----- Original Message ----- From: "Demetre Valaris" To: Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 11:13 AM Subject: [pactor_packet] PACTOR NEWS Hi all, I just bumped in Phil Sussman's (N8PS) PACTOR NEWS web page. It has been redundant for many years but it seems that Phil is starting it again. Check on http://www.pactor.com and see for yourself. The latest news is at the top of the page and the date is 15-JAN-2009 but Phil promises to start expanding his PACTOR NEWS WEB SITE soon. I have already invited him to join us. 73 de Demetre SV1UY - - - Quoting W6IDS : Hello Phil, I was wondering what you've been doing lately regarding the website and your support for PACTOR as a viable mode for Ham communications? I know Demetre touched base and invited you to the forum shown in the "To:" line of his message below. I was a little surprised to learn of your site. For quite some time, especially on message forums dealing with WL2K, I was told that PACTOR was totally dead for daily QSOs and solid ARQ copy in this country. Other than WL2K, Airmail, Sailmail, PACTOR is dead and if a PK-232 owner is smart, they'll throw the box away. Well, that ain't necessarily so. I've been saying that PACTOR should not be dead. It does seem so after the advent of PSK. It seemed to cease overnight following PSK and as more PC - based software appeared on the scene. There seems to be a single link to PACTOR now - SCS and the PTC stable of modems. Well, that ain't necessarily so either, Phil. I can't afford one of those units. I CAN afford a PK-232 'cause I own it already. I purchased it in 1990 and it's still going strong. Yes, I know, there's all kinds of talk about how a variety of TNC manufacturers put PACTOR into their boxes yet did not seem to do it right. I suppose so, if you're a technical purist. However, I've had a ball with PACTOR I QSOs using ARQ and it's been totally enjoyable. That group which Demetre invited you to appeared on the scene only recently and it's been a nice focal point for PACTOR interest. In particular, it's a watering hole for not only users of the PTC units, but also for those who own the legacy PK-232 TNC. It's a nice place to promote PACTOR QSOs in that it shows there's more to life than WL2K and PACTOR. Despite the plethora of exotic PC-based software modes, PACTOR ARQ is a viable mode for QSOs, whether made with a PTC unit or the likes of the PK-232 ( or Kam for that matter). The important thing is that people in the PK-232 Yahoo message forum and the Hams who relegate their PK-232s to just WL2K operation take some time to put their boxes down on an appropriate Ham frequency and call CQ once in a while. I have a mailbox on 14111 CF for example. It makes for a nice contact and gives you a chance to test propogation with it. Call CQ on that frequency and you might pick up Demetre or perhaps W0JAB (John), KD4XV (Larry), OZ1PMX (Peter), or maybe even a surprise contact with someone who was just lurking. It's sort of like the way it used to be. The point is that your site is valuable, as is the PACTOR_PACKET Home Webpage. There is absolutely no reason on earth why PACTOR can't be enjoyed for daily QSOs like we did back in 1990 and it doesn't have to be with just SCS products. There should be a push to get Hams to break out their legacy TNCs and put them back into use to bring PACTOR even more energy, even if it is to use PACTOR I. At least we're doing something with PACTOR and keeping a legacy mode alive that is just as viable as RTTY and even as much fun as PSK. IMHO, that also includes AMTOR as well. How many times have you seen someone with a full Drake "Twins" station simply throw them away or stash them in a closet because they ran across a more modern TS-2000 or a new ICOM that beats the pants off my IC-746 maybe? They don't, they treasure the pieces and keep them alive. IMHO, the same thing goes for the PK-232 and PACTOR I. Just because I and others can't afford to run PTC PIII, that's no reason to shelve PACTOR I - for heaven's sake! We own the AEA or Timewave TNCs, at maybe $300 a pop. That's no small change in today's day and time. Why throw the investment away I ask? Keep the thing alive and well and make use of it. Anyway, that's enough of my diatribe on the subject. I wanted to say Hello and find out where you're standing with PACTOR in your own mind and what your plans might be for the future. Howard W6IDS Richmond, IN - - - Hello Howard, Thanks for the email. The server here has been spotty this last few weeks. Even though I try to 'complain' that some of my messages are being 'lost', the refrain has been that it must be my computer. Anyhow, I've received nothing from Demetre. I just looked again in my mail que.. nothing. I agree with you about Pactor. The mode is fantastic. Unfortunately, I believe, the German side of things is not so concerned with Ham Radio. The amateur radio marketplace has not been kind to SCS. There are several reasons, but it all boils down to money. Pactor TNCs are expensive and the typical refrain is "I use MMTTY and an Aircard for FREE, why pay for anything." From the German perspective, they once tried licensing the mode only to have makers (MFJ, KAM, AEA, etc) 'bastardize' the code to the point of rendering PACTOR-1 inferior on their boxes. This forced SCS to restrict PACTOR-2 code to their own (very expensive) devices. Without competition the price has only gone up. The crappy US economy and the strength of the Euro has only aggravated the pricing problems. Sailmail, Airmail, are 'for profit' operations and the thrust of SCS marketing is Internet (packets, that is) over HF. That's a closed market of profitability considering the commercial (HF by the byte/dollar) shore stations. HF PR operators are few, but an added supplement with their AUTO EMAIL boxes -- a nice hobby vocation, but not a profit center by any means. So, for us few amateurs who enjoy Pactor, well I often call CQ in PACTOR FEC on 20m and get no answers. I find PSK 31 is slow, but it has a group of groupies. I tried organizing a PACTOR net on Sundays on 20m without a single taker. PACTOR NEWS folded because contributions died in this economy and recently my only PACTOR related emails have been of the: a. Where can I buy PACTOR-III modem cheap b. How do I get (sailmail, airmail) service for free? c. Do you sell PACTOR modems cheaper than SCS in the US (no) d. How do I connect my soundcard to emulate PACTOR? e. Do want to buy a KAM that's broken? f. Can I get you to send me a trial PACTOR modem to see if I like it. g. I play ARMY MARS and want a free modem. h. How do I hook to my PK232 MBX to airmail. variety. I forward applicable messages to SCS. The PACTOR web site remains up out of my own pocket and I haven't see a dime in support for a few years. I've asked for both financial and email (eg. messages of support, etc) and received nill. But I'm still here and always looking for a PACTOR QSO. 73 de Phil - N8PS