Shipping and Inshore Waters forecast

[franksingleton]

After the BBC ceases to use LW, does anyone know
1. What times will the shipping forecast be broadcast?
2. When will the Inshore Waters forecast be broadcast?
3. When will reports from coastal stations be broadcast and which stations?

I have asked the BBC twice recently and had no reply.

 

[Halo]

Best use t’internet like we do in Yorkshire!

If offshore is t’satellite !

 

[lustyd]

Got to agree, we have Starlink on board and no way to receive LW any more. I imagine the number of boats tuning in is dwindling so not a surprising change. While I would prefer it remain as a free option it costs a lot and uses bandwidth possibly better used for other things.

If we reallocate to LoRa networking it might still be possible to have a free service receivable with cheap electronics.

 

[dunedin]

After the BBC ceases to use LW, does anyone know
1. What times will the shipping forecast be broadcast?
2. When will the Inshore Waters forecast be broadcast?
3. When will reports from coastal stations be broadcast and which stations?

I have asked the BBC twice recently and had no reply.

Isn’t the shipping forecast on the radio only for shore bound old ladies?

Never ever listened to it. As Halo says use internet - seems to have much better range at sea than near rocky shores.

 

[Plum]

After the BBC ceases to use LW, does anyone know
1. What times will the shipping forecast be broadcast?
2. When will the Inshore Waters forecast be broadcast?
3. When will reports from coastal stations be broadcast and which stations?

I have asked the BBC twice recently and had no reply.

Obviously, the BBC do not go sailing......... but surely you already know the answer to your questions. I rely on, in order of usefulness to me, Internet, Coastguard MSIs and NAVTEX

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Sandy]

Will they not continue with the times as normal? I listen on the FM frequency on the wireless before settling down for the night.

 

[franksingleton]

I do not know. That is why I asked. All the BBC has said is that the shipping forecast will be broadcast twice a day on weekdays and 3 times at weekends. But not which times. Nothing about the inshore forecast . Nothing about actuals. I have rarely used it myself, but some people do. Clearly, I take a broader view than some. A bit like NAVTEX, it is a fallback. I have no time for all the crap about it said and written by silly people who talk about our heritage. I am concerned that sometimes, it can be vital although, in taking away the LW its value is greatly diminished. I do find it strange that the BBC refuse to be specific about the revised schedules.

 

[Bodach na mara]

The removal of the LW broadcast is unfortunate for some. It is the wave band which has the lowest range and can be picked up in mid-Atlantic. In fact at altitude it is receivable close to New York.

I have a friend who is a former 707 pilot who swears that they used to tune into 198 metres when they reached cruising altitude after departing from JFK and steered for strongest signal to follow a great circle course for LHR.

 

[B27]

All the fishermen I know who are likely to be out more than 12 hours have Navtex, if not satcomms.
I'm not sure what kit they are obliged to have, but most of them seem fairly well equipped

I suspect the forecast on LW is mostly catering to a fictitious band of seagoing folks trapped in the past?

 

[mattonthesea]

Coming back from the Azores I realised I was in range so tuned in just before broadcast. I felt so nostalgic hearing TMS and talk of chocolate cake that I nearly forgot the forecast!

Agree that that's not economically efficient but it is useful for budget sailors like me.

 

[franksingleton]

I take it that nobody knows the answer to my OP query

 

[fisherman]

Last time I needed it I caught it on local radio (Cornwall), it was repeated at set times, 0620, 0820, 1220, shipping and inshore. Otherwise CG safety information flagged up on 16.

 

[lustyd]

I take it that nobody knows the answer to my OP query

It will be in the current almanac for 2024, I'm sure

 

[Sandy]

I take it that nobody knows the answer to my OP query

Only the BBC/Met Office can do that.

 

[jdc]

It will be in the current almanac for 2024, I'm sure

The thing you missing is that Frank writes the meteorology section.

 

[lustyd]

The thing you missing is that Frank writes the meteorology section.

Then I'd have hoped he was better connected!

 

[franksingleton]

It will be in the current almanac for 2024, I'm sure

NO. We put in a few words about the uncertainty. The 2025 editions are being prepared and we still do not know. When I asked the Met Office, they did not know an referred me to the BBC. I am yesterday’s man for the Met Office.

 

[Pye_End]

Worth trying the RYA?

 

[lustyd]

We put in a few words about the uncertainty

Well at least it’s not misleading I guess

I won’t be surprised at all if nobody actually knows at the BBC. In such organisations until it’s someone’s job to know quite often nobody does know.

Hope you get to the bottom of it

 

[wonkywinch]

I have a friend who is a former 707 pilot who swears that they used to tune into 198 metres when they reached cruising altitude after departing from JFK and steered for strongest signal to follow a great circle course for LHR.

Wishful thinking. NAT tracks have been in existence since the early 1960s.

Separation between aircraft has reduced over the years such that now, if you did a turn back, the radius of turn could have you entering one of the parallel tracks.

Flying over the ocean in pre GPS aircraft (mechanical gyro INS) meant when you came within range of land based DMEs and the nav system got a more accurate fix, the plane would work out it was a mile or two off course and start correcting.

The ADF (automatic direction finder) operated on MW so we'd tune 5 Live on 909 KHz or Radio 4 on 198 KHz (not metres). I never heard it working mid Atlantic but we used the HF (short wave radio) to tune into the World Service.

Flying light aircraft into Elstree, we used to tune Capital Radio on 1548 KHz and the ADF needle would point towards the final approach for runway 26 as the transmitting aerial was located there.

The downside of the ADF is it also points to the electrical activity in a thunderstorm so care was needed in it's use.

North Atlantic Tracks - Wikipedia