If beaconing and "ping" used FT8 it would save a lot of bandwidth and be much more efficient ping, users would have to learn to figure out that just because a ping was successful at -28 SNR, that doesn't mean a VarAC session at 500hz using vara would work. Broadcast mode should use JS8 Normal rather than AX25. AX25 frequently requires a higher SNR than Vara-HF. Js8 for broadcast would allow interoperability with linux users from day one, as they could use js8call to decode. These two changes would allow VarAC to be used on ft8 calling frequencies, for contesting and award chasing. It would allow weak signal QSOs for group chats and times when VARA-HF can't make it through. It would increase the usability of the suite and draw more users into it, improving VarAC vmail functionality and relaying.
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So js8call can technically run in parallel with vara-hf just fine, however only one application can own the radio for CAT purposes, my understanding is that VarAC handles CAT for the vara-hf modem?
Also, VarAC is already implementing AX.25 for broadcast messages, so I'm not sure how this would be any different? I understand this would be additional work but the final product would be much more usable. Thanks for the discussion, I'm not sure why this was archived so quickly.