NAVTEX users

[Magic Star]

Hi guys, I want to get a NAVTEX but wonder if there are any real advantage over XCW/Met Office forecasts.
Who uses the NAVTEX, can you please tell me if you really advice for? Or was it a waste of money? With all the internet available at any point of Thames estuary, is there any real need for NAVTEX when day sailing?

Thanks

 

[Hypocacculus]

We have inherited Navtex with our boat. AFAICS it mostly repeats the standard met office broadcasts. Our close inshore reception is mixed and we can't pick it up in the marina; it's designed to be at it's best further out . This is normal. It is of marginal to no use for day sailing but for longer passages travelling further off shore, it's nice to have, although with today's information availability, perhaps not the must-have it once was.

 

[maby]

I would agree with Hypo - if you are pretty reliably in range of 3g networking, then you really don't need it. Navtex carries more than weather forecasts and there is no single source of equivalent information on the internet - there used to be an RSS feed, but the MCA seem to have discontinued that now.

 

[Chris_d]

It will be defunct and probably shutdown in a few years, would be much better to invest in better kit to receive the internet where ever you are, good article in MBM about it this month.

 

[maby]

It will be defunct and probably shutdown in a few years, would be much better to invest in better kit to receive the internet where ever you are, good article in MBM about it this month.

I think it's probably got longer than that to run - options for internet reception are very limited and expensive when you get more then ten or twenty miles off-shore.

 

[Magic Star]

Thanks for replies, guys, will definitely dig more about NAVTEX before investing.

 

[nigelmercier]

I mainly use mine for producing a printout of my position every 30 minutes, and for checking any notifications.

 

[chanelyacht]

It will be defunct and probably shutdown in a few years, would be much better to invest in better kit to receive the internet where ever you are, good article in MBM about it this month.

Haven't seen the article, but there are certainly no plans to shut down Navtex. To do so would require a re-write of SOLAS requirements.

 

[franksingleton]

NAVTEX is the ultimate fallback when other systems fail to deliver. It has many problems, see http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Navtex-Reception-Problems-And-Cures.

It is an essential part of the GMDSS and, as such a good source of Nav warnings.

If you are going offshore it is a vital bit of kit – unless you have satellite phone connection to the Internet. If you are staying inshore, VHF plus the Internet will give you all you need for weather. Nav warnings are on the Internet but easier to get on NAVTEX.

At present, I cannot see what will happen in the future. Chanelyacht may well know more than I. It is my guess that sailors will vote with their cash and, eventually go down the Internet route for all safety information. In the meanwhile, there are many small marine operators for whom NAVTEX is essential. They will not want Iridium costs or even Inreach ones.

The 1950s technology will just have to keep going – 100 baud speeds, laughable in this computer era, notwithstanding.

 

[Magic Star]

I agree with you 100%, but costwise I decided to stay away for some time. Was watching this piece of kit but decided I do not so desperately need a NAVTEX when sailing from Grays to Quenborough
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141342303413?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[Sgeir]

There are blank areas, usually in anchorages, off the west of Scotland, and to lesser extent as I recall, off the west coast of Ireland, where radio broadcasts by coastguards just cannot be heard because of mountains etc. In such areas, where mobile reception is also usually non-existent, Navtex is sometimes the only means of receiving up-to-date weather information.

There can also be blank spots in Scotland for 490kHz National Navtex from Portpatrick (station "C"), so the Irish Republic's Malin Head (station "A") now also broadcasts western UK forecasts from the Met Office on 490kHz. These are in addition to the International broadcasts from Portpatrick (station "O") and Malin Head (station "Q") on518 kHz.

Frank's page is well worth a look - http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/European-And-Mediterranean-Navtex-Schedules.

Not very Thames Estuary, but you never know, you might have ambitions......

 

[maby]

NAVTEX is the ultimate fallback when other systems fail to deliver. It has many problems, see http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Navtex-Reception-Problems-And-Cures.

It is an essential part of the GMDSS and, as such a good source of Nav warnings.

If you are going offshore it is a vital bit of kit – unless you have satellite phone connection to the Internet. If you are staying inshore, VHF plus the Internet will give you all you need for weather. Nav warnings are on the Internet but easier to get on NAVTEX.

At present, I cannot see what will happen in the future. Chanelyacht may well know more than I. It is my guess that sailors will vote with their cash and, eventually go down the Internet route for all safety information. In the meanwhile, there are many small marine operators for whom NAVTEX is essential. They will not want Iridium costs or even Inreach ones.

The 1950s technology will just have to keep going – 100 baud speeds, laughable in this computer era, notwithstanding.

It's the 100 baud speed that gives it the range and reliability

 

[franksingleton]

I agree with you 100%, but costwise I decided to stay away for some time. Was watching this piece of kit but decided I do not so desperately need a NAVTEX when sailing from Grays to Quenborough
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141342303413?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I agree with you. If I were going to do blue water sailing, obviously, I would get a LRC but think very seriously about satellite technology as well. Maybe not a full Iridium, more likely the Delorme InReach.

As it is, we are coastal sailors doing usually fairly short passages. Nowadays 12 hours or a little more. In the past up to three days. For that, NAVTEX really is a must have.

 

[Bilgediver]

Thanks for replies, guys, will definitely dig more about NAVTEX before investing.

Just remember that Navtex involves receiving info at specific times according to Transmission Schedules.your report might
Be transmitted at 0400. This requires that Navtex is switched on maybe a day before you set off as you cannot just pop on board and cast off and expect to see a current report in a Navtex set which was just switched on. Most Navtex receivers have a low current draw.

Current Navtex weather reports are available on some web sites .

You can receive Navtex using SSB and laptop.