On July 6th My home computer as well as 3 vhf gateways had Windows 10 updates, since that day, VARA-FM from home can not connect, but VARA-HF and packet work fine ( on home computer, Separate HF rig and sound card. Packet on VHF and same soundcard VARA-FM uses is unaffected,? only VARA-FM). On the gateways packet seems to work fine. Some folks tell me they connect fine, using VARA, others are also having issues staying connected.? I can watch remote and see their info displayed in RMS packet, then the connection seems to stall and is soon terminated.?

VARA-FM 4.2.9 registered ver. on all devices.?
I tried rolling back to 4.2.7 with no change.

Windows 10 pro on all devices.?
I can't seem to roll back any audio device drivers.?

Soundcards - Masterscommunications.com DRA45 and 50.?
All seemed operational hours prior to updating Win10.?
Failed connections immediately after.

The gateways show and sound healthy, they hear any device that attempts to connect,? they toss out responses appropriately, It seems.? Settings appear unchanged from working conditions,? I checked all the soundcard settings and VARA-FM settings,? auto tune sounds normal from gateway but home computer fails to respond.? When I auto tune home computer,? the gateway sends the final response burst, but the home computer doesn't register it.?

Home computer displays the busy channel warning, that never occurred prior.?

Thoughts? Things to test or check? Anyone else suffer similar recently???

There was likely a driver update to the sound system, which then caused Windows to renumber the sound devices in the system. Vara FM must be pointing to the wrong device.

On Vara FM, when you press the Tune button (under sound card settings), does the FM rig transmit, and if you monitor on another radio, do you here the test tone clear and not distorted?
Watching the VU meter on Vara FM, power off the FM rig, does the VU drop to nothing?

If this is a Dell computer, the update may have enabled sound enhancement settings, check all the Playback and Recording tabs for your sound devices in the Windows Sound Settings.

-Scott, NS7C

Never let it update automatically
I always close all apps and disconnect USB devices, take only a few minutes.
Then do the Windows updates,,?Never had device or USB issues
--
Best 73 - Dave - G8LIY

I’d wear out my USB sockets if I did that!

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I’d wear out my USB sockets if I did that!

_._,_._,_

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?

That's why I like this 11-port USB hub that I use in my ham shack trailer "" .? It has individual power switches for each port that lets you make individual devices appear or disappear at will. The hub runs directly from 12 VDC from the camper's 12 VDC power system, eliminating the usual 110-220 VAC-to-5 VDC wall wart.? it manages battery power consumption by allowing you to power-down devices not currently being used, again WITHOUT unplugging them.

The four 2.1A? charge-only? ports light up orange when on. The 7 data ports light up in proper USB 3.0 blue when on.

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Stephen H. Smith??? wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:??????? WA8LMF
EchoLink:? Node #? 14400? [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:?????????

"Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels
??

-- APRS over FLdigi Modes? --
??

60-Meter APRS!?? HF NVIS APRS Igate Now Operating
??

Flying Digipeater!
??

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Details on the 11 port USB hub, please? Where to buy? Make/model,?

approximate cost, etc.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Gary, K7EK

I got it from this Amazon page:

???

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Stephen H. Smith??? wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:??????? WA8LMF
EchoLink:? Node #? 14400? [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:?????????

"Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels
??

-- APRS over FLdigi Modes? --
??

60-Meter APRS!?? HF NVIS APRS Igate Now Operating
??

Flying Digipeater!
??

--
73 de K3FZT / Steve

If possible when using a Hub...

Look for one that's in a metal/aluminium case, keep down noise(?)
and one that contains surge suppression, and 12V to work off shack power.

I have never had issues with this "7 Port Hub" :??
--
Best 73 - Dave - G8LIY

I have been using a 7 port hub for over a year and have continuous problems with ports being unavailable when I change apps (e.g. switch transceivers or go from wsjtx to js8 call). ?This happens with or without VSPE. Windows10 ?issue or ? Hub issue?

I wonder if instead of using an external hub there are better results with a USB expansion card powered by the PC? I have a usb 3.0 2-port card that seems to be reliable. ?Maybe adding several 3 or 4 port cards would be a more reliable choice?

The advice about using a hub with a metal case is good advice. And absolutely a powered hub. If you stick with certain brands you are less likely to encounter the odd dodgey problem like ports disappearing. Belkin and Startech are names I would trust. Asus and Logitech as well. And you should probably only bother with a USB 3 hub, and make sure it connects to a USB 3 port on the host PC. I have two different hubs on different host systems.One has buttons for each port to turn it on or off. The other that I use for rig does not have buttons. I didn't see a need for buttons on that host.

If the problem persists, it could well be a driver issue for the USB adapter on the motherboard. Not all motherboards are made the same. It might be worth the time to look for an unpublished driver update for the USB controller on the motherboard. Just because Windows Updates doesn't offer a driver update doesn't mean that a newer driver isn't on the manufacturer's site.

Any computer equipment for radio work I now only buy 12 volt DC powered devices. I then make a power cable with a Power Pole connectors along with the the appropriate barrel connector so I easily get power from either power supply in the shack and not a have one more wall wart, or battery when I am in the field.? So far it it seems 12 volt powered electronics mostly come with the same center positive, outside diameter 5.5mm barrel connectors.? Many Mini PC's and Powered Hubs may be 5 Volt.

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I ordered an industrial usb hub. It has a 12vdc input, metal case and is solid. Bad part is it uses the little green pcb power connector. Ok for fixed install, not as robust as I would like in the go box.?