Techie question

[NDG]

I've got a NASA ssb receiver for getting weatherfax. The old laptop was crud and caused loads of interference in the signal, so I've invested in a shiny new laptop. The only thing is, the lead from the ssb to the laptop is a serial port lead. The new laptop doesn't have serial ports - it's only got USB ports (in common with most new machines I think).

I'm sure others have had this problem - does anyone know where I can get an adaptor or a replacement lead to connect the ssb to a USB port? The ssb end of it looks like a straightforward audio jack (i.e. like a walkman headphone jack). Also, how do I know which USB port to use (the thing's got 4 of them!)?

I want to us the jv comm software, which has been recommended, unless anyone knows of anything better?

Any help much appreciated, as always.

Nick

 

[davel]

Try <A target="_blank" HREF=http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=usb+serial&ebaytag1code=3&shortcut=2&currdisp=1&maxRecordsReturned=300&maxRecordsPerPage=50&SortProperty=MetaEndSort>ebay</A>

Dave L.

 

[Guest]

Any reasonable computer shop, but also suggest searching in Google on 'usb serial converter uk'.

 

[vyv_cox]

I did it with a PCMCIA card with two serial ports attached. It took some finding though, two years or so ago, and they may not now be available at all.

 

[Gordonmc]

Serial/USB converters are available from any HighSt. computer outlets, as has been said by others. It doesn't matter which USB port you plug into. Windows 98 and above will locate the hardwear automatically.

 

[iangrant]

Give up the idea of serial/usb connections - The only way to connect is via the sound card!
I tried all of the software offerings and wasted days (PM me for some "info" on the JV comm software)
If you have the Nasa with only the serial output it can be converted to output for your sound card.

You need to-
Take out the modem card,
two wires + is data - is chasis
Take the +data solder on a 10K resistor and 0.1 Mf capacitor - connect to jack plug to the sound card input to the laptop.
DO NOT bother with the active aerial - Take acoax to the backstay and either connect the centre core, or run it up the backstay (looks scruffy)
You will be able to recieve the Navtex - 490 and 518 SSB
Northwoods charts - hundreds of them and offenbach Germany, RTTY and charts.
Ian

 

[alex_rogers]

Nick,

I had a similar problem and I'm afraid there is no quick answer. Here's the full techie answer :

What comes out of the serial plug on the NASA HF3M radio, isn't really serial data. The radio turns the audio signal into a square wave and then the DOS software which comes with the radio does all the processing to turn the timing of the interupts into a frequency and then a gray shade.

In order for the timing to work, the software needs to be running under DOS ( not just running from a command prompt within Windows ). Your new laptop won't let you do this so even with a serial port it wouldn't work properly.

What you really need to do is use the sound card of the computer as there is quite a lot of free software or cheap commercial software ( try www.mscan.com ) available for this. NASA make a radio called the HF3P which has this audio output and I think I read somewhere that they make an adaptor to allow you to plug the HF3M output into the sound card.

In the end I made my own adaptor, which takes the square wave coming out of the radio and makes it look like an audio signal again ( just a capacitor and a couple of resistors ). This works very well and has the advantage that given an old laptop, I can go back to using the serial port and original software again.

Hope this helps,

Alex



Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>

 

[iangrant]

AND if yor laptop is running XP home you can't run DOS anyway -

 

[NDG]

Thanks for all the replies!

Sounds like getting an adaptor won't be a problem, but I need to use the soundcard to read the signal from the radio.

 

[alex_rogers]

Yep, NASA don't do much to advertise this limitation. I know of quite a few people who would have gone for the HF3P but thought they were getting something extra in the HF3M.

Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>

 

[stubate]

serial port

usb to serial port is available from any good computer dealer like me £20.
01978 869384
surprised your laptop didnt come with one, they usually do.
you can use any of the usb ports and they can all be used together
stu

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Good I am glad it was not just me, I was starting to think I had bought an incorrectly badged HF3P, I actually just made a mono audio lead and plug into the sound card on my ThinkPad.

You can run the NASA software on any laptop, just use a DOS boot disk to start the machine and run the software from the A: prompt, you will have to install it to the C: drive though. To be fair the software supplied is very limited though.

Using my audio lead only with no modifications seems to be working fine, but I might investigate by-passing the built in modem, shame as it cost me more.


Julian

http://www.ukstaffords.com

 

[lauradee]

you can run DOS progs on an XP home machine

just put a shortcut from the desktop to the c: drive where the prog resides, it will sort itself out and if you right click the short cut you are presented with some options to adjust the memory.
have just set up lotus 123 for a customer doing exactly that on an Acer with xp home.
stu

 

[MedMan]

Just to throw the ships cat amongst the seagulls - why bother with Weatherfax? It is old technology on its way out and will soon disappear altogether. With your shiny new laptop connected to a GSM phone (some but not all new phones now come with a USB connector lead, so make sure you check first!!!) you can download weather maps off the Internet that are far, far higher quality than you will ever get with Weatherfax. Try the following sequence if its weather maps you want:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack0.gif
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack1.gif
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack2.gif
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack3.gif
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack4.gif

General surfing is not on as the speed is too slow, but these maps come down the line quite quickly.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/>http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/</A>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

This is all very well while you have portable telephone coverage, but alas sometimes I leave the moorings and still require weather info. I know I can get a sat phone, but at a minimum £1.50 per min and a less than 9600baud down load, this is not a viable option either. I think it will be a while before we see the end of SSB transmission, in fact with more and more requirement than in the past I do not see another option.

Also most people who use SSB also RX navtex, that is a whole requirement in itself.


Julian

http://www.ukstaffords.com

 

[iangrant]

Re: you can run DOS progs on an XP home machine

no no no, not this prog - it needs a pure dos environment - which you can't have shelled out of windows. The programme needs sole use of the system clock.

Sorry

Ian

 

[NDG]

Yes, I'm intending to do that too, and a further source will of course be normal Navtex and BBC reception. The problem with your suggestion is that, although ideal when at a mooring, it will be no good once more than 10 miles or so offshore without a satphone.

I want to use wefax because its still the best source of info when offshore, without shelling out for expensive satcom systems.

 

[NDG]

Further to other posts, does your laptop have Windows XP? THere seems to be a difference of opinion as to whether or not XP machines can run DOS for the purposes of receiving wefax.

 

[steve_cronin]

i think you guys have just given my old DX4 notebook a new role in life!

Now next problem to solve is to get 22.5volts DC out of 12VDC without using a 240 inverter.

Steve Cronin

 

[iangrant]

Re: i think you guys have just given my old DX4 notebook a new role in life!

http://www.laptop-shop.co.uk/laptop-notebook-car-cord/index.htm

Maybe one of these?

Ian