As is noted below, Pactor 4 is now legal for US amateurs as of today. We owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. David Woolweaver K5RAV who over 10 years ago as the ARRL West Gulf Director pushed the ARRL board of directors to champion the elimination of the arcane FCC symbol rate rules that hamstrung digital operation in the United States. It has been a long, difficult struggle but now US amateurs can operate at the same speed as the rest of the world.
73 Tom N5TW
This is a great advancement for ham radio. Now, the big question! Where can I get the modem for a price that we can afford? At the prices I have seen there is no way I can personally nor will our ARES organization be able to implement Pactor anything!!!
If you have some insight, please let me know. Otherwise VARA it is for us.
Thanks.
Even VARA users will benefit from Pactor 4 by that traffic going twice as fast and clearing the frequency faster plus any HF forwarding by stations running Pactor 4 will benefit. I expect, in time, protocols like VARA will benefit now that they are not handicapped by the old Symbol Rate rules…
Tom N5TW
BTW, Farallon Electronics in Sausalito, CA last I heard still offered a 10% discount on Pactor modems for EMCOMM use. Ask for Gary and reference me.
Tom N5TW