For anyone that might be searching for a solution, I have been able to get HRD to take care of rig control and logging while also allowing VarAC to do it's thing; the configuration works quite well and leads me to believe there is no need for any other changes to either HRD or VarAC to facilitate this - just add-in an additional piece of software to the mix and have fun!
The essential model for the below is described in this HRD knowledgebase/faq page: https://support.hamradiodeluxe.com/support/solutions/articles/51000052492-3rd-party-programs
Steps:
Get VSPE or some other virtual serial port emulator software to create a pair of connected virtual serial ports (I used COM10 and COM11). I used VSPE from https://eterlogic.com/Products.VSPE.html
2. Run HRD rig control and connect to your radio (my setup uses physical port COM1 for rig control).
3. Within HRD rig control, set up a port as shown in the HRD_Capture.png included below.
4. Image below: HRD rig control menu showing location of 3rd Party Serial Port menu item.
5. Within VarAC, setup frequency control via COM11 and use the same speed/parity/etc as for your physical radio connection/com port (for the KWD 570D it is 9600,8-N-2,HH
Hopefully the snapshots below will be helpful / intelligible for anyone trying to replicate it on their own system. I hope it works for you, or gets you closer to a solution. VarAC is a ton of fun once you get it running!
Image below: HRD, showing rig control menu item location
Image below: HRD, showing configuration settings within HRD
Image below: VSPE, starting point step of creation of 2 virtual paired serial ports
Image below: VSPE, naming of the two paired serial ports
Image below: VSPE, saving startup configuration for VSPE
Image below: VarAC, showing my initial config settings (***I eventually suceeded with using VOX for PTT***)
Image below: Reference, How to add an app to Windows startup sequence (put VSPE in startup)
That is real cool but if don't install the VSPE correctly you have to create the pair every time you use it.
Awesome, thanks, Irad. Your reply helps me better understand a possible reason that I was having trouble with CAT PTT control while using HRD. I have things configured now to use VOX for PTT and it is working flawlessly for me. One thing that I did within Windows that seemed to solve a frustrating problem that I was having, in which I would have no RF output during PTT/TX triggering, was that I revoked exclusive app-control of the sound device (in my case a Signalink USB interface), as well as ensuring I do not have HRD's DM780 running at the same time as VarAC. Image below shows the config setting within Windows Sound Control Panel for the device.
Station is: Kenwood TS-570D, Signalink USB, HRD 6.8.0.372, VSPE 1.3.6.970, VarAC 8.2.0, Windows 10 Pro.
Thanks for all of your excellent effort to make your awesome VarAC software available & creating a new fun mode of communication!
Now that I have v.8.2.0 working well for my station, I am going to try out the update. 73 de KG9NI
Hi Ernie,
thank you very much for this documentation. It works also ufb here with HRD and my ICOM-7400. The software for serial port comes here together with my USB Interface III micoham USB device router 9.3.5. and does also a good job. The serial port in HRD has no specific info abt the ICOM and in VarAC it works here also with the Kenwood Generic. (see pictore)
73 GL de Maik, DL4DTL
Thanks for the input :)
I can confirm from my end that VSPE works great when you need to connect multiple softwares to the same rig. I use it myself occasionally.
VSPE also hanles collisions by serializing calls to the rig even if they happen at once from the 2 connected softwares.
The only downsize of it is that if HRD for example is pulling the freqeuncy of your rig every 2 seconds and at the same very moment you have a PTT ON call from VarAC - that PTT might be delayed as your rig is currently serving another call.
buts its a rare situtation. and one miss-PTT is not a deal breaker.
73s!
Irad