Why are PACTOR modems so expensive?

Why are PACTOR modems so expensive?

56k modems cost “nothing” because they make millions of them per year (Hundreds of millions actually including the soft-modems). Pactor machines cost lots because they only make a thousand or so of them (I’d guess) per year.

Is PACTOR still used?

Use of PACTOR-4 is still questionable within US ham radio jurisdiction and is mostly used to transfer files (email, pictures, etc.) to private or public mailboxes outside the USA.

What is PACTOR in Ham radio?

PACTOR is a radio modulation mode used by amateur radio operators, marine radio stations, military or government users such as the US Department of Homeland Security, and radio stations in isolated areas to send and receive digital information via radio.

What is FT8 mode?

Unlike JT65 or JT9, transmit and receive cycles in FT8 each last about 15 seconds. Like JT65, FT8 requires accurate time synchronization. An auto-sequencing feature offers the option to respond automatically to the first decoded reply to your CQ.

What is Pactor protocol?

PACTOR-I is a digital data protocol combining elements of PACKET and AMTOR ARQ. PACTOR-I is used by many groups, including Sailmail for mariners to send and receive emails. It is also used by Ham Radio operators, Governmental and Diplomatic agencies, and even NGO’s.

What is a SSB radio?

SSB radio is used by boats or yachts for communication at sea. The full-form of SSB radio is Single Side Band radio. SSB radios are an essential feature when it comes to important marine radio channels. The SSB radio was first used as a part of the marine radio system after World War II.

What is the best software for FT8?

WSJT-X is the most popular software for FT8. This great program is not only free but versions are available for Windows-based PCs and Macintosh OS, Linux (with pre-compiled Debian, Fedora and Raspbian distros).

Is FT8 legal on 60 meters?

As written, the FCC states that PSK31 and Pactor III may be used on 60 meters. Pactor III is a full 2 kHz wide – several dozen FT8 stations can operate within that bandwidth. FT8 activity takes place on a VFO frequency of 5357.0 kHz.

What is the main disadvantage of SSB?

The disadvantage of SSB modulation are : The generation and reception of SSB signal is complicated ( which we will discuss later in our following post ). The SSB transmitter and receiver need to have an excellent frequency stability .

Is FT8 a FSK?

FT8 (“Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation”) is an extremely-weak-signal, digital, narrow bandwidth (50 Hz), QSO-only communication protocol used by amateur radio (“ham radio”) operators.

What are the FT4 frequencies?

As initial guidelines we suggest the following default dial frequencies for FT4: 3.595, 7.090, 10.140, 14.140, 18.104, 21.140, 24.919, 28.180, 50.318, 144.170 MHz.

Is it safe to use PACTOR on 20m?

Of course, PACTOR is still a safe way to communicate. My PACTOR PTC is still active. I do call CQ on 20m regularly .. usually on weekends. I’d love to chat .. if only someone would answer. I was recently asked about how Pactor, the mode, compared with some of the more recent software modes, such as FT8.

Which is better PACTOR or pactor-2 digital modes?

It uses strong logic, automatic frequency tracking; it is DSP based and as much as 8 times faster then Pactor. Both PACTOR and PACTOR-2 use the same protocol handshake, making the modes compatible. As with the original Pactor, it is rarely used by radio amateurs since the development of the new PC based sound card modes.

Are there any old timers left on PACTOR?

When attempting to update this site, it appears the users of PACTOR have migrated from Ham Radio Users (who loved digital) into little more than HF message exchangers. Yes, the old timers (like me) are fading away in favor of mere computer operators.

How does PACTOR work as a file transfer?

So, PACTOR can be considered a file transfer mode, with keyboard compatibility (if desired) while FT8 acts more like an automatic interface, more like a video game than a ham radio mode. All you need to do with FT8 is select a callsign (or let your software respond automatically to receiving a CQ message) and let the software do all the exchanging.