3 Day Outlook is Available, Ref. Previous Posts on Subject

[Oldhand]

There have been a couple of posts concerning the loss of the 3 day weather outlook from MSI broadcasts from CG stations and, I beleive, Naxtex. I advise that the 3 day weather outlook has been broadcast by Niton Navtex for at least the last 2 days (Saturday and Sunday). The messages were broadcast on 518kHz at 00:41 hrs.

I am a great enthusiast of Navtex, one reason being the same MSI inshore and shipping forecast broadcast content is available on Navtex, with the addition of the 3 day outlook as mentioned above and can be read any time. I find it the most reliable way to get weather information. However, they are now broadcasting regular "Actuals" on Navtex, which seems a bit of a waste of time. I only find them good for making comments like "yes you see it was too windy to go on that trip", "that proves we were bashing into 30 kts 3 hours ago" or "hell we should have gone, it wasn't that bad"... what do you think?

 

[Pye_End]

Is the Navtex exactly the same wording as the forecasts you get on radio 4?

If there is continuous pressure via the radio to keep these transmissions short then the problem of generalising over several areas presumably spills over. If so, its a bit nutty - I would rather have a really good Navtex forecast (preferably also on VHF) than a mediocre radio broadcast repeated across different mediums.

Actual wind conditions I think are probably quite useful at times.

I don't have Navtex, but because of the threads have been looking at them (and Clipper Weatherman?). Any recommendations? Can't see any examples of transmissions on the Nasa website so cannot compare.

Definately feel that this area has gone backwards over the years, in spite of increasingly complex weather modelling/software etc.

 

[Sgeir]

Yes, but with respect, the issues were about the removal of the outlook from the MCA broadcasts, and also from the Met Office inshore waters forecast website, not Navtex.

There are known be Navtex reception problems in some areas , and the loss of the broadcast has made safe passage planning more difficult. MCA have assured the cruising community that a new aerial site is being sought in the west of Scotland to improve matters.

 

[bluedragon]

Yes, I agree with this last post. It might be on Navtex, but it was very helpful to have this at the end of the CG VHF broadcasts. Last year whilst weather-bound in Milford haven I got NO Navtex messages at all. I know I can go to the library and look-up weather on the WWW, or (this year) on my phone. But for the MCGA to say that the 3-day outlook is available from many other sources is very short-sighted IMHO. The one Navtex outlook I looked at the other day, didn't seem anywhere near as good as the broadcast version.If the reason is the number of words that can be spoken in their time slot, then why is it missing from the Met Office website as well?? A re-think is needed here. Keep sending e-mails to the MCGA!

 

[Oldhand]

I guess I haven't regarded the 3 day outlook forecast with the same priority as some, perhaps many, other sailors. I have always found it rather "global" and lacking in any great detail, barely adequate as an overview. However, that may be because I use weatherfax which gives synoptic charts from Northwood up to 5 days ahead. However, not everyone has a vessel with the space or battery capacity for this but many seem to take a laptop to sea and that only needs investment in a receiver and a backstay antenna to be added.

Given the Navtex reception problems in the west coast of Scotland and the rapidity that weather can change (yes I have experienced the four seasons in one day many times in the Outer Hebrides), I would be very keen to have weatherfax reception capability, if that was my sailing area.

However, in regard to lack of Navtex reception elsewhere, I wonder if it isn't the case that many Navtex receiver installations are carried out with little thought in terms of antenna sighting and interfering sources. It is possible that some people are too ready to blame the system without considering their own installation. After all a good installation should at least be able to get reception from the next more distant station, expecially at night, and there is usually some overlap between the forecast data transmitted by neighbouring stations.

 

[Adonnante]

I sent the MCGA an email regarding the loss of the 3 day forecast and have just recieved the following reply.

Dear Mr Lillywhite

The forecast to which I think you refer is the 3 Day Fisherman's Forecast which we only used to broadcast on MF but recently changed to include it as part of our VHF schedule. This forecast was set some time ago now to cover the winter months and is available from October to March only.

Les Snaith
SAR Operations & Publications Manager

er, am I missing something.

On a related issue the reception on my Nav 6 reciever here in Cornwall has been very poor. On the advice of the McMurdo technician I have connected the external ariel pick up under the red plastic screw to the rig, bingo excellent reception even on my mooring at Millbrook. Just need to get it working on 518kHz as well as 490kHz and it could be considered useful.

 

[Pye_End]

I too have had an e-mail from the same person.

I wanted to know why there was pressure on number of words - presumably this is BBC driven - but I cannot see why this should degenerate the VHF forecasts. Can't see why the BBC forecast has to be identical in wording to the VHF one.

The reply had little to do with the question, only that SOLAS required forecats by NAVTEX and thus anything else was a bonus. Don't feel that they have entered the spirit of the discussion!

If it has been through the RYA do we know what they had to say about it all, and what influence they have?

 

[Oldhand]

[ QUOTE ]

On a related issue the reception on my Nav 6 reciever here in Cornwall has been very poor. On the advice of the McMurdo technician I have connected the external ariel pick up under the red plastic screw to the rig, bingo excellent reception even on my mooring at Millbrook. Just need to get it working on 518kHz as well as 490kHz and it could be considered useful.

[/ QUOTE ]

The ICS Nav 6 Navtex receiver was originally fitted with a whip antenna that screwed into the fitting under the red cap. I can only assume that they stopped supplying the whip because it made the receiver too sensitive and could be adversely affected by interference. Maybe someone can throw more light on the disappearance of the whip? Anyway I'm glad to hear your reception improved by replacing the whip by your rigging.

I use a Nav 6A which is not designed to use that odly shaped antenna/receiver unit but to be connected to a remote 50 ohm antenna. Mine is connected to an active whip at the masthead and successfully receives Navtex broadcasts in all sorts of difficult areas. I would recommend such an installation for anyone who appreciates what Navtex has to offer but has disappointing reception.

 

[bluedragon]

Apparently the RYA were consulted on all this...BUT I wonder if they were "fooled" by a change in terminology? I seem to recall in the old Inshore Waters forecast that the following day was called "following 24 hrs" and the next 3 days was the "Outlook". In the current forecast, the following 24hrs is now called the "Outlook"! So maybe all the parties consulted didn't actually realise that the definition of "Outlook" had changed from days 3-5 to day 2 and that's why nobody picked this up??? Hmm...