Airmail Version 3 for SailMail

Updated June 23, 2022

This is the download page for the Airmail 3 client program for SailMail. Airmail is a radio-email program, this page is devoted to the SailMail client applications. Airmail 3 is compatible with all Windows versions from XP on. It also works fine on Mac's using Parallels, VMware, VirtualBox, etc, and on Linux under WINE (with some difficulties). Supported modems include the SCS PTC-II-family and "Dragon" modems plus most Pactor-1 modems. Development is continuing, please report any problems and stop back often for updates. 

Installation instructions (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):

Airmail version 3 is a single installation file that includes everything needed: Airmail and its weather companions, the "Icepac" propagation software, and USB drivers for the SCS modems. The current Airmail version 3.5.036 is well-tested, and works fine with all versions of Windows (XP through Windows-10), both x86 (32-bit) and 64-bit versions. 

Updating: Your current Airmail installation can be updated in the same way as a new installation-- download and install the latest version. Your settings and messages will not be disturbed. To update a Winlink version to also support Sailmail, download and install the same Airmail version from this page and install into the same folder. Click Here for additional notes on using Airmail with both Sailmail and Winlink.

Airmail 3.5: Sailmail is now a certified application for the Iridium GO! and Airmail ver 3.5 adds support for this device, as well as a new "Dedicated Route" function to solve the problem of other applications jumping on an open sat-phone connection. This version also adds full support for the SCS Pactor-4 "Dragon" modems, and includes an updated Viewfax grib and image viewer is also included. See the included release-notes for details.

Click here for a short video of installing Airmail software for Sailmail and connecting via the Iridium GO!:

Click Here to download Airmail ver 3.5.054 (about 48MB).

This version adds support for the new Icom M803 marine HF/SSB radio, fixes some issues, and updates Viewfax to ver 5.2.10.

Beta: Watch this space...

Winlink: Sailmail members who have an appropriate class Ham license can also access the Winlink ham-radio network with the same software, click here for details.

Archives:

Airmail ver 3.5.036: Click Here to download Airmail ver 3.5.036 (about 38MB).

Airmail ver 3.4.062: Click Here to download Airmail ver 3.4.062 (about 11MB).

This is an "all in one" install with Airmail including wefax, propagation, and a new Viewfax grib/fax viewer with "get it now" (File menu) and updated USB drivers for SCS modems. This version (and the installer) is compatible with Windows XP through 10 and installs data-files into the "ProgramData" application-data folder by default to avoid Win7 security warnings. It will also transfer messages and settings that were stored elsewhere by earlier Airmail versions (see note below). 

Note: This "b" version of the 3.4.062 download includes updated Icepac propagation files, and updated USB drivers for the SCS PTC-IIusb, PTC-IIIusb, DR-7400 and DR-7800 modems (select "PTC-IIusb" in Airmail's modem options).

Installation: Download and save this install-file to a "downloads" folder on your computer, or to a CD or memory-stick, then open it (i.e. run it) to start the Airmail installer. For Win-7 you may see a confirmation for "amsm34062b, Sirius Cybernetics LLC", click "Continue". For the Airmail installer the default settings should work fine in every application. When you are finished you may see a "This program may not have installed correctly" message, click "Ignore" or just close that box-- Windows is confused, Airmail did install correctly.

Important Note when updating a Vista/Win7 installation to Airmail 3.4 from ver 3.3:Under Vista/Win7, messages and data files must be stored under the "Program Data" folder in order to avoid security issues. The Airmail ver 3.4 installer will transfer messages and settings that were stored elsewhere by earlier Airmail versions, including files which have been hidden (i.e. "virtualized") by Vista's security. If you have a lot of stored messages this can take a long time, DO NOT terminate the installation or things will left in a scrambled state with only part of the messages transferred.

Other Downloads:

Propagation: Airmail also includes a propagation window. which uses the “ICEPAC” propagation program as a prediction engine. Airmail 3.4 includes the Icepac software, but it must be installed separately for Airmail 3.3, or if the complete Icepac user-interface is desired. ICEPAC can be downloaded from  Greg Hand's ITS support website, select the most-recent version.  

Weather fax and Grib info: An update to Airmail’s weather-fax companion is available, including a viewer which decodes and displays Grib weather-data files as well as most image types for viewing wefax images and now includes downloading directly from Saildocs (handy for trip-planning with large grib files). It is available from Airmail’s “weather fax” page (click here) . (Not needed for Airmail ver 3.4)

Spelling Dictionaries: Additional language dictionaries for the spell-checker are available here. These are “zip” files, after downloading then open them (by double-clicking) and drag the “.adm” file into Airmail’s Dictionaries folder. Restart Airmail, then use Airmail’s Tools/Options/Spelling window to enable the new dictionary. (If you can’t open a “zip” file then go to www.winzip.com and download the demo version of Winzip, free and fully functional).

Firmware: Current firmware is included with the Airmail download, use Airmail's Update-Firmware window (Tools menu) to install. The latest firmware is also available from the SCS website.

PTC-IIusb USB Drivers: Drivers for the PTC-IIusb are included on a CD included with the modem, available for download from the SCS website, and included with the Airmail ver 3.4 downloads. If you install Airmail before plugging in the modem, and leave the "Install PTC-IIusb drivers" option selected in the Arimail installer, then the drivers will be pre-installed and the modem will install automatically. Alternately, put the SCS CD in the computer and plug in the modem, when the "New Hardware" wizard appears skip internet searching and select "install automatically"-- or select a location and point windows to your downloaded drivers.

If you want to download and install the drives separately from Airmail, here are the driver-installer programs that are included with Airmail:

Floppy Disks and other antiquities: If you think you need to copy Airmail onto floppies, then please find another solution- like running to the store for a USB memory-drive. The reason is that floppies are notoriously unreliable, especially after being stored in the bilges for a few years. If there is absolutely no other option then do a Google search for "FileSplitter".

Airmail ver 3.3.081 is available here.

Contact information:

Questions/comments about using Sailmail, or the SailMail version of Airmail should be sent to: support@sailmail.com