Open source implementation of PACTOR-3 and -4

[Pitchondesign]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"SailMail requires Pactor, has an annual fee, and allows any traffic. Winlink VARA, requires a Ham General license, no fee,"

Last I'd heard, SailMail was free to licensed hams, and if they were using it via marine SSB, any traffic was allowed, same as any other user. Has that changed?

Also, hams using Winlink VARA are (unless the VARA docs missed it) still going to be throttled way down--unless they pay the license fee. If that's wrong, the VARA folks have a hole in their docs.

Winlink itself was a big thing, but there are so many competing digital products for hams now, and so many AuxCom groups have dropped it in favor of FLDigi (a primary author being of the proselytizing Gideon's Bible group injecting quaint "God Bless" type stock messages), that it remains one option--but just that. Great if it does the job for you.

I checked the SailMail website, and there is no mention, that I could find, indicating hams can use it for free. The Sailmail registration specifically excludes ham call signs from registering.

VARA does require a one time fee of $70 for full bandwidth. This, to me, is reasonable compared to the other options.

FLdigi serves a different purpose than Winlink. FLdigi, I believe, is for point to point communications. Winlink is designed to enable connection to the internet.

[Pitchondesign]

Originally Posted by akopac

As far as I know you can use Winmor on Sailmail. I don't know if hams can use sailmail for free, but you can use Winlink for free with winmor or pactor.

I thought SailMail was Pactor 2,3,4 only. I didn't see where the Winmor protocol was supported.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Pitchondesign

I thought SailMail was Pactor 2,3,4 only. I didn't see where the Winmor protocol was supported.

The Sailmail catalog of weather products is available via Winlink or any email server for free. The Sailmail radio stations are all Pactor based and require a membership.

[Pitchondesign]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The Sailmail catalog of weather products is available via Winlink or any email server for free. The Sailmail radio stations are all Pactor based and require a membership.

That is my understanding as well.

[hellosailor]

Pitching, your are correct and I'm doubtlessly confusing old memories and the bits and pieces. It sounds like the Sailmail "system" relies on Airmail software, which will support ham stations as well as Sailmail members, and that in turn relies on the Winlink software, which can be used freely by hams without either of the other two pieces. I haven't been current with that for a long time, not needing SSB comms or the great expense of the Pactor equipment, I stopped following it long ago. I'm sure the pieces have changed.

Speeds, not so much, sadly.

[svmobert]

To clarify a bit more.. Sailmail stations are PACTOR only AND specifically using Marine HF bands. They allow any text content but incoming mail attachments will be stripped unless they are weather, saildocs, GRIB files, etc. ie: excel files, etc will all be removed. Commercial activity IS allowed. Membership was $275/year last I checked.

Winlink supports PACTOR, WINMOR, and others I believe and use Amateur HF bands. I am not sure how attachments are handled but commercial activity is NOT allowed because you cannot perform commercial business over amateur radio bands in general. Use is free.

As far as I am aware, PACTOR is still the fastest option irrespective of service and bands. That said, on much higher frequencies ICOM's D-STAR can do 128kbps data. But would be distance limited.

Maritime HF Packet radio is a super small market. There is no incentive for PACTOR to cater to that market on price alone. They have the best product (technically) and they sell enough of them across the world that even if boaters stopped buying them it would matter much to them financially.

I'd love to see some people work on D-STAR repeater networks around the world and see if we can get that going as an alternative. It's built in to a number of ICOM radios and there are Internet connected repeaters all over the world already. Would have to be on 2meter though which limits range to hundreds of miles instead of thousands.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Pitching, your are correct and I'm doubtlessly confusing old memories and the bits and pieces. It sounds like the Sailmail "system" relies on Airmail software, which will support ham stations as well as Sailmail members, and that in turn relies on the Winlink software, which can be used freely by hams without either of the other two pieces. I haven't been current with that for a long time, not needing SSB comms or the great expense of the Pactor equipment, I stopped following it long ago. I'm sure the pieces have changed.

Speeds, not so much, sadly.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Sea-TechSystems

.......

I'd love to see some people work on D-STAR repeater networks around the world and see if we can get that going as an alternative. It's built in to a number of ICOM radios and there are Internet connected repeaters all over the world already. Would have to be on 2meter though which limits range to hundreds of miles instead of thousands.

Seems like a pretty small niche of usefulness. Say 100 or maybe 150 miles offshore less the 25 miles near shore that can be covered by cell networks.

[svmobert]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The Sailmail catalog of weather products is available via Winlink or any email server for free. The Sailmail radio stations are all Pactor based and require a membership.

The weather products are actually part of a service called Saildocs. And yes they are free, provided by the same folks that run Sailmail.

Sailmail requires a membership for the email service (via HF, Iridium Go!, etc)
Saildocs is a free service that you can retrieve documents from, via Airmail or an email request from any email account. Send an email to info@saildocs.com to get instructions on how to use it from regular email account if you are not using airmail (ie: Winlink, Sailmail)

[akopac]

Here is a thought. Anybody tried or asked the authors of winlink airmail or winlink express recompiling the programs for armed/raspbenan by way of wine lib

https://wiki.winehq.org/Winelib_User%27s_Guide