Sailmail is now a certified application for the iridium go. Demonstration of using remote frequency control for connection to sailmail using the icom gm800. Scs modems are the original pactor mode modems developed by the people who have created all pactor modes. If you are a licensed ham operator, download a copy of airmail from the same site. Sure, hardware could account for some of the difference, as could pactor ii versus pactor 3. Weather maps that take 78 minutes to download with a modem only licensed to operate in the pactorii mode, take two minutes or less to download with piii saving time and battery power. Pactor 3 uses the same bandwidth as pactor 4 but p4 will get it done twice as fast, plus the legitimate ham is penalized because of the fear that something bad may happen. Quickstart guide to sailmail, airmail, and winlink table. Marine and areonautical fcc radio license filing services using dockside radios simplified onepage application worksheet. Dec 15, 2010 the sailmail system can pass grib files, but only if they are less than 30kbytes in length if sent via pactor iii 15kbytes via pactor ii. Radiorelated technical support for the cruising sailor. Software running on the computer drives the terminal node controller. The throughput difference is more noticeable on typical shortwave channels than on awgn channels, and lies, on average, about a factor 2 compared to that of pactor 3.
And the cost of a pactor tnc has is still excessively high. The file name indicates the build number, also shown in the startup screen and the helpabout box. Sailmail staying connected at sea tom and nancy kk4hza zydler cruise aboard their mason 44, frances b. Click one of the following links to go to the appropriate airmail3 page for download files and instructions. Pactor iii is a realworld 4x increase in throughput over pactor ii. Sailmail s airmail software is also compatible with the winlink system. Airmail is a radioemail program, this page is devoted to the sailmail client applications. Those who oppose it do so because they fear that pactor 4 will make the bands worse promoting sailors who are too cheap to pay for sailmail. I purchased the cannakit raspberry pi 4, from amazon to test this. Feb 20, 2017 procedures used to download weather forecast text and images using email sent directly to the national weather service ftp email servers via hf ssb radio or sat phone when aboard ship far out on. You can use sailmail, predictwind, whatever data source you require.
Sailmail is radio based email system designed for boat owners operating beyond lineofsight radio links to the internet. Pactor 4 transmission speeds of 5512 bps without data compression can be achieved. Is it possible to run tests of the vara modem against the pactor 4 modem, can anyone perform such a test. But for those with greater communications needs, pactor 4 offers a way to increase capacity. Dealersinstallers for pactor modems and ssbs sailmail. Pactor 4 remains a substitute for those unwilling to pay for mobile offshore internet. The other is that higher performance modes like pactor 4 will enable users to download bigger filesmessages. Pactor 4 fcc grants waiver to permit pactor 4 for hurricane dorian september 2, 2019the fcc granted the arrls request, similar to past hurricane emergencies, for a temporary waiver of section 97. Sailmail is pretty much the only way to send and receive email via the ssb pactor network. The data you can get is exactly the same, grib files, email etc. If you own a ssb pactor, you will be using this service. This is the download page for the airmail 3 client program for sailmail. And connections are almost always better at anchorage or at sea than in a marina with nearby masts and electrical interference.
Since the sailmail and all the winlink2000 stations now use pactoriii they are still compatible with pactorii, you get the same effective increase on your signal. Just found a site with the pactor 4 for sale set up for the icom 802. This page is devoted to the hamradio client applications. Hf radio, sailmail, airmail, pactor and all that gubbins. Pactor iii piii or pactor 4 what is it and why do i need it. Airmail downloads home downloads links airmail version 3 is now released for general consumption in two editions. Download hf linux ham pactor soundcard program for free. This version also adds full support for the scs pactor 4 dragon modems, and includes an updated viewfax grib and image viewer is also included. Pactor 4 scs dr7400 pactor 4 modem new release fastest system for email via marine sailmail and ham winmail networks includes optional bluetooth module icom icm801e marine hf ssb transceiver 2 year warranty 12vdc or 24 vdc. From scs and scs representatives, you will receive the best possible support and benefit from the concentrated knowledge of the pactor engineers who invented pactor. This is a complete install package for airmail for hams, including wefax, propagation, and a new viewfax gribfax viewer with get it now file menu and updated usb drivers for scs modems. For more information on pactor 4 visit p4dragon pactor 4 is over twice the speed of pactor 3 click here to order your pactor 4 modem the pactor modem provides the interface between the computer and the ssb transceiver. Out of sloth and laziness, some providers of grib files send files that are far too large 50kbytes or more.
Pactor is a radio modulation mode used by amateur radio operators, marine radio stations, military or government users such as the department of homeland security, and radio stations in isolated areas to send and receive digital information via radio. We support pactor 4 at all stations but expect that pactor iii mode will continue to be used by most sailmail members because of the significantly lower cost of the modem. Download and install a copy of sailmail software from. Pactor is an evolution of both amtor and packet radio.
Operation on sailmail network frequencies requires a pactor modem and an ssb radio. This one the say has been redesigned with a fast quadcore dsp allowing high data rates. Pactor 3 uses the same bandwidth as pactor 4 but p4 will get it done twice as fast, plus the legitimate ham is penalized because of. With data throughputs up to 4x an iridium or isatphone satellite link, hf radio data solutions are back in the spotlight.
There are a limited number of ssb providers around the world, the best offering near global coverage via hf ssb radio for the marine user is sailmail. Airmail 3 is compatible with all windows versions from xp on. If youve been reading the udxf logs for any length of time, you will have seen the name sailmail an email service for yachts. Weather maps that take 78 minutes to download with a modem only licensed to operate in the pactor ii mode, take two minutes or less to download with piii saving time and battery power.
Pactor i pactor ii pactor iii pactor iv pactor iii introduces 6 speed levels that provide higher throughput and improved robustness compared to pactor i and ii. Toms article, staying connected at sea, describes how they use their pactor modem and hf ssb radio to connect to the internet for email and weather. May 23, 2011 scs has posted a new modem for pactor 4. There are two modem technologies from which to choose. P4dragon dr7800 is the new standard for ssb radio email and data. With optimal conditions, pactor iii becomes over 5. Jan 01, 2019 pactoriii piii or pactor 4 what is it and why do i need it. A reduction as sailmail and the satcomm providers gain some new customers. Weather forecast downloads part 2 ftp email youtube.
Arsfi, a nonprofit public benefit corporation if you use winlink email, or correspond regularly with someone who does, please donate to arsfi. The p4dragon dr7800 is the latest and in the line of pactor modems. This will encourage increased usage that will only further add to the congestion on our hf bands. This allows unparalleled fast and robust data links via shortwave. The only feature youre giving up is the dr7800s snazzy oled. Sailmail and winlink have an excellent propagation. European customers can order their copy online from special communications systems scs the pactor modem manufacturer,in germany purchase the sailors quickstart guide to sailmail airmail winlink 2000 with your credit card. Accessing sailmail via internet 5 advanced airmail features 6 ccs, mailing list, relay 2 shadowmail 2 dealers for pactor modems, ssbs 1 downloads 3 iridium go. Pactor i pactor ii pactor iii pactor iv pactor iv is the newest iteration of the pactor series, advancing from pactor iiii. The dr7400 has been optimzed for use with the new highend data transmission mode pactor 4. Free pactor123 monitoring software for raspberry pi. But for those with greater communications needs, pactor 4 offers a good way to increase capacity. Airmail is a 32bit program which runs under windows2000, xp, vista, win7 and win8.
Pactor radio equipment consists of an hf transceiver, a computer and a terminal node controller. Frequency list and catalog are current as of 4 2820, be sure to update. Winlink is an allvolunteer project of the amateur radio safety foundation, inc. Thus far maybe i missed it the fcc does not seem concerned at all about b2f compression used in many digital applications, but that is subject to change. Pactor modem many sailmail members use sailmail s worldwide network of ssb pactor radio stations to avoid data charges, but also carry iridium or other satellite communications in addition as a backup. Pactor iii is a software upgrade for existing pactor ii modems that provides a new data transmission mode for improved speed and robustness. The benefits of the p4dragon dr7400 are its compact size and pactor 4 performance.
Winlink is a ham radio system, and as such is limited to holders of appropriate ham radio licenses. The firmware for all scs ptciixxx modems is a file that can be downloaded from our homepage. One word s p e e dscs tells us that pactor 4 technology is the absolute fastest a pactor modem can go on the hf bands and still stay within the internationally mandated bandwidth. Claims of pactor 3 and 4 legality came up and they decided to look into them since pactor 4 is a current rule impacted mode that the fcc has previously issued several emergency waivers for. To cope with this slow speeds there are a number of email compression services and software, compression helps speed up the throughput of data and reduces cost of satellite connections. Then download and install the current release of airmail 3. They usually use one of the many variants of pactor 1 through 4, and while there are packages that can copy this mode, i. Setup pactor modem and ssb, overview to send and receive email over the sailmail s worldwide network of ssb stations, you need a properly installed ssb and you will need to acquire an scs pactor modem, which is a special modem available from ham radio or marine electronics dealers that is designed to transfer data over radio. The most commonly used amateur program for this purpose is airmail pactor is used by amateur bulletin board system operators to exchange public messages, and open conversations across the world. Oct 01, 2009 download and install a copy of sailmail software from. From a sailmail or winlink viewpoint, the primary differences between these technologies are. The simplest way to add winlink access to a sailmail configuration of airmail is to download and run this setup file for win7810. If you are going offshore for a significant period, pactor and ssb are much cheaper than satellite comms. Development is continuing, please report any problems and stop back often for updates.
Scs ptciii usb or bluetooth pactor modem seatech systems. Email compression why email compression data speeds are very slow over hf radio and some satellite and mobile services. We expect that ptciifamily modems licensed to use pactor iii will continue to be used by most sailmail members because of the significantly lower cost. Sailmail also provides and maintains a network of hf coast stations that provide global coverage. Use of pactor 4 is still questionable within us ham radio jurisdiction and is mostly used to transfer files email, pictures, etc. I am still a fan of software based digital modes like winmore. The use of this network is available at no extra charge to sailmail members, but of course requires the member to have a ssb and pactor modem. Pactoriii is a realworld 4x increase in throughput over pactorii. Due to its nature ssb has a very limited bandwidth. Pactor makes best use of this bandwidth offering a maximum speed 2722 bits per second using pactor 3 and 5512 bits per second using pactor 4. Significantly faster than the previous models, and faster than many sat systems. Installing an hf ssb and a pactor modem ocean navigator. Much of its underlying technology is built upon the winlink software originally developed by amateur radio enthusiasts.
Transmission and reception via the hf radio and the narrow bandwidth satellite services such as iridium, inmarsats isatphone, and globalstar is slow and therefore the system strips out attachments except those of a certain type used for. The new flagship in the scs product line, the pactor 4 enabled dr7800 released earlier this year, has been widely accepted by commercial and emergency operators. Pactor 4 the fastest way to send data via hf ssb radio pactor modem dr7400 connections. Pactor iv p4 what is it and what does it do for me. With totally new hardware and firmware designs, pactor 4 s maximum throughput speed of 10,500 bps. View and download icom icm802 connection manual online. This entry was posted in dealers for pactor modems, ssbs on january 4, 2016 by sailma5. Most current pactor ii modems are upgradeable to use pactor iii via a software update since pactor ii firmware accommodates the new pactor iii software. Playing around with sailmail pactor 3 recently there has been some discussion in my udxf group about the difficulties of decoding sailmail pactor 3, so i though id give it a shot. Airmail is a program which runs only on windows, and so the sailmail system can only be run on machines running windows. Sailmail s stations are all capable of all modes including pactor 4.