Cheapest weather information for out of vhf range?

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Snore

Learning a lurking.

Question from the peanut gallery. If I have a Vesper AIS/VHF/FM splitter cN that be wired to external antenna port? Seems an antenna 55' above the water would be a good thing.

Thanks

It should work for VHF, but not so well for a HF receiver. The antenna itself probably looks like a dead short on the HF frequencies (3-30 MHz).

[northoceanbeach]

I started to get voices and could hear coast to coast in the very low frequencies last night. Between 2000-3500.
So that's good.

How do I go to AM and get 5 10 and 15? Mine is like regular am with 720 am or 1610.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

I started to get voices and could hear coast to coast in the very low frequencies last night. Between 2000-3500.
So that's good.

How do I go to AM and get 5 10 and 15? Mine is like regular am with 720 am or 1610.

You are confusing 'mode' with 'band'.

Mode is , for simplicity's sake, AM ( Amplitude Modulation) or SSB ( Single Side Band).

Everything on Medium Wave (720 to 1610) is AM.

On Short Wave things may be either AM ( all the broadcast stations like BBC, RCI, etc etc) or SSB ( all the 'utility' stuff like the weather facsimile broadcasts and amateurs ).

Switch 'off' SSB on the side of the radio to listen to shortwave AM broadcasts.
Switch 'on' when you are wanting to start looking for USCG weather etc.

[northoceanbeach]

Oh, I thought ssb and shortwave were just different names for the same thing,

[ka4wja]

NOB,
I know I'm going to piss off a few folks here (and maybe even you, NOB!), but if you all just bear with me for a few paragraphs, this WILL work out!!


1) First off, I understand your impatience (and frustration), but it appears you try something, post a question, get a short answer, and then try that new thing, again and again, all within a few hours or a day apart....but, not actually learning what to do and how-to do it...

So, my first piece of advice is to STOP!!!
Stop, do NOTHING at all, until you read all of this posting...
And, then follow these steps exactly....do nothing else...

And, if you still get no joy, let us know....and then wait for some more detailed info...


2) Secondly, and here I'm going to be very direct (but, hopefully not rude)....

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

Oh, I thought ssb and shortwave were just different names for the same thing,

NO....they describe two completely different things!!!! Completely Different!! (but, I don't have the tine to explain all of that, and the good news is that to use the radio effectively, you do NOT need to know...just follow these directions, and you WILL get it to work!!!)

a) Forget all about AM, tuning in your local AM radio stations , etc. (until you understand how-to everything else here!)

b) Turn the "ssb" switch ON, and leave it ON....

c) Take the radio outside, away from the house as far as you can (a hundred yards away, or more!, from the house, other houses, signs, lights, electric fences, etc...)

d) If you can find a tree or shrub, toss the external wire antenna up...do NOT worry about its height or length....as long as it is high enough to walk under, it'll work!!
(or use the built-in telescopic whip)

e) Tune the radio to the freqs mentioned here in this thread, at the prescribed times!!! (I use Zulu / UTC / GMT, as this is the international time of communications, navigation, maritime, etc...look at the TIMES listed, they are NOT PDT!!!!)

(do NOT try 8682khz like you have been, as this is NOT the Voice weather broadcast freq....it is the WeFax freq....not sure where you see it on the Voice weather broadcast page....but I specifically mentioned 8764khz...
Use this 8764khz freq!!!)
USCG HF Voice

Sorry if this offends anyone, but do NOT attempt to tune in a WeFax station, before you known how to use the radio / how to tune in a Voice weather broadcast, attempting to do so, will give you many days / nights of frustration!!!
(this is also the reason that some mention trying WWV on 5000khz, 10000khz, or 15000khz....as they are easy to understand what you tuned in....and understand that you CAN tune WWV time signals using the "ssb" switch ON....but, you WILL need to use the fine tuning!!!)


As I wrote on Tuesday:

Originally Posted by ka4wja

northoceanbeach,
You're best chance might be 8764khz (8.764mhz), for NMC (USCG Pt. Reyes, CA) at their scheduled times...(but, not knowing where you are at, means I cannot really answer you precisely)
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/hfvoice.htm

And, even more importantly to make the thing work, have you watched the video in post #13?? And, did you read the links to the detailed information in that post #13 as well???
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/cheapest-weather-information-for-out-of-vhf-range-152118.html#post1902889

If you watch the video, you'll hear both WLO and USCG's synthesized voice weather broadcasts on various freqs....
Listen at 2:30 thru 5:00 minutes for WLO....and 5:58 thru 10:20 minutes for the USCG broadcasts...(especially 8:15 thru 10:20 minutes, for exactly what to listen for!)

Originally Posted by ka4wja

Now, as for what you CAN receive, and how-to do it...
Use what I wrote earlier, to start with...

Depending on where in Oregon, and depending on the vagaries of the ionosphere, try the late afternoon / 2230z broadcast on 8764khz...(also try the 1630z broadcast, on 8764...)
And, also try 4426khz at 0430z and 1030z....(and also try 8764 at these times as well..)

You will need to use the SSB switch and use the fine tuning...
And...



BTW, don't worry about antenna length, or orientation....it matters not!!
But, getting the antenna in the clear and getting away from offending radio noise (RFI) is key...
(I have other videos about noise, etc...but start with the one above first!)

NOB, to be blunt, I don't have the time to respond to every post, everytime...sorry....and as I wrote above, I do understand your frustration, but much of it is caused by not doing the watching / reading up front...
So, I'll highlight a few things here...but haven't the time to delve into details....

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

This is a lot more complicated than I thought.

Ok, I read through the threads in post 13 and watched the video.

So here's what I understand. Depending on time of day different bands are better than others. Higher frequencies are better at night.
NO...
That's NOT what I wrote, nor what I said in the videos!!!
Watch it again, and reread everything!!

It all depends on the distance you wish to communicate, but in general, when at sea / > a few hundred miles away, etc....at night you'll likely be using the lower freqs of 8mhz and below, and daytime likely 12mhz - 18mhz...

Please watch the video again, in its entirety!!


I need to download cocoamodem for my MacBook which is a free program. I don't have to hook up the radio to the MacBook, the program will use the mic built into the computer to hear the beeps being transmitted at certain times and frequencies and use them to print out a weather map?
STOP!!!
Do NOT even turn on your MacBook!!
Leave the computer off...

In fact if you've been attempting to use the radio with your computer on, you may have been generating your own noise/interference!!

Do NOT attempt to receive any Wefax weather charts, until you know how to use the radio / tune in Voice weather broadcasts!!!


I can also listen to robot voice weather transmissions. By visiting the noaa page it says that at all time of day from pt. Reyes California on frequency 8682 I can hear the weather. So if I go home and tune into 8682 I should get a recording like on a vhf that loops the weather?
NO, NO, NO...
No, on a few points...

a) the Voice weather broadcasts are NOT on 8682!!!
b) look at what I wrote on Tuesday and on their schedule and you'll see what times / freqs to use!!!
c) It will NOT be a recording like on VHF radio...
(If you watch the video, you will hear what it sounds like!!)


If 8682 doesn't work in. My location I can use one of the other frequencies listed and one should work?
8682 will NOT work for the Voice weather broadcasts, as this is the freq (actually 8680.1khz) for WeFax from Pt. Reyes!!
Try 8764khz...and, yes, "some" other freqs may also work well....
This is what I wrote on Tues, and it shown in the videos!!!

If I don't go to the listed stations, I can scroll through the numbers and if I think I'm picking up a signal try to tune my radio to pick it up and listen in?
Not sure I understand your question here...but, in general, you CAN tune in other stations....but, if read what I wrote on Tuesday, you'll see that "shortwave ain't what it used to be"!!
And, there is a plethora of modern consumer and commercial electronic devices that can cause significant interference to your receiving!!! (again, also mentioned in the other threads and other videos!)

Why the emphasis on learning to tune into am stations? I have been listening to am radio for years. Any car radio. From the last 40 years can easily get am frequencies. So why would me listening to am on my shortwave radio help me learn? I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm really just not sure what that accomplishes.
Forget the AM stuff....but you brought it up, sayig you were trying to receive them, and not having the radio set to "10khz steps".....and except as a sure way to verify that your radio is working, there is NO need to worry about AM radio at this point!!

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

None of the stations from Pt. Reyes or Kodiak AK are anything but fuzz! This makes no sense, that stations are supposed to broadcast around the world and I can't get anything.
Follow the steps above, using the correct freq at the correct time, and it will work!!!
Remember, the times are Zulu / UTC / GMT, NOT PDT!!!
Watch the video, and you'll hear what it sounds like!!

Can someone please tell me some numbers to put in here and get something to happen.
Follow the steps above and what I wrote on Tuesday, and it WILL work!!!
Watch the video again, and you'll hear exactly what it will sound like!!

I'm just dissapointed, I've wanted one of these for years, long before I ever had a boat. One of my favorite parts of any movie, the character was stuck out at sea and he had one of these radios and he got the come go with me song to play on it and it sounded like it was coming from so far away.
Again, as I wrote on Tuesday, "shortwave isn't what it used to be"!! Reread that posting and watch the video again, and you'll actually hear what it will sound like!!

I guess I just thought I would get all these exotic stations, but there isn't anything there.
As I wrote on Tuesday, "shortwave isn't what it used to be"!! Reread that posting and watch the video again, and you'll actually hear what it will sound like!!

I don't understand why I can't find a number to put in and something happens.
I did give you the "number" (8764), but you didn't use it....you used 8682...
And, also take note that you are inland, NOT where these signals are directed, and that what "number" you use depends on your distance away from the station and what time-of-day....and this is explained in detail in the video...
So, PLEASE watch the video again....then turn off your computer, take the radio away from the house, follow the steps above (and in my posting from Tuesday), and you will get it to work!!

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

I'm doing sometching wrong. There is a button, or switch and when I find out what it is I'm going to be just like "duh".
I cannot stress this enough....
You are overdoing this!!
It is not complicated...
After watching the video again, turn off the computer, and just please follow the steps above, and you will get it to work!!!
I know it's the smallest thing I'm not doing right. I just switched through every single station between 7100 and 7500. And it was either fuzz or squealing.

Something isn't set right.

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

Ok, I'll try. I've totally decided something isn't right. Maybe if they said the am can use a different antenna then the shortwave is broken, although it is new and I did get one station last night, so the odds of that are very low.m I'm voting either location or I am not pushing a button that needs pushing.
I cannot stress this enough....
You are overdoing this!!
It is not complicated...
After watching the video again, turn off the computer, and just please follow the steps above, and you will get it to work!!!



It is totally driving me crazy though. It's 1:30 in the morning and I'm still trying to read articles on the web to get it working.
I don't want to come off as a "know-it-all", or a "jerk"....but, if you've not re-watched the video and reread my postings from Tuesday, then you're probably wasting a lot of time "reading articles on the web to get it working"!!

--- watch the video again..
--- turn off the computer...
--- use the steps above, and the "numbers" I wrote both on Tuesday and above...

And, you will get it working!!

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

I started to get voices and could hear coast to coast in the very low frequencies last night. Between 2000-3500.
So that's good.
Yes, that's good!!!
Again...
--- watch the video again..
--- turn off the computer...
--- use the steps above, and the "numbers" I wrote both on Tuesday and above...

And, you will get it working



How do I go to AM and get 5 10 and 15? Mine is like regular am with 720 am or 1610.
You do NOT need to worry about "AM"...
If you want, you CAN tune in WWV on 5, 10, and 15, with the "SSB" switch ON (you'll just need to do some "fine tuning")....or you can tune them in with the "ssb" switch OFF (which is "AM", eventhough it isn't labeled as such)...

But, my advice:
Forget about the "AM" stuff....and forget WWV, until you do all of the above steps!!!

Sorry for my blunt words and emphasis, but I just don't have the time to go thru this yet again....all the info you need it right there, watch it, read, follow it....and it will work..

fair winds...

John


Here's the video, again...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-1L...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y

[Badsanta]

I'm impressed. Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Symphony]

great info in this thread, should be a featured top page thread

[ka4wja]

Symphony,
With the exception of the location-specific details/guidance, ironically all the other info / advice here in this thread IS available in a "sticky" that already is right at the top of the Cruiser's Forum "Marine Electronics" page...

Originally Posted by Symphony

great info in this thread, should be a featured top page thread

All the references for all of this info is right there in the links in that thread/"sticky"...
Have a look:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-133496.html


Fair winds...

John