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Old 06-10-2018, 08:01   #31
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

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Originally Posted by CatNewBee View Post

If I am in distress or need immediate help, however, I would rather use a professional reliable dedicated system, like EPIRB, distress DSC call or emergency call on the Sat-phone.
Bear in mind marine SSB is part of GMDSS ( very much a professional reliable dedicated system), sat phone/brick isn't.
Press the red button you are straight into the GMDSS system, every SSB radio on every ship for hundreds of miles will immediately know where you are and that you need help. Just as you will hear any DSC transmissions if your set is turned on.
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Old 06-10-2018, 16:58   #32
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

A cheap SSB with weather fax was described in 'The Retirement Project' blog here:
The Retirement Project: The SSB Workaround

"we had the good fortune of meeting Julie from S/V Coup d'Amour. Julie runs the Dinner Key Cruiser's net frequently and also happens to be the go-to guru on portable SSB weather receiving. She runs a class once in awhile when there's enough interest, and we were able to take the class. Taking a class on this is a good thing, because it does take some inside knowledge to make it work and also lots of practice. I've heard that full-function SSBs also have that kind of learning curve so committing to that was no problem for me.

First, let's talk equipment. Here's what you need to receive weather faxes on a portable SSB:"
- Portable SSB radio receiver
- iPad or Android tablet
- Black Cat Systems HF Weatherfax app for your system
- Good set of ear buds
- Antenna
...
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Old 07-10-2018, 02:34   #33
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kim Gregory View Post
A cheap SSB with weather fax was described in 'The Retirement Project' blog here:
The Retirement Project: The SSB Workaround

"we had the good fortune of meeting Julie from S/V Coup d'Amour. Julie runs the Dinner Key Cruiser's net frequently and also happens to be the go-to guru on portable SSB weather receiving. She runs a class once in awhile when there's enough interest, and we were able to take the class. Taking a class on this is a good thing, because it does take some inside knowledge to make it work and also lots of practice. I've heard that full-function SSBs also have that kind of learning curve so committing to that was no problem for me.

First, let's talk equipment. Here's what you need to receive weather faxes on a portable SSB:"
- Portable SSB radio receiver
- iPad or Android tablet
- Black Cat Systems HF Weatherfax app for your system
- Good set of ear buds
- Antenna
...
Portable SSB / HAM receiver are great. But I do not consider them as a mean of communicaton offshore alone, because you cannot transmit, they can be a nice add-on to a satellite brick / phone.

But then again, a rudimentary static noisy weather fax compared to a clean grib containing 4 weather models results and forecasts for several days ahead with zoomable underlying charts - I would go very likely for the grib for peace of mind and spend the extra few bucks for the weather routing compilation and reception.


I also do not need to monitor the ether at specific times to catch a reception. I am out there to enjoy sailing and fishing and not to hunt daily all day long radio waves at a schedule.


BTW, you can use a RTL/SDR USB receiver and some decoder software to do the job directly on your PC without the box, manual tuning, earplugs/microphone Android app thing. It is way cheaper and more resilient to noise on board.
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Old 08-10-2018, 01:15   #34
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

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Originally Posted by CatNewBee View Post
BTW, you can use a RTL/SDR USB receiver and some decoder software to do the job directly on your PC without the box, manual tuning, earplugs/microphone Android app thing. It is way cheaper and more resilient to noise on board.
Not quite, an rtl usb dingle doesn't tune low enough to receiver wfax, by the time you've added an upconverter to enable tuning that low there's little cost difference to getting a receiver like a degen 1103.
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Old 15-10-2018, 11:03   #35
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

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Originally Posted by CatNewBee View Post
But then again, a rudimentary static noisy weather fax compared to a clean grib containing 4 weather models results and forecasts for several days ahead with zoomable underlying charts - I would go very likely for the grib for peace of mind and spend the extra few bucks for the weather routing compilation and reception.
In my experience, the weather fax gives you the systems, the fronts, the waves, all the key information and the forecast for the next couple of days. Reviewed and approved by a professional. It is as good as weather info can get. It costs nothing to receive ($150 SSB receiver + any old phone). Once you understand a little bit of meteorology you are golden.

The GRIBs are also nice to have but often the wind is different than forecast. You get less of an idea about what the weather is doing, what you can expect if a storm changes track and how to recover from it. Therefore, do yourself a favor, get the weather fax first, then play around with the GRIBs.

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Old 15-10-2018, 14:08   #36
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

We used the InReach (albeit per Garmin) and a $12 per month unlimited 72 hour SpotCast forecast subscription from OCENS. Forecast in 4 hr increments, at your location or any lat-long you request. Wind, waves, swell, barometric pressure, precipitation, etc. We still had to pay the InReach subscription for text messages as well. Plus we were in Bahamas and listened to Chris Parker for macro view every morning on an inexpensive Sony SSB receiver. But we found OCENS forecasts very accurate, and will use them again when we head back. Paired with an iPad made data requests and receipt easy.
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Old 15-10-2018, 14:09   #37
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Re: SSB radio, what are the best ‘cheap’ and easy to install solutions? Any reliable

It should read "pre Garmin".
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