Best Navtex receiver (without being silly)

moodyNick said:
A better question would have been 'What was Navtex?'

I can't remember the last time I used mine - probably 3 times in the past 10 years.

There is so much information available online for coastal and off shore passages of up to 3 days, and if going trans-ocean, I'd go for a sat-phone anyway.
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Some of us sail in areas away from marinas, sailing clubs, and pubs, and don't have internet access, so for us it is an excellent resource.:)
 
moodyNick said:
A better question would have been 'What was Navtex?'

I can't remember the last time I used mine - probably 3 times in the past 10 years.

There is so much information available online for coastal and off shore passages of up to 3 days, and if going trans-ocean, I'd go for a sat-phone anyway.
Click to expand...

I agree that NAVTEX has been supersede in many ways by the Internet. Who would dream of setting up a 100 baud rate system nowadays? In my case NAVTEX is essentially a fall back for weather. There have been a few times near the coast when it has been the only source of weather forecasts. If over 30 miles or so out and do not have a satphone, then it comes into its own. I do not spend long enough in a year outside 30 miles to justify a satphone. But, I still want weather.

What tends to be overlooked is its use for Nav warnings. It is tedious to listen to a whole string of warnings waiting for one that you have not heard before and a pain in the butt when abroad and two or more languages are being used.

Coming up the Landes coast we heard several warnings about a just submerged floating wreck quite near to where we were going. To have NAVTEX even if that was the only the second warning that had been of any concern over the past 15 years made it worthwhile.

Given that warnings have to be a push system, I have to wonder what the son of NAVTEX will be. I have asked this question on several occasions but have had no reply. Knowing how much NAVTEX is used around the world I can see the problem. What is the cheap system that will be available and affordable to all sailors? I, for one, do not know.
 
franksingleton said:
I agree that NAVTEX has been supersede in many ways by the Internet. Who would dream of setting up a 100 baud rate system nowadays? In my case NAVTEX is essentially a fall back for weather. There have been a few times near the coast when it has been the only source of weather forecasts. If over 30 miles or so out and do not have a satphone, then it comes into its own. I do not spend long enough in a year outside 30 miles to justify a satphone. But, I still want weather.

What tends to be overlooked is its use for Nav warnings. It is tedious to listen to a whole string of warnings waiting for one that you have not heard before and a pain in the butt when abroad and two or more languages are being used.

Coming up the Landes coast we heard several warnings about a just submerged floating wreck quite near to where we were going. To have NAVTEX even if that was the only the second warning that had been of any concern over the past 15 years made it worthwhile.

Given that warnings have to be a push system, I have to wonder what the son of NAVTEX will be. I have asked this question on several occasions but have had no reply. Knowing how much NAVTEX is used around the world I can see the problem. What is the cheap system that will be available and affordable to all sailors? I, for one, do not know.
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Son of Navtex will be a combination of cellular and satellite based IM. Expensive at the moment, but with the massive investment in infrastructure for both technologies it's just a matter of time.
 
Ex-SolentBoy said:
Son of Navtex will be a combination of cellular and satellite based IM. Expensive at the moment, but with the massive investment in infrastructure for both technologies it's just a matter of time.
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That is what I think has to happen but have seen no moves yet to that end. I suspect that the authorities are a little like a rabbit transfixed by an approaching car headlights. They know what is going to happen but not what they should be doing about it.
 
NormanS said:
Some of us sail in areas away from marinas, sailing clubs, and pubs, and don't have internet access, so for us it is an excellent resource.:)
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+1....

there are lots of places up the Scottish west coast with poor phone/internet conections, never mind holes in VHF coverage, so a stand alone system hoovering up weather data for you while you sail is pretty useful. I don't personally care if it is an electronic version of a slow teletype. At the speed I sail it's fine :D
 
Nicholas123 said:
I read your description * decided it was'nt for me.There are plenty of things you can live without when you put your mind to it ;)

PS;my 'and' dos'nt seem to be working instead it is producing *
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Obviously, it is a free world and we all make choices. It is rarely in recent years that I have had to rely on NAVTEX for weather The Internet has developed greatly and it will get used more and more by an increasing number of sailors some of whom still defend the Radio 4 Shipping Forecast and still bemoan the loss of coastal station reports on the BEEB. . I have been advising sailors to use the Internet for many years now and will continue to do so. It really comes down to whether you want a belt as well as braces. It also depends on how long at any one time you will be out of VHF and Internet range.

In recent years, I have used NAVTEX more for NAV warnings than weather forecasts. If you have ever sat through a long NAV warning VHF broadcast in two or three languages you will appreciate the advantages of getting messages in text in English wherever you are. Even somebody with a satphone would choose to use NAVTEX for NAV warnings, even if he could find them on-line. Free on NAVTEX, costly, even if available over a satphone.
 
Maybe it's just me but.... I never feel very happy relying on only one weather forecast - I think its far better to have your Navtex, VHF, Rtlx and internet - and sometimes none of them are right!
 
Relax said:
Maybe it's just me but.... I never feel very happy relying on only one weather forecast - I think its far better to have yourare only single sources of those. Navtex, VHF, Rtlx and internet - and sometimes none of them are right!
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Totally agree. But out there, you may only have one real option. Don't forget that NAVTEX is not just forecasts, it is NAV warnings as well. There
 
I have a NASA Clipper navtex on Penguin. I had the same model on my old boat. It works fine, but is sensitive to getting the aerial right (siting and no dodgy wiring).

On my old boat I experimented and put the aerial on the pushpit. On the new boat I have it under the cockpit coaming in a locker - I have a feeling this isn't optimal for reception, but it's adequate so I haven't tried moving it around. In the locker has the advantage that it's safe from physical damage (eg rope or clumsy crew) and water ingress.

I find navtex really useful and wouldn't be without it. Forecasts are in English and get 'written down' without my having to get out my pencil or remember to listen at a fixed time when I may be busy about other things. I listen to VHF forecasts too when it's convenient, and in harbour use mainly internet.

I can well believe that the Furuno is a better engineered bit of kit - certainly looks it. The Clipper is neat and it works (for me) and is cheaper.
 
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