I heard Arthur N9XRY talking on the Farmington 147.030 repeater about his dabbling with VARA, a way to send email, texts, and voice on HF or VHF with your rig connected to your PC.
Let’s make this post interactive! Watch the video, comment below, find your comment later published with this post. Is this a desirable way for hams to communicate? What do YOU think? Ray – KE0YXX
COMMENT BELOW NOW! SEE YOUR COMMENTS POSTED HERE SOON!
COMMENT #1 – Don Williams, KI5OUS – I would like to see ONE software or platform used. There are too many different methods of trying to do the same thing. Too many different methods dilute the user field of those trying to make use of this method of communication.
COMMENT #2 – Arthur, N9XRY – Winlink is pretty much THE standard for email over RF using the Amateur Radio bands. Winlink Express is the email client software developed by the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, but there are other clients – Just like there are a myriad of different clients and software for regular internet-based email and text chat. Oh, and by the way, there are also many different methods used for voice communication. We have AM, FM, SSB, in combination with all the different bands. I believe ham radio is about innovation and experimentation. Otherwise, we’d all still be stuck with radiotelegraphy! 🙂
As far as VARA goes…. Winlink needs some type of “modem” to change RF signals to text, and vice versa. Through experimentation and innovation, VARA was developed to be the fastest and most reliable software modem available, and is on par with the MUCH more expensive hardware-based PACTOR modems. Also, if you’re not worried about the speed, it’s free to use, and is still better than the other free software-based solutions.
Winlink + VARA has pretty much become the EMCOMM standard for when text-based, asynchronous communication is needed and infrastructure is down. Check out the winlink.org site, under the heading “Winlink was there….” for some interesting facts about that 🙂
Feel free to send me a Winlink email if and when you get up and running! 73, all!
