Turkish CruiserMate-marine weather forecast on mobile phone

[Amari]

Grateful for experience with this service (www.cruisermate.com) Blurb states you need Java enabled GPRS mobile. Downloading the software sounds complex to me (IT marginally literate). Web site gives compatible phones. Wonder if I should sign up in UK or wait till we resume liveaboard April. Seems good idea to benefit from wonderful coastal mobile reception in Turkey.

 

[LadyJessie]

I looked at it and it seems very complex to me. I would not bother with this difficulty. I have worked in the IT industry all my life and I am reasonably IT semi-literate.

I have cruised the Turkish south-west coast between Samos (well, that is actually Greece) and Kekova Roads for aboat four years now. Most of the time you can get the Greek Coast Guard weather forecast on VHF transmitted every 4 hours in English. If you cannot receive this transmission, that is probably because you are in a very sheltered anchorage with high mountains around; the VHF does not get through. Then you have two options; either get out sailing listening to the forecast underway (being prepared to tuck into an anchorage underway, of which there mostly are several to choose from) or you set up your mobile phone to connect to the internet using GPRS. This is very simple if you have a Mac computer, somewhat more challenging if you have a PC but still doable. Then you can download lots of excellent weather forecast. The list is very long, my favourite would be www.windguru.cz

In summary, the solution you have been given seems too complicated to me. I would go with the Greek VHF, that has served me well 90% of the time. And it is free!!

 

[Oliveoyl]

Last October in Turkey, we hardly ever picked up VHF weather ( sheltered anchorages + mountains). Had a pilot friend at home look at internet weather twice a day + send text messages. Not exactly high-tech, but quite useful when the forecast was "get the hell out of there asap"

 

[ITH]

Where does NAVTEX fit into the weather forecasting scheme of things in Turkey?

 

[Amari]

Many thanks Lady Jessie and Olive Oyl. We too have had some difficulty receiving VHF forecast, but that may be laziness/disorganisation/lack of band-width (ours ,not radio's). Usually because we remember to tune in 2 minutes late. Agree that windguru.cz is excellent but we need to be ashore in internet cafe to get that. I've just spent the morning browsing cruisermate website and mobile phone info sites and feel more confident that I might get it to work - 0nly 35 Euro p.a. Will need new phone, present model brick sized and not Java/GPRS enabled.

 

[Sybaris]

I also find the Greek VHF weather excellent if you can get it. You can alternatively also get it on www.meteo.gr.

Another method for Greek weather (don't know if this works in Turkey) is SMS weather from Poseidon using a mobile phone.

Text: W GPS (lat long) and send to 4264
e.g. W GPS 38 50 20 43 requests a forecast for the area around Levkas is Greece.

You will then receive a text message with the wind strength and direction for 24 hours in 6 hour intervals.

e.g. 24/9 15 4B (NW) indicates Force 4 NW wind at 1500 hrs UTC on 24 September

The service costs around 25 cents per message

www.windguru.cz which in my experience gives an excellent forecast also works with WAP enabled mobile phones.

 

[demonboy]

WAP windguru. Excellent service.

 

[Amari]

Many thanks Sybaris - most useful. My wife and I now realize we don't know how to text! I'll have to find a teenager for tuition. Not sure if WAP phones work in Turkey - they don't have G3, or didn't last year

 

[Amari]

Many thanks demonboy. I believe no G3 in Turkey but maybe thats not the same as WAP. Do you use a WAP phone purchased in UK or Turkey and which sim card/service provider?

 

[demonboy]

Yeah, normal phone purchased in the UK but with a Turkish sim card and Turkish phone number. Things have changed recently regarding foreigners and Turkish phone numbers. My gfriend's brother registered his phone in Turkey but it got locked after a few months....there are new rules regarding foreigners and Turkish phone numbers.

Despite this, any phone that can accept WAP (and that's most these days) can dial up windguru. You can save your local region in your phone by going to windguru and setting your location and forecast period and then copying the WAP web address direct on to your phone. Then when you dial up the WAP address on your phone it displays the page you want immediately. It costs 2 units of credit per page, ie, not a lot. It's basic, but it's precise.

 

[Amari]

Many thanks demonboy, most useful. I have a Turkcell sim card in my ancient Nokia which I find locked whenever I return to Turkey from UK so have to renew. Maybe this time it will not be so easy.
Sounds as if I will have to purchase a WAP