Shortwave Radio On My Sailboat

[Brian.D]

The real requirement for WXFAX is Single Side Band (SSB). The transmissions are in the Upper Side Band (USB). If your radio has that ability that is a good start. If not, then I would say the radio isn't useless, it just won't function as you want.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

So, does that make this radio useless?
Got a power boat now, don’t have access to a back stay, but not transmitting either, just need to get weather in the Bahamas.
How long of a whip antenna to make this little radio useful?

Not at all useless but definitely in need of an external antenna. Antenna length depends on the frequency you want to receive. I just did a google search on "calculating receiving antenna length" and got lots of hits. For receiving only you could probably get by with just half of a dipole and a decent ground but a full dipole would work better. Also being a receive only antenna the length is not as critical - but longer is better. Being on a powerboat does have some limitations. Could you string an antenna bow to stern.

[hellosailor]

CSY-
If you're talking about "marine wx forecasts" as in the NOAA weather broadcasts? That radio doesn't seem to cover the marine weather frequncies (just above the marine VHF frequencies) at all. But if I'm just misreading that...The Miami NOAA station is fairly powerful, it might reach you well enough.

If you're looking for a marine HF broadcast...that radio does take external antennas, and you can fit one of them on a powerboat.

What exactly are you looking for? Frequency?

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

CSY-
If you're talking about "marine wx forecasts" as in the NOAA weather broadcasts? That radio doesn't seem to cover the marine weather frequncies (just above the marine VHF frequencies) at all. But if I'm just misreading that...The Miami NOAA station is fairly powerful, it might reach you well enough.

If you're looking for a marine HF broadcast...that radio does take external antennas, and you can fit one of them on a powerboat.

What exactly are you looking for? Frequency?

I was in the Bahamas recently and realized when sitting for anchor that I was dead, no weather info..
On my sailboat I had SSB, Navtex and a 47’ tall mast that would pick up VHF weather from the USA far into the Banks.
The powerboat on the other hand is pretty basic, got a VHF whip reaching about 15’ above the drink, no range.
Need to get some kind of weather info. (Besides my barometer)

Could you string an antenna bow to stern.

Nah, would not be practical.
I had planned on installing a Furuno Navtex with a 400 NM range, but they are price protected, no discounts, about $700.
Well worth it unless a little $50 short wave radio can also give me weather updates away from civilization. Still in the planning stages..Satellite comm maybe, but that is probably more expensive than all of the above..

Picture of boat:

www.odincharters.com

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Not at all useless but definitely in need of an external antenna. Antenna length depends on the frequency you want to receive. [.........]

Choose the best time of day and frequency, and that radio will probably pick up HF WEFAX with just the built-in whip antenna. I've tried that in California and received WFAX broadcast from Hawaii. A longer random-length wire (5 ft long or so) will probably improve your reception.

While a properly-tuned antenna (or one that can be matched with an antenna tuner) is necessary for transmitting, the antenna is much less critical for receiving on the marine SSB bands. If you can hear an increase in the noise level when you extend or attach the antenna then you're doing OK. Minimizing on-board sources of radio interference can be a tougher battle. There are many threads here on this subject.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Will this little radio pick up Marine wx forecast?

It is a Tecsun PL 380 with good reviews, but I don’t know much about this kind of radio...?
Good to have on a boat?
(A simple Navtex these days are $700, perhaps a small shortwave will do the same job?)

If you're thinking of marine WFAX broadcasts on the HF bands (marine SSB), then no, that radio won't do it. You need a radio that can receive SSB (Single Side Band), and that one won't do it.

It won't pick up the VHF weather band broadcasts either. There are around 161-163 MHz and this radio doesn't tune that high, nor does it demodulate narrow-band FM.

So what are you trying to receive? We can probably recommend something.

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

If you're thinking of marine WFAX broadcasts on the HF bands (marine SSB), then no, that radio won't do it. You need a radio that can receive SSB (Single Side Band), and that one won't do it.

It won't pick up the VHF weather band broadcasts either. There are around 161-163 MHz and this radio doesn't tune that high, nor does it demodulate narrow-band FM.

So what are you trying to receive? We can probably recommend something.

there are cheap nasa marine navtex bt-3 receiver with antenna out there for 180€, install and read the messages on your tablet. Messages are received and stored in the device, round robin overwrite of old messages when the storage is full.

Its not just weather, also navigational warnings and notices to mariners.

Works on LW, 518kHz and 490kHz
https://www.nasamarine.com/wp-conten...py-768x769.jpg

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Will this little radio pick up Marine wx forecast?

It is a Tecsun PL 380 with good reviews, but I don’t know much about this kind of radio...?
Good to have on a boat?
(A simple Navtex these days are $700, perhaps a small shortwave will do the same job?)

No.... as Paul says above the PL-380 does not recieve SSB ( single side band ) which is the mode that weather by voice and weather fax is transmitted in.

You should look at the Tecsun PL-680 or PL-880.

Major differences between these two is that the 880 has line out ... the 680 doesn't.... this is very handy when tuning a weatherfax signal... you can listen, tune, and record at the same time. The 880 also has superior fine tuning on SSB.

880 would be my choice ( I own both ).

All three are reviewed here... https://swling.com/blog/tag/tecsun-pl-380/

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

there are cheap nasa marine navtex bt-3 receiver with antenna out there for 180€, install and read the messages on your tablet. Messages are received and stored in the device, round robin overwrite of old messages when the storage is full.

Its not just weather, also navigational warnings and notices to mariners.

Works on LW, 518kHz and 490kHz
https://www.nasamarine.com/wp-conten...py-768x769.jpg

[CSY Man]

. It won't pick up the VHF weather band broadcasts either. There are around 161-163 MHz and this radio doesn't tune that high, nor does it demodulate narrow-band FM.

Nah, looking to pick up VHF weather, already got that onboard with a fixed mount VHF and whip antenna, as well as a handheld VHF.

Looking for something with more range, hence the shortwave idea.

there are cheap nasa marine navtex bt-3 receiver with antenna out there for 180€, install and read the messages on your tablet.

Good idea, will look into that and use iPhone or iPad to read the weather.

880 would be my choice ( I own both ).

Probably a good solution if I go to the Bahamas more than once or twice a year.
Right now I am lazy and do most of my cruising in the Florida Keys, weather forecast galore down there.

[CatNewBee]

I have the PL-880, good on FM, no chance to receive anything on LW / MW, only 4 stations on SW with the provided antenna. I am in the middle of Europe, I hope it gets better on sea. No reception here of anything marine. Also have the Tecsun AN-200 loop antenna for AM, not much of a help either.

[hellosailor]

" and a 47’ tall mast that would pick up VHF weather from the USA far into the Banks.
The powerboat on the other hand is pretty basic, got a VHF whip reaching about 15’ above the drink, no range."

Odds are that was an illusion. VHF range (including the NOAA WX) is going to depend on the line-of-sight range from the transmitter. And in Florida, there are many antennas that are literally a quarter of a mile high, or more. So given the probably height and power of the NOAA transmitter (the "Miami" station actually covers Broward and into Palm Beach) the height of the boat antenna shouldn't make much difference. Once one end if a couple of hundred feet in the air, the other end can be way lower.

All the other issues with radios on a boat, bad cables, bad grounds, corrosion...that's not so easy to see and blame.

[Brian.D]

"IF" you had the correct radio to receive HF Weather Fax, "AND" the radio was a receiver with no capability of transmitting, "THEN" you could connect your radio's whip antenna to the center conductor of the VHF antenna. The radio doesn't know that the antenna is for VHF. The antenna is just a tuned piece of wire stuck in a fiberglass pole that works well with VHF transmitting equipment. Granted, it wouldn't make the best HF/MF/LF antenna, but it will work. Heck, even a paperclip will work, not well, but it will work.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

" and a 47’ tall mast that would pick up VHF weather from the USA far into the Banks.
The powerboat on the other hand is pretty basic, got a VHF whip reaching about 15’ above the drink, no range."

Odds are that was an illusion. VHF range (including the NOAA WX) is going to depend on the line-of-sight range from the transmitter. And in Florida, there are many antennas that are literally a quarter of a mile high, or more. So given the probably height and power of the NOAA transmitter (the "Miami" station actually covers Broward and into Palm Beach) the height of the boat antenna shouldn't make much difference. Once one end if a couple of hundred feet in the air, the other end can be way lower.

All the other issues with radios on a boat, bad cables, bad grounds, corrosion...that's not so easy to see and blame.

OF COURSE the other antennas height is very important to, not just my mast height.
Does not change the fact that I got no weather and was deaf just south of Bimini, hence my questions about alternate means of obtaining wx.
Back to my ex-sailboat: Got a VHF radio check from Towboat US 100NM from Fort Lauderdale, in the middle of the banks.
Could sit in Chubb Cay and listen to Florida WX.
Not any more.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

"IF" you had the correct radio to receive HF Weather Fax, "AND" the radio was a receiver with no capability of transmitting, "THEN" you could connect your radio's whip antenna to the center conductor of the VHF antenna. The radio doesn't know that the antenna is for VHF. The antenna is just a tuned piece of wire stuck in a fiberglass pole that works well with VHF transmitting equipment. Granted, it wouldn't make the best HF/MF/LF antenna, but it will work. Heck, even a paperclip will work, not well, but it will work.

Not necessarily true. Many VHF antennas have a coil (choke) at the antenna base. That would block HF signals.