Weatherfax - USB Audio Capture Device

[Boracay]

I'm looking into being able to receive Weatherfaxes on Boracay.

I have an old, but still good SSB receiver and would like to download weatherfaxes.

I've downloaded the SeaTTY software from here, its installed under Window 7, so all I need now is to connect the radio to the computer. I understand that its normally done from the headphone socket.

On the boat it'll have to be to a USB port as laptops don't look like they support the old serial connection.

Something like this ezcap could work. I think I have a headphone jack to DIN adapter somewhere.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[atoll]

normaly the radio signal from the head phone jack plugs in to the computers microphone line in jack,no need for serial or usb connection.

[Lancerbye]

Originally Posted by atoll

normaly the radio signal from the head phone jack plugs in to the computers microphone line in jack,no need for serial or usb connection.

That's how mine works

[sded]

Mine too, although I actually use JVComm32 for the same purpose. The only time I use a serial connection (comm port) is when I use the PTC-II as a demodulator and get digital data from that source for the weather faxes, go through a serial-USB converter at my computer.

[Boracay]

I've scrounged round and found some old cables with plugs that fit. I can get sound from the radio out to the headphones but nothing seems to be coming through to the speakers. I have an old Sound Blaster soundcard.

I have a suspicion that Windows 7 has been planned to obsolete lots of old software. Has anyone had any luck with simply running a cable and Windows 7?

I see the soundcard has both line in and microphone sockets. Anyone used the line in socket?

[atoll]

try down loading jvc comm 32,the sea rtty program is for more modern hf radios,that interface with the computer via a usb/ serial port,and allow you to tune the radio via the "control panel" on the computer.

if skype works on your computer there is no reason that jvc comm won't work via the microphone line in.

not familiar with sea tty,but check settings the one you want is "radio fax" rather than "rtty" program

[KestrelBuck]

Be sure that the cable used to connect the SSB receiver to the microphone/line-in jack is monaural, not stereo.

[teejayevans]

You can use a digitial recorder to record the broadcasts, then batch process them with wxsat. Pros are you don't need the computer running when recording, cons are you have to have radio tuned or be able to tune it by ear.
Tom

[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..

[Cormorant]

KestrelBuck mentioned this above, but make sure your audio cable is mono. Search on Ebay for "Mono Male to Male Plug Audio Cable" and you'll find them for under $3.

[W32PAMELA]

Have you downloaded and installed the latest windows 7 drivers for your sound card? Does the Line-out work on your sound card? Have you checked to see if line-in or mic have been selected for use and are not muted?

[Seahunter]

I've tried the software version of weatherfax (no modem required) but the modem version (via usb) always works, go figure.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by Boracay

I've scrounged round and found some old cables with plugs that fit. I can get sound from the radio out to the headphones but nothing seems to be coming through to the speakers. I have an old Sound Blaster soundcard.

I have a suspicion that Windows 7 has been planned to obsolete lots of old software. Has anyone had any luck with simply running a cable and Windows 7?

I see the soundcard has both line in and microphone sockets. Anyone used the line in socket?

In order to help understand (or guess at) what is going on, it would help if you could sketch out exactly what is connected and how..

DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING, and explain it as you would to a stupid cat..

for example:

I have my Kaioto KA113 from line out connected with a 3.5 mm stereo cable to microphone in on my USB powered sound card (Syba SD-CM-UAUD USB Stereo Audio Adapter, C-Media Chipset, RoHS) connected to a usb port my Macbook Pro decoding with JWX )


This will help us (and possibly you) find out what is really going on, and why it is not working.....

Best to you, and good luck....

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Boracay

I have a suspicion that Windows 7 has been planned to obsolete lots of old software. Has anyone had any luck with simply running a cable and Windows 7?

I see the soundcard has both line in and microphone sockets. Anyone used the line in socket?

What computer is it and what ssb?

On the machines I've used it's just a 3.5mm sterio jack fron the ssb headphone output to the mic/line input on the computer. Win7 then asks if it's line or mic level.
On one laptop where the soundcard was fried I used a cheap usb to audio adaptor.

edit: headphone output from the ssb should go into line input if there is a choice between mic/line.

[Boracay]

I managed to connect the 3.5mm jack stereo cable to my old Lowe HF150 using an unused microphone jack adapter. Plugged into the microphone socket on my computer.

By not using the recommended frequencies I got a signal from WMC (Charleville, Qld. Oz) and the demo version of SeaTTY that I have has shown part of their Weatherfax transmission (HF Fax).

I could not get my demo version of JVCom to work.

I just tuned into WMC on 11028 using USB (Upper side band - almost the recommended 1.9kHz below11030) and am getting part of an Oz MSL chart on SeaTTY. Quite nice really. Thanks to all.

Now I only need to work out the scheduling and I'll be hot to trot.

Only fly in the ointment is that my sound card is having periods of high distortion when playing MP3s using Windows Media Player. I think I might have damaged some component...