MarTer
Active Member
Hi, I'm looking to install a short wave radio on my yacht based in Biscay. Primarily to receive weather information. I would be grateful for any advice on models to consider plus any installation tips. TIA
Short Wave Radio Help
- Thread starter MarTer
- Start date
D
Deleted member 478
Guest
Have a dig around the http://www.sailmail.com website. There is a very good installation guide on there.
Oldhand
Well-Known Member
Do you just want to receive audio or do you wish to receive and decode weatherfax and RTTY broadcasts?
MarTer
Active Member
Mainly to receive and decode weatherfax and RTTY broadcasts.
D
Deleted member 478
Guest
In that case, you'll only need a receiver that can tune to one decimal place.
Take a look at the NOAA Weather Fax Schedule and read page 6, paragraph 3 to see why you need the decimal place. A normal SW wireless cannot tune to 1 decimal place and thus is a poor choice as a weather fax or RTTY receiver.
PM me if you have any other questions.
Take a look at the NOAA Weather Fax Schedule and read page 6, paragraph 3 to see why you need the decimal place. A normal SW wireless cannot tune to 1 decimal place and thus is a poor choice as a weather fax or RTTY receiver.
PM me if you have any other questions.
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
In Biscay, I used a Nasa weatherman (this receives the RTTY forecasts) which worked well but the weather forecasts themselves were a bit general and not as area specific as I wanted. The French meteo service was excellent if you could receive it but the Spanish was poor. Navtex was limited - could receive the UK but not Spain!
Best weather source by far was the ham net on 14.3 mc/s. For that you need a ham set (£400 second hand) and a license.
Best weather source by far was the ham net on 14.3 mc/s. For that you need a ham set (£400 second hand) and a license.
trouville
N/A
Better get RTTY forcasts from Hamburg,the "net" on 14.303 dosent always give the meteo unless you ask for it,And unless you call in often they wont give it incase your call isent valid!
Though when you check the 2 3 or 4 calls before you find that the net is for those without valid calls,as on any day that number will call in but when you check the call it dosent exist or expired and is now use by another!!!
Snobs not amatures and should be put off the amatur band as they refuse valid calls.Even those sailing on passage in the bay of biscay who missed the meteo.
Though when you check the 2 3 or 4 calls before you find that the net is for those without valid calls,as on any day that number will call in but when you check the call it dosent exist or expired and is now use by another!!!
Snobs not amatures and should be put off the amatur band as they refuse valid calls.Even those sailing on passage in the bay of biscay who missed the meteo.
Oldhand
Well-Known Member
Ok, so as you are asking about receivers I assume you are not considering a dedicated weatherfax or RTTY receiver. In that case you will need a PC and appropriate software for decoding and dispalying RTTY and weatherfax data, in which case I would highly recommend either an Icom PCR-1000, if you can still get one or find one second hand, or its replacement, the ICOM PCR-1500. The PCR-1000 is an excellent receiver which is totally controlled by PC software, it was only replaced by the PCR-1500 because some of the components used in the earlier model are no longer available. They both operate directly off 12v and come with an AC adapter for home use and a choice of 3 software "front panels".
If you add Bonito RadioCom 5 or Bonito Pro-Meteo software to the setup, receiveing/decoding and viewing RTTY or weatherfax data is a one step process - just click on the appropriate station/frequency entry in the software station database and everything else is automatic. Couldn't be simpler. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Here is a link to a source for both above receivers: http://www.hamradio.co.uk/acatalog/scanners.html#a186
If you add Bonito RadioCom 5 or Bonito Pro-Meteo software to the setup, receiveing/decoding and viewing RTTY or weatherfax data is a one step process - just click on the appropriate station/frequency entry in the software station database and everything else is automatic. Couldn't be simpler. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Here is a link to a source for both above receivers: http://www.hamradio.co.uk/acatalog/scanners.html#a186
