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Onboard e-mail using long range
high frequency (HF) radios is possible using either marine single
sideband (SSB) radio and commercial frequencies or Amateur Radio
(Ham) equipment and assigned frequencies. Both work basically the
same: messages are prepared on an onboard computer, converted to radio
signals via a special computer-to-radio modem (called a terminal node
controller or TNC), and then transmitted by the radio to a shore
station. The shore station places the message on the internet for
conventional delivery. Email to the boat is sent to the shore station
where it is held in individual mail boxes for pick up by the boat the
next time the boat checks in. Once the contact between the boat
and the shore station is made, the transfer of messages is usually
automatic.
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USING MARINE HF SSB RADIO:
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The SailMail
Association is a non-profit association of yacht owners that
operates and maintains a global network of nine two-way, private
coast stations. Sailmail is a non-profit cooperative association
supported by sailors who donate their time, effort and space for the
shore stations. There is an annual user fee to defray the cost
of equipment and operating costs. SailMail provides the
software and instructions to get started, but you do need a TNC - see
below.
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There are also full commercial services available at:
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USING HAM RADIO:
 | License: General Class or above.
New reduced Morse code requirements (5 WPM) are now in effect
making it much easier to get the license. See the American
Radio Relay League to get started.
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| Radio: Just about any modern ham
radio will work.
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| TNCs: SCS
PTC-II Is the best, fastest and most expensive.
Kantronics, Timewave
and MFJ Enterprises
make units that work well, but at a slower speed..
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| Computer: You can use just about
any modern computer; but Windows 95 or better is required.
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| Software: AirMail
written by Jim Corenman, is the user program.
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| Willingness to do some study and
practice. |
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The ham WinLink
system is a worldwide network of thirty four (at last count)
shore stations called Mail Box Operators (MBOs) and a central,
controlling computer, all inter-linked via internet. This capable,
dedicated, group of operators donate their time, equipment,
operating expenses and space. They are supported by very talented
programmers, many of whom are also MBOs. The system is constantly
being improved and enhanced. At this time the system has the
following features:
| Email can be picked up and
delivered to any of the MBOs. There is no need to
have a 'home' MBO. This makes sending and receiving very
easy.
| Weather products (both text and
charts) can be ordered from the internet and delivered minutes
later. These reports are received in perfect condition - no
skipping or garbling in the text products and no fuzzy, blurred
charts. Because of the file size, charts do take longer to
download from the MBO, but the WinLink programmers have
been able to reduce the size of many without affecting the
quality.
| Email can be received and sent
with binary attachments, including pictures.
| Email can be picked up from the
system via the internet when off the boat for short periods or
redirected to conventional email accounts when off for longer
periods. Also, when off the boat and connected to the internet, the AirMal
program can be used directly as a mail account.
| Position reports, which can be
accessed by anyone from the internet, can be made to the
central computer. This can be done manually or by tie-in
to a GPS unit. Doing this while underway automatically per
a schedule (say, every eight hours) will leave a 'trail' for
safety.See "Latest
Position"
| A new feature has just been added
that predicts the best times and frequencies to contact each MBO
from your position. This makes contacting any of the MBOs
that much easier. |
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Jim Corenman on s/v Heart of Gold is the
author of both AirMail
and SailMail, a moving force
behind SailMail, and an around-the-world cruiser. He has
also made available his prototype programs, GetFax and ViewFax, on
his web site. These are companion programs to AirMail that run in
conjunction with it. They allow the downloading and viewing of
broadcast weather reports including weather fax, RTTY, and
Navtex. An advanced feature allows the scheduling of
downloading of weather reports automatically .
Peg and Tom have used onboard digital
equipment for email and receiving weather reports for several years
and relied on it on their crossing to Europe in 1999, while
cruising the Mediterranean and crossing to the Carribean in 2005.
Most of the
reports and some of the photos in their homepage were sent via
the Winlink system.
This page has been visited a total of 
times since 03/12/2000. Last page update: 1/21/2003.
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