I am a relatively new Ham With a Technicians license. My background is non-technical although I was the CEO of a publicly traded software development company (MBA Columbia). Retired and approaching 82.
managed to get this far with a little help. Successful with FT8 and JS8Call. Both very disappointing regarding keyboard to keyboard chats. Live in a hi-rise overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Strict HOA restrictions. Like a faraday cage. I feed a 41’ end fed wire out after dark, through a hole in the screen on my balcony. Retrieve it in the late hours before the Gestapo is aided by the light of day. I have attempted to load and use VarAC having read great things about it. So virtually no SSB
I am lost! I find the instructions to be incomprehensible to my feeble brain. I run a Yaesu FT 991A.
i could really use some help from a patient Elmer.
email is. dmazz9@gmail.com
I would like to participate very much.
please help
thank you. Dave. WO4DGM
I, too, am a Newbie to new digi modes and work EOC and community service. I first got Vara HF with Winlink to work by selecting FT-991 for Cat and NOT Yaesu's Standard COM port as mentioned in so many internet searches. I'm only using a USB cable to a WIN 10 laptop and it works just fine. I simply downloaded VarAC, installed it on the C: drive, followed instructions and got my first contact just yesterday.
I can see VarAC being very useful for EMCOMM in my area.
Take a look at my short video. It gives an example of setup and use. If you're using FT8, setup in VarAC will be simple and mostly the same!
https://youtu.be/INjXXriezhA
We are here to help buddy:)
Please also Join our facebook page.
You'll get plenty of support also there.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/varahf
73s!
Dont worry about the antenna limitation. There are several VarAC users that are in the same situation and are using indoor mag loops and QRP, I have worked several of them. W3RED is one that does very well.
Check the manual section of the forum, there is a very comprehensive and easy to understand manual to get VarAC setup. It is no more difficult (and actually easier) than WSJT and JS8CALL.