VarAC V6.6.13 is here! With FLRig support, Verbose SNR, multilingual broadcasts, Broadcast SNR report, and much more!

Hi VarACiers!

This version of VarAC is a mixture of new features, enhancements to existing features and many bug fixes (Mostly bugs related to VARA-FM users). Here are some of the highlights followed by a detailed list:

Finally - FLRig support is here. FLRig is widely used by many hams out there so VarAC can now seamlessly integrate with your existing setup without changing anything in it. Not only this, As FLRig allows remote RIG management, and as VarAC already support working with a remote VARA modem, so for the first time, you can now use VarAC locally and operate a remote setup through the network.

But it's not all. Let's talk about Broadcasts. No more "?????" strings. Broadcasts now support all characters including emojis. And for the first time - you can also see an SNR report for an incoming broadcast. But you must upgrade your VARA modem to VaraHF V4.7.2.

And the new verbose SNR mode... That's a super cool tool. Enabling it will begin sharing SNR reports every minutes while inviting your QSO partner to join. Coupled with the SNR graph, and you can now visually witness live how propagations are changing as you chat.

I would like to take this opportunity and also share with you that we are working extensively to make VarAC a top-notch EmComm platform. You can read more about this HERE.

Now here is the full list. Take a moment to read it:

New features

• FLRig support!

• Beacon/CQ UTC Time diff: Last heard Beacons/CQ time shown as absolute or time diff from UTC

• Multilingual broadcasts

• Incoming Broadcasts SNRs (requires VARA 4.7.2)

• PSKReporter uploads of Broadcasts (requires VARA 4.7.2)

• Verbose SNR - send & invited your QSO partner to send SNR reports during a QSO every 1 minutes for propagation tests.

• Block <INFO> requests - if you don't want your info to be retrieved automatically

• Limiting Ping time to 60 seconds on the CF

• New <LOCR> tag - to pull your QSO partner grid locator only

Enhancements

• Right click a beacon --> connect

• Last heard is now stored in the SQLite DB.

• Ignoring received CQ calls without a Slot ID (unless "skip CQ slot selector" is enabled)

• Clear indication on the VARA command box of CQFRAME that are Beacons (with SSID -9)

• Narration queue - if there are many things to narrate, VarAC will narrate one by one and not together

• 5 additional frequency scheduler timers

• Enhanced SNR graph - copy SNR data to clipboard & adding QSO start time at the graph header

• PSK Self reporting will only happen after 60 seconds from the last frequency dropdown change.

• Right Click->Copy all, on all sections in the "callsign history" screen.

• VarAC.ini file is now created upon first VarAC run. No INI file will be distributed from now on in install packages.

• Detecting a VarAC.exe run directly from the ZIP package file and alerting the user.

• Safety mechanism for stuck PTT: Auto turning PTT off every minute while not in active QSO

To upgrade from an existing VarAC version:

• Download the VarAC Zip file.

• Unpack to a temporary directory.

• Copy ONLY the VarAC.exe file to your existing VarAC installation directory.

Our dearest VarAC team member Pat ON2AD, has updated the VarAC manuals so you can now download the V6.6.13 English manuals and also in other languages (German & Dutch)

As always - we are always there for you on our Forum, our Facebook group, and now also on our new Telegram group.

VarAC V6.6.13 Direct Download link

Now go have fun 😊

73,

Irad 4Z1AC & the VarAC team.

Broadcast SNR, Verbose SNR, CQ/Beacon time diff

FLRig and INFO request block

Bug fixes

• Type in LHR tag in the gestures screen

• Vmails times were not shown in UTC time.

• VaraFM - connecting through digipeater removed spaces from the connect callsign textbox

• VaraFM - Your own CQ echoed through a digipeater will not be decoded by you.

• VaraFM - not decoding same broadcast over and over again is echoed through a digipeater

• VaraFM - right click a callsign on last heard list & broadcast reply - did not populate well the digipeater

• VaraFM - right click on beacon -> Ping - failed.

• the "skip CQ slot selector" checkbox under settings was not loaded properly to screen showing always "checked"

• Clean VARA buffer popup appear many times during a QSO when VarAC tries to clean the VARA buffer

• Disabling narration under "Linux compatible mode" to avoid errors as narrations are not supported on Wine

• Decoding now frequencies as bands 23cm and 13cm

• When using multiple screens - sometimes VarAC does not reload on the last position it was at.

• Removing maximize option from inbox screen

• On VarAC cluster (Multi-instances) now also refreshing the relay notification counter.