calling all radio hams

red beard

red beard

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Hi, hopefully someone can help with my complete lack of ssb know how.

I have a small cheap degen ssb radio with a long wire antenna (about 30ft going up into the loft at the mo)

I am trying to get some weather info on to a laptop

problem is I get no signal except on 10100 khz which chirps away at me like a fax.

When I connect the laptop to the radio and use seaTTY I get a whole pile of letters and numbers which are jibberish.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for any advice
 
Think I have the same radio. 1103? Just tried it with telescopic aerial sticking out the cockpit and could just pickup northwood on 4160. schedule here - page 45 http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf
Make sure it's set to ssb.

Not sure about seatty, I use jvcom, but sounds like it's set to recieve rtty, is there a FAX mode option?
I can usually get something from northwood but the quality is never that good, a handful of miles away from the coast is much better :)
 
I can't tell you what you are doing wrong, but my experience tells me that fax transmissions in the UK are very easy to pick up, but you have to choose the right frequency at the right time of day.
Start by downloading the schedules and frequencies at

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/tempusfugit/marine/fwoc.htm

then tune you radio to the frequency which gives you the loudest signal, make sure you have selected SSB USB ( Upper Side Band) and listen out. If you do not hear the 'burbling' that these transmissions make then you have a radio problem. You may have to tune a little to either side of the stated frequency.

Until you have got that far and got a loud and clear signal, which should be easily received, there's no point going any further.
 
When I have played with this system I have taken the output from the radio into the mic input of the PC and used JV com which works on the PC sound card to turn that into a synoptic chart. You end up fannying around with the frequency to get the precise correct one and even then it isnt totally reliable.
 
Try tuning to Hamburg/Pinnenberg on 3855 kHz. Actually tune the radio to 3853.1 kHz ( 1.9 kHz below published frequency )

Make sure Upper Side Band is selected ( USB )

Hamburg transmits just about 24*7 on that frequency.

10100 kHz is not a recognised European fax frequency ( could be your PC bus :) )

Download jvcomm and set it to Fax and HF-Fax mode.
 
ok, its the degen 1103 and I have downloaded jvcomm so we are using the same software. I have the frequency lists and timetables.

There are 4 frequencies from northwood so am I right in thinking they all transmit the same thing and I should just use the strongest one, also what should I be hearing cause all I get is static at the mo and will I only hear something at the stated times?

sorry for all the questions
 
red beard -open up seaTTY look at top line click on Mode ,then click on HF-FAX a second screen pop`s up press start when you hear fax type noise on NORTHWOOD 4608 khz -rod
 
red beard said:
When I connect the laptop to the radio and use seaTTY I get a whole pile of letters and numbers which are jibberish.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for any advice
Click to expand...

That is because 10,100 is not fax. It is a rtty type signal and if you are resolving characters then you also have Seatty set on the wrong mode!!!

Try the frequency 4608 USB this is strong over most of the uk. You might have to tune down a wee bit from this though Seatty should take care of it.
 
red beard said:
ok, its the degen 1103 and I have downloaded jvcomm so we are using the same software. I have the frequency lists and timetables.

There are 4 frequencies from northwood so am I right in thinking they all transmit the same thing and I should just use the strongest one, also what should I be hearing cause all I get is static at the mo and will I only hear something at the stated times?

sorry for all the questions
Click to expand...


4610 or on your dial 4608 transmits 24/7 to planes and ships. with a few minutes between transmissions. It is strong most of the time in Scotland.

Make sure you have fax selected in the software and you might have to start using manual receive. If the fax is on the lsant then come back for more help
 
red beard said:
problem is I get no signal except on 10100 khz which chirps away at me like a fax.
Click to expand...

What no signal at all? nothing receivable on any other frequency? No SSB or CW on the amateur bands?

If you really are getting nothing on any other frequency, then your aerial is not connected, or your ATU is not letting anything through.

Come back and tell us a bit more

P.S callsign GM0CAD
 
If my memory serves that frequency is a German RTTY station.

So you need to set the software to "TTY" mode.

The radio in Upper sideband.

Then watch the tuning indicator - you should see two separate signals a little way apart.

The tuning indicator will have two marks and you use the fine tuning to put one signal on each mark.

You should get North sea and Baltic weather and navigation info
 
I think the problem might just be poor reception, I can hear something approaching fax noises from 4608 but I just think its not clear enough for the software.
I dont think my antenna set up is very good but I can get god stations from Oklahoma so at least I know it works. Not been able to hear any interesting sailings nets though.
10100 is a german rtty and comes through as clear as a bell but when I set the software to receive it groups of 4 numbers come up but nothing you could read.
Only mentioned it because after trying just about every weather frequency its the only one which worked.

Think I will give up for tonight anyway, thanks for all the help

I might look online at antennas, does anyone know what length I should get or recommend one?

Paul
 
Are you sure you are set to upper sideband (USB)

Is there a setting on the software for Baud rate? if so what are you set to?

Probably bet to get things working on the 10.1 signal, thats stronger than anything else you are likely to find.

Once thats sorted look at improving reception for weaker sigs.

What sort of wireless are you using?
 
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no, not sure about anything. This set is pretty basic and just has an ssb button but dont know if thats usb or not. I do know that the radio works, for faxes anyway, from other people.
 
Hi Beadle, when I go into jvcomm options the interface baud rate is set at 115200 and in rtty options the baud is 45, does that mean anything to you?

paul
 
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