Navtex reception - Ostend

[RJD]

I spent a frustrating two days last week in Ostend waiting for reasonable wx to make the return crossing to Harwich. My frustration was compounded by the fact that Navtex was not receiving any transmissions, not even Ostend! Radio 4 on L.W. was barely audible due to strong local interference of some kind.
On clearing Ostend, all was well! - Niton, Cullercoates, Netherlands etc were all there as was L.W....
Has anybody else experienced this or was it just an off couple of days to liven up the end of a great three weeks sailing!!!??
TonyP

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I do not know which Navtex you have. I had one of the original ICS Mk6 with an aerial that had a long steel antenna poking out of the top. Sometimes it received and sometimes it did not. It gradually got worse. I eventually noticed that ift had a star of cracks around the wire antenna. When I contacted ICS they admitted there had been a manufacturing problem and sent me a new antenna, but you do have to be careful as you need to check the impedance of the set (180 ohms?) to make sure it is right for the revised anteena, otherwise the whole thing has to go back for upgrade.

<hr width=100% size=1>Chris Stannard