On Sep 6, 2023, at 5:49 PM, Jeff KP3FT via groups.io <kp3ft@...> wrote:

?Hi Tadd,

Yeah, the VARA port is one of my BPQ node's radio ports, with BPQ networked to an (X)Net node (Flexnet-compatible) on a Linux netbook.? (X)Net is linked via VHF to the local Eastnet (they use Flexnet) packet network here in upstate NY.? The VARA backbone link is to N3MEL's FRNPA packet network in eastern PA who is also linked to the DEPN packet network in Delaware via I think UHF, or maybe they switched to a VARA backbone link, I can't remember.? No internet links involved, all RF which is what we're pushing for.? The VARA link moves BBS mail between the NY and PA/DE networks 24/7.? For that purpose, it works very well, far beyond 300bd ax.25.? A disadvantage of VARA is that it's a Windows program.? It will run in Linux using WINE, which I had up and running, but the particular Linux laptop I used for that must have awful shielding because I couldn't get ALC down to zero on HF no matter what audio settings I tried.? So for now, it's running on an old Win7 laptop, which amazingly has been running issue-free for over a year, no reboots necessary.? VARA will run on Rapsberry's as well, but I've never tried it.? Glenn N3MEL has also added a couple more networks on the east coast using his VARA link, including night-time to Wisconsin.