ham/ssb/shortwave receiver that installs?

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jim99

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Is there a car or marine radio with a tuner that can also monitor ham/ssb/shortwave bands? (any or all)

I am looking for something that installs into a panel like a car stereo, as opposed to the Grundig and Sony rigs which sprout wings when you sit them on a chart table!

Doesn't have to play CDs or mp3s, but would be cool if it did /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
The big problem is the selectivity of such sets..that is the ability to tune a very narrow bandwidth in order to receive the narrow band SSB amateur and marine transmissions.
These sets also mainly do not have a BFO or CI oscillator..(clarifier) to "decode" the SSB transmissions.
Shortwave is fairly much a thing of the past as far as domestic broadcasting goes,
although that may be changing in a few years when some of the newer narrow band digital modes start taking off.
I dont know of any Car radio that would fit the bill, but you may be able to find something that is made for the South American market where SW broadcasting is still used fairly extensively.

Most sailors tend to use the NASA HF3 SSB reciever, which just about does most things, including weather fax Navtex..and is designed for the job...but it's not designed for stereo music, although more than adequate for radio 2 etc.
This is about the same size or just a tad bigger that a conventional car radio, and will fit into a panel quite nicely...mine is.
The rig itself is general coverage 30kHz to 30mHz and is USB/LSB and AM.

Details Here:
www.nasamarine.com

Most people opt for the HF3/P version which has an audio output capable of driving a laptop for WEFAX and Navtex, and use Something Like JVcomm32 sotware on the laptop.
www.JVcomm.de

This little rig has stood the test of time and is well worth the money, and is available from many on-line chandleries.

Steve.
 
there are a number of ham sets that install like car radios do, and they will also cover the broadcast radio channels, but with limited rather than hi fi. the cheapest and its quite good is the Alinco DX70
 
I have to replace my stereo, and was thinking about my options. Didn't really expect to get an all-band receiver that would also pass as a decent stereo music player. I have room for both.

Had a look at the Nasa, and it is probably the way I will go. Will also check out the Alinco.

Thanks much for the help.
 
Steve, just a question. Does JVcomm32 just give the HF3/P the same capabilities as the HF3/M? Maybe I should shut up before I reveal how far this stuff is over my head, but the JVcomm32 site says it only runs on Windows 95 or NT4 and I have an XP machine. Or is the software needed regardless of the radio I choose?

Another question. Is the antenna that is supplied with the Nasa suitable for use at sea, since it just receives? Or do I need to start thinking about insulating my backstay or some such thing?

cheers
 
Hi JImbim!

Rest assured! JVComm32, the best wefax/rtty software freely available IMHO, will run beautifully with XP. I've used it with my XP Pro as well with no problems whatsoever, indeed it's on the laptop I'm using at this moment. The XP version has been about for some time.

However, do check when you download it, that the version you get is the latest. The various websites you can download from usually make this perfectly clear, but there was a 'changeover period a while ago, when they modded the SW to cater for XP etc.

In fact, believe the 'default' version is now XP and that you have to specifically select the versions for other operating systems.

Yes, the SW is required whatever machine you choose, EXCEPT for the Nasa stuff as I recall. I don't know the properties of the Nasa antenna, but you may well find that if it isn't good enough (I suspect it'll be ok) a straightforward connection to your backstay alone will work. In short, you MAY not need insulators, though it often varies according to the boats rigging set-up.
 
Hi Jimbim again,

Just checked and the version you need is the latest: Version 1.40.

This is still 'under trial', but I use all the time and it's great.

I suugest you download it from Persivell. Just enter JVComm32 into Google and off you go!!
 
when i looked at their site about 8 years ago??it was run by a couple of indians their program was win 95 only and you had to buy it?

i expect technolgy has made some advances since then?
But i found JVcomm difficult to use? But then i still havent got my seaclear to work after more than a year of trying the charts wont go in!

The few times ive met someone useing those programs i dont have laptop, only my trusty light PDA
.
The sun is shineing and the ports have announced summer starting the 1st April?

I wonder how much that costs? The old PC radio still costs about £350 so i imagin over £500??? Its far better to just buy a modern anature radio ??
 
Hi Trouville my friend!!

If you have a problem with configuring JVComm32, and it IS fiddley if you're not used to it, PM me and I'll send you a copy of my set-up figures that will at least get you started and produce faxes/rtty.

You can then 'fine tune' the SW to suit your computer set-up as you wish.
 
Thanks for the info Jon, but I think our friend Jimbim needs the advice rather than me. We've had one of your Icom 706MkIIs aboard for many years now, and wouldn't change it for anything! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Superb bit of kit that's been totally reliable over many thousands of ocean and offshore miles!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Hi Jimbim again,

Just realised I might have mislead you a bit re the Nasa radio by saying

""Yes, the SW is required whatever machine you choose, EXCEPT for the Nasa stuff as I recall. ""

What I meant was, some versions of the Nasa stuff comes with it's own SW, so you don't need JVComm32 in theory, however, if you want to use the radio as a receiver and use other SW (like JVComm) then you obviously would need to download it to your computer.

Sorry if I confused you.
 
Hi Jimbim...
See Jerryat's post above which covers it all really.
I use JVcomm32, which I had been using anyway for years as a ham..before I got the boat.
I am using the latest version 1.40 on both XP and Win2k.

The NASA HF3/P and Jvcomm32 is probably the most cost effective all round solution for the Mariner.

I also use a Ham rig (FT 847) on board, but mostly for Marine stuff I just use the HF3 with NASA's active HF antenna (about £39) mounted on the radar arch.

Steve.
 
I could pm you but i dont suppose ill understand anyway???The best way to send RTTY is by useing an old telex machine!

Social lifes not getting better as new people come down hear (couples) when i say hello they either look at me ask if i just crawled out from under a rock, or ask me where this and that is while i stand on the pontoon,then say "have to get on" while the wife passes up their tea and they sit down

Goes for all to stingy to offer anyone a tea!! The German dosent drink tea but he said their les misserables--gets worse each year (hes on the pontoon opposit them)
 
Thanks so much to all for your help. Lots of good information.

steveat,
No problem, not too confused. Maybe I should be, but don't understand enough to be confused /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. If I can, I'll try both versions of the software, use the best one, or maybe buy the one without wefax software like Steve recommends.... Maybe the invite was for Trouville, but I hope you won't mind if I PM you with my disasters, too.

Question. The Nasa site has the HF3/M and HF3/P listed. On ebay, I saw a listing for HF3/W. I asked if it was a mistake. No, the seller said, the HF3/W is an upgraded version of the HF3/M. Ok, I guess, but don't know why the HF3/W isn't on the Nasa website. I've also found sites selling the Nasa HF-4E and HF-5E which are not on Nasa's site. Anyone know what's going on?

Jon's Icom unit appears pretty slick. But the price difference between the Nasa HF3 and IC-R1500 is pretty extreme. Any advantages to going with the Icom that aren't apparent to me?

Thanks again
 
I admit I don't understand how all this works, but wonder if the IC-R1500 can access navtex and wefax. I should just buy a radio and go to school on it.

And another stupid question... the Icom "covers 0.01 to 3299.999MHz in AM, FM & WFM modes (0.495-1300MHz in SSB and CW modes)."

The Nasa covers "the entire spectrum between 30Khz to 30Mhz."

I will very likely, as is my nature, go with the cheaper option, but wonder if with either I would be missing something useful or fun (my wife just asked if I was hoping to get a porn channel).

cheers and thanks
 
The coverage of the R1500 is much greater than that of the Nasa.

Not only can you listen to HF/Mf but all the radio spectrum, well nearly all.
It will cover VHF marine, all the Ham bands, broadcast radio (in stereo on WFM), airband.

With the right software it can be used for both weather fax and I think Navtex.

If you look at the spec I think you qwill find the R1500 is more sensitive and there for will make it easier to recieve signals.
I have heard that the Nasa is not to hot for weather fax etc.
I have not tested it myself so cant confirm.

Regards
 
""I have heard that the Nasa is not to hot for weather fax etc.""

I'm afraid I've heard and experienced the same thing on several occasions Jon.

Very good freinds of mine based in Spain rushed out and bought a Nasa when they saw the wefaxes/RTTY et al that we got on our 706MkII, despite my warning that they were comparing an apple with a banana.

I installed the thing for them to, as near as it would allow, the same standard to that on my boat, but no matter what we tried, the reception was not in the same league. They were bitterly disappointed.

IMHO radio is one of those areas where spending more is definitely worth it if you're serious about getting consistently good results.
 
The difference too is in the aerials? We have an ancient Icom SSB, aerial tuner and a backstay aerial as I guess you do, expecting the same reception from a simple aerial on a NASA set is maybe ambitious.

BTW we use SeaTTY for WeFax and RTTY/Navtex as well as JVComms and it is excellent. The trial version (free) has much less intrusive "demo" marks over the screen I found although I thought it was so good I went ahead and registered it for about $25 I think, you get a few more bells & whistles on the registered version too. Also tried the demo of Mscan Meteo Pro, it has so much DEMO DEMO DEMO over it you cannot read it to test it properly, their loss and SeaTTY's gain!

Robin
 
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