About Pactor Modems

Simple e-mail, Weather FAX, and NAVTEX on your boat

Whether underway, at the dock, or anchored out, stay in touch with friends, relatives, and fellow cruisers by having DockSide Radio bring e-mail onboard. Add a Pactor-II/III radio modem to your existing marine SSB system and begin sending & receiving e-mail from your boat:

* No more searching for a local Internet Cafe.*
* No more hassling with unstable/intermittent WIFI connections.
* No more searching out a pay phone only to find it's not working.
* Add e-mail capability to your existing SSB radio system and:

- Keep in touch with friends and family.
- Request weather charts & information on demand via SailMail or Winlink
- Receive NAVTEX weather and marine hazard transmissions.
- Receive Weather FAX transmissions directly off-the-air.
- Order ships parts.
- Make/confirm slip reservations.
- Send & receive position reports.

DockSide Radio is a stocking dealer of the SCS Pactor radio modems, the new PTC-IIusb, PTC-IIPro & PTC-IIex. The PTC-IIusb sells for $1248 with Pactor-III, the PTC-IIPro with Pactor-III sells for $1448, & the PTC-IIex with Pactor-III is priced at $998. After reading the brief discussion below, send us an e-mail or call us at 941.661.4498 with your questions. If you want to purchase a PTC-IIex or PTC-IIPro Pactor radio modem, go to the Order Pactor Modems page, look over the product offering and order over the Internet, or order by phone (941.661.4498) if you're paying by credit card.

Which Radio Modem to Buy
There are three models of Pactor Radio Modems from which to choose; The SCS PTC-IIusb, PTC-IIPro, and the PTC-IIex. From a Sailmail or Winlink viewpoint, the primary differences between these three are:

The PTC-IIusb connects directly to a computer's USB port and gives you computer-controlled frequency selection.

The PTC-IIpro connects to a computers serial port and gives you computer-controlled frequency selection.

The PTC-IIex does not provide for computer-controlled frequency selection; however, computer-controlled frequency selection can be provided to some SSB radios by connecting specially constructed cables between the SSB and the computer (ask DockSide Radio).

All three modems incorporate the same digital signal processing circuitry and have the same uncanny ability to deliver 100% e-mail copy from signals you cant even hear.

Frequency Control via Computer - How Important is it?
Currently there are seventeen shore-side Sailmail Coast Stations worldwide to which you can connect. Each of these stations scans from five to twelve frequencies, making a maximum total of around 115+ frequencies to be monitored. So just how important is the ability to control the radio with your computer? The short answer is it's really important - Here's why:

The transmitting frequency and station call sign must be associated with each other in order for radio-based e-mail to work. AirMail must send a connect request to a Sailmail network coast station using both the correct station call and frequency. Radio memory is organized serially, beginning at location 00 and counting up, so the programmed list of frequencies becomes one long onerous series of frequencies.
The Pactor II/III Radio Modem/SSB system makes an excellent weather FAX (WEFAX) receiving system using the GetFAX/ViewFAX applets that run under Sailmail/AirMail. GetFAX supports 59 additional frequencies for 14 WEFAX stations worldwide, This, added to the 88 Sailmail frequencies, makes a total of about 123 Sailmail & WEFAX frequencies to keep current and access.
For safety while underway, it is important to keep the ships systems as simple to use as practical while maintaining necessary functionality. Pushing one single computer key (up/down arrow), to select a station and a frequency is both easier and more error-free than finding the radio channel guide, looking up the correct radio channel, and turning channel selector knobs to the appropriate channel number. If the desired station can't be heard on the selected frequency, then the whole lookup process must be repeated again, and again, until a station is heard. Yes, the manual look-up system can be used, but it's a "pain", and with any kind of sea running it's totally impractical.

The Solution
Computer control of the SSB's transmit frequency by the Airmail program can be achieved with all three modem models. The P4 DR7800, PTC-IIusb, and PTC-IIPro modems have special built-in circuitry that through a separate frequency control cable (included with DockSide Radio's modem kits) sets the SSB's frequency. Two cables connect the modem to the radio, and one cable connects the modem to the computer.

The SCS PTC-IIex modem does not have the built-in frequency control circuitry like the other modem models, so the frequency must be either selected by manually programming/tuning the radio, or connecting the radio's frequency control port directly to the computer.This means that the computer must have a minimum of one, and preferably two available serial ports. Most computers sold today have zero (0) serial ports, necessitating the purchase of third-party USB/Serial adaptors

Pactor-III (P-III) - What is it and why do I need it:
Pactor-III is a real-world 4x* increase in throughput over Pactor-II. Weather maps that take 7-8 minutes to download with a modem only licensed to operate in the Pactor-II mode, take two minutes or less to download with P-III - saving time and battery power. The speed increase of P-III is permanently unlocked with a license key entered into the modem at the time of purchase ($150), or for $170 at a later date.

* Actual throughput may fluctuate as a result of propagation and atmospheric noise conditions.

Conclusion - The choice depends on your situation:
DockSide Radio recommends the PTC-IIusb modem with the Pactor-III license. The PTC-IIusb plugs directly into any USB connector on your computer, (NO USB TO SERIAL ADAPTOR REQUIRED), and is priced $200 less than the PTC-IIPro.

If, you are on a tight budget and you have a serial port or two buy a PTC-IIex modem kit, or if you're computer and electronics savvy, purchase the modem itself and make your own cabling system.

Why Buy from DockSide Radio - Three simple words...Support... Support ... Support.

Experience - DockSide Radio has current real-world cruising experience and knows what it's like to use today's radios while underway.
Training - DockSide Radio is trained in the art of training, and has real-world corporate-level training experience.
Expertise - DockSide Radio has over forty years radio and electronics experience, holds a FCC GRO license and an Amateur Radio Extra Class License, and is the author of the Sailors' Quick-Start Guide to Sailmail / AirMail / Winlink 2000.
Accessibility - Problems, questions? Dockside Radio expects you to call or e-mail us with questions.
Service - Same-day shipment and frequent follow-up until your system is running properly and you're successfully sending/receiving e-mail.