Not sure if VARA modem supports connections with multiple stations simultaneously but if it does, a group chat would be a fantastic addition to PtP chats! This would mean joining all stations within coverage and who hear each other (or a master station) to chat together similar to IRC channel, for example.
If not all stations hear eac other, other stations could relay the messages onwards. Maybe this needs a solution of TDMA of some sort then?
Identification of membership to a certain group chat could be similar to a service ID used in WinLink.
73
Erik OH2LAK
Thanks Irad for your explanation. Studying VARA protocol confirmed the fact that there is no real room for unproto mode and for HF it is truly so that conditions vary. I like though I'm not the only one who has given this a thought so lets keep the topic open :)
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Erik OH2LAK TF3EY
Irad,
We have discussed the same thing here. I have added a VARA FM port to my packet node and it works very well with the packet chat server but only as you said p2p. I was thinking something more like a repeater like system that would work with VARA in an unconnected mode such as you are doing with the beacon/cq. Just something I been thinking about.
73 de Glenn
VARA is only P2P protocol.
I have explored numerous times the possibilities for a STAR type group chat even even a Circular token approach.
As VARA-HF takes quite some time for link establishment, and as conditions in HF varies. it can be very slow to have a single user who act as the manager, get all messages and distribute to all.
Therefore there is not real way to "fake" a group chat in an acceptable latency. As VarAC is trying to provide a modern chat experience, taking it to the JS8CALL type speeds is not something I would like to pursue.