[RTTY] Winlink

[Ekki Plicht]

On Tuesday 05 April 2005 20:17, WI8W wrote:
> Sorry, I agree that Winlink is actually a software based system. What I
> was referring to in my post is that the equipment being adopted and
> promoted by the ARRL to transmit that data is a PACTOR III based piece
> of hardware manufactured by SCS .  This equipment  is what most
> ARES/RACES groups are adopting  at the encouragement of the ARRL.
>
> These are the units that I have encountered on the bands interfering
> with my communications.  These are the people the ARRL is in bed with.
>
> http://www.scs-ptc.com/news.html

Since SCS GmbH (Germany) is the only maker of Pactor-3 capable hardware it is 
a little bit unfair to say that someone is "in bed" with them. They are the 
sole supplier if one wants to use Pactor-2 or -3, there is simply no 
alternative.

<opinion>
Pactor in it's whole is a fantastic system and has brought a lot of fun and 
possibilities to amateur radio. 

And Pactor-3? As much as I understand the need for faster and more reliable 
links in commercial applications, I hate to see 2.4kHz wasted for such 
mundane tasks. For amateur use Pactor-1 or -2 are absolutely sufficient. From 
a technical point of view Pactor-3 is a neat feat, developed by radio 
amateurs, something which was common many years back (developing new 
transmission methods).

Further I think systems like Winlink, cruisemail etc. are really abused, as 
many of it's users are not licensed but are using amateur frequencies.

As so often - it's not the hardware nor it's maker which is 'bad', it's the 
system that has been built with it (Winlink et al). I just hate to see these 
automated systems clobber my CW or RTTY or PSK31 qso.
</opinion>

73,
Ekki, DF4OR