10 year old Nasa Navtex TV-lookalike

[kilkerr1]

Hi all

Have come across old (c.10 years) Nasa Navtex for sale. Looks like a tiny TV, i.e. the screen is not LCD but a proper tube. Weird. It's said to be for the area all around UK waters, north and west France and most of Scandanavia, and also that tho' there is no arial with it any one will do for it, e.g. new one from Nasa.

Does anyone have experience of these old Navtex receivers? It's said to be in full working order, with instructions etc.

Cheers! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[milltech]

Yes, supplied someone with an antenna for one quite recently. There are two derivations for the same box, a Navtex and a Video Hydrograph (depth sounder).

By modern standards very greedy on power but otherwise OK. I wouldn't pay money for one though!



<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[steve_cronin]

Don\'t buy it.....

however I wouldn't have given you that advice twelve years ago. I had one myself which i replaced with the Navtex Pro and sold with the last boat. I now have a Clipper Navtexalso made by NASA but much less power hungry and adaptable to anywhere in the world.

You see the station configuration and message setup was pre-installed onto a card which fits in a slot on the back of the set and you needed a different card for each area. When Niton was changed a couple of years ago there an update card wasn't made available. The standard card only includes stations in what they call "area 1" so it is a bit local to the UK and you might only get Cullercoats and Ostende. Since it uses a cathode ray tube it is also power hungry when being viewed (4-5amps) and not that economical on stand-by at 1amp (the new sets use 30mA or so) The "Active" aerials on the early sets were telescopic and even if the mast hasn't corroded off (from the inside) the "active" circuitry in the aerial base is probably U/S and full of rusty water. A replacement can be had but it will be the later one with a solid tapered whip, antenna which usually works loose in it's brass mounting and the non stainless grub screw rusts in so that you can't tighten it up.

Fine inovation in it's day but now only a museum piece.

A new NASA Clipper Navtex can be had for £247 list and much less at discount chandlers.

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[rivalranger]

If it's very cheap it could be worth buying. NASA will give you about 70 quid part exchange on a current model. Traded our one last month.

Cheers !

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[kilkerr1]

Sounds interesting...how do I get in touch with them? NASA that is...

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[philip_stevens]

Nasa Marine Ltd
Boulton Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 4GG
Tel: 01438 354033
Fax: 01438 741498

There is also an email addy, though I can't find it at the moment.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards,
Philip

 

[steve_cronin]

I found it not quite that straightforward....

When I exchanged my videoNavtex for an upgrade they wouldn't supply the complete kit. They said that this would contravene their agreement with their agents in selling direct to the public. They would only supply the set without the active anrenna so that they could call it a "service exchange" When the aerial failed soon afterwards I had to buy one as a spare part thereby negating the initial saving.

My advice again would be to walk on by this antique and buy yourself a complete NASA Clipper kit from a discount chandler.

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[vyv_cox]

Re: I found it not quite that straightforward....

But seal the antenna against humid air entry before fitting it. When mine failed after three months there was a considerable volume of water inside it. Rain water cannot get in, so I must assume it to be condensation. I noted that after repair the top was sealed to the base by NASA.

Other than that, an excellent unit.

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[kilkerr1]

Re: I found it not quite that straightforward....

Have resisted and walked on by...to the chandlery to get a new one in their Autumn sale!

Thanks for comments one 'n' all.

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[steve_cronin]

The new ones...

...have a stub antenna that works perfectly well in a saloon locker so it needn't be subjected to the external environment. A good place is up the back (so to speak) of a sugar scoop stern but in any case keep it away from the shrouds. Mine is in an under -sdie - deck locker three feet forward of the shrouds and works fine.

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion