I am unable to get a signal out from my VarAC setup.
I am using VarAC V6.4.15 and VARA HF v4.7.1.
Radio is Kenwood TS-480. I use a USB sound I/F.
Is is a remote setup using Remoterig RRC-1258 Mk II units.
Computer is a Lenovo Y50 running Windows 10 Home, fully updated.
With this setup, I have been using VARA HF for a long time together with Winlink Express. Never experienced any issues.
After VarAC startup, I try VARA HF -> Settings -> SoundCard.
Clicking on Tune gives no audio signal into the radio, no matter the DriveLevel.
The radio goes into transmit, but no output.
Receive work well, and I get the occasional beacon and CQ displayed.
The VARA HF and radio settings are the same as while using Winlink Express.
So, I am pretty sure that the problem has nothing to do with radio or PC & Windows settings.
As far as I can see, the only difference between running Winlink Express and VarAC, is the radio setup.
For Winlink Express, "Kenwood Amateur" is selected together with PTT Serial Port set to "K3".
For VarAC, "Kenwood TS-480" is selected. CAT control apparently works the way it should, frequency setting/readout and PTT works fine. All settings are as indicated in the manual.
Any suggestions?
73, Per-Tore / LA7NO
To get the signal into the microphone input you have to change the .ini file.
Change from TX1 to TX0 and the radio selects the correct input and everything works as it should with the RemoteRig.
Good luck!
73'de Jan Erik
LA1DSA
I am the operator, K3JSJ, helping Milford, N3WYG, troubleshoot VaraC and VARA HF for his Kenwood TS-480SAT.
OMNIRIG has been configured to work with Milford's TS-480SAT and WSJTX works great. When the radio is keyed audio from WSJTX goes out to the Signalink which then goes into the DATA port of the radio and FT8 QSOs are successful.
We configured VaraC to use OMNIRIG for CAT control (PTT and Frequency Control). The button to key the radio works. The button to switch modes works as well. We selected USB as the mode since that is what is supposed to be used for the TS-480SAT for digital modes (non RTTY). We saved and closed the Radio configuration settings and then clicked the BEACON button and the radio keyed but no audio was transmitted.
The Kenwood TS-480SAT CAT commands has a TX0 and TX1 command. (See page 22 of [1]). The TX0 command tells the radio to take audio from the microphone input. The TX1 command tells the radio to take the audio from the DATA port (which comes from the SignalLink).
What "TX" string does VaraC tell CAT control to use?
@ptaa32 : Would it be possible to get a screen shot of your OMNIRIG and VaraC settings as well as version number of Vara HF?
[1] - PC CONTROL COMMAND (kenwood.com)
This thread caught y attention as it is the same problem that I am having with my system.
My Set up:
Radio: Kenwood TS-480 SAT
Computer: ASUS Model 512J Notebook PC Running Windows 10 Up to Date
Rig Conrol OMNIRIG
Radio Interface SignaLink USB
Before Downloading VarAC, I noticed a prerequisite stating the following:
VarAC prerequisites
VARA-HF 4.6.9 or higher / VARA-FM 4.2.7 Optional: OmniRig but only V1.2I am very interested in this thread.
I, also, have a problem with VaraC and VARA HF. When loaded the
VaraC and installed it, neither the VaraC nor the VARA-HF would transmit.
I updated my Vara HF as well as my VARA FM to the prerequisite versions.
The VARA-FM worked well.
The problem is with the VARA-HF. After I downloaded the correct version and installed it, I noticed that when I went to transmit the following indications were noticed:
The SignalLink did not go into Transmit (the RED LED did not come on)
The TS-480SAT would go into TRANSMIT but no transmit power was noted.
After the VARA-HF finished it's calling cycle, it would STOP and the TS480SAT
would drop transmitting.
I did try loading the VarAC and installing it. The program acted exactly as the VARA-HF
in a transition cycle. However, I did not see any call signs, or any CQs being called.
I enlisted the help of a fellow ham and we worked for about 8 hours on the transmitting problem.
We did try the VarAC program on the older version of the VARA-HF program and of course it did not work at all. Our solution was to revert back to an older version of the VARA-HF and delete the VarAC program entirely.
I do not know where to go now with this problem. Could there be a problem with the program and the Kenwood TS-480SAT compatibility? I do not know.
Thanks for listening to me
73, Milford N3WYG
Found a workaround. VarAC has OmniRig as another option to the built-in CAT.
With OmniRig all works just fine. So it is not a Remoterig problem, but something related to the built-in CAT .
Problem solved!
I tried something.
While VarAC is active, I replaced the audio from the PC with the actual original microphone.
While pressing PTT on the mic, the radio went into transmit and I got output while speaking.
But by pressing PTT in the program I got no output while speaking - also while pressing the mic PTT.
So, for some reason, it seems that the PTT being setup by the program is not the same as the real PTT from the mic - even if the radio PTT light goes on in both cases.
73, Per-Tore / LA7NO
Maybe the one who wrote the TS-480 setup module could give some hints?
Are there someone else who is using Kenwood TS-480, eventually also with Remoterig?
Are you using the same VARA HF instance for both VarAC and Winlink?
Hate to sound like a broken record, but some screenshots will help a lot in troubleshooting. You covered a lot of things above, so lets break this down to 1 issue at a time.
Does PTT Test work in VarAC settings?
Let's see screenshots of:
VarAC settings
VARA HF Soundcard
And since you brought this up as working a screenshot of Winlink Radio Settings.