Mscan meteo weather from sony world band receiver

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mpo

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I have tried without success to get weather maps using my Sony World receiver ICF SW77 and Mscan Meteo software. I have been to tuning to the 11086.5 kHz frequency published in the Almanac but don't seem to pick up the transmissions at the specified times. I suspect that I am being hopeful at getting a decent enough reception using the radio's own antenna and although it does have the facility to attach an external antenna I can't find any info on what to use. Having not yet taken the full SSb route I don' t have an insulated backstay, any suggestions on what to use to improve reception or tips on tuning.
Many thanks
Mark
 
Hi - you don't give any indication where you are trying to receive the signal (relevant for signal strength /skip distance etc) but generally an external antenna is almost essential for HF reception as internal ones are way too compromised at this sort of wavelength (grossly simplified - your wavelength over 20m antenna built in - inches - its efficiency is a function of its relationship to this i). Would suggest an external is first item (easily made with any bit of thinnish cable and string it from masthead to another point - made resonbly long (you can start calculating stuff - but in simple terms and within sence bigger /higher is better)

Then the next point - your receiver -if you're serious about doing this - you need a better receiver either the expensive route (lots of lovely stuff made by Icom Yaesu Kenwood AOR Rohde & Schwartz etc etc) or what about a second hand lowe - superb and can be picked up for about £120 alternatively have a look at some of the Ham radio stuff - most is of easily a better receive standard for USB than your excising radio that is primerilly an AM broadcast reciever with SSB bolted on.
 
I've used this set up and it works, but as roger said, get a long thin wire and have it outside.

Ideally get away from shore power/chargers/inverters/marina lights flourescent types and other boats as they will probably have mains systems running. Keep the wire away from a laptop screen as that produces loads of interference.

Then tune and listen, the signal strength often rises and falls to almost nothing but is usually enough for a picture with a few lines missing.

I moved on to a nasa HF3 which is much easier to tune, but overall reception was not a huge improvement over the portable sony.

Get offshore and they work far better.
 
A related topic.......

I am just about to shell out for an HF3 and wondered if it was worthwhile getting an active antenna? (as opposed to a piece of wire)

Any views??
 
I recently bought an HF3 and have tried the long wire and a (supposedly better) whip antenna and, so far, I've been able to receive sod all of any use. Admittedly I need to try getting up earlier in the morning and turning all other power sources off. Shall I put it on the 'for sale' forum and see if you have better luck?
 
I have SEATTY software which appeared to 'see' something from the radio input - unfortunately the loose nut who was tuning the thing (me /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) did'nt realise you need an SSB shortwave and not just yer average multiband thingy to get it to work. This was with an ordinary extending wire jobbie. Maybe you need different software?

Marinescene (I think) have them on offer for £170 which seems OK?
 
I bought Weatherfax 2000 software in addition to the Mscan meteo that comes with it. It looks really good. Doesn't work, but looks really good.

No but seriously, it's probably me. I've got a week tidying up the boat before it gets hauled out, i'll give it a proper go sometime.
 
I've used an HF 3 with the bit of wire as antenae and it worked fine on weather fax text and picking up atlantic nets.

You do have to switch off interference causing electronics though and often you don't get the best reception in marinas, but it works.

I had coax to antenae output, which then ran to the transom, once outside the boat the core was connected to the 30' thin wire and this was wound around the back stay and tied to keep it up there.
 
I have an active antenna and though I've never tried flipping between active/wire I don't think there's much difference. What does help though is having it always there, don't have to drag a wire up a halyard anymore. What does seem to make a huge difference is location; I've listened to radio 4 in anchorages in NW Spain but been unable to get weatherfaxes in lots of marinas. Offshore reception is loads better.
 
Hi all, the JVcomm 32 program worked well for me in the Celtic Sea area. My receiver was the small portable Sangean ATS909 which tunes in 1khz steps.I believe this feature is important as well as the upper sideband / lower sideband switching included also. Roberts radio re-badge this unit I am told.Reception was by the included wire reel fully deployed about the boom.As others have said you need to be out at sea clear of other radiated interference, and do not forget to turn off any flourescent strip lighting.Even my fridge had to be turned off. Cannot remember if the inverter I use to power the pc wa also a culprit or not. Anyway the Northwood charts came over just a dream.There is an issue to be resolved with the soundcard frequency settings to remove skewedness in the picture, but this is explained in the program setup advice.Good sailing to all.
 
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