[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Fw: Alexandria Digital ARES HF Net.

[Joe K]

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Joe K <joek at 26xx.org>
> Date: On Sat, Jan 4, 2025 at 18:45
> Subject: Fw: Alexandria Digital ARES HF Net.
> To:
> Cc:
>
> Good Afternoon and Happy New Year,
>
> This weeks Alexandria ARES Digital HF net will start at 1900 (local) today and run until 1900 Sunday. We will be utilizing Vara-HF and Vara Terminal to connect to a BBS node running BPQ32. You can find detailed instructions on the Virginia Emergency Data  Network home page here. https://www.vden.org/
>
> We are going to start on their standard frequency of 07.1032mhz USB and will shift as necessary based on need or special request. In order to connect to this net, please use Vara Terminal configured for 500hz (VARA-HF NARROW) to connect to KD2HZG-2 which is based in FM18jr Springfield Virginia.
>
> You can send a PK TNET bulletin to check in or send me (KD2HZG) a private message, there are examples below.
>
> :> SB PKTNET at USA
> ​**Enter Title (only):**
> :> PKTNET ARES CHECK-IN {URCALL}
> Enter Message Text (end with /ex or ctrl/z)
> :> 1. Checking in to the weekly ARES Digital net
> :> 2. WX OK
> :> 3. POWER OK
> :> 4. WATER OK
> :> 5. NO INJURIES
> :> 6. NO RESOURCES REQUIRED
> :> /ex
>
> :> SP KD2HZG
> ​**Enter Title (only):**
> :> PKTNET ARES CHECK-IN URCALL​
> Enter Message Text (end with /ex or ctrl/z)
> :> 1. Checking in to the weekly ARES Digital net, PWR OK, WX OK, NO INJURIES, NO RESOURCES NEEDED.
> :> /ex
>
> VARA-HF is a proprietary digital mode that has considerable advantages over most other soundcard modes, including robust FEC, auto modulation selection based on connection between stations, and allows for unattended operations. Compared to other modes with similar capabilities, VARA-HF is much cheaper, with a license only costing $60.
>
> Vara Terminal is a "dumb terminal" that resembles an windows command prompt or linux shell, that leverages the running VARA-HF modem to connect to other stations.
>
> LinBPQ/BPQ32 is a software suite that provides RMS, Chat, BBS, and other functionality to create a standalone unattended communications suite. You can provide patches via a variety of modes, including AX.25, VARA, ARDOP, Pactor, Robust Packet, telnet, and more. Unlink Winlink there is no CMS backend to rely on and everything is Peer to Peer.
>
> Here is a good technical breakdown of VARA-HF.
> https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/VARA_HF
>
> Here are links to download the software and purchase license (You can use a very limited version of the modem license free. I'd recommend buying it if you plan to use it with any kind of regularity.
>
> https://downloads.winlink.org/VARA%20Products/
> https://rosmodem.wordpress.com/
>
> If you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to me directly, you may have received this email indirectly through a mailing list, so please use one of the contact methods below.
>
> KD2HZG
> Alexandria ARES EC
>
> joek at 26xx.org
> joka.73 (signal)
> @joek:bufchat.26xx.org (element messenger)
> (The attached file is a public key for GPG email, you probably don't need to download it and try to open it)
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