Weather fax app

[daletournier]

Hi all, in the past I've used Sailmail via Iridium for weather. Currently I've got a inreach, it serves our needs from a communications perspective and you can suspend it when not on passage for $8/mth. I can get spot weather forecasts for upto 7 days out BUT I miss not being able to get a bigger picture ie gribs.

I have a Hf (and Pactor) which we use for scheds. I don't actually want to hook up my sat phone again this year, we only have a one week passage crossing to South Africa. I realise I can use Sailmail via Hf but although I'm licensed my Hf isn't.

Has anyone used the below app? does it work or is it useless?

[conachair]

Haven't used the black cat app but have this one instaled >
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...m.wolphi.wefax

Despite very low expectations it did the job really well across biscay on a delivery a while ago - with the tablet just sitting next to a degen 1103, which had its' antenna resting against a chain plate.

[Auspicious]

Use Airmail. Built in demodulator in the Pactor modem sends data to the display tools in Airmail. On your Mac you'll need to use VMWare or some other way to run Windows tools. No license required to receive weather fax.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Use Airmail. Built in demodulator in the Pactor modem sends data to the display tools in Airmail. On your Mac you'll need to use VMWare or some other way to run Windows tools. No license required to receive weather fax.

OK, thanks I'll look into it.

[Auspicious]

You'll want this: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/marine/rfax.pdf

[daletournier]

Don't I need to go through sailmail to use airmail? I didn't think you could just use airmail? My understanding is limited in this area.

[Auspicious]

Airmail is software that runs on your computer. Sailmail, Winlink, Cruiseemail, etc are shore systems.


Airmail includes weather fax functions that are like tuning a radio or TV. You don't need an account from anyone to receive. Not that this is "receive" and not "download."

[svtrio]

Dave,

I haven’t used this particular product from Black Cat, but I used an hf decoder from the company with satisfactory results several years ago. Simple product. I suspect that this version will perform as advertised.

Contact them. I found them very helpful and straightforward.

They specialize in Mac but I believe they provided windows compatible products too.


Roger

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by svtrio

I haven’t used this particular product from Black Cat, but I used an hf decoder from the company with satisfactory results several years ago. Simple product. I suspect that this version will perform as advertised.

Black Cat Systems Multimode is indeed a good product for WEFAX. It runs on MacOS and uses the soundcard for demodulation of the signal. I've had good experience with it. For Windows I'm happy enough with JVCOMM32 and MultiPSK that I have not used Black Cat Systems products for Windows.

In this case however the question is around a system that already includes an SCS Pactor modem. The demodulation of wefax by the hardware in the Pactor modem is better than any software demodulator I have experience with. Given that all that is really needed is display. Also, given that there is a Pactor modem and that Sailmail and/or Winlink could be on the horizon there is all the more reason to get used to Airmail so that you have one tool for wefax, Navtex, and HF/SSB/Pactor email. Integration with SailDocs for additional weather information is pretty hard to beat.