I haven't read the new part 97 yet, but by the old rules, it seems to me that internet access via amateur radio, unless there is only selective websites available, would be illegal, UNLESS it is an emergency!
If someone can afford an ocean going vessel, sail or powered, can surely afford a marine communications setup and conduct his business via commercial public correspondence stations. INMARSAT has a service that requires minimum equipment and may by now, have internet hook up available. ( I have been out of the marine communication business now for almost 20 years, so I don't know if it is or isn't available) As a master of any vessel, recreational or otherwise, I would be derelict in my duty not to have communications equipment available to assure the safety of my crew, friends and other passengers on my vessel. AGAIN emergency communications is OK, but NOT routine communications regarding weather, navigation, etc.. My 2 penny's worth on this subject. 73, Sandy W5TVW -----Original Message----- From: Kevin Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2012 7:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PACTOR iii Amen! There are a lot of Yachtsmen/women who got their license for one reason and one reason alone. To keep from paying for the Sail Mail subscription. it amounts to $250/yr or about $21/month uses marine frequencies and marine type accepted equipment and the ubiquitous/infamous SCS Pactor III modem. On 04/29/2012 07:19 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: >> However that said, Pactor III is a godsend for us hams that are >> cruising on our boats....here in the south pacific, I can send/rec >> email, and get all kinds of weather charts/info to make my sailing >> safer. Pactor III may not be for you, but it is for me > And commercial or quasi-commercial traffic should be conducted on > commercial frequencies not on top of amateur users whenever the damn > PACTOR-bots decide to start transmitting. > > As one of the twelve who were on the ARRL committee that formulated > the automatic and semi-automatic control concepts nearly 30 years ago, > allowing *any* form of automatic control is one of the biggest mistakes > in nearly 100 years of amateur radio - right up with phone patches in > the amateur service. > > 73, > > ... Joe, W4TV -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2411/4967 - Release Date: 04/29/12 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

