navtex

[Gumpy]

Seeing as I get no information from my Nasa target navtex but it boots up OK I am guessing that the active antenna is broken.
Does anyone close to Bradwell have an antenna that I can try on my system before I lash out and buy a new one?

 

[Gwylan]

Try lashing it up using the mast as an aerial, via a stay or similar - if it's wire and see if you can get a signal that way. We run ours off the mast and it works very well. Take the centre lead of the coax to the mast and just try and 'earth' the outer sheathing - not essential
Have you got the stations set? Not all off or something like that?
Can take several hours, up to 12, for all the signals to come through,

 

[Gumpy]

Had thought of using a bit of wire until I found out that the main part of the receiver is in the antenna. however I will leave it on overnight rather than the hour or so that I have been trying.
Its programmed to receive all rather then specific stations so I would have thought I would have got something.
Will keep trying

 

[Gwylan]

Mast works fine with our NASA Navtex and before that with early thermal paper model

 

[Sixpence]

Talking of NASA Navtex machines, I have one here with no power supply if it's any use to anyone. Old style thing with a couple of rolls of paper if I remember correctly

 

[Gumpy]

That's on my list of things to do but it will be a long wire rather than the mast, same effect.

J

 

[CPD]

Julian, Have pm'd you.

 

[Superflid]

[ QUOTE ]
Talking of NASA Navtex machines, I have one here with no power supply if it's any use to anyone. Old style thing with a couple of rolls of paper if I remember correctly

[/ QUOTE ]

Might be interested, but trying to keep clear of too many "gadgets", are they really worth having?

 

[Sixpence]

No idea, but you're welcome to it if it's any use, no power supply though

 

[AliM]

Is it just that your antenna is too close to another vertical metal thing? Ours refuses to hear anything if it is within about 1 m of the AIS aerial or the windgen post, but move it a few cms further away, and it's happy again. It was less fussy for the international stations than the national ones, too. I never thought of wiring it directly to the mast though - that should teach it!

 

[Superflid]

If you're around tomorrow I've got a memory stick with some useful stuff on it for you.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Sixpence]

Home most of the day then heading South late afternoon, let me know when you'll be here and I'll stick the kettle on. I'll get the navtex out later, it's somewhere in the barn

 

[Superflid]

No prob, will give you a ring....

 

[Gumpy]

The antenna was on the rail no near vertical metal except the rear stay that was about 2ft away and at 20deg relative to the antenna.
Going to try another antenna this weekend as well as connecting it to the mast.

 

[Master_under_Dog]

My Nasa Weatherman aerial was also defunct. When I removed the top a considerable amount of what appeared to be water came out. How it had got in there I have no idea since I would have thought the domed top would have completely excluded rain. Anyway Nasa, to whom I returned it, confirmed it was ruined by the wet and repaired it for rather less than the cost of a new aerial. It works fine now. (Their turn around incidentally was exactly a day and I had the aerial back just three days after I had posted it.)

It is mounted on the pushpit rail not more than a couple of feet from the wind generator and only six inches in terms of horizontal separation. Pity I didn't see your post before I re-installed the aerial, since I think it is the same as the Navtex aerial. If you are completely stuck I can disinter it again. My boat is at Burnham.

Michael

 

[Gumpy]

Thanks for the offer, There is one on load for me to collect from the tower at Bradwell.

 

[smartcom]

Other issues are grounding of the unit (very important with NASA units in my experience), and avoiding locations close to transmitting antennas. See www.pcnavtex.com for some hints and tips