Furuno weather fax 30 v irridium go

[gpeacock]

On the topic of Wfax, if anyone has a way to get Chilean synoptic broadcasts over the Go or Pactor please let me know.
I agree with what others have said in that Synoptic weather charts are far better than any GRIB because they are forecaster created and verified.
Thanks
Gary

[El Pinguino]

Hola Gary, Here you go... http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/indice/english.htm

http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/fotos/local.jpg

http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/...perficie12.jpg

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Range of wefax broadcasts depends largely on frequency and time of day....

Right time of day the Honolulu and Nola broadcasts can be received in Patagonia..... not that they are much use as the charts only go 20*S

Ditto SW radio... I get the BBC African service for about two hours every afternoon..

Glad to hear you're still receiving the BBC. Here on the northwest Pacific coast (California), I can no longer receive them via shortwave. The broadcasts beamed at Africa aren't arriving here. The BBC has been cutting its shortwave services to the bone for years.

[Cpt Pat]

How long does it take to download a chart via Iridium Go? The last time I tested one, I was only getting 2400 baud (early 1990s modem speed), and it took about 15 minutes, with a high risk of a dropped sat connection. My Pactor 3 modem on HF SSB radio was about 10 times faster (and no airtime charges).

The charts I really want are here: http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/P_brief.shtml

I couldn't figure out any way to access them via Iridium Go. It appeared to me that I could "only order from the menu" with the Go.

[Matt Johnson]

Global Weather Downloads (GRIB / Synoptic / Text) - Teleport-Weather - The Weather Window

Send a blank email to weather (at) mailasail dot com and they'll send instructions and list what files you can get. They do a small .tif version that is really light on data use. We typically download GRIBs and two or three weatherfax forecasts in under three minutes.... typically three minutes from dialing to ending call if getting about 75kb of info.

The other is Saildocs.com

Matt

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Global Weather Downloads (GRIB / Synoptic / Text) - Teleport-Weather - The Weather Window

Send a blank email to weather (at) mailasail dot com and they'll send instructions and list what files you can get. They do a small .tif version that is really light on data use. We typically download GRIBs and two or three weatherfax forecasts in under three minutes.... typically three minutes from dialing to ending call if getting about 75kb of info.

The other is Saildocs.com

Matt

OK. Thanks!


75,000 bytes / 180 seconds (3 minutes) X 8 bits per byte = 3,333 baud. That's better than 2,400 baud. I'll see if my desired charts are on the menu.

[gpeacock]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Hola Gary, Here you go... http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/indice/english.htm

http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/fotos/local.jpg

http://web.directemar.cl/met/jturno/...perficie12.jpg

Thanks Pinguino
Yeah, I had those links and do use them when at the dock but the images are too big to download with anything but an unlimited go account.
I've actually just sent an email to MailASail to see if they will grab them, shrink them and include them in their well laid out catalogue (much better than Sailmail's).
Once you know the codes, I like Sailmail better because it allows for multiple requests in one email but I've already asked them to include the Chilean synoptic charts and they said they couldn't shrink the file sizes on their end.
I will post back here if MailASail responds.

On a different note, I've got friends who have just entered Magellan strait and are reporting above 60 knots. Gribs currently show less than 20. Guess you have to look out the window and do your own forecasting down here.
Thanks
Gary

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by gpeacock

Thanks Pinguino
Yeah, I had those links and do use them when at the dock but the images are too big to download with anything but an unlimited go account.
I've actually just sent an email to MailASail to see if they will grab them, shrink them and include them in their well laid out catalogue (much better than Sailmail's).
Once you know the codes, I like Sailmail better because it allows for multiple requests in one email but I've already asked them to include the Chilean synoptic charts and they said they couldn't shrink the file sizes on their end.
I will post back here if MailASail responds.

On a different note, I've got friends who have just entered Magellan strait and are reporting above 60 knots. Gribs currently show less than 20. Guess you have to look out the window and do your own forecasting down here.
Thanks
Gary

Thanks for that Gary, I was on the cusp of buying a Go.....
It looks like we have come full circle.... the HF Fax out of Valpo and PA gives everything you need including the sat pic like the one I linked to above so I think I will leave my money in my pocket.

Yep... down south the gribs are 'for guidance'....... lots of local effects and a lot of short term stuff. I just look at what they say is going to be happening off shore and figure out what the effect 'may' be where I am.
Cheers
Frank

[philiosophy]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I think you have that backwards. The weather readings from around tbe world including satellite passes are fed into the grib models multiple times a day. The local forecasters start with the grib outputs and make up the weatherfaxes from them, adding more graphics and local judgement.

I don't get your statement that when a front approaches gribs are useless. You can certainly see front predictions on gribs. There exact timing is always plus or minus. The actual conditions are simple to determine, look out the port hole.

One wonders why, if the gribs get input multiple times a day has Predict Wind ( The premier service) been so wrong for so many day, so many times. I used the Professional for three years then the next level for two more. I was passage making from Ecuador to Marquesas, then Tahiti to Tonga, and finally Tonga to New Zealand to Tonga to New Zealand during that time. I will Quote two meterologists. One a American and the other a Kiwi. Both at seperate times said “the gribs are great until a front approaches, then all bets are off”. On one occasion on a trip from Opua New Zealand to Tongatapu Tonga Predict wind said 10-15 and on the third day 15-20. I had 35 and later 55 kts. They never did com close to the actual wind conditions. Needless to say zi now use my iridium go to get weather info including gribs, faxes and text from the various Met services where I am cruising.

[stormalong]

Receiving wefax over SSB is an analog process and has it's problems. Getting a sharp image is difficult due to noise on the frequency, propagation, etc.

Any digital method is far more reliable. I use Winlink which is free other than the equipment costs. For non hams there are many choices today - for a price. Sailmail or any of the satellite based systems will get you a sharp image when you request it - frustration free. Any service that can send and receive email can use saildocs to get what you want.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by philiosophy

One wonders why, if the gribs get input multiple times a day has Predict Wind ( The premier service) been so wrong for so many day, so many times. I used the Professional for three years then the next level for two more. I was passage making from Ecuador to Marquesas, then Tahiti to Tonga, and finally Tonga to New Zealand to Tonga to New Zealand during that time. I will Quote two meterologists. One a American and the other a Kiwi. Both at seperate times said “the gribs are great until a front approaches, then all bets are off”. On one occasion on a trip from Opua New Zealand to Tongatapu Tonga Predict wind said 10-15 and on the third day 15-20. I had 35 and later 55 kts. They never did com close to the actual wind conditions. Needless to say zi now use my iridium go to get weather info including gribs, faxes and text from the various Met services where I am cruising.

You won't get me to argue for PredictWind. I think the two extra models are a marketing scam that makes it less usuable, not more.

I don't know what you are expecting from a weather model. It is a prediction of where the systems and their results will be days into the future. It isn't part of a video game where you dial in the wind speed and direction, set your sails and go.
When a front arrives wind speed and wind direction can vary huge amounts in under 100 meters, nothing will predict your actual experience. It would be a misuse of a GRIB to think you can.

It isn't like the various Met services have some glowing track record of accuracy. I was always amused when in New Zealand by the accuracy of the Met service there. They always got the forecast correct - because they changed it every two hours.

What do you use for an islands to NZ passage decision to leave? Its a 7-10 day trip depending on your vessel. None of the weatherfaxes go out near that long. For me I look at the systems and see where the two weather models predict them to be along my passage (GFS and Euro). If the two models generally agree on positions and intensity then I have some decent confidence in my planning. I have no delusions that the front that was shown to be at 30S 172E in 6 days at noon will actually arrive there. I also have no delusion that the average wind direction and speed shown along with the front will be my actual max or min wind speeds experienced.
GRIBs are an excellent tools for passage planning.

[AKA-None]

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