Navtex

[stewart]

Thinking about getting a navtex unit, does anyone use them - are they worth it? Anyone use them in the Med?

Also, is there anywhere to get the navtex data on the web, the information is free afterall.....?

 

[tcm]

I'm afraid that they are a bit of a waste for the sort of boating that you (and I) do -shore-based f'casts much more useable imho. The paper-based ones give you a log of where you've been, if you need it.

 

[stewart]

So no good excuse for a new toy then!!!

Problem is that all the paper one's posted in the marina are in Spanish. I guess learning the language would be the cheaper option......

 

[suzanne]

What about the internet? Mobile phone direct (bit fiddley), mobile phone with infrared connected to a laptop or direct if you've got a phoneline. Not the cheapest option, but cheaper than buying a navtex, that is if you've got laptop and phone!

Suzanne xXx

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I've used one in the English Channel and its useful for picking up a weather forecast when you cant get Marinecall or the Shipping Forecast although the rest of the stuff it splurges out in the way of navigational information is fairly useless. They're relatively cheap (£150-300) and easy to fit although I would'nt bother with the paper printing variety
Not an essential piece of kit but worth having
Sorry, dont know how they go in Spain

 

[jfm]

Remeber you get more than weather. Eg a month ago a ship lost lengths of telegraph pole timber, deck cargo that fell off, off Cherbourg. Navtex gave lat and long of where it was, so could keep good lookout. Very useful for that, occasionally.

Also the running log is a great safety feature imho. Like a liferaft, you will likely never use it, but that's not the point. So get a paper navtex, imho.

 

[milltech]

Two possible options. For shorebased weather reports one can add a Nasa Navtex engine to ones home/laptop computer. Comes with serial connection, aerial and software though it needs a 12v source. Good because it can be left running and read or print the output. Good also for yacht clubs I would have thought. Less than £109.95.

Nasa's original LCD Target Navtex is still around for sale for less than £149.00

For further information if you go to my web site www.allgadgets.co.uk you can download the instruction manuals for both, just right click the hyperlink. I regret it's painfully slow unless you have ADSL or ISDN but it might provide additional information on programming and installation that could assist.



John

 

[tripleace]

I HAVE ONE, NOT USED, IN BOX NEEDS AERIAL, MAKE ME AN OFFER

PRIVATE EMAIL SIMON@DIC.CO.UK

 

[tr7v8]

Just done my VHF course and the comment of instructor was " A waste of time", this was based on the fact that reception in the Kent area is poor.....

Jim
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[h4nym]

Re: Online Weather / Navtex

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather - shipping forecast and inshore waters forecast online if u wanna listen to it

http://www.met-office.gov.uk/datafiles/offshore.html if u wanna read it

That's great for the UK

For the mediterranean, if u can work you way around the German (I could, and I don't do German!)

http://www.dwd.de/forecasts/texte/seewett_mm.html

Excellent online weather links site: http://www.franksingleton.clara.net/

PS Cruised Britanny for 3 months last year - Radio 4 Long Wave! Have Navtex on board, but can't beat the shipping forecast on 198!

 

[ccscott49]

Best weather on line for the med I've found, is www.weatheronline.co.uk its very good, with sailing wind forecasts and everything I needed for my trip lagos-ibiza. It covers the entire med.

 

[milltech]

Sounds like a man looking for a new career. Navtex is a worldwide system operated under the International Maritime Organisation and a requirement for GMDSS vessels, but of course they would all be wrong and he would be right!

The weather forecast is effectively the Radio 4 one, except that you don't have to wake up to listen to it, (or in my case usually wake up to miss it). For many people that would be worth a couple of hundred quid on its own.

John