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PassageMail Weather Support

Need help with PassageMail Weather? Find answers below, use the chat button in the corner, or email support@passagemail.com.

User Guide

How PassageMail Weather Works

  1. Select NOAA weather charts from the catalog (1,400+ products) or choose a voyage preset
  2. PassageMail sends a request to NOAA FTPmail on your behalf
  3. NOAA processes and emails the charts to your @passagemail.com inbox (typically 30–90 minutes)
  4. Charts appear in your My Charts tab (mobile) or Thunderbird inbox (desktop)

Available Platforms

Thunderbird Extension (macOS, Windows, Linux)
Requires macOS 10.14+, Windows 10+, or Ubuntu 18.04+ / modern Linux and a recent version of Thunderbird (free).
Install: Download the XPI file from passagemail.net, then in Thunderbird go to Menu → Add-ons → Install Add-on From File.

iOS App
Requires iOS 16 or later. Available on the App Store.

Android App
Requires Android 14 (API 34) or later. Available on Google Play.

Getting Started

  1. Open the app or extension and go to the Connect tab
  2. The setup wizard appears automatically
  3. Enter your license key (starts with PM, found in your purchase confirmation email)
  4. Choose your @passagemail.com username
  5. Set a password (8+ characters, one uppercase letter, one number, one special character)
  6. Your account is ready immediately

Already have an account? Go to Connect → “Already have an account? Sign in” and enter your license key and @passagemail.com address.

Voyage Presets

Built-in chart bundles curated by Capt. Russ Johnson:

  • Atlantic Crossing (~275 KB) — N. Atlantic passage: surface, wind/wave, 500mb, satellite, high seas
  • Pacific Crossing (~155 KB) — NE Pacific transpacific: surface, wind/wave, 500mb, satellite
  • Hurricane Watch (~180 KB) — Atlantic hurricane: danger charts, satellite, tropical outlook
  • Gulf & Caribbean (~65 KB) — Gulf and Caribbean cruising
  • N. Atlantic Lite (~65 KB) — Minimal bandwidth: surface + wind/wave + high seas text
  • Great Lakes (~25 KB) — Open lake forecasts for all five Great Lakes
  • Alaska Waters (~210 KB) — Gulf of Alaska: surface, wind/wave, 500mb
  • Hawaii Approach (~70 KB) — Central Pacific: surface, sea state, satellite, Hawaiian coastal

You can also create custom presets: build your queue, then Save as Preset.

Iridium GO! Connection

  1. Power on your Iridium GO! and wait for satellite registration
  2. Connect your device to the Iridium GO! WiFi network (not your home WiFi)
  3. Open PassageMail Weather → Connect tab
  4. Enter credentials if prompted (default: guest / guest)
  5. Wait for 3+ signal bars, then tap Connect
  6. Send your chart requests
  7. Disconnect when done — airtime is billed by the second

Link Speed & Bandwidth

  • Iridium 2.4k: Text forecasts only (~30 KB max)
  • Iridium GO! 9.6k: GIF/JPEG charts (~150 KB max)
  • Certus 100: Full fax bundles (~500 KB max)
  • Wi-Fi / Marina: Everything, no limit

The Queue shows estimated download size and time at your current link speed.

Scheduled Delivery

Weather tab → Schedule → Enable Automatic Delivery. Choose a voyage preset or load from your queue, set delivery time (UTC), frequency, and date range. The server sends requests to NOAA automatically, even when your device is off. Use Sync via Internet in the Connect tab to push your schedule to the server.

Email Client (Mobile)

The Mail tab provides a full @passagemail.com email client. NOAA charts automatically move from your Inbox to the Charts folder. Compose, reply, forward, and send attachments (5 MB limit). On WiFi/cellular the app connects directly via IMAP and SMTP. On Iridium GO! it uses the satellite-optimized relay.

Calendar & Contacts

Your PassageMail account includes CalDAV and CardDAV support.
iOS: Settings → Calendar (or Contacts) → Accounts → Add Account → Other → CalDAV/CardDAV. Server: mail.passagemail.com
Android: Install DAVx5 (free on Play Store) → Add account → Base URL: https://mail.passagemail.com/SOGo/dav/your@passagemail.com/
Thunderbird: Connect panel → Calendar & Contacts section → use the Copy URL buttons

Troubleshooting

ProblemSolution
Charts not arrivingAllow up to 2 hours. Check your Sent folder to confirm the request was sent. Pull down to refresh My Charts.
Server error on sendCheck your internet or satellite connection. Verify credentials in Connect tab. On Iridium GO!, ensure the firewall preset is applied and the session is active.
Invalid credentials on My ChartsTemporary issue on first load — tap refresh. If it persists, check Connect tab.
Unable to render chartTap Retry. For multi-part charts, wait for all parts to arrive and retry.
Schedule not workingEnsure Automatic Delivery is enabled, tap Save Schedule, then Sync via Internet in Connect tab.
Account creation failedRequires WiFi or cellular — not available over satellite.
Iridium GO! not foundConfirm you are connected to the Iridium GO! WiFi. Default credentials: guest / guest.
License key errorRe-enter your key in Connect tab. Keys start with PM. Try over WiFi.

Need More Help?

Email support@passagemail.com or log in to your account to submit a support ticket.

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