Navtex

PaulRainbow

PaulRainbow

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Just bought a used USB Navtex. What should i be expecting to receive in the marina at Shotley ? So far only one met forecast, from Oostenderadio (although it has message id B, which should be Norway ?) One met warning from the Netherlands and a couple of couple of nav warnings from Niton.

Should i be getting UK forecasts from Cullercoates ?
 
Given the stations broadcast on a time table you may have to wait a while. Assume it is set
to receive all messages and not got some switched off.
 
PaulRainbow said:
Yes, it's set to receive everything as far as i know.
Click to expand...

Some things then

Can you see the signal strength? That should give you a clue about what it might be reasonable to expect to receive.

We can get Cullercoats, Oostende, Niton, the French and Portpatrick - when the wind is in the right direction in Dover using the rigging as the aerial

Are you getting 490 or 518MHz?

Think 490 because on 490 Oostende is B - happenstance of being part of Belgium I suppose. On the other hand Oostende is T on 518.

Frank Singleton's web site gives a load of information on NAVTEX, including the schedules, Station ID and the various message numbers.
 
PaulRainbow said:
Just bought a used USB Navtex. What should i be expecting to receive in the marina at Shotley ? So far only one met forecast, from Oostenderadio (although it has message id B, which should be Norway ?) One met warning from the Netherlands and a couple of couple of nav warnings from Niton.

Should i be getting UK forecasts from Cullercoates ?
Click to expand...

Reception in the area is rubbish for English stns, expect Oostende & Dutch broadcasts
 
PaulRainbow said:
Just bought a used USB Navtex. What should i be expecting to receive in the marina at Shotley ? So far only one met forecast, from Oostenderadio (although it has message id B, which should be Norway ?) One met warning from the Netherlands and a couple of couple of nav warnings from Niton.

Should i be getting UK forecasts from Cullercoates ?
Click to expand...

I always get poor NAVTEX reception in a marina.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Chances are it won't receive anything much whilst the receiver antenna is lurking in a sea of tall alloy sticks (aka masts)

In Shotley, picking up the continental stations but not the UK ones makes perfect sense

Once you get out to sea, a few miles offshore, it should start to receive the relevant UK station(s)

Mounting the active antenna high up (on a spreader or at the masthead) would probably improve matters but probably #2 isn't worth the effort
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I left the Navtex on all night and read your replies before checking it, so i wasn't expecting much. Was a bit concerned about the comments regarding the antenna, as this has an inbuilt one. This is the one i bought : http://www.wetterinfobox.com/english/WIB2WIB2B.htm

Not expecting much, i connected it to the laptop. It stores every message it receives, 518khz and 490khz. This is what it had received over night :

518khz (international)

55 Nav warnings from Niton (E & K), Cullercoates, Grimeton, Rogaland, Portpatrick, Netherlands Coastguard, Pinneberg, Tallinn and Oostende

4 Met warnings from Cross Corsen (nav area 2, relating to Biscay), Niton, Netherlands Coastguard and tallin.

7 Met forecasts from Niton, Rogaland, Netherlands Coastguard, Pinneberg and Oostende.

3 additional warnings from Svalbard and Niton

490khz (National)

17 Nav warnings from Saudanes, Pinneberg, station id "T" ***

1 Met warning from Saudanes

7 Met forecasts from Oostende, Niton, Pinneberg and "T" ***

2 Remaining messages from niton,

*** "T" on 49mhz is listed as Niton, but all of the reports are in French and the met forecast states "ORIGINE METEO-FRANCE."

Better than i expected. How does this look to you guys ?
 
Boz said:
Foxes Chandery stocks them at around £300 (New) - I obtained mine from online for a tad cheaper :)
Click to expand...

I'm reliably informed that mine was a bargain at £50 :)

Very pleased with how much it receives, especially in the marina. I have noticed that it needs to be carefully placed in the boat. On the saloon table between the laptop and some hair clippers isn't great for reception. I'm going to stick it up under the side deck with some dual lock.
 
Excellent bit of Kit, but the software could be better. It is also directional but with a fairly wide receiving angle. I also tend to pickup continental stations and Niton, but as Ostend covers Thames anyway who cares :)

It is, of course, of German origin.....

There is a version that will pickup Weather Fax (HF) but as these stations are few and far between these days, and the ease with which GRIBS are available (Internet, Email etc), to not have this feature is not a disadvantage (IMHO)
 
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