XM Weather Coverage?

[Aird]

After 35 yrs in the air I am moving to the water.
I could always out run the weather or land and tie it down. So my old Garmin 396 had XM WX but they say that the "legal"coverage is only designed for the USA. Does anybody know if it still works in the Bahamas/Exuma.
This is our first boat/trip and I do not think I can afford any thing more sophisticated, yet.
Hope this thread is the correct one.
Thanks

[a64pilot]

If you zoom out on the Wx page of your 396, I believe you will see the coverage. It does not go that far out. Years ago I was flying to one of the out Islands and could see numerous lightning strikes on my 396, but no associated Radar echos. I assumed some kind of glitch and ended penetrating a line of level 5 thunderstorms, so at least back then lightning went out further than Radar. If you get outside of the coverage, it will give you a message of XM service lost, but you can still have coverage, but not see what is ahead of you as that is out of the area, that is what happened to me.

For sailing, I do not think it's worth the monthly cost, but if you stay in close, maybe it is.

[a64pilot]

read this thread
xm weather offshore range - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

[David M]

[Aird]

Somewhat off subject.
I registered my epirb, I have applied for my radio station license,my decal,
and I have a radio operators license from 1982. The way I read the reg is that it is issued for life?
I just read about the reciprocal radio operators license issued/needed by the Bahamian gov.
Unless things have really sped up in the Bahamas there will be no way to get it before my departure in mid Feb.
Do they ever check those items? I have flown into the Bs 7-8 times and was never asked for the license.
Denny

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

read this thread
xm weather offshore range - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

That thread is over 5 years old and predates the functional merger of XM and Sirius. I would not trust any of the information in it with respect to current operations or coverage.

My boat has the hardware for it but I've never subscribed as I don't consider the product a good value for coastal and it is worthless for offshore.

[a64pilot]

I didn't catch the threads age, sorry

But one thing to be very wary of is the difference between XM / Sirius coverage and wx coverage. Unless things have changed Wx coverage is from US land based Wx radars, which is not even close to the map shown


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Aird

Somewhat off subject. I just read about the reciprocal radio operators license issued/needed by the Bahamian gov.
Unless things have really sped up in the Bahamas there will be no way to get it before my departure in mid Feb. Do they ever check those items? I have flown into the Bs 7-8 times and was never asked for the license.
Denny

No. If you just have a VHF and maybe an SSB you will not need a license in the Bahamas. I have never met any boat in the Bahamas that had a radio license of any kind, and i've never ever been asked for one when checking in.

[uzumejin]

We have XM weather, but have only been on the Pacific side of Central America, and the Panama/Caribbean coast.

The satellite map shown previously in this thread is quite accurate. We had good weather info into the lower part of Costa Rica, and then it disappeared further south from there.

Cheers.

Ann
M/V Ithaka