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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
Hello all,<br>
<br>
As far as I know, VARA is proprietary closed-source technology
available under license.<br>
I do not know that Stephen is a VARA developer or otherwise has
access to the VARA source.<br>
<br>
According to Google's AI Overview:<br>
<br>
-- begin included text --<br>
No, the VARA HF modem is not open source. It is a proprietary,
closed-source software developed by EA5HVK, designed to be used
with applications like Winlink. <br>
Key details about VARA:<br>
<ul>
<li>Proprietary License: While a free "trial" version exists,
full-speed functionality requires a paid license (roughly
\u20ac64\u2013$75).</li>
<li>Windows-Only: It runs natively on Windows, though it can be
used on Linux via emulation layers like Wine.</li>
<li>Closed Protocol: The modulation technique and protocol
details are not published, which is a point of contention
regarding the open-source spirit of amateur radio.</li>
<li>Not Open Source: It is not free software, and the source
code is not available to the public.</li>
</ul>
<p>-- end included text --</p>
So it would appear up to EA5HVK to release and support a version
of VARA HF modem on<br>
platforms other than Windows. I have no connection whatsoever to
EA5HVK or VARA.<br>
<br>
73,<br>
Dana K6JQ
<p><br>
</p>
<br>
On 4/20/2026 2:46 AM, Ev Tupis via aprssig wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:527135881.961610.1776678381910@mail.yahoo.com">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<div class="ydp9bf42501yahoo-style-wrap"
style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;">
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Hi Alex,</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Though I don't speak for
Stephen nor am I involved in his VARA work, I'll chime in as
similar sentiments have been expressed in other projects I've
been involved in, in the past. Several items come to mind.</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">If one wants the largest
possible audience for a product, they use the platform that
the audience uses.</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Proof-of-concept is done
using the easiest platform for the developer to develop upon
and transition to the largest possible audience.</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Once proven, development
spokes become easier for development partners to step forward
and to work in partnership with the pioneering developer to
assure cross-platform consistency.</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Though Stephen is highly
skilled, it sounds to me that you have the knowledge and
resources to be a development partner. The question in return
would be, "would you be willing to work with Stephen to
advance the items you ask about?"</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Sincerely,</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Ev, W2EV</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div id="ydpf8d4d1ffyahoo_quoted_7080764364"
class="ydpf8d4d1ffyahoo_quoted">
<div
style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">
<div> On Monday, April 20, 2026 at 12:18:11 AM EDT, KF4LVZ
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:aprssigzbr6@acarver.net"><aprssigzbr6@acarver.net></a> wrote: </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">Given the increasingly hostile behavior of
Microsoft against users of <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">Windows, why is this still a Windows-only
capability?<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">What is special about the VARA protocol that
is preventing its <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">conversion to something that could be run
using Linux or other hardware <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">solution like an FPGA?<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">On 2026-04-18 12:54, Stephen H Smith via
aprssig wrote:<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Several years and 15,000 miles of
road-trip drive-testing, using the <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> VARA high-performance HF modem alongside
traditional AX.25 HF packet, <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> has shown VARA to be orders of magnitude
superior for reliably <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> transmitting APRS position reports on
HF.<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> VARA exists exclusively as a
Windows-based sound-card "soft modem" - <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> the only way to do APRS-over-VARA has
been to use a mobile laptop or <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Windows tablet in the vehicle. No simple
hardware-only solution <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> analogous to the Byonics TinyTrack for
classic packet exists.<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Recently, very inexpensive (starting at
USD $139) tiny Windows-based <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> ultra-compact computers known as "stick
PCs" have become available. <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> These devices are very small
fully-functional 64-bit Intel-based quad- <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> core PCs. They include 4 USB-C ports,
1GB Ethernet port, WiFi 5, <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Bluetooth 5, a Realtek HD sound system,
and 4K-capable HDMI video. <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Further, these devices run directly from
12 VDC, making them ideal for <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> mobile applications!<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> These devices are widely used to drive
the 42" monitors displaying menus <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> over the counter at fast-food places,
and in airports for displaying <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> incoming and outgoing flights. I have
now one setup one to operate as a <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> stand-alone APRS-over-VARA tracker.<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Full details on the VARAtrack setup are
on my website at:<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <<a href="http://WA8LMF.net/VARA"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">http://WA8LMF.net/VARA</a>><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Scroll down the page and follow the link
on that page for "The <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> VARAtrack". Near the bottom of the
VARAtrack page is a link to <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> download a backup image file of my
entire setup that can be used to <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> restore the entire setup to another
similar stick PC.<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> I will demonstrating the VARAtrack at
the Dayton Hamvention at my radio <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> trailer aka "Studio B" in the Emergency
Comms Vehicles Expo.\<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> EchoLink: Node # 14400 [Think bottom
of the 2-meter band]<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Home Page: <a href="http://wa8lmf.net"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">http://wa8lmf.net</a><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> Live APRS Mapping on HF & VHF<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <<a href="http://WA8LMF.net/map"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">http://WA8LMF.net/map</a>><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> "Studio B" Ham Shack on Wheels<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <<a href="http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">http://WA8LMF.net/Aliner</a>><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> -- APRS over VARA --<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <<a
href="http://wa8lmf.net/VARA/APRSoverVARA"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">http://wa8lmf.net/VARA/APRSoverVARA</a>><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> HF APRS-over-VARA<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> 40M 7.083.5 USB 30M
10.148.2 USB<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> -<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">>
_______________________________________________<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> aprssig mailing list<br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <a href="mailto:aprssig@lists.tapr.org"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">aprssig@lists.tapr.org</a><br>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">> <a
href="http://lists.tapr.org/mailman/listinfo/aprssig_lists.tapr.org"
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<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
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<pre wrap="" class="moz-quote-pre">_______________________________________________
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