Listening to weatherfaxes

CPD

CPD

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I have a very simple set up linking a Sangean ATS909 radio to HP palmtop thing. Before plugging the two together to see if it will work, I thought I'd try to listen out for a weatherfax. Regardless of the ferquencies listed on various websites for Nlorwood/Bracknell etc at various times of day, I can never hear what I would take to be a fax transmission. If I cant tyhen Im sure tha palm wont be able to hear it, let alone do anything with it ! What am I doing wrong ?
 
Hello, you are over here as well!

I like the sound of hffax on a palm, I have never seen such a system but power consumption can be a killer with laptops. I would be interested in how you get on.

You are correct, if you can't hear it, your software will not understand it. There are .wav files around on the net, but it is an obvious rhythmic, scratching sound interspersed with steady tones - the black lines - and ocasional warbles between faxes.

If you can't hear them you probably have an antenna problem. Can you hear anything else ? BBC world service? Amateurs jabbering away at 7 to 7.1MHz and 14.1 to 14.3MHz? What is your antenna setup ?
 
Including SW frequencies in the region of the weather fax frequencies ? BBC SW is not a bad test as it is not intended for UK and reception is not usually great.
What is the antenna?
Where are you ?!
evening is best time
Are you sure you have up to date frequencies and times ? They dropped a whole set a while ago.
err. dunno what else to suggest. I can almost always hear Northwood on one frequency or another halfway around the planet - it puts out loads of power.
 
I can pick up BBC on 648Khz with no problem - very clear. Intennae is telescopic and I am in Hertfordshire. Could you tell me what frequencies you are using for northwood ? - I am using the following for Northwood :
2618.5 kHz ) HH+24
4610 kHz ) HH+24
8040 kHz ) HH+24
11086.5 kHz )
Thanks very much for your comments - any other ideas ?
 
Those look right. Remember not all are in use at any one time.

You should also be able to get german weather fax and RTTY very easily.

All times and freqs are here:

www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf

What mode is the radio in? What options do you have ? The BBC is of copurse transmitting AM but for fax you need a SSB mode of some kind.
 
Interesting. It seems I can set USB or LSB for SSB reception - do you happen to know if one is preferred over the other ??. Thank you so much for your help !
 
No. It's always USB.

Even marine voice SSB is USB at all frequencies

Amateurs have this strange arbitrary rule about LSB for voice <10MHz.

edit: beaten to it - yes, like he said!
 
Ok, thats good to know. It seems I am doing everything right then on the tuning front, so I will have to wait until I get something. Do you think all the frequencies would be as strong as each other ?. I cant imagine it should make that much difference !
 
Main problems with reception of ssb, is interference from nearby electrical and electronic systems. Reception is always better 50 miles out to sea.

When I tested my laptop/radio/weatherfax set up in the office it meant switching off flourescent lights, chargers etc before an OK signal was received. But on a boat offshore its perfect.
 
At a sensible distance it will make a huge difference which frequency you listen for depending on time of day. But in fact you are so close, that it is hard to predict, you may well be in the skip zone for some of the higher freqs, but there is just so much power put out that I would be surprised if you hear nothing. For your purposes, lower freqs are more likely to work.
 
This is all great stuff guys. Thank you. Have left system on auto receive 2616KHz USB. Have to go and get the boys from school so will let you know if anything is picked up later on. Thanks again.
 
[ QUOTE ]
....Could you tell me what frequencies you are using for northwood ? - I am using the following for Northwood :
2618.5 kHz ) HH+24
4610 kHz ) HH+24
8040 kHz ) HH+24
11086.5 kHz )

[/ QUOTE ]
Forgive me if I'm being rude, but have you remembered to tune 1.9 KHz below the advertised frequencies? (that's for USB)
 
We actually had that conversation on another forum!!

But his problem at the moment is that he can't hear anything at all. he should hear something with or without the offset.
 
Hello Gian,
Yes I was using 2616 and 4608 but since my last post .... nothing. I am now intrigued, with of course a modest dose of frustration thrown in. Tigawave's suggestion of too much interference may be the answer. I think the next thing is to look up exactly when a fax is being broadcast, then if one of you kind people could check at the same time. This would identify if it my radio at fault. What do you think ?
 
I am too far away from you to be much help for that. But I have just picked up a fax from Northwood on 11,084.6MHz and I can hear German RTTY burbling away now on 10,098.9MHz. They really are transmitting!


And right now 1710GMT there is a fax coming through on 11,084.6MHz.
 
Excellent information. Thank you so much. I have tuned to 10099 and can hear nothing. also 11085 is quiet. Can I ask what radio you have ?
 
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