I have a general class ham license but have been out of
it a LONG time

I want to get back into some form of free ham radio
comms that would allow me to stay in touch with people
while living in an RV or boat

So.... I want something small and compact. And Im not
sure what "mode" of communications I want. I may want
some form of digital comms like packet or pactor....
not sure

Any advice on all this? What to get equip wise? What
modes to get into?

I would go to your local HAM store and talk to them about gear. There
are a lot of choices out there from tiny mobile QRP type rigs to larger
base stations that will all work in your boat or RV. I would start out
by getting a rig setup that's capable of doing packet and then adding a
pactor or similar into the mix later.

-Todd

I would start out
by getting a rig setup that's capable of doing packet and then adding a
pactor or similar into the mix later.

Packet is 2M only, correct? If yes that's very line
of sight on a boat. Yes?

Would pactor be a better choice for sail boat in middle
of sea?

wrote in message
...
I would start out
by getting a rig setup that's capable of doing packet and then adding a
pactor or similar into the mix later.

Packet is 2M only, correct?

Not hardly.

If yes that's very line
of sight on a boat. Yes?

On VHF band, yes.

Would pactor be a better choice for sail boat in middle
of sea?

It is a good choice on HF frequencies.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

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Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com rec.boats.electronics:58943

IF you're going blue water cruising/sailing you might want to get a
pactor II tnc to go with your rig. go to www.winlink2000.org and
check out winlink which will give you email via pactor ii on hf.

PSk is a good mode but doesn't offer store and forward capabilities
yet it's efficient with low power and doesn't take a lot of bandwidth.

be sure to check into which voice maritime service nets serve your
areas of travel on mmsn.org where one of the net members has
thoughtfully put together lists of ham maritime communications nets as
well as some networks on the regular maritime hf bands.

WElcome back to ham radio!


73



Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--



A good captain is one who is hoisting his first drink in a
bar when the storm hits.

Problem is powering a HF transmitter with enough wattage without draining
your batteries.



wrote in message
...
I have a general class ham license but have been out of
it a LONG time

I want to get back into some form of free ham radio
comms that would allow me to stay in touch with people
while living in an RV or boat

So.... I want something small and compact. And Im not
sure what "mode" of communications I want. I may want
some form of digital comms like packet or pactor....
not sure

Any advice on all this? What to get equip wise? What
modes to get into?

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 00:23:41 GMT, "Falky foo"
wrote:

Problem is powering a HF transmitter with enough wattage without draining
your batteries.

=============================

Have you ever heard of:

- generators?
- alternators?
- solar panels?
- wind powered generators?

That's how most people do it except for the ocassional hand cranked
generator advocate.

wrote in :

I want to get back into some form of free ham radio
comms that would allow me to stay in touch with people
while living in an RV or boat


The boaters have been sucked into the most overpriced, proprietary-of-
course, digital mode, Pactor.

It's all nonsense. You can get the finest digital service on HF on the
planet called PSK31....without buying more equipment, more modems, more
wasted money....

The worldwide homepage of PSK31 is:
http://www.aintel.bi.ehu.es/psk31.html

PSK31 only requires your transmitter to be in the 10-20 watt output class
because it will copy perfect text....right down so far in the noise you
can't even hear the guy you are communicating with. Wanna hear it? That's
easy. Tune any USB receiver to 14.070 Mhz, the "PSK-band" on 20 meters.
You'll hear this funny "warbling" sound, many of them at once. On this
website:
http://www.qsl.net/wm2u/psk31.html
You'll find pointers to all the different PSK31 programs to run on your
computer....any Windoze computer will do.....like your boat notebook.
PSK31 uses your computer's sound card and does all its stuff in
software....no external "boxes" are necessary.

I, personally, have always used WinWarbler:
http://www.qsl.net/winwarbler/
but most hams are using Digipan:
http://www.digipan.net/

Any of the programs work great. There's even versions for Linux and Mac.

Winwarbler will copy three separate stations SIMULTANEOUSLY, and you can
switch your transmit back to them with just a mouseclick.

If you get your shore stations also setup with PSK31, you'll have reliable
text comms from any point on the planet. I worked a Japanese station that
was running a 20 meter dipole and 10 watts! PSK stations will raise hell
with you if you hog the bandwidth with big powerful transmitters. It is
simply amazing how far down in the noise the computer running this software
can copy.....a station you can't even hear!

As it's free.....give it a try!

73, and welcome back to ham radio

DE Larry W4CSC

NNNN

AR

wrote:

I would start out
by getting a rig setup that's capable of doing packet and then adding a
pactor or similar into the mix later.

Packet is 2M only, correct? If yes that's very line
of sight on a boat. Yes?

Would pactor be a better choice for sail boat in middle
of sea?

If you are going to be sailing offshore, go take the easy 24 question test
to get your Marine Radiotelephone Operators License. Then get a SSB that has
the ham bands on it also. This way you can call the Coast Guard if you need
to.

Then get a SSB that has
the ham bands on it also. This way you can call the Coast Guard if you need
to.

Any brands or models to suggest that have above
features?