Hi all, I just read the post on "off shore comm." I would like to get some feed back from the users of pactor ll. What modem are you using and are you happy with it? I see winnlink really endorses the SCS controller, but are there others comparable at a less price? Is there a big advantage to Pactor lll over pactor ll. I currently use the IC-706, AH-4 but need to decide soon on a controller. Thanks and 73, Richard WA7MTF s/v La Vida Feliz
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it is English
Joe, with all respect my post was written in plain english and with all respect if you were communication savy you would have understood my post. I will help you out a little though and tell you that Pactor II is a digital method of sending and receiving email via wireless communications. If you will put in "Pactor II" on a search engine you will learn a lot also you may want to try "winlink 2000". After you learn all of this you may want to have it on board your vessel if you are a cruiser. You don't have to be a Ham Radio operator to use this service as it is also available on Marine HF radio. I guess I could have used your comment on the post written about "Fuzzy Logic" as I knew nothing about it but I took the opportunity to resarch it. That is what I find valuable of this forum. There are a number of subjects on this board that have prompted me to do research. I guess if I knew it all I wouldn't come to the forum. Again please take this with all do respect. Regards, Richard WA7MTF s/v La Vida Feliz P.s For those of you that do not understand plain english I will be happy to translate to espanol.
Joe, with all respect my post was written in plain english and with all respect if you were communication savy you would have understood my post. I will help you out a little though and tell you that Pactor II is a digital method of sending and receiving email via wireless communications. If you will put in "Pactor II" on a search engine you will learn a lot also you may want to try "winlink 2000". After you learn all of this you may want to have it on board your vessel if you are a cruiser. You don't have to be a Ham Radio operator to use this service as it is also available on Marine HF radio. I guess I could have used your comment on the post written about "Fuzzy Logic" as I knew nothing about it but I took the opportunity to resarch it. That is what I find valuable of this forum. There are a number of subjects on this board that have prompted me to do research. I guess if I knew it all I wouldn't come to the forum. Again please take this with all do respect. Regards, Richard WA7MTF s/v La Vida Feliz P.s For those of you that do not understand plain english I will be happy to translate to espanol.
Pactor
First off, there is relevant vocabulary to specialized endeavors, certainly any sailboater knows that, eg. port, bow, sheet; each of which has different meaning in English. Do we exclude from this forum a form of communication used by cruisers worldwide because its vocabulary is unfamiliar to some? We are all here to learn. That aside, the Pactor 2 unit from SCS is the best available now. Other Pactor units operate much slower and do not have the ability to discriminate between noise and the signal. They also take time from others on a shared frequency due to their needing repeats and inherent slowness. Pactor 3 is the new generation that will control your radio through software (but you must have the correct radio) and is much faster than the 2. I understand you can download (for a fee) Pactor 3 software for a Pactor 2 unit. Again, the Winlink website will give you links and technical info and persons to contact for specific info. Most cruisers in Mexico are using SCS Pactor units. Check with Downwind Marine in San Diego. I made my own cables and installed it without difficulty. Comforting to stay in touch so easily. Jack Swords WA6WTH
First off, there is relevant vocabulary to specialized endeavors, certainly any sailboater knows that, eg. port, bow, sheet; each of which has different meaning in English. Do we exclude from this forum a form of communication used by cruisers worldwide because its vocabulary is unfamiliar to some? We are all here to learn. That aside, the Pactor 2 unit from SCS is the best available now. Other Pactor units operate much slower and do not have the ability to discriminate between noise and the signal. They also take time from others on a shared frequency due to their needing repeats and inherent slowness. Pactor 3 is the new generation that will control your radio through software (but you must have the correct radio) and is much faster than the 2. I understand you can download (for a fee) Pactor 3 software for a Pactor 2 unit. Again, the Winlink website will give you links and technical info and persons to contact for specific info. Most cruisers in Mexico are using SCS Pactor units. Check with Downwind Marine in San Diego. I made my own cables and installed it without difficulty. Comforting to stay in touch so easily. Jack Swords WA6WTH
Thank You Jack
Thanks, I was leaning towards the SCS, Do you opearate much HF from your boat. Jack Email me if you would please as I have a few questions? Which would bore the forum. rtb1144@yahoo.com 73 Richard
Thanks, I was leaning towards the SCS, Do you opearate much HF from your boat. Jack Email me if you would please as I have a few questions? Which would bore the forum. rtb1144@yahoo.com 73 Richard
Foul!!!
I'm crying "foul"! If you guys talk "off-line" then the rest of us won't learn anything! I find this very interesting and would like to know more.
I'm crying "foul"! If you guys talk "off-line" then the rest of us won't learn anything! I find this very interesting and would like to know more.
Ok, John
Jack, beings that the Freq. is shared so much and only so much bandwith when does it appear to be the most active? so I can gateway at another time. I will be leaving NC and sailing to Rio Dulce in Nov. and will live aboard there. Do you ever check into the 14.300 mm net? What do you find to be some of the most helpful mm nets? I see by buckmaster were in the same gen. and ticketed about the same time, I am an old "6" from the late 50s. Also any one else out there that can give some input on the questions?. I seem to favor 20m ssb and cw. 73, Ricardo wa7mtf s/v La Vida Feliz
Jack, beings that the Freq. is shared so much and only so much bandwith when does it appear to be the most active? so I can gateway at another time. I will be leaving NC and sailing to Rio Dulce in Nov. and will live aboard there. Do you ever check into the 14.300 mm net? What do you find to be some of the most helpful mm nets? I see by buckmaster were in the same gen. and ticketed about the same time, I am an old "6" from the late 50s. Also any one else out there that can give some input on the questions?. I seem to favor 20m ssb and cw. 73, Ricardo wa7mtf s/v La Vida Feliz
Pactor III info
You're right about being able to find lots of info in a search. The very first "hit" explained a lot about Pactor III. By the description in this link it appears that III has a lot to offer. What happens with static intereference? Since we're talking digital can this mess up the signal? So obviously one needs a SSB and a ham license to use this system. hmmmm. P.S. no haba espaneol. or spell it either!
You're right about being able to find lots of info in a search. The very first "hit" explained a lot about Pactor III. By the description in this link it appears that III has a lot to offer. What happens with static intereference? Since we're talking digital can this mess up the signal? So obviously one needs a SSB and a ham license to use this system. hmmmm. P.S. no haba espaneol. or spell it either!
pactor III
John, You do not need a Ham license to use the digital email. Put in search.. sail mail.. This is the marine version of winlink2000, it operates on the marine HF freq. Yes, interference can interupt or slow down your packets, just like a noisy phone line or old copper lines can slow up your modem speed. Maybe jack can enlighten us all on the ability of pactor III to not be as prone to interference. Regards, Ricardo
John, You do not need a Ham license to use the digital email. Put in search.. sail mail.. This is the marine version of winlink2000, it operates on the marine HF freq. Yes, interference can interupt or slow down your packets, just like a noisy phone line or old copper lines can slow up your modem speed. Maybe jack can enlighten us all on the ability of pactor III to not be as prone to interference. Regards, Ricardo
Pactor...more
Thanks John, I agree, there is much to learn here from everybody. OK Richard, I started with a novice license back then, then the tech, then gen, then Extra. We are in La Paz on the Sea of Cortez and use the Baja ham MM nets for our cruising grounds (Chubasco net, 7294 MHz, 8 AM, for example). We use HF SSB when out at sea to stay in touch with other cruisers, sometimes a phone patch back home (CA). We use a TS 50 at 50 watts usually. Sometimes listen to MM nets (get the ARRL book of nets). With Pactor, we have found early AM to be the best for traffic. There are popular gateways, we use others. See Winlink.org and the list of stations. I usually connect to Texas, CA, or even the east coast. The software comes (free download) with a propagation program that indicates which station is best at a given time. There are lots of stations to connect to, each station then scans several bands/freqs. Some as many as 10. So you have plenty of opportunity. In the marina can be a pain due to some using too high power, but 10 watts usually works (some use 150 all the time). Static a problem? This SCS unit is so sophisticated, it can detect the digital signal when I cannot even hear it...just prints away on the laptop. Take a look at the software by downloading it (and propagation pgm) from Winlink and play with it. You don't need the controller to check it out, especially the prop pgm. Being in La Paz used to mean being isolated, but with daily e-mail (several times a day) it isn't any more. Installation is not a problem, I connected everything at home, made it work, learned much, then took it to the boat. Hope this helps. Jack Swords WA6WTH
Thanks John, I agree, there is much to learn here from everybody. OK Richard, I started with a novice license back then, then the tech, then gen, then Extra. We are in La Paz on the Sea of Cortez and use the Baja ham MM nets for our cruising grounds (Chubasco net, 7294 MHz, 8 AM, for example). We use HF SSB when out at sea to stay in touch with other cruisers, sometimes a phone patch back home (CA). We use a TS 50 at 50 watts usually. Sometimes listen to MM nets (get the ARRL book of nets). With Pactor, we have found early AM to be the best for traffic. There are popular gateways, we use others. See Winlink.org and the list of stations. I usually connect to Texas, CA, or even the east coast. The software comes (free download) with a propagation program that indicates which station is best at a given time. There are lots of stations to connect to, each station then scans several bands/freqs. Some as many as 10. So you have plenty of opportunity. In the marina can be a pain due to some using too high power, but 10 watts usually works (some use 150 all the time). Static a problem? This SCS unit is so sophisticated, it can detect the digital signal when I cannot even hear it...just prints away on the laptop. Take a look at the software by downloading it (and propagation pgm) from Winlink and play with it. You don't need the controller to check it out, especially the prop pgm. Being in La Paz used to mean being isolated, but with daily e-mail (several times a day) it isn't any more. Installation is not a problem, I connected everything at home, made it work, learned much, then took it to the boat. Hope this helps. Jack Swords WA6WTH
Thanks
Thanks Jack, I came up through the ranks also..Ahhhhhh the good ole days. Doubt I can work you on 40m from here but will listen when we get to Isla Mujeres and Rio Dulce. 73, Ricardo
Thanks Jack, I came up through the ranks also..Ahhhhhh the good ole days. Doubt I can work you on 40m from here but will listen when we get to Isla Mujeres and Rio Dulce. 73, Ricardo
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