Weatherfax - USB Audio Capture Device

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Boracay

and am getting part of an Oz MSL chart on SeaTTY. Quite nice really. Thanks to all.

Looks like a nice strong signal. Well done

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

No use to you , sorry, but anyone with a radio that can recieve 137mHz might just be able to get satellite images live ! I can just get them some days moored up surrounded by tall buildings in London using a icom 706Mk11 with some wire up the mast - all you need is a piece of free software. WXtoImg: software to decode APT and WEFAX signals from weather satellites

[sailorF54]

Originally Posted by h20man

Another nice FREE program is JWX written by Paul Lutus....

works on anything that runs JAVA (and has a sound card....)

I just checked it and it works fine..

Using Windows ou Linux ?
Could not start it on Vista with latest Java exec. If using Windows, could you tell me which Java .exe does open JWX ?
TIA

[Boracay]

I had no luck with JWX.

I downloaded it, but when it ran it complained that the Nokia interface wasn't right...

I downloaded Java, but still no joy.

I'd love to get the satellite pics but my understanding is that one needs a VHF receiver that has a wider band than our transceivers, but narrower than broadcast receivers. Any suggestions?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Boracay

I'd love to get the satellite pics but my understanding is that one needs a VHF receiver that has a wider band than our transceivers, but narrower than broadcast receivers. Any suggestions?

The sats transmit on 137mHz. I can get a limited image using an icom 706 but to get the lot I believe you need a wider bandwidth than the icom will recieve, yes. But it is free and rather exciting.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by sailorF54

Using Windows ou Linux ?
Could not start it on Vista with latest Java exec. If using Windows, could you tell me which Java .exe does open JWX ?
TIA

Worked on Mac OS X : java version "1.6.0_24"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_24-b07-334-10M3326)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 19.1-b02-334, mixed mode)

and on ubuntu 11.04:
java version "1.6.0_22"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (IcedTea6 1.10.1) (6b22-1.10.1-0ubuntu1)
OpenJDK Server VM (build 20.0-b11, mixed mode)


was using the Syba SD-CM-UAUD USB Stereo Audio Adapter, C-Media Chipset, RoHS on both units. Stereo Cable from line out on Kaito Radio to microphone input on USB adaptor.

I had to choose the appropriate sound card from the JXW.


BTW... starting the program has to happen from terminal mode (or in windows command line...

and the way you start it is by executing the following command:

java -jar path2file/JWX.jar

where path2file is the path that the jar file is located at...

this will open the JWX program...

[smurphny]

I have a Garmin 376c plotter that came with a small satellite weather antenna. Have never intended to use that function because it charges a ridiculously high monthly fee. I get Wfax via SSB hf band using Getfax. Is there a way to utilize this antenna (USB) to input free satellite Wfax and images using some of the software mentioned in this thread? Would be nice to have a backup source of weather not tied into ICOM 700/Pactor setup. Also would use less power using just computer.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by smurphny

I have a Garmin 376c plotter that came with a small satellite weather antenna. Have never intended to use that function because it charges a ridiculously high monthly fee. I get Wfax via SSB hf band using Getfax. Is there a way to utilize this antenna (USB) to input free satellite Wfax and images using some of the software mentioned in this thread? Would be nice to have a backup source of weather not tied into ICOM 700/Pactor setup. Also would use less power using just computer.

Short answer: no, there is no way of using the Garmin GPS/XM/Serius satellite antenna to as an antenna for noaa 137 Mhz transmissions...

BUT... there is good news. You can get the normal Weatherfax that is transmitted over the air (not using satelites) with a simple SSB radio tuner (like the $90 Kaito KA1103 - Portable radio) connected to the sound card of your computer.. with a (at most $3) cable:



(the image appears to show the ends as being disconnected, but the cable is one long connected piece.. no wireless here..

This is what I used with JWX to receive weather faxes from noaa.

Long answer:
Antenas are designed and built for an appropriate signal frequency.
Satellite Radio ( Sirius and XM ) transmit in the 2.315 GHz range....

The noaa satellites transmit in the 131 Mhz range.... approximately 17.6 times difference...

The satellite antena can not be used for a different frequency....

--------

Hope that helps,

best of luck.... and if when you do this, a smile does not come across your face as you see an image being received on your computer screen.... then....

you are a harder man then I..

[smurphny]

Thanks H2Oman. As mentioned in post, I have an ICOM SSB (700pro) with an AT140 tuner already and have always accessed Wfax this way. It works quite well. Thought it would be great to be able to pull in satellite data for free, without installing an entire separate satellite system. Your idea about a small HF radio which uses less power, is one worth investigating. The ICOM system pulls in nice clear images. I have my doubts as to whether a small portable receiver could pull in and tune stations from afar without a high level of interference. Do you use those stereo jacks? I thought they had to be mono to interface sound card and radio.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by smurphny

Thanks H2Oman. As mentioned in post, I have an ICOM SSB (700pro) with an AT140 tuner already and have always accessed Wfax this way. It works quite well. Thought it would be great to be able to pull in satellite data for free, without installing an entire separate satellite system. Your idea about a small HF radio which uses less power, is one worth investigating. The ICOM system pulls in nice clear images. I my doubts as to whether a small portable receiver could pull in and tune stations from afar without a high level of interference.

I do use the stereo jack in that radio, and it works.

I know that others claim to have problems with a stereo jack to some other radio line out. In this case, with this kit it works.

I think that I was focusing also on your use of the PACTOR.

for weatherfax, with the appropriate program you can pull it off with just audio.

As to reception. I have tried the portable radio as a backup, and was surprised to see it working when I was surrounded by interference (on land). The signal was/is actually easy to decode (without interference) as it is treated as a binarry black or white spot...

The earliest broadcasts of weather maps via radiofacsimile appear to have been made in 1926 by American inventor Charles Francis Jenkins in a demonstration to the United States Navy.

I think that todays equipment makes it even better...

Since the noaa uses high power (10KW) transmitters, I think that there should be no problem pulling in a weatherfax using a portable SSB.

The key will be to tune into frequencies that should be accessible for the distance you are from the transmitting station....

(Blast, reading my reply, I see that this is all not so simple really, but... if you are a sailor and you sail, you use your brain more then many landlubbers... and this should not be a difficult thing to deal with........)



Best

[smurphny]

Will have to get a hold of one of those small radios and see if it can be hand-tuned to get a good signal. Should be able to tell just from listening to the signal if it's clear enough and will stay on channel. The 700 unit draws about 6+ amps on "receive", if I remember right, and is a major energy hog. A small radio would probably be 1/10 of that. I'm 100% solar panel, so need every trick to conserve power.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by smurphny

Will have to get a hold of one of those small radios and see if it can be hand-tuned to get a good signal. Should be able to tell just from listening to the signal if it's clear enough and will stay on channel. The 700 unit draws about 6+ amps on "receive", if I remember right, and is a major energy hog. A small radio would probably be 1/10 of that. I'm 100% solar panel, so need every trick to conserve power.

It is LOW Power, and the model I gave links to comes with of rechargeable batteries and an AC charger... ... so...

I have not had the pleasure of testing this in the middle of the pacific, but... on land... surrounded by interference.... I managed to get some nice faxes with this set up...

One can actually see (live on screen with JWX) the effects of fine tuning...

[h20man]

Originally Posted by h20man

BTW... starting the program has to happen from terminal mode (or in windows command line...

and the way you start it is by executing the following command:

java -jar path2file/JWX.jar

where path2file is the path that the jar file is located at...

this will open the JWX program...

I was WRONG about windows. (I do not use windows...) but from the JWX site it appears there is a windows executable that should run in a normal manner...


Sorry...

[conachair]

Originally Posted by smurphny

....Your idea about a small HF radio which uses less power, is one worth investigating. The ICOM system pulls in nice clear images. I have my doubts as to whether a small portable receiver could pull in and tune stations from afar without a high level of interference. .....

I used one of these Degen 1103 PLL FM AM SW SSB World Receiver Radio Kaito | eBay UK across atlantic and it was fine, new orleans, boston then northwood. clear images though not as good at rejecting boat interference as a recently purchased icom 706. Just remember to turn the fridge on again Having such a low power draw means offshore you can listen to as many wierd music and religious nut stations as you want to

[smurphny]

conachair, I know what you mean about rf interference. I have to turn off my inverter to get a clear Wfax output when receiving on ICOM 700. Even with rf chokes on all the cables, interference often gets in somehow. I'm pretty impressed with the ability to get weather charts from the Pacific side on the Atlantic and to be able to get email offshore without paying a fortune to satellite phone services like Iridium. Thanks for the info. There sure are plenty of screwballs on the hf airways.

[Boracay]

eHam.net has a whole lot of reviews of short wave receivers.

It would be important to check that the power consumption was reasonable, and that it ran on 12V.

Many short wave receivers were very well made, and some are available second hand. If you have a friend who is into short wave radio it could be a good idea to involve them in the purchase.

I would expect that not being able to get a good weather forecast when in a remote location could be a major problem.