[nos-bbs] VARA HF iface for JNOS 2.0 - Connections from JNOS to VARA modem

chris at chrismaness.com chris at chrismaness.com
Sun Jan 10 09:33:00 EST 2021


Let me clarify.  Not worried about using pat, but wondering if the Linux 
version of VARA would also work with JNOS.  I don't have a windows 
machine except when I temporarily launch it on VirtualBox to run 
Winlink.  Pat works really nicely with VARA in linux.  I can pull my 
winlink mail almost every day from my house in SoCal to the bay area.  
Would be a nice link to move traffic in a disaster with JNOS.

Regards,

Chris KQ6UP

On 1/10/21 6:28 AM, M Langelaar wrote:
>
> Chris,
>
> I had to look it up, -> pat (winlink client written in GO) ...
>
> I'm not sure to be honest, my goal right now is just to get JNOS to 
> JNOS link
> functioning. The way I have written my interface 'so far' is that it 
> behaves more
> like a bridge between the two systems, over which you can connect ax25 
> or ip
> or netrom or whatever (like a tunnel) and it's bidirectional in that way.
>
> I'm not sure how the winlink systems are using VARA, watching the 
> traces on
> a few exchanges it looks like they are using VARA just like a 
> forwarding session
> as in a direct connection to a mailbox, but that's just what it 'looks 
> like' to me.
>
> I'm stuck on a few annoying protocol issues, otherwise it would be 
> done already,
> and of course these little items always take the longest to sort out 
> ... sigh ...
>
> Maiko / VE4KLM
>
> On 10/01/2021 8:04 a.m., Chris Maness wrote:
>> I am using VARA with pat on Linux.  Will that work too?
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 9, 2021 at 1:59 PM M Langelaar <maiko at pcsinternet.ca 
>> <mailto:maiko at pcsinternet.ca>> wrote:
>>
>>     Hey Bruce,
>>
>>     GRAPENOS, yup, I think BK told me about that one (I think) ...
>>
>>     Oh wow, so I should grovel at your feet HI HI, you would have
>>     worked with Brian Kantor then correct ? He mentioned some of
>>     the old WA4DSY days when I last chatted with him ...
>>
>>     SO, here's a 'secret' for anyone that wants to 'play' ***
>>
>>     IF you rsync the latest JNOS area on my official site, add :
>>
>>         #define EA5HVK_VARA
>>
>>     to your config.h, then on each JNOS you can start comms to
>>     their respective VARA HF windows modems something like :
>>
>>     JNOS A (on the cloud, accesses my VARA on client PC at home)
>>
>>         attach vara vara0 256 10.8.10.21 8300
>>
>>       watch the JNOS log for stats, when both ports are connected, run :
>>
>>         varacmd "MYCALL VE4KLM"
>>
>>         varamcd "LISTEN ON"
>>
>>     JNOS B (on another subnet here at home)
>>
>>         attach vara vara0 256 192.168.100.102 8300
>>
>>     watch the JNOS log for stats, when both ports are connected, run :
>>
>>          varacmd "MYCALL K4TQL"
>>
>>          varacmd "LISTEN ON"
>>
>>     THEN on one of the JNOS instances, try this :
>>
>>          varacmd "CONNECT VE4KLM K4TQL"
>>
>>     The two VARA modems should sync up and connect, THEN at
>>     that point you can even try this on either (?) JNOS console :
>>
>>          c vara0 ve4klm
>>
>>       or
>>
>>          c vara0 k4tql
>>
>>     depending which JNOS you are on.
>>
>>     That's the latest progress I have made, you will find however the
>>     the ax25 connection I am trying to make stalls at some point, and
>>     that is where I need to work on the buffering and flow control, etc.
>>
>>     Each Windows PC is line-in / speaker out to the other using a couple
>>     of stereo cables, since at this point it's hard and really no
>>     point to try
>>     it on an HF frequency when you have nobody to play with anyways.
>>
>>     HOWEVER to me this is great progress, the mechanics are in place.
>>
>>     Sorry for the length of this post, but now folks have something
>>     to maybe
>>     fool around with. The VARA modem I used is of course trial
>>     version, so
>>     the link speed probably is not helpful in fully testing it, but
>>     at some
>>     point
>>     I am sure I will pay Jose the fee and get the full version. It's
>>     pretty
>>     cool !
>>
>>     I don't use WINE since I'm spoiled to have work computers with
>>     fully licensed Windows systems (of any kind) at my disposal, so
>>     it's no impact to run the extra program on them, and with VPNs
>>     and other creative routing, it doesn't matter where my JNOS is
>>     running as long as I have a network to my software modems.
>>
>>     It's been like that from 'day one', I tried WINE when it first came
>>     out, but I was more interested in Virtual BOX and KVM, and Xen
>>     and all that, and by then I working as an IT guy in corporations
>>     that could afford windows licenses and such ...
>>
>>     Dare I say, but BPQ seems to have a grasp on things, it's been
>>     out for a while I think, and seems quite stable and well in use.
>>
>>     Yes, internet killed the radio star, but the internet is still
>>     good for
>>     lots of stuff, like getting software out to the masses of course.
>>
>>     I've just been fearing lately that JNOS is turning into just another
>>     internet app, perhaps why I've become obsessed with the software
>>     based IP connected modems over the past years.
>>
>>
>>     On 09/01/2021 2:30 p.m., Bruce Nebergall K4TQL wrote:
>>     > Maiko,
>>     >
>>     > VARA HF iface for JNOS 2.0
>>     >
>>     >
>>     > Here's another Re:
>>     >
>>     > I got VARA running under Linux Wine.  Actually I used Crossover
>>     Linux
>>     > because it's easier to
>>     > set up test bottles for different applications.  With a Terabyte
>>     > drive, I don't worry about
>>     > disk space.
>>     >
>>     > As I said, I got it working basically under Wine 32 bit Windows 7
>>     > bottle.  Now I've got to
>>     > figure out what I did right so I can duplicate it. Task
>>     underway.  I
>>     > use VARA as part of
>>     > an Air Force MARS message network.  Right now we are using BPQ
>>     but I'm
>>     > looking for a better
>>     > matched software that works under Linux.
>>     >
>>     > I'm an old hand at NOS.  I and some others ported NOS to support
>>     > WA4DSY's high speed RF
>>     > modem.  Worked like a charm.  Internet killed the network.  The
>>     port
>>     > was called GRAPESNOS.
>>     > You may have heard of it.
>>     >
>>     > I've looked at the source code to see if I could port it into
>>     > something more fitting to
>>     > AF MARS use that BPQ.  But, man, the code has changed worlds
>>     from what
>>     > I knew.  I'd have
>>     > a lot of catching up to do.  Don't know if this old (now) brain
>>     can do
>>     > it.
>>     >
>>     > I'll keep you advised as to my progress on VARA..
>>     >
>>     > BTW, any reason why you dno't do Wine?
>>     >
>>     > Bruce, K4TQL
>>     >
>>     > On 1/9/21 3:07 PM, M Langelaar wrote:
>>     >> Hi Bruce,
>>     >>
>>     >> The modem is Windows, communications is TCP/IP, one command
>>     port, one
>>     >> data port.
>>     >>
>>     >>    Jose' webpage is -> https://rosmodem.wordpress.com
>>     <https://rosmodem.wordpress.com>
>>     >>
>>     >> At this time my tests are hardwired between 2 Windows PCs,
>>     each has it's
>>     >> own JNOS instance on the network using it. That's all I have
>>     to work
>>     >> with, it
>>     >> is a good enough setup to confirm that I got the mechanics
>>     working
>>     >> nicely.
>>     >>
>>     >> It's the flow control and a few other issues that I'm going to
>>     need a
>>     >> bit of
>>     >> time to work on, there are some protocol issues that I need to
>>     nail
>>     >> down.
>>     >>
>>     >> For what it's worth, I got confirmation from yet another
>>     person this
>>     >> morning
>>     >> saying the WinRPR interface recently added to JNOS 2.0 is
>>     working quite
>>     >> well, even comparable to their old TNC setups, so that's very
>>     >> encouraging.
>>     >>
>>     >> I don't use WINE, sorry.
>>     >>
>>     >> Maiko / VE4KLM
>>     >>
>>     >> On 09/01/2021 1:57 p.m., Bruce Nebergall K4TQL wrote:
>>     >>> Maiko,
>>     >>>
>>     >>> Good news about the VARA port.  What platform is the VARA modem
>>     >>> running on?
>>     >>> Windows?  On Linux under Wine?  How do you communicate
>>     between the
>>     >>> modem
>>     >>> and JNOS?  Hardwire from one PC to another? If running under
>>     Linux Wine
>>     >>> have you had any issues with JNOS connecting to VARA?
>>     >>>
>>     >>> Bruce
>>     >>>
>>     >
>>
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