[Elecraft] PACTOR iii

[Barry LaZar]

All,
     The WINLINK network has been up for years. It has served both the 
boaters and emergency/disaster communicators. The FCC does allow this 
type of communications as it is considered  non commercial. There does 
not seem to be anything driving the FCC to overturn their past decision 
on this issue. So, all of you boaters, campers, etc, who want to use 
WINLINK for free vice SAILMAIL for some cost, go for it..

73,
Barry
K3NDM

On 4/30/2012 1:45 PM, Sandy wrote:
> I haven't read the new part 97 yet, but by the old rules, it seems to me
> that internet access via amateur radio, unless there is only selective
> websites available, would be illegal, UNLESS it is an emergency!
>
> If someone can afford an ocean going vessel, sail or powered, can surely
> afford a marine communications setup and conduct his business via commercial
> public correspondence stations.  INMARSAT has a service that requires
> minimum equipment and may by now, have internet hook up available.  (  I
> have been out of the marine communication business now for almost 20 years,
> so I don't know if it is or isn't available)  As a master of any vessel,
> recreational or otherwise, I would be derelict in my duty not to have
> communications equipment available to assure the safety of my crew, friends
> and other passengers on my vessel.  AGAIN emergency communications is OK,
> but NOT routine communications regarding weather, navigation, etc..
>
>
> My 2 penny's worth on this subject.
>
> 73,
>
> Sandy W5TVW
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin
> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2012 7:43 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PACTOR iii
>
> Amen!
>
> There are a lot of Yachtsmen/women who got their license for one reason
> and one reason alone. To keep from paying for the Sail Mail
> subscription. it amounts to $250/yr or about $21/month uses marine
> frequencies and marine type accepted equipment and the
> ubiquitous/infamous SCS Pactor III modem.
>
> On 04/29/2012 07:19 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>>> However that said, Pactor III is a godsend for us hams that are
>>> cruising on our boats....here in the south pacific, I can send/rec
>>> email, and get all kinds of weather charts/info to make my sailing
>>> safer. Pactor III may not be for you, but it is for me
>> And commercial or quasi-commercial traffic should be conducted on
>> commercial frequencies not on top of amateur users whenever the damn
>> PACTOR-bots decide to start transmitting.
>>
>> As one of the twelve who were on the ARRL committee that formulated
>> the automatic and semi-automatic control concepts nearly 30 years ago,
>> allowing *any* form of automatic control is one of the biggest mistakes
>> in nearly 100 years of amateur radio - right up with phone patches in
>> the amateur service.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>       ... Joe, W4TV