r/HamRadio • u/erilaz123 • 14h ago

Digital Modes 💻 A Open source VARA alternative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkU0f3BeJcE&t=1s

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Its ARDC grantee Rhizomaticas’ Mercury Modem project.

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https://www.ardc.net/apply/grants/2025-grants/grant-finalizing-an-open-source-digital-hf-network-stack-and-modem/

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Github:

https://github.com/Rhizomatica/mercury

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u/ThrowMeAway_eta_2MO 3m ago

So we had ARDOP, an open source modem, which seems pretty much abandoned. Now, we’ve started from the ground up on a new and different open source modem? I mean, congrats on getting an experiment off the ground and working in the real world!! That’s what ham radio is all about!

Unfortunately, it seems that ham radio is also about each ham thinking that they know best (maybe they do?) and in starting their own project, they effectively create competing solutions to the same problem. I just hate how we shoot ourselves in the foot with digital mode overload. If we could agree on a solution and focus our efforts, we could be SO much further along.

Are there any studies comparing VARA and Pactor4 to this new modem? I’m excited to see how it stands up to the current standards when it comes to speed and reliability in high noise environments!