HF/Pactor

wind_magic · #1 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007

I'm curious how the company SCS (makers of Pactor modems) responds to warranty type of issues and what their technical support is like. Anyone had experience dealing with them ? For the amount of money the modems cost I would hope it was VERY good.

camaraderie · #2 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007

Nope....they have none. Which means BUY it from a good company who will give good support and walk you through the install and trouble shooting and not leave you alone till you are up and running. I used Farallon Electronics for my whole setup and Gary Woods there is a Pactor expert. I'm sure other places do well also but Gary is a treasure before, during and well after the sale.
Have you really thought through the NEED to purchase a pactor for $1k+ and pay for sailmail for $250 a year financially vs. other options?
We were happy with ours but 10 minutes of text only e-mail a day is no big deal especially when everywhere you go has wifi or internet cafe's.

wind_magic · #3 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007

Hey Cam, good information, thanks! Farallon Electronics is the one that came up as the U.S. retailer, so that's good to know since that is probably where I would be buying it.

On the subject of email, yes I actually do want to be able to use HF email, but that wasn't the only reason I was getting the modem. I also want it to do PSK31 and some other things too that I am not able to do with my linux box because there isn't any good software for it.

I'll definitely be using wi-fi when it is available.

camaraderie · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007

Ok...now teach me something...what is psk31??

wind_magic · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Ok...now teach me something...what is psk31??

Cam, think "HF chat". It's basically like those online chat programs except over HF between two people who have computers. When you type a character it gets sent as an HF signal and converted back to a character at the other end.

Your Pactor 3 modem has the capability built into it.

More info at wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSK31

wind_magic · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007

Cam,

I don't know if you knew this but your Pactor 3 modem can actually do all kinds of unusual things. I've been reading the documentation for the one I just ordered and it'll do PSK31, various FAX protocols, NavTex, it can decode and encode CW, all kinds of things. I am looking forward to experimenting with mine when it gets here. I already have the radio set up waiting for it.

Valiente · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007

I will follow your progress with interest, as I am seriously considering purchasing an ICOM M802 Marine SSB, an AT-140 tuner and a Pactor III modem, even though it's about a $3,300 investment.

brak · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007

While Pactor3 is cool, there are other, non-proprietory encoding types, that work pretty well. Modems for those cost less (in fact some can be decoded using a PC with a sound card). There are also free email networks, though generally one has to have an amateur radio license to use those.

Still, many other options that do not involve paying a lot of money.

wind_magic · #9 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valiente

I will follow your progress with interest, as I am seriously considering purchasing an ICOM M802 Marine SSB, an AT-140 tuner and a Pactor III modem, even though it's about a $3,300 investment.

I will post here after I get it and have a chance to play around with it.

One thing I have found about all of this radio equipment is that the biggest investment in it for me has been time. It wasn't cheap in terms of money either, but it has taken lots and lots of time. It takes time to get the gear set up, time fooling around with antennas and the like, power, all that, noise filters, everything about the equipment starts out a hassle. Then it takes time to figure out how to use it all. Time to find interesting frequencies and get them tuned in, learn their schedules, learn how to get your signal out there, just on and on. Antennas break, connections come loose, atmospheric conditions change, propagation, getting licensed, learning cw, learning all the modes and what they are for, on and on. You really seem to have to like playing with gear, which fortunately I do. I have a feeling Pactor is going to be the same way, constant tinkering to get it to work right and to keep it working.

I was never that interested in radio before I got into sailing, and I wasn't that interested after I got into sailing either. But somehow through sheer frustration I've gotten into it, one painful lesson at a time. It's like one of those games where you just can't stand to lose so you keep playing it.

Brak, please give more details of the alternatives, I think you would have a very interested crowd here.

gc1111 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by wind_magic

Hey Cam, good information, thanks! Farallon Electronics is the one that came up as the U.S. retailer, so that's good to know since that is probably where I would be buying it.

On the subject of email, yes I actually do want to be able to use HF email, but that wasn't the only reason I was getting the modem. I also want it to do PSK31 and some other things too that I am not able to do with my linux box because there isn't any good software for it.

I'll definitely be using wi-fi when it is available.

There is lots of good software for digital work on a Linux box. I use fldigi, but there are several others. See: http://www.w1hkj.com/Fldigi.html