Maybe someone else, preferably a few more VARA APRS users, should kindly ask Jose to implement a BUSY DETECTOR in VARA, or ask the APRS program developers they know to implement a BUSY DETECTOR in their programs, just like Irad has done for VarAC.
I will take care of this. Not on top priority now but I will add a flag that will bypass keying PTT by external sources through VarAC is the Freq is busy.
Only problem with APRS programs is they do not have a BUSY DETECTOR like VarAC and they cause unwanted QRM when we BEACON or when we exchange APRS text messages and there is an ongoing VarAC QSO on the frequency. I asked about a BUSY DETECTOR, just like the BUSY DETECTOR Irad has in VarAC, but the developer of APRSIS32 which I use is not so keen about including a busy detector in his program. Infact he proposed we find someone to write a SHIM Program to run between VARA and the APRS program and block the APRS program from transmitting when there is VARA Traffic on frequency. I also asked Jose before asking the APRSIS32 developer, but he was not keen about a BUSY DETECTOR either. Infact he told me that all ROBUST MODES such as VARA, rely on the user program for a BUSY DETECTOR. The only thing Jose did though was to allow ACKS from the APRS programs to be transmitted through VARA and if you download the latest version 4.6.1 after 24 March 2022, VARA will have this option built in.
Irad offered to help, but it is not possible and even if it were possible there is no way he can signal the APRS Program that VarAC stopped the APRS Progrma from transmitting because there is VARA traffic on the frequency.
So until someone can write a SHIM program with a VARA BUSY DETECTOR that can control this problem, I'm afraid that operating APRS on the VarAC Calling Frequencies, might cause a lot of grief to VarAC only operators if APRS becomes very popular.
I would love to hear your ideas on the matter please!
Gridless is best and as Demetre said the APRS programs we are using now will get us by and be a great starting point. Much like the old days of using wave files for CQ!
Has PSKreporter got a problem to accept VARA as a mode even if the ADIF group do not bother? What a bloody mess! People do not understand that this is a hobby, it's not about who has the power!
I've coded in C# to report to PSKReporter. The interface is interesting. One definitely needs to reference the SDK as it's not a simple RESTful POST. One thing of note is that VaraC reports its mode, at least from what I see in the ADIF log, as VARA. That's absolutely fitting and proper; however, the VARA mode is neither supported by the ADIF 3.1.2 specification nor PSKReporter.
I'm not sure what would be involved to get VARA registered as a bone fide mode, but it looks like that would need to occur to get things reported properly on PSKReporter.
Thank you! You are right - PSK Reporteר protocol is a hassle. Not a simple one to integrate with. Donno why they did it that way.
I will soon start a petition to make VARA a mode. we will first need the ADIF group to accept it and then we can move on to PSK REPORTER and other integrations.
When the rights time comes - and I start coding this - I might ping you and see you are willing to share your code and I off course provide you with credits. 73s! Irad 4Z1AC
Finally :) now in development for next version.
Maybe someone else, preferably a few more VARA APRS users, should kindly ask Jose to implement a BUSY DETECTOR in VARA, or ask the APRS program developers they know to implement a BUSY DETECTOR in their programs, just like Irad has done for VarAC.
Only problem with APRS programs is they do not have a BUSY DETECTOR like VarAC and they cause unwanted QRM when we BEACON or when we exchange APRS text messages and there is an ongoing VarAC QSO on the frequency. I asked about a BUSY DETECTOR, just like the BUSY DETECTOR Irad has in VarAC, but the developer of APRSIS32 which I use is not so keen about including a busy detector in his program. Infact he proposed we find someone to write a SHIM Program to run between VARA and the APRS program and block the APRS program from transmitting when there is VARA Traffic on frequency. I also asked Jose before asking the APRSIS32 developer, but he was not keen about a BUSY DETECTOR either. Infact he told me that all ROBUST MODES such as VARA, rely on the user program for a BUSY DETECTOR. The only thing Jose did though was to allow ACKS from the APRS programs to be transmitted through VARA and if you download the latest version 4.6.1 after 24 March 2022, VARA will have this option built in.
Irad offered to help, but it is not possible and even if it were possible there is no way he can signal the APRS Program that VarAC stopped the APRS Progrma from transmitting because there is VARA traffic on the frequency.
So until someone can write a SHIM program with a VARA BUSY DETECTOR that can control this problem, I'm afraid that operating APRS on the VarAC Calling Frequencies, might cause a lot of grief to VarAC only operators if APRS becomes very popular.
I would love to hear your ideas on the matter please!
73 de Demetre M0SUY (SV1UY)
Gridless is best and as Demetre said the APRS programs we are using now will get us by and be a great starting point. Much like the old days of using wave files for CQ!
Is there another DATABASE apart from PSKreporter we can all access?
Hi,
We also could send every received beacons / CQ to our database and access them via a map.
Has PSKreporter got a problem to accept VARA as a mode even if the ADIF group do not bother? What a bloody mess! People do not understand that this is a hobby, it's not about who has the power!
73 de M0SUY
I've coded in C# to report to PSKReporter. The interface is interesting. One definitely needs to reference the SDK as it's not a simple RESTful POST. One thing of note is that VaraC reports its mode, at least from what I see in the ADIF log, as VARA. That's absolutely fitting and proper; however, the VARA mode is neither supported by the ADIF 3.1.2 specification nor PSKReporter.
I'm not sure what would be involved to get VARA registered as a bone fide mode, but it looks like that would need to occur to get things reported properly on PSKReporter.
Good idea!
There is a nice PSKReporter SDK already bundled up to make this easier.
https://pskreporter.info/pskreporter.zip