Indeed VARA provide only one type of CQ. But that doesn't mean we can't play with it intelligently. Like the beacons - they are a CQ with -9. I have plans to make -1 for QRP, -2 for /P etc... not no room for SOTA POTA. Therefore what Erik suggested makes perfect sense - during POTA/SOTA events you can all agree on a calling QRG and there, every QSO will be counted as a SOTA/POTA while you can exchange info using the canned messages.
Irad is to tell the final 'truth' but my 2 cents to this is that I've understood the CQ frame is a standard VARA-modem feature and not a configurable sentence. Ie. that VarAC just tells the VARA-modem 'send out a CQ frame with this callsign'
I would put the SOTA/POTA/FF information to the INFO field, the QTH field has most space for additional info.
Not really seeing VARA as a contest mode as it has never been designed for such. BUT it does not mean a VARA contest cound not be held, it would just be rather slow compared to the expected contesting pace. A contest QSO would be similar to a SNRR or PING request, so about 30 seconds per QSO.
Indeed VARA provide only one type of CQ. But that doesn't mean we can't play with it intelligently. Like the beacons - they are a CQ with -9. I have plans to make -1 for QRP, -2 for /P etc... not no room for SOTA POTA. Therefore what Erik suggested makes perfect sense - during POTA/SOTA events you can all agree on a calling QRG and there, every QSO will be counted as a SOTA/POTA while you can exchange info using the canned messages.
IRad
Irad is to tell the final 'truth' but my 2 cents to this is that I've understood the CQ frame is a standard VARA-modem feature and not a configurable sentence. Ie. that VarAC just tells the VARA-modem 'send out a CQ frame with this callsign'
I would put the SOTA/POTA/FF information to the INFO field, the QTH field has most space for additional info.
Not really seeing VARA as a contest mode as it has never been designed for such. BUT it does not mean a VARA contest cound not be held, it would just be rather slow compared to the expected contesting pace. A contest QSO would be similar to a SNRR or PING request, so about 30 seconds per QSO.
73,
Erik OH2LAK TF3EY