Navtex v Weatherman

[Wiggo]

Haven't bought any toys for the boat for a while, and I'm getting withdrawal symptoms.

We had a Navtex unit on the old boat, and while it was a bit naff and useless, I actually miss it, as getting the shipping forecast now means listeneing to radio 4 at the crack of sparrows, or trying to get it down from th CG.

Anyone used the Nasa Weatherman? How does it compare to Navtex? How localised are the forecasts, and do the areas map in any way to 'our' sea areas? Which would you get: Nasa Clipper Navtex or Nasa Weatherman?

<hr width=100% size=1>Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

 

[PhilF]

neither, laptop 3G vodaphone card and start searchin the web for weather sites.
You can still get the navtex reports online and then use the laptop for downloading cocktsil recipes
PhilF

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[Wiggo]

not an option, I'm afraid, for me. I work with confusers all the time, and I'd no more take one on a boat than I'd take a pig intent on shooting seagulls. I go boating to enjoy myself, not spend half a day buggering about with regedit...

<hr width=100% size=1>Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

 

[PhilF]

i dont even know what regedit is. Its just a tool, I turn it on and get the weather.

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[mjf]

How do you navtex online please?

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[Oldhand]

The Weatherman only gives "wide area" forcasts for wind and wave height transmitted from Deutscher Wetterdienst on 147.3kHz. These are OK as a guide and a quick look ahead as there are "medium" (3 day) and "long" (5 day) computer model predictions. I am not sure specifically which DWD broadcasts the Weatherman is programmed to receive but the English Channel is tacked on to the end of the North Sea forecasts which is only one of the many areas covered.

For coastal sailing and weekending a Navtex is much more useful. A decent dual channel Navtex such as an ICS Nav-6Plus, will give you inshore forecasts, shipping forecasts, navigation warnings and gale warnings for any area you choose to receive as long as you are within a couple of hundred miles of the transmitter. I would strongly recommend a dual channel (not a single channel switchable type) Navtex receiver over a Weatherman. From the NASA Clipper Navtex manual I see it has to be manually switched between 490 & 518kHz reception which means you might miss a forecast if you haven't selected the appropriate frequency. i.e. You may want the 05:20 Niton inshore forecast transmission and have it set to receive that before retiring for the night but forget to change it over to 518Khz in the morning to get the shipping forecast.

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[Nick_H]

pposted exactly the same question myself a few months back. Got some useful responses, but actually found an internet site with lots of info in the end. Can't remeber the web address, but I definately concluded that Navtex is better, and Weatherman is only a belt and braces for people who already have Navtex and want all the weather info going.

<hr width=100% size=1>He who dies with the most toys, wins

 

[zazu]

How widespread is 3G coverage now?I thought it was still in its infancy. I am particularly interested in French coast.

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[BrendanS]

As in early days of mobile phone coverage, the technology to support 3g will be centred on major towns and routes connecting them. Don't expect to be able to get coverage outside these areas for some time

For maps of various countries and providers (haven't yet found one single map) type '3g map coverage' into google, and have a browse

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[PhilF]

http://www.navtex.org.uk/, I think
PhilF

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