Weather Fax on SSB

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

So I should be looking to tune in to either 6340.5 kHz or 9110 kHz at 2038hrs and 1038hrs?

9110 days, 6340.5 nights for most of the US East Coast receiving the Boston transmissions.

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

So assuming I can pick up these stations I run a stereo cord from the line out on my radio to the microphone in on my laptop, fire up the JVComm32 software and I should be able to view the surface analysis map

Depends. Most marine radios and some portable shortwave receivers have mono headphone and/or line-out jacks. Some receivers, like the Kaito 1103 have stereo jacks (the hint is FM-Stereo as a capability). Most laptops have a mono mic input. Sometimes a stereo cable will work but often is an issue.

I carry a stereo patch cord and a stereo-to-mono adapter. For my M802 I take audio out of the radio headphone through the adapter to the cord and into the laptop mic-in. From my Kaito I plug the stereo cord into the headphone jack and on to the adapter and the laptop mic-in.

[mutualfun]

Being new to this also as last year was my first time with the m802., what is the best way to find the satellite times. Is there a book for the weather satellite's as we will be in the Bahamas again this winter. Thanks. Randy

[Hud3]

Here's the NOAA broadcast schedule...

New Orleans Radiofax Schedule with Links

They broadcast a sat image at 0200 and 1400 UTC.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by mutualfun

Being new to this also as last year was my first time with the m802., what is the best way to find the satellite times. Is there a book for the weather satellite's as we will be in the Bahamas again this winter. Thanks. Randy

Hi Randy,

As noted there are a couple of satellite images in the weather products sent over weather fax on SSB. Those transmissions come from ground transmitters maintained by the US and other governments. See http://www.weather.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf for schedules and frequencies worldwide.

If you are truly interested in satellite based weather imagery google for 137 MHz weather satellite . You'll need an inexpensive VHF receiver, a quadrifilar helix antenna, and some software.

The synoptic charts you are probably interested in (as well as Navtex text forecasts) are all available over shortwave weather fax and thus your SSB.

[mutualfun]

Thanks Auspicious and Hud3 for the info. I have downloaded Wxsat but we are not yet in the water. I got the cable to go from the m802 to my laptop. Is there more I will need or will that do to get me started out for now .

[conachair]

Originally Posted by mutualfun

Thanks Auspicious and Hud3 for the info. I have downloaded Wxsat but we are not yet in the water. I got the cable to go from the m802 to my laptop. Is there more I will need or will that do to get me started out for now .

You might get an image from that setup, but the radio isn't really suited, recieve bandwidth isn't wide enough. I can just get an image from an Icom 7000. It's fun but not really that useful, weatherfax is where the action is.

Edit- Just checked, your radio doesn't recieve up to 137mHz so you're out of luck there I'm afraid.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by mutualfun

I have downloaded Wxsat but we are not yet in the water. I got the cable to go from the m802 to my laptop. Is there more I will need or will that do to get me started out for now .

1. WXSat is for the VHF weather satellites I referred to earlier. As conachair pointed out the frequency coverage of the 802 doesn't support the 137 MHz signal of those satellites. You will need a small VHF receiver, preferably with a discriminator output and a small demodulator feeding the sound card in your computer.

When you do that, you'll only get imagery. Imagery is of limited utility to cruisers.

As conachair pointed out weather fax is of much higher value. The rfax.pdf document I linked to above has schedules and frequencies all within the coverage of the 802.

The software for weather fax is different. There are a number of commercial packages. JVComm, fldigi, and multipsk are free. I have used all three but recommend the simplicity of JVComm for new starts.

2. The 802 headphone jack is mono. The mic jack on the overwhelming majority of laptops is mono. If you use a stereo cord between them there is often no connection. If you can't find a 1/8" mono to 1/8" mono cord you will find a stereo cord with a 1/8" stereo to mono adapter on one end will solve most problems.

[Hotel L]

Any experience with a SGC SC 2000 radio? I don't seem to have a audio out but I do have a serial port?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Hotel L

Any experience with a SGC SC 2000 radio? I don't seem to have a audio out but I do have a serial port?

Ext Spk External Speaker (or Weatherfax modem)

http://www.sgcworld.com/Publications...ls/2000Man.pdf

RS may be for PC control.

b.

[mutualfun]

Thank you guys again for your help

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

1. WXSat is for the VHF weather satellites I referred to earlier.

The software for weather fax is different. There are a number of commercial packages. JVComm, fldigi, and multipsk are free. I have used all three but recommend the simplicity of JVComm for new starts.

wxsat supports weather fax as well (select FM120).
There is a tutorial for wxsat online that walks you through the process.
Tom

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by teejayevans

wxsat supports weather fax as well (select FM120).
There is a tutorial for wxsat online that walks you through the process.

By golly you're right. A little fiddling with it and I still think JVComm32 is the easiest to use but WXSAT does indeed support HF wefax. It's focus is certainly satellite APT weather satellite imagery.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf

Remember in-port reception may be very poor as compared to offshore.

b.

Pretty good file. I'm testing it now. I'm in Germany and receiving a transmission from the UK.

Originally Posted by Auspicious

GetFax through a Pactor modem... It's really easy.

I just started playing around with this myself. I finally got the GetFax program and already had the Pactor modem. It really isn't hard at all. Just a matter of tuning in the signal correctly.

Good luck in getting your setup running soothly.

[Dockhead]

Is there a program which you can set up to tune an SSB tranceiver according to a schedule to receive Weatherfax and Navtex broadcasts? For those radios which can be tuned by a computer, like the M802 and some other Icoms.

[Paul Elliott]

GetFax can tune some radios. There is a schedule file you can edit that tunes the radio to a particular frequency at a particular time, and sets up the program to capture FAX or text broadcasts. The GetFax installation includes a sample schedule file.