I am having trouble getting WinLink Express running with either VARA HF or Ardop. WinLink Express does work when in the Telnet mode as I can send email messages. However, when going into a VARA HF session, everything seems to work fine except I cannot connect with any channel on 20M or 40m. The transmitter keys, and I transmit the preset number of transmits but no connection (the transmissions are about one second long). I can hear my transmit signal and I believe it sounds ok. At the end of the last transmission (I have 10 set) I hear a low level audio signal that might be the repeater sending back a message, but no connection. I can select different channels successfully and they set up correctly on my FT-920 display, and band changes are proper.
So, I thought I would try Ardop in place of VARA HF. The Radio setup options are different than those of VARA HF, and I could not get the CAT control of the FT-920 working (would not change frequencies or bands). So I am thinking that the basic problem here is with getting the Radio settings correct in the software setup on both VARA HF and Ardop. Neither one has good options for the FT-920.
Background - My FT-920 is connected to my HP Win 10 PC via a RS-232 serial cable between the FT-920s CAT port and the PCs Serial port. (The PTT is set on the CAT control.) Then I have an Easy Digi audio isolator between the FT-920s Data port and the PC's internal sound card (Two audio channels). Note that this configuration works just fine on FT8 using wsjt-x and Grid Tracker. It has worked well for several months and I have had successful QSOs on 40M, 20M, 17M, and 10 M throughout the US, South America and Europe.
So I am hoping to find someone that has a FT-920 working with WinLink Express/VARA HF that I cold clone their setup. Of course, suggestions from anyone else are welcome.
73, Chuck k8ceb
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Topic: Need help setting up FT-920 on WinLink Express/VARA HF (Read 89 times)