Winlink Express (Formerly RMS Express) vs Airmail

[Dockhead]

Any preferences?



I will be controlling a Pactor PTC-IIusb and M802 with it. Back in the day I used RMS Express, which has now been overhauled, but it seems to me most people these days use AirMail?

[wsmurdoch]

No doubt you have seen the comparison on the Winlink site. https://winlink.org/ClientSoftware

I use Winlink Express and Vara with a sound card.

Bill

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

No doubt you have seen the comparison on the Winlink site. https://winlink.org/ClientSoftware

I use Winlink Express and Vara with a sound card.

Bill

Yes, I'm more or less familiar with the basic functions. I was more interested in more subjective comparisons from people who have experience with both.


I'm interesting in fetching GRIBs and other weather data via Saildocs, and doing basic text email over Winlink. Very basic functions.

[Brian.D]

Is not Airmail just another email client? I have it on my PC but cannot configure it like I can Winlink Express (current version). Although Airmail allows me to access my Signalink USB, it cannot control my radio because it wants to use the same Com port.

Maybe I just do not understand how to configure Airmail to do what Winlink does. Or, maybe I think Airmail is an alternate for Winlink Express and should do the exact same thing that Winlink Express does.

Showing my ignorance.

[Dsanduril]

I have both on my machine, and both versions are a couple of years old, so I may not be entirely current.

I prefer the grib definition and propagation plugins in Airmail over those in Winlink/RMS. When working ham stations I sometimes find Winlink easier in the station list/selection area.

They both work, my overall vote is probably Airmail, but that is more based on the peripherals than the core function of controlling the radio and making the connection.

[Brian.D]

OK... answered my own question. Airmail does not have an internal TNC like Winlink. So it must be used with one of the TNCs listed in the configuration. Got it.

Since I do not use an external TNC, Airmail would be just an email client. So like Dsanduril said, it has some advantages that Winlink does not have. It is all good.

[wholybee]

Install both and see which you like, but for me it is no contest. Airmail hands down is a better package, excepting lack of winmor support. I now use it with a Iridium Go, which it does support.

The grib selection is better, it incorporates saildocs catalogs, does automatic position reports (can connect to NMEA or GPS for position data) etc.

-Warren

[Riddle]

Agree, i use Airmail many years. Does what is supposed to do in an efficient way, both for Sailmail and Ham qnd irridium. But I have little experience with RMS. Never change a winning horse.

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Install both and see which you like, but for me it is no contest. Airmail hands down is a better package, excepting lack of winmor support. I now use it with a Iridium Go, which it does support.

The grib selection is better, it incorporates saildocs catalogs, does automatic position reports (can connect to NMEA or GPS for position data) etc.

From https://winlink.org/WinlinkExpress

"Winlink Express also contains manual and automated GPS position reporting abilities, support for the Winlink catalog of downloadable weather, information and help bulletins, Saildocs and Globalmarinenet for obtaining GRIB files, and a propagation prediction feature to help determine which of the participating Winlink RMS gateway HF stations are best to connect to from anywhere on earth."

Winlink Express automatically fills in my Lat/Long and time from my NMEA 0183 system that is connected to my computer for position reports. Does Airmail do more?

Bill

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

... Does Airmail do more?

Not really. For my part, I find the Airmail interface a bit easier to use/intuituve, more convenient, and also a bit faster (as when calculating new propagation conditions, etc.). They really are both quite fine at getting the job done, to me at least it comes down to either a)features one has that the other doesn't (such as external TNC) or b)which interface you like. Clearly there are people who like the WinLink interface, I think for the most part it depends on what you are used to and maybe a bit on how your mind processes information.