Navtex?

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Duffer

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I'm thinking of getting a Navtex engine from NASA to plug into my laptop. I assume it works fine but is it necessary to stick the aerial on the back rail or will it work just as well bulkhead mounted below (I think I read this somewhere)?

Cheers!
 
I've seen one work taped to the the head lining in the saloon, horizontally. Since the boat is virtually radio transparent, and this was no lower than being installed on the rail it seems to work quiet well.

Regards, Jeff.
 
I've just bought one, but intend putting the aerial onto the pushpit. It's fairly long wave radio - don't know how transparent GRP is to this. The other thing is, apparently, to make sure it is well earthed.

Nicholas Hill

www.channelpilot.info
 
I aquired an early NASA one that has the aerial lying on a shelf at present & seems to work ok in Solent area. Subject to how it works this holiday the aerial will be mounted properly or the unit binned !!
 
I have very recently fitted the conventional Navtex Clipper, but - like you and others - wondered about the aerial position.

The previous navtex aerial was a thin wire rod type & was mounted on the pushpit: it tried to take out eyes at every opportunity, and snag any passing rope. Concerned that the new stubby cased aerial would be the object of crew revenge and get broken, I decided to mount it internally. The chosen site is under the cockpit coaming, but mounted as high up as possible in the void space there. The aerial & wiring are well protected from the elements and from any danger of physical damage, and clear of any other sources of possible electrical interference.

I have to report that after two weeks experience it is picking up signals perfectly. The boat is on a mooring, rather than crowded in a marina or shielded by harbour walls: even so, I am more than satisfied with the reception performance to date.

Best of luck,

Tam /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Update!

Went into marina for Saturday night - Navtex signals corrupted. Must be either a. the massed masts/riggings blocking the signals, or b. all the other navtex units sucking the signals out of the ether.
 
Umhh..... not really possible! other units can't 'take' your signal.....

We have ours mounted below, and get no problems at all.....

Marina's are goddam awful places for reception of any kind, VHF, FM, LW, Navtex or anything else for that matter.....
 
Update - unfortunately we didn't receive a single signal with the aerial below decks so we will put it on the backrail in the normal way where hopefully it will work better.

Note also that the unit does not come with a USB connection but you can get an adaptor cable from most computer shops for about £15. Note however this requires a driver, usually supplied with it on CD.
 
Once you've got it working 'on the backrail', try it again below decks. Try to keep it away from large metal objects. It should work just as well unless you have a steel or aluminium boat. The signal is longwave and will penetrate almost anything non metallic.
 
We did try it after getting it to work on the cabin top - but it just wouldn't work below in our GRP boat which we found surprising given other people's experience. (SW and Brittany)
 
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