should work.
?
I have totally reset wine with a new prefix and reinstalled. I also deleted version 4.8.9 and tried version 4.8.7 in case it was a bug with 4.8.9. I have copy/pasted my registration key multiple times and confirmed it was correct.? Not sure what it could be, would appreciate any idea's suggestions.
?
Thanks,
?
John KD8K
|
Re: VARA HF - Winlink Gateway - audio input varies by band
If you have a PreAmp turned on for the lower bands, turn it Off. If you can't reduce the noise, you may consider using Attenuation on the lower bands. GL. Jim W7JWT?
On Nov 18, 2024 8:44 AM, "Friday Ululani via groups.io" <fridaymanyfeathers@...> wrote: Thanks for the idea, but the AGC is sitting just above minimum.
I woke up last night, and realized my problem must be noisier bands on the lower frequencies.
So, I turned on the speakers this morning, and confirmed that's my problem - noise showing up as audio input on VARA (I knew I'd feel stupid).
Now, I just have to figure out how to clean that up.
Friday W6FRI
|
Re: VARA HF - Winlink Gateway - audio input varies by band
Ok, I wrote too quickly, the first time.? After pressing "send", I realized I should look at the AGC more closely.? The AGC had actually gotten disabled.? So, I enabled it, and tweaked it and the RF gain until I can get the audio input on VARA to be (barely) in the green range for all the bands.
I got this FT-891 just for the gateway, and never quite figured out all the menus.
Thanks, Nick, for the suggestion!
|
Re: VARA HF - Winlink Gateway - audio input varies by band
Thanks for the idea, but the AGC is sitting just above minimum.
I woke up last night, and realized my problem must be noisier bands on the lower frequencies.
So, I turned on the speakers this morning, and confirmed that's my problem - noise showing up as audio input on VARA (I knew I'd feel stupid).
Now, I just have to figure out how to clean that up.
Friday W6FRI
|
The Winlink Express in a VARA HF session mode has an Auto-connect feature that is great for finding a workable frequency.? ? ?Within the VARA HF session window Settings, you can modify the Auto-Connect Settings to tailor it to your wants.? ?I usually try for stations in the 17 meter to 10 meter frequencies as they usually aren't as busy.? To ensure a good connection limit the Maximum VARA SNR to -9.? Make sure you also have a minimum bandwidth for VARA at 500.? There are other parameters such as minimum distance if you wish for a station further away, though that may limit you success.??
?
Expect to find HF frequencies busy.? FCC rules and regulations pertaining to amateur radio, Part 97, limits the HF operations of automatically controlled Stations? (a station that can transmit with no human intervention) to a small subset of the digital frequencies.? This only applies to automatically controlled stations that have a bandwidth > 500 Hz.
?
|
Band
|
Start Freq
|
End Freq
|
|
80
|
3.585000
|
3.600000
|
|
40
|
7.100000
|
7.105000
|
|
30
|
10.140000
|
10.150000
|
|
20
|
14.095000
|
14.099500
|
|
20
|
14.100500
|
14.112000
|
|
17
|
18.105000
|
18.110000
|
|
15
|
21.090000
|
21.100000
|
|
12
|
24.925000
|
24.930000
|
|
10
|
28.120000
|
28.189000
|
?
Considering that the standard bandwidth of a VARA transmission is 2300 Hz and on 40 meters the whole allowed bandwidth is 5000 Hz, only two connections in propagation distance to each other can operate.? If a 2750 bandwidth Vara session is chosen, only one can operate if one was trying not to impact another connection.? Fortunately VARA HF also has a narrow mode (500 Hz) that can operate most anywhere digital modes can operate.?
Since there are many other digital modes that have standard locations or watering holes that like transmissions can be found, so prior to? attempting a connection.? ?WSJTX modes all have a short period of quiescence within their timed signal periods or other modes may be communicating with a station you can't hear, so listen for a period before attempting a connection on what at first listening sounds like an open band.?
?
While a VARA 500 connection is a bit slower,? I find the time waiting for a clear frequency for those using wider modes usually take way more time and usually use VARA 500 for most of my contacts.? ?Also on some digital contest weekends, you may find it is best to use Winlink on the WARC bands or VARA FM on UHF/VHF FM gateways.? I am often surprised how well a connection I can get with a some of the gateways on the higher frequencies and will use them during busy periods.?
?
Brian - W7OWO?
|
Re: VARA HF - Winlink Gateway - audio input varies by band
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On Mon, 18 Nov 2024, 11:55 Friday Ululani via , <fridaymanyfeathers= [email protected]> wrote: Hi.? There's probably a simple explanation/fix, to make me feel stupid, but I'm having some trouble with my Winlink gateway.
As it scans from 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, the audio input jumps from deep in the yellow region to touching the red zone (-45db to -7db).
It is low (-45) on 20 & 17, and high (-7) on 80, 40, and 30m.
Since it varies with the band, I suspect some kind of rfi(?), but it's high or low - no in-between.? Also, I don't know what kind of rfi would affect the Windows 11 audio levels.
I have ferrites on all the cables in/out of my micro-pc.
Please provide me an "aha!" moment.
Friday W6FRI
|
Looks like I finally have WinLink working…HOWEVER….despite trying several times and switching to other contacts I have yet to find one that’s not busy. Is that a common experience!? Looking forward to hearing those little “burbles” coming back. ?
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On Nov 16, 2024, at 22:04, KeithP via groups.io <salmo@...> wrote:
? Thanks Don. Didn’t notice that 94 was omitted. Done now. Will work on it again tomorrow. Learning a lot! ? ? You forgot to add the CIV. 94 is the number unless it is changed in the set>connector CIV settings
Don Poaps
New Westminster, BC
VA7DGP DATA
VA7QU ? VOICE
Winlink:?va7dgp@...
Subject://wl2k ? ? ? ? ?
ALLSTAR ?530780
Hamshack Hotline ? ? Another advancement: In VARA HF WinLink Settings I changed the “PTT Serial Port To Use” from CI-V to ICOM7300 Next, I need to figure out how to get the message in my outbox to its destination. Wonder why it doesn’t call for the internal sound card? Totally new at this, so seeing just about everything for the first time. De Keith The link to that Video I mentioned (for setting up VARA and IC-7300) is: (might be an ad at the beginning before it starts. ?
<image001.png> ? Tnx! Found a video on setting up the IC-7300 and VARA/Winlink. FINALLY got things running, with one glitch. When I run the Test in Vara Setup I still get the red box. Other than that, the laptop is communicating with the rig so if I change frequency in Winlink Express the freq. follows on the rig.? Back to the drawing board tomorrow. Getting there….getting there. ? Winlink Express is free (recommended). ? Before I go any further, do I need to purchase Winlink or Winlink Express?? ? ? You would need to make sure the TCP or Virtual Command Port is the same for VARA HF and in the Winlink Express VARA TNC setup. Mine is 8300 but 8310 should work as well.
|
VARA HF - Winlink Gateway - audio input varies by band
Hi.? There's probably a simple explanation/fix, to make me feel stupid, but I'm having some trouble with my Winlink gateway.
As it scans from 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, the audio input jumps from deep in the yellow region to touching the red zone (-45db to -7db).
It is low (-45) on 20 & 17, and high (-7) on 80, 40, and 30m.
Since it varies with the band, I suspect some kind of rfi(?), but it's high or low - no in-between.? Also, I don't know what kind of rfi would affect the Windows 11 audio levels.
I have ferrites on all the cables in/out of my micro-pc.
Please provide me an "aha!" moment.
Friday W6FRI
|
Wes I'm guessing the K5RAV gateway got updated to the latest beta of Trimode. I connected to it yesterday morning and had a 3000+ bps transmit rate while sending a Winlink check in.
?
I would consider 40 meters as the go to band for day and night although I would consider other bands if needed.
?
73
John Denison
KD5YOU
|
There was a Winlink Trimode update early in the week.? It appeared to be buggy & another update was released. The bug would cause the gateway to 'hang' at the point you indicated. Some, if not most, Trimode gateways are set to auto update?to the latest?version.? The gateways you tried may have been a few days out before the patch-update was applied.??
On Sun, Nov 17, 2024 at 11:00?AM Westley Clavey, W5WMC via <wesclavey= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks for the responses.? The problem cleared up as quickly as it came on...? I suppose I should have waited a few more days.? I like to think of 40M VARA are completely reliable, but, being technology based, I suppose there will be unexplainable down times.
|
On 11/17/2024 11:59 AM, Westley Clavey,
W5WMC via groups.io wrote:
Thanks for the responses.? The problem cleared up as quickly
as it came on...? I suppose I should have waited a few more
days.? I like to think of 40M VARA are completely reliable, but,
being technology based, I suppose there will be unexplainable
down times.
_._,_._,_
?
Actually, being HF-radio-based, it is guaranteed that there will
be down times due to varying solar activity (which affects the
ionosphere's ability to bend radio waves beyond the horizon) - not
because it is "technology based".?? Those that started in amateur
radio on 2-meeters FM using VHF line-of-sight transmission that
remains pretty much the same day after day, are often shocked
& surprised how erratic & unpredictable long-range
beyond-the-horizon HF transmission can be. ?
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? --
??
?
?
|
Thanks for the responses.? The problem cleared up as quickly as it came on...? I suppose I should have waited a few more days.? I like to think of 40M VARA are completely reliable, but, being technology based, I suppose there will be unexplainable down times.
|
Thanks Don. Didn’t notice that 94 was omitted. Done now. Will work on it again tomorrow. Learning a lot! ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Don Poaps via groups.io
Sent: November 16, 2024 6:08 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [VARA-MODEM] Problems - Vara Modem and Winlink Express #icom #newuser #varahf? You forgot to add the CIV. 94 is the number unless it is changed in the set>connector CIV settings
Don Poaps
New Westminster, BC
VA7DGP DATA
VA7QU ? VOICE
Winlink:?va7dgp@...
Subject://wl2k ? ? ? ? ?
ALLSTAR ?530780
Hamshack Hotline ? ? Another advancement: In VARA HF WinLink Settings I changed the “PTT Serial Port To Use” from CI-V to ICOM7300 Next, I need to figure out how to get the message in my outbox to its destination. Wonder why it doesn’t call for the internal sound card? Totally new at this, so seeing just about everything for the first time. De Keith The link to that Video I mentioned (for setting up VARA and IC-7300) is: (might be an ad at the beginning before it starts. ? 
? Tnx! Found a video on setting up the IC-7300 and VARA/Winlink. FINALLY got things running, with one glitch. When I run the Test in Vara Setup I still get the red box. Other than that, the laptop is communicating with the rig so if I change frequency in Winlink Express the freq. follows on the rig.? Back to the drawing board tomorrow. Getting there….getting there. ? Winlink Express is free (recommended). ? Before I go any further, do I need to purchase Winlink or Winlink Express?? ? ? You would need to make sure the TCP or Virtual Command Port is the same for VARA HF and in the Winlink Express VARA TNC setup. Mine is 8300 but 8310 should work as well.
|
Re: KB6HOH-12 VARA Gateway on 3570.000 kHz is useless due to QRM from WSPR signals
I don't see WSPR as much of problem with VARA though VARA will likely wipe a WSPR signal.? IMHO VARA should move since First Come First Serve or Early Bird Gets the Worm prevails.? Respectfully, Phil
?
?
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Re: KB6HOH-12 VARA Gateway on 3570.000 kHz is useless due to QRM from WSPR signals
Gerry,
?
Study the FCC Part 97:221 a-c carefully.
Automatically Controlled Digital Stations? with occupied bandwidth greater than 500 Hz must be in the defined ACDS sub-bands.
Automatically Controlled Digital Stations with occupied bandwidth LESS than 500Hz can be anywhere data is legal.
Attended stations, such as Peer-to-Peer, may be anywhere data is legal, and may be wide or narrow.
?
However, that makes the operation LEGAL, but it may still be un-gentlemanly. And, the particular station prompting this discussion is wasting his and others time. Anyone attempting to use that gateway is going to have constant QRM causing failure.
?
Thomas? /WDT
KF7RSF
|
John Madden
KeithP
wa5luy
Brian - W7OWO
Westley Clavey, W5WMC
Thomas KF7RSF