Target HF3p SSB receiver

[Andrew_B]

I would just like to know if the HF3P is any good.
I understand this model can also receive weather fax but is it also possible to receive navtex using an SSB receiver and PC?

Thanks for any advice.

Andrew

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[colvic]

NASA do an aerial plus the "bits" inside so that you can use your PC for Navtex.

Weatherfax on the NASA set is a DOS based programme but that is with the HF3M (modulated). With the HP3 you would use the designated software, New Zealand in origin, bought from PC Maritime in Plymouth for about £150.

I had this system, sold it and spent the money on topping up my sim card to download far more info off the internet.

Personal oppinion; old fashioned to-day and not value for money.


Phil

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[milltech]

There are two models, HF3/M comes with its own weatherfax software, the more flexible and cheaper HF3/P requires you to buy third party software but its often better and yes if you have the right software you can also tune for Navtex.

Some instruction manuals are on the boring side but I recommend you go to my web site and find the HF3 radio and just above the picture there's a "click here" option to download a PDF file of the instruction manual. It was written by the boss of Nasa and to me at any rate it was a mine of information and has much more than just how to switch it on. There's no charge, you don't even have to register.



<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[Gunfleet]

What a terrific primer. Can I just add that you can get trained by your local radio ham group up to what's called 'Foundation Level' and learn an awful lot about these concepts in a weekend. What's more, it's usually FREE! It's the best deal in radio training in the uk. You don't need to be a ham nor have any interest in broadcasting to gain a huge amount from one of these courses. I got the licence, have a transceiver but am really only interested in receiving - unless my boat is sinking of course.

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[vyv_cox]

If you search further down the forum, probably about 2 months ago, there was a discussion about this in some detail. The technicalities went over my head but it seems you need to modify the input from the NASA to the PC for later versions of Windows. by adding a few components like resistors.

I agree with another poster that this is old technology but we have found it quite useful and in a perverse way it is quite enjoyable to receive synoptic charts over the airwaves.

You could look at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mscan.com/>http://www.mscan.com/</A> This is the software I use, after several false starts and disappointments. It receives Navtex and RTTY in addition to weatherfax.

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[chriscallender]

The software supplied the 3/M works only in DOS, and note this does not include a DOS window within Windows. Newer flavours of windows like XP don't even have a standalone DOS mode if I remember correctly so they can never run this software.

If your talking about modern PCs/notebooks with built in sound (standard for a good few years), then I agree with John, using the 3/P and the soundcard to connect is a much more compatible and future proof way to go and the NASA supplied software is a long way behind the times (about a decade!) being DOS based. However the radio itself is a great product for the price, so best to use 3rd party SW I think.

The mod that others have suggested with resistors etc. effectively converts a 3/M to a 3/P but if you know that is what you want before you buy, then there is no sense in doing a mod that can invalidate the warranty.

As John says you do have to provide your own software, but I have managed to find freeware for receiving weatherfax, and low cost shareware ($29 from memory) that does the business for Navtex/RTTY. I had a few problems with the setup for weatherfax, but got there in the end.

The audio cable that will connect the PC sound input to the 3/P audio output is available in PC world for about £6.

I went for this setup, although I have yet to try it in anger on the boat, I've got it working for weatherfax/Navtex/RTTY at home.

I'm a satisfied custmer of John's web site if you are looking to buy one, and really appreciate all the instruction manuals that he puts on there.

Chris


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[AndrewB]

Navtex is generally excellent with a good-quality SSB using a backstay ariel. I get much more distant reception aboard than is normally achieved with a dedicated set.

I still use a setup that I've had for 7 years now. A Persivell demodulator and a software package HAMCOMM 3.1 that came with it that supports reception of AMTOR FEC signals. It originally cost no more than £10.

I think HAMCOMM is now public domain, and PC's now all come with a built-in modem.

A minor disadvantage is that not being dedicated software, it is unselective, so I pick up every notice from every transmission. A more serious one is that one has to remember to switch on at weather transmission time, or leave the PC permanently on, which has a much larger current draw (2.2 amps at 12v) than a dedicated set.

 

[colvic]

One other thing I forgot to mention was the addition of an earth to the radio; this advice came from Frank Singleton and I used was a dedicated anode...what a huge difference to reception it made.

Some time later discovered that the Coolmatic compressor knocked reception off so had to switch fridge off when receiving a chart otherwise if the compressor cut in the signal was lost.


Phil

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[AndrewB]

Do you have an external ariel and is it effectively screened? My 12v fluorescent lights prevent radio reception in the cabin when on, but using the external insulated backstay with a screened connection there is no problem.

The advantage of an earth was discussed here a little while back, but it doesn't give me a significant gain. In fact, it seems to work best with the earth connection attached to the ariel screening cable. I wonder whether I'm earthed through the negative side of my power supply.

 

[Bergman]

Andrew,

You may like to try JVComm32 software. Its free download from the net and will receive RTTY, Navtex and Fax. It does have the facility to ignore the transmissions that you don't want.

I would strongly recommend that you don't mess with modems. JVComm and most others now simply connect audio output of receiver to audio input of computer, Currys or such like will sell a suitable lead for a few pounds.

From home I can receive Navtex from most of Region 1 with no problem.

Don't know the Nasa receiver but should be perfectly OK unless perhaps in vicinity of very strong signals which is where most "cheap" receivers tend to fail.

An alternative may be to look on E-Bay for a 2nd hand communictions receiver with 30Hz - 30 Mhz (or thereabouts) coverage.

Usually these things work better with a separate earth and a proper tuner, however you will be unlikely to find a tuner for 518 kHz so some experimentation may be required (poke and hope is scientific term). Just take care that what sounds loudest in receiver is not always best, its sig/noise ratio that counts. Often will sound to be stronger signals with no earth or with screen of antenna disconnected but actually has a worse S/N ratio which gives worse result, particularly with Fax.

Best of luck

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[Oldhand]

I suggest you would be better off installing an ICOM PCR-1000 "black box" receiver for use with a PC. Used with appropriate software such as Radiocom 4, all the radio settings are pre-programmed and set by the PC on selecting a station/frequency. I have great results with this installation for reception of weatherfax, navtex and synop data and anything else you care to receive between 50kHz and 1.2GHz, given a suitable antenna.

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[vyv_cox]

Icom PCR1000

I agree, that's the set I have and it's excellent. It must be said, though, it's a lot more expensive than the NASA HF3p or the Roberts, that I believe can also be used. The great thing about the Icom is that the software takes over completely, does all the channel selection, tuning, etc.

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[NDG]

The earlier thread was in response to a question I had about how to make the NASA unit "talk" to a pc running windows XP. THere were a lot of responses, all of which went way over my head, but I got a friendly electronics engineer to carry out the modifications to the unit that were recommended by helpful posters on this site.

I have to say that it now works a treat - using JVComm the weather faxes are coming out of the thing like there's no tomorrow. THanks to all who advised!

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