Nasa SSB receiver

[NDG]

I am looking for an SSB receiver for receiving voice and fax weather information for offshore sailing. Nasa produce one for about £200, including the weatherfax software. This seems to be at least half the price of the next cheapest model. Does anyone have any experience of the Nasa model? Is it any good, particularly at receiving broadcasts a long distance offshore? Before anyone says "you get what you pay for", I already know that, but I only want a basic model which does the important things well and doesn't have fancy functions which will never get used. Any experiences gratefully received.

 

[ParaHandy]

The receiver won (well deserved imho) the IEEE (Institute of Elec Eng) medal. They offer two types: one with a demodulator and weatherfax software, the other without.

I have the demodulator version with Nasa active aerial. Total cost £203. The Nasa Tarfax software is not as good as JVFAX70 which you can get for free. JVFAX allows unattended reception of specific weatherfax which is very useful. For Navtex, I use RadioRaft which also picks up RTTY. For the computer, you must run Windows 95 or earlier. Windows 98 and above multitask the serial port and that slows the data transmission (interrupts are lost). My first laptop went walkabout and replaced it with an IBM Thinkpad 365X + Win95 secondhand for pennies (ClonesUK in Portsmouth). It also can run directly off the boat power supply. Furthest offshore - 30miles. Can honestly say it has yet to fail me. Navtex, Northwood & Offenbach come through clearly.

The other Nasa requires a computer with a sound card and appropriate software. In the beginning, I regretted not having this version. I'm told that "any" decent sound card will work but I just do not know. I am quite happy with what I've got. I assumed that decent sound card = decent laptop and I wasn't prepared to take anything attractive to thieves onboard.

As far as voice transmissions....well, it picks them up at SW frewquencies above 25mhz.

No trouble in recommending the set. I do know a little about HF propagation but you need no prior knowledge with this kit. Take no more than reasonable care with the set's grounding.

 

[NDG]

Thanks parahandy, thats most enlightening, especially as I am a complete novice in terms of HF comms.

Interested to hear that 30 miles ofshore is the max. What is the best solution to receiving voice and fax further offshore (100's of miles) that this?

 

[ParaHandy]

Oh no...30miles is as far offshore (mid channel) as I've been with the kit. I receive RTTY and weather fax from Offenbach which is +500miles away. If you are Canary bound, would have thought you'd receive Northwood and Offenbach but can not confirm that.

 

[NDG]

Thanks for that. I think I'll get myself one - sounds like a great bit of kit for the money.

Nick

 

[jtwebb]

I also have the one with the interface which actually works by toggling a status line (DSR I think) and does not use the normal Tx line. I used it in Cherbourg last week OK and picked up Solent Coastguard mid channel. Simply forgot to try it in Cherborg! I need to think out earthing a bit more but my Dehler has an isolated system and no hull anode so one has to be careful all the time. I also get BBC World Service OK including the Cyprus schedules.

J Webb

 

[harvey]

I've transAtlanticced with the NASA kit and an old laptop and it was excellent. For an aerial I simply used the length of wire supplied with the receiver and hauled it up on a halliard when I wanted a weather picture. I'm not saying that it worked all the way acroos because there weresome holes in the coverage but depending on those it was as good as an expensive full blown SSB that I used a couple of years later in a different boat. Great value all round .... and no, I'm not Mr NASA!!

 

[alex_rogers]

I have a NASA SSB with a masthead active antenna. The voice and weatherfax reception is very good.

The HF3M version comes with weatherfax software but this requires DOS and will not run under new versions windows. The output from the radio goes into the computers serial port. I bought this version but ended up making an adaptor so that I could use it with a laptop with a sound card - the quality of the faxes is much better. I use MSCAN software which works for Navtex, RTTY and fax. There is free version to experiment with.

If you have a laptop with a sound card, I think the best bet is the HF3P version which has an audio output. If you're going to use an older cheap laptop, go for the HF3M.