Degen SSB Radio Receiver Question

[Kenomac]

Is it possible to receive SSB radio weatherfax reports on a Degen DE1103 SSB receiver which can then be decoded by an ipad weatherfax app during an offshore passage?

[Kenomac]

Does this little radio receive SSB weather information like an installed ICON SSB system? Anyone know?

Thanks

[a64pilot]

I have not done it, but it’s my understanding that any HF radio can be used with a computer and a microphone, however I’d guess that a direct sound connection would be better than a microphone.

I wasn’t aware of an IPad app.

I took a Radio Shack HF Radio with me to Desert Storm 1, and as long as you gave it a good ground and a good antenna, it received astonishingly well.
It didn’t do badly with the little antenna it came with, but boy did a long wire antenna make a difference.

From just a reception perspective, I would not be surprised if a good quality portable wouldn’t receive as well as my Icom 802.
Of course there is I’m sure a difference, but it may not be as much as you might think.

I’m posting as much as a bump than anything, thinking others will chime in soon

[Kenomac]

Our 62 has an SSB antenna, but no SSB radio. I’m just wondering if there’s an inexpensive short cut to receiving weather data offshore as a redundancy device to our iridium go set up, since dockhead had trouble with his satellite reception last summer.

[Kenomac]

This video may have just answered my question. Remarkable, If it’s this easy. I downloaded the app three years ago, but never thought to use it with a portable HF radio. Can anyone report back on how well the system demonstrated in the video actually works?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8ad7I87vo6E

[Time2Go]

Check out
Blackcatsystems.com
HF Weatherfax
lots of info
Cheers
Neil

[conachair]

Degen 1103 works well for Wfax reception, even just sitting next to an android tablet using the radio speaker & tablet mic though straight into a laptop soundcard would be less screechy. Antenna not that important, even resting against chainplates down below worked across Biscay on a wooden boat delivery.
A must have IMHO for any ocean passages

[Kenomac]

This is sounding better all the time.

Thanks

[svtrio]

I used the black cat app many years ago with a Kenwood 430 ham rig. The fax weather application was as simple as they come and provided very good images. I had a Mac box (and later a laptop) and it was happy with a mike pickup near the speaker or an audio feed to the computer input. The direct input was obviously more “quiet.”

The Black Cat operation was family run, and they were always responsive to queries I had about that product and some others they brewed.

Yikes, that was so many years ago.

[transmitterdan]

Ken, it should work with a PC or iPad wefax app. Just read up on how to set the receive frequency which requires some third grade math to convert the published frequency to the frequency you enter on the radio.

On wefax you can usually get synoptic charts as well as text weather forecasts. What else is available depends on the weather service in your specific cruising area.

This will not receive NAVTEX.

[Magnus_b]

Kenomac, I own one and have recieved Wfax at my home using the blackcatsystems app. It works just using the speaker to mic but it need some practice to be able to recieve good readable wfax as the one in the video. (I guess I need to practice more to get a good feeling for tuning the radio and use the right appsettings).

However, I brought the radio and my ipad on an atlantic crossing last year and was hoping to get som good Wfax images -but I failed. The radio picked up a lot of interference from the boats electrical systems. I think most radio interference came from the wind generator. I tried to "shut down" everything that could intefere with the radio reception but I never managed to get good reception.

So key takaways from me....
- yes it works, but you need to practice at home before you can "easily" receive Wfax with this equipment
- you need to test it on your boat with all other systems running, and find a good antenna solution.
- it's so cheap so just buy one

//Magnus