Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 29-09-2014, 16:08   #1
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Working in St Augustine
Boat: Woods Vardo 34 Cat
Posts: 3,865
Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

KI4WNI: have not used winlink since maybe 2009. Just found out on winlink.org my account was long ago deleted.

I previously had a Pactor TRX PTC with blue tooth was a sweet unit.

I know have an older Pactor II with serial cable and an Icom 700 pro. All in boxes at the moment, but will be installing radio in the boat in the next 2 months.

SO: what type of computer do I need to get to run which software for email and weather grin use. Computer from 2009 is long gone and I currently only have an iPad. It appears it is necessary to buy a full Microsoft laptop? Looking for low cost and low power draw. Low power draw and reliability would be valuable to me but really don't want to spend more than $500 to get "linked"

Advice on what is currently available and working good, greatly appreciated.
__________________
@mojomarine1
Boatguy30 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 29-09-2014, 17:07   #2
Registered User
 
AnchorageGuy's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wherever the boat is!
Boat: Marine Trader 34DC
Posts: 4,619
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Anything running Windows from Vista to Windows 8 will do. We have two laptops with Windows 7 that we use with Winlink, Viewfax, etc. I suggest you stop at a Best Buy and see what they have in your price range, Memory and processor are not going to be an issue unless you plan to do more. I don't know of any way to run this from a tablet. Get a serial to usb adapter to connect the Pactor and a DC to DC converter to run off your 12 volt system and your good to go. Upgrade the Pactor to III. Chuck
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, ICW Hampton Roads To Key West, The Gulf Coast, The Bahamas

The Trawler Beach House
Voyages Of Sea Trek
AnchorageGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-09-2014, 17:42   #3
Registered User
 
travellerw's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Look on Ebay or Craigslist for a Surface Pro 1. They can be had for pretty cheap these days and fit you criteria. You can even run them directly off 12V.
travellerw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-09-2014, 18:48   #4
Registered User
 
AnchorageGuy's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wherever the boat is!
Boat: Marine Trader 34DC
Posts: 4,619
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

I don't know much about the Surface. Just be sure whatever you buy will support the drivers and capability to use the serial to usb converter to connect the Pactor. Chuck
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, ICW Hampton Roads To Key West, The Gulf Coast, The Bahamas

The Trawler Beach House
Voyages Of Sea Trek
AnchorageGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 08:32   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Texas
Boat: Pearson 40 - 1980
Posts: 2
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

I spent many years working in the PC industry with Dell. I was a product planner so I was intimately involved in laptop design. My only suggestion is to buy a "new" system from Dell or HP or Lenovo (you can get parts and service globally for them). Buy direct from their websites. By "new" I am referring to "refurbished" systems. Dell, HP and Lenovo all sell factory refurbished systems and the factory refurbished systems are thoroughly tested and come with full "new" warranty. In some cases, the refurbs get better testing than new systems right off the assembly line in China. Used systems can be fine but it is a crap shoot. If the previous owner mistreated the system (Allowing them to get too hot is the worst - damages the CPU, memory and hard drive). If you get a good used one, OK, great. But if it has been abused, you will have a failure (at the worst possible time of course) and the cost to repair will be more than you paid in the first place. You should easily be able to find a good refurb for under $400. Go to hp.com, dell.com or lenovo.com and find the refurb section.
TxMarineRepair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 13:00   #6
Senior Cruiser

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
Boat: Valiant 40 (1975)
Posts: 4,073
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Got a dell 11:3000 yesterday from Costco. Used my Costco card for 3 year warranty. Does everything and is easy to upgrade (when it comes to that) 500 USD.
s/v Beth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 13:13   #7
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Hello, I would suggest something that works on 12v and has a low current draw, like an EeePC.

I have RMS Express on my Lenovo but it burns a lot of current.

Anyway, I mostly use CW ;-)

Gil


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 13:26   #8
Moderator Emeritus
 
roverhi's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
Send a message via Yahoo to roverhi
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Bought a cheap Hitachi Net Book for a back up in 2010. It ran a basic form of Windows 7 and did not work with WinLink. Check out whatever operating system you get before you commit your money if you can. The Windows 7 system that came with the more expensive Net Book that was used to set the Pactor II with III upgrade worked fine.

Anyone tried an Apple running the Windows emulation software with WinLink?? Have switched over to Apple hardware and wonder if I can make it work.
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
roverhi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 13:58   #9
Registered User
 
Dsanduril's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Petersburg, AK
Boat: Outremer 50S
Posts: 4,229
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

If you're willing to fork out $500 I'd take a look at a fanless industrial computer. Lots of them around (Moxa, Advantech,...). If you have to use Windows then use your iPad and RDP as a 'monitor' when you need it, otherwise run it headless. Should be able to find one that will get you down to 8-10W, which is almost low enough to just leave it running all the time. And most come with multiple genuine hardware serial ports (industrial automation still uses a lot of serial), so hooking in the Pactor, and NMEA, and.... is pretty easy.

The catch will be checking software compatibility, I haven't run one like this with WinLink in a long time. Used to work fine with the embedded XP versions.
Dsanduril is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 14:03   #10
Registered User
 
gilgsn's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Antibes France
Boat: Havsfidra 20
Posts: 191
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Hello,

Quote:
Bought a cheap Hitachi Net Book for a back up in 2010. It ran a basic form of Windows 7 and did not work with WinLink.
Mine runs Window$ 7. Winlink works fine with RMSExpress.
I wish the Winlink/Winmor team would port software to Linux though...

Gil.
gilgsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 18:12   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: St Michaels, MD
Boat: Cal 46-3, 46' ketch
Posts: 222
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Winlink 2000 doesn't use much horsepower from PC. In fact many hams just get an old Windows 98 for $70-90 so they can just leave it dedicated to the rig/ purpose. As to specific software... I'm more familiar with Winmoor which will do what you are trying to do just fine. Just Google Winlink (or Winmoor) to find software and follow instructions EXACTLY. If you can check into Waterway Net (7268 kHz @ 7:45a daily) ask when they run their digital communication Q&A Net. It's once a week or once a month(??) immediately after the Waterway Net to help hams with boats get up and running. There is a lot of real World experience there and worth getting an email address/ phone number from those who dedicate time helping others get their stations up and running. Once you have it running its stable, but it can be challenging to get it all going initially. The software is all done by hams and lacks really good / elegant documentation/ manuals. Good Luck
W3GAC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-09-2014, 18:59   #12
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Working in St Augustine
Boat: Woods Vardo 34 Cat
Posts: 3,865
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

I'll check into some of the lower power options. That is probably the most important. I recall my last toshiba drawing 6-7 amps doc charging and it needed charging a lot. I wasn't even planning to have an inverter on my boat so I need to do some homework.
__________________
@mojomarine1
Boatguy30 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2014, 05:29   #13
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Working in St Augustine
Boat: Woods Vardo 34 Cat
Posts: 3,865
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Ok, so some of the tablets are available with Windows 8.1. will this work?

I was checking out the mini desktop option, but that just seemed like too much stuff. When I google windows tablet winlink I basically get nothing. If I google airmail I get into on send one to/from China.
__________________
@mojomarine1
Boatguy30 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2014, 20:06   #14
Registered User
 
Beausoleil's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Solomons, MD USA
Boat: Formosa 51 Aft Cockpit Ketch - "Beausoleil"
Posts: 611
Images: 3
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Quote:
Originally Posted by roverhi View Post
Anyone tried an Apple running the Windows emulation software with WinLink?? Have switched over to Apple hardware and wonder if I can make it work.
I've run Winlink on a Macbook Pro since 2010 using VirtualBox (free) to create virtual machine running an old copy of Windows XP Pro. I also have a Fedora Linux VM installed and running as well.

I would highly recommend bumping the RAM up to 16GB.

We have plenty of power available on Beausoleil with all our solar panels, so battery wasn't an issue. But I really used it for route planning with Coastal Explorer - use Raymarine e120 at the helm for navigation. Otherwise I'd use a tablet.

I'm not a big Microsoft fan, but I really like Coastal Explorer. It has touch capabilities which I can't use on the Mac...


Sent from my XT1060 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
__________________
Cap'n Jon (KB1HTW)
S/V Beausoleil -1979 Formosa 51 Ketch
"If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there." - Captain Ron
Beausoleil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2014, 20:11   #15
Registered User
 
Beausoleil's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Solomons, MD USA
Boat: Formosa 51 Aft Cockpit Ketch - "Beausoleil"
Posts: 611
Images: 3
Re: Need new laptop/tablet for winlink

Forgot to mention before hitting send - Airmail for Winlink runs fine as well in the XP VM.

Sent from my XT1060 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
__________________
Cap'n Jon (KB1HTW)
S/V Beausoleil -1979 Formosa 51 Ketch
"If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there." - Captain Ron
Beausoleil is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
laptop

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
new android tablet! Nexus s 7 in tablet boatsail Marine Electronics 16 01-10-2013 09:53
winlink on iPad or other tablet Boatguy30 Marine Electronics 0 05-05-2013 19:09
New cell phone, tablet and/or laptop chebba Product or Service Reviews & Evaluations 10 18-04-2012 09:54
Tablet or Laptop for Navigation ? Jdg Navigation 22 04-11-2011 01:54
Which Tablet / Notebook / Laptop Will Work ? READY2GO Marine Electronics 39 08-09-2011 10:10

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:34.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.