Pactor can let you use Airmail (if Ham licenced) Sailmail (if HF licenced). The Airmail software (which confusingly is the same software whether you use Airmail or Sailmail!) has a built in weatherfax viewer and GRIB downloader. You can therefore receive weatherfax, GRIB data with the pactor (although you can receive weatherfax without a modem).

We have the Pactor IIex version - which is a bit of a pain as you need to have a serial - usb converter (which took ages to configure in Windows). The USB version should be better for you. Some versions you will need to plug the radio and the modem to the computer (to allow the computer to talk to the modem and to control the radio), other versions (Pro version I think) you just plug the modem to the computer and the modem controls the radio itself - so less wiring.

Also, with the Pactor, you can send position reports to something like Google Maps so people can track your progress.

Go for it ...

Jonny