Navtex - Where does it work?

[Weyalan]

I don't know much about Navtex. It is my understanding that Navtex is a nifty "black box" typegizmo that receives weather and shipping information on VHF-ish frquencies, that can be displayed on it's screen or downoladed onto a computer.

The question is, in what parts of the world is it possible to receive Navtex signals / information?

[GordMay]

Major areas of NAVTEX coverage include the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, coastal areas around Japan and areas around the North American continent.

NAVTEX transmissions are from fairly powerful stations dotted around the coastline, with largely overlapping coverage, to about 250 (or more) nautical miles offshore. The service range of NAVTEX stations is generally 100 to 500 nautical miles; but with good receiving aerials, and suitable propagation, stations can be received from further afield.

The main transmission frequency is 518kHz, just off the end of the AM broadcast band, with a secondary LF frequency of 490kHz. Additionally, there is an HF channel at 4209.5kHz.

[Weyalan]

Thanks Gord, good info as ever. So, essentially, not worth picking up one while I am still Australia based, but possibly worth the fairly minor expense when I head off into the wild blue yonder....

[camaraderie]

Weyalan...If you will eventually be cruising with an SSB, you can pick up the Navtex with free software right to your PC screen with no additional "black boxes" to buy. Good service for those of us in the other half of the world (where all good things originate...except Foster's <g>), who can't figure out the weather fax yet!

[CSY Man]

I put in a Furuno Navtex last year.

Found it to be quite useful in my coastal Florida and Bahamas cruising.

The frequency band is more medium than VHF and it don't need no line-of-sight.

It cost nothing to get all the weather ya want. (No subscription)

The manufactor mentions a 400 NM range, and that is probably doable, but I have only seen 260 NM as that is was as far I went from Florida last year. (Exuma Islands)

As ya get further away the "error rate" increases, but still plenty good from what I have seen on my unit.

The cost was just under $400.00 US including antenna and wires, etc.