Hello All,
?
I tried my best to solve the following problem on my own, but I am spinning my
wheels a bit, so I decided to try this forum. If the VARA-MODEM group is better
suited for this topic, please let me know. My apologies for the long post, but I?
wanted to capture as much of the context as possible in the following write-up.
?
Any help would be appreciated as I am trying to bring back the BBS scene to the
Southwest. I am very new to BPQ with only two months of experience, so please
excuse my ignorance.
?
(If John Wiesman is reading, thank you for developing BPQ and QtTermTCP!)
?
# BPQ VARA Modem Port Issue
?
## PROBLEM STATEMENT
?
I currently have LinBPQ (6.0.24.1) running under Ubuntu 22.10 with ports?
configured for VHF 1200 baud, UHF 9600 baud, and HF 300 baud packet. All
of these work great and users are able to connect using QtTermTCP.
I am trying to introduce a more reliable HF link into the BBS and have
been experimenting with the addition of a VARA HF port. However, all my
attempts to connect to the BBS over the VARA port via the VARA Terminal or
QtTermTCP only result in both VARA modem simply exchanging ACKs until the
maximum 15 attempts is reached.
?
My first naive question is if it is even possible to use the VARA Terminal to connect
to BPQ over VARA? I have been unsuccessful with QtTermTCP, too.
?
## SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
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### LINBPQ
?
To simplify the troubleshooting, I am running LinBPQ and VARA on the
same machine. However, the goal is to run LinBPQ on one computer and
VARA HF on another computer on the local network. This is why I am?
using Hamlib (rigctld) to control the PTT.
?
The following is the BPQ configuration with the Telnet and packet ports
removed.
?
```
SIMPLE
BBS=1
LOCATOR=DM33XV
NODECALL=KT7RUN-2
NODEALIAS=TTP2
?
CTEXT:
TTPBBS
?
Command ?Description
?? ? ? ? ? ? Show help
BBS ? ? ?Connect to BBS
***
FULL_CTEXT=1
?
BTEXT:
KT7RUN-2 BPQ node
***
?
BTINTERVAL=15
IDMSG:
KT7RUN-2 Network node (BPQ)
***
?
INFOMSG:
Welcome to the TTP BPQ node.
***
?
MAPCOMMENT=TTP2 LinBPQ Node
?
IDINTERVAL=15
NODESINTERVAL=25
?
PORT
?PORTNUM=1
?ID=VARA
?DRIVER=VARA?
?CONFIG
?ADDR 127.0.0.1 8300 PTT HAMLIB
?BW500
?RIGCONTROL
? ?HAMLIB 127.0.0.1:4532
?****
ENDPORT
?
APPLICATION 1,BBS,,KT7RUN-2,TTP2,255
LINMAIL
```
### VARA SETTINGS ON BBS
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* OS: Ubuntu 22.10 (x64)
* Runtime: WINE
* VARA Version: 4.8.9
* Settings > VARA Setup
? * Configured a valid license key for my callsign
? * Accept 500 Hz connection = checked
? * KISS interface = checked
* Radio: IC-7200
? * Set to USB with a wide filter and in digital mode
? * Fast AGC enabled
? * ALC is tuned to read 1/3 scale
?
Notes:
1. Digital modes work for JS8Call, Winlink (ARDOP and VARA), and 300 baud
? ?packet.
?
### VARA SETTINGS ON STATION CONNECTING TO BBS
?
* OS: Ubuntu 22.10 (x64)
* Runtime: WINE
* VARA Version: 4.8.9
* Settings > VARA Setup
? * Configured a valid license key for my callsign
? * Accept 500 Hz connection = checked
* ALC is tuned to read 1/3 scale
* Radio: Yaesu FT-818ND via DigiRig Mobile
? * Fast AGC enabled
? * ALC is tuned to read 1/3 scale
? * Menu 007 ANTENNA = REAR
? * Menu 014 CAT RATE = 38400
? * Menu 024 DIG DISP = 0 Hz
? * Menu 025 DIG MIC = 75
? * Menu 026 DIG MODE = USER-U
? * Menu 027 DIG SHIFT = 0 Hz
? * Menu 039 PKT MIC = 50
? * Menu 040 PKT RATE = 1200
* VARA Terminal
? * Settings > Terminal Setup
? ? * VARA Mode: VARA HF
? ? * VARA HF Bandwidth: 500 Hz
? ? * My Call Sign: KT7RUN
? * PTT Settings?
? ? * PTT Via: COM
? ? * Port: COM10
? ? * PTT Pin: RTS
? * Connect to: KT7RUN-2
?
Notes:
1. Digital modes work for JS8Call, Winlink (ARDOP and VARA), and 300 baud
? ?packet.
2. PTT is correctly triggered
?
?
## NOTES & OBSERVATIONS
?
* When attempting to connect via QtTermTCP or the VARA Terminal
? applications, there is an exchange between both VARA modems in which
? only the ACKs are sent and received by both VARA modems. After 15
? 15 attempts, the client running the terminal software will ID via CW
? and the connection is disconnected.
?
* I am able to connect using VARA HF to multiple Winlink RMS stations
? using Pat from both the BBS station as well as from my other client
? station that I have been using to access the BBS. This leads me to
? believe the VARA and the radios are correctly configured on both
? systems.
?
* The VARA modem on the BBS only responds to requests to NODECALL
? (KT7RUN-2), but not the NODEALIAS (TTP2). However, The NODEALIAS is?
? accessible when the BBS is accessed over any of the packet ports.
?
* I manually start VARA HF on the node with BPQ, then start `linbpq`. I
? can see that the LinBPQ has access to VARA over port 8300.
?
```
ham@shack:~/.local/share/emcomm-tools/bbs
$ linbpq
G8BPQ AX25 Packet Switch System Version 6.0.24.1 August 2023
Copyright ? 2001-2023 John Wiseman G8BPQ
Current Directory is /home/ham/.local/share/emcomm-tools/bbs
Configuration file Preprocessor.
Using Configuration file /home/ham/.local/share/emcomm-tools/bbs/bpq32.cfg
Conversion (probably) successful
PORTS 0x568186a0 LINKS 0x56819530 DESTS 0x5681c430 ROUTES 0x568229c0 L4 0x568243c0 BUFFERS 0x5682ae30
Initialising Port 01 ? ? VARA Host 127.0.0.1 8300
Rig Control Enabled
Starting Mail
Config File is /home/ham/.local/share/emcomm-tools/bbs/linmail.cfg
Config Processed
Number of PG Servers = 0
Mail Started
Connected to VARA TNC Port 1
```
?
Notes:
1. When the LinBPQ connects to the VARA HF modem on startup, the
? ?application window for VARA HF updates and displays:
? ?"KT7RUN-2 KT7RUN-2".
?
?
## TROUBLESHOOTING ATTEMPTS
?
1. I wanted to rule out WINE as an issue, so I ran VARA HF on?
? ?a bare metal Windows 10 machine, configured the PTT on that
? ?system to use both COM port, and then connect to VARA HF from
? ?BPQ over the network. The same issues under the "Notes & Observation"
? ?section were observed.
?
?
## REFERENCES
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I have reviewed the following resources for days:
?
1. https://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Documents/VARA.html
2. /g/bpq32/
3. /g/VARA-MODEM
?
73,
Gaston KT7RUN
?
