weather forecasting on the move ?

[lenseman]

. . . What equipment would you purchase either in hind sight or as a wish list to enable reliable forecasting whilst you are on the move. I already have navtext which is pretty much left on permanantly, but i prefer synoptic charts when available. . . . . what kit would you buy ?

I am currently developing a cheap radio receiver which will download the Polar NOAA satellite signals whilst on the move. This will be able to be used whilst seriously 'off-shore' far beyond the reach of Navtex and any other HF/MF radio signals or WiFi, and I am not talking about Iridium, InMarSat or other expensive rentals.

The other piece of kit I keep banging on about is a decent, and I mean decent barometer BUT you must know how to use it and understand the meaning of the movements of the needle.

The standard sized barometer I regularly see for sale, usually as a matched pair of brass ship's barometer and clock are not that clever. No wonder most folk dismiss them as just a ship-borne ornament of very little value.

I have a fabulous 6" aneroid barometer and a Vion A4000 as an electronic version. My yacht came with a ridiculous brass-cased aneroid barometer with a dial about 3" but the needle, like most that size never really moves. I would throw it overboard save for the fact that it would leave screw holes in the teak in a place, at the Nav Station, far too small to over-mount with the larger unit.

 

[blaggard]

I am currently developing a cheap radio receiver which will download the Polar NOAA satellite signals whilst on the move. This will be able to be used whilst seriously 'off-shore' far beyond the reach of Navtex and any other HF/MF radio signals or WiFi, and I am not talking about Iridium, InMarSat or other expensive rentals. ;.

sounds very interesting lensman, keep us posted

 

[grumpygit]

.....What equipment would you purchase either in hind sight or as a wish list to enable reliable forecasting whilst you are on the move. I already have navtext which is pretty much left on permanantly, but i prefer synoptic charts when available.

Like lensman, As basic equipment I'd go for the decent barometer plus the Navtex, not the paper printing ones, far to unreliable.

Then the dongle and sim for downloads or you try to pick up free wifi, Not had much luck with free wifi in Greece (Aegean side), only in certain ports. We have a booster dish so it isn't the range, they just aren't there....sercured or not. Croatia and Italy was a lot better.

There's plenty of web sites out that produce a whole field of synoptic charts and live satalite data. You can then interpret these till your hearts content, just like a real forecaster.....

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[KellysEye]

>far beyond the reach of Navtex and any other HF/MF radio signals

Sorry don't understand the MF/HF comment, given that you can talk to somebody half way round the world.

 

[ribrage]

I am currently developing a cheap radio receiver which will download the Polar NOAA satellite signals whilst on the move. This will be able to be used whilst seriously 'off-shore' far beyond the reach of Navtex and any other HF/MF radio signals or WiFi, and I am not talking about Iridium, InMarSat or other expensive rentals.

The other piece of kit I keep banging on about is a decent, and I mean decent barometer BUT you must know how to use it and understand the meaning of the movements of the needle.

The standard sized barometer I regularly see for sale, usually as a matched pair of brass ship's barometer and clock are not that clever. No wonder most folk dismiss them as just a ship-borne ornament of very little value.

I have a fabulous 6" aneroid barometer and a Vion A4000 as an electronic version. My yacht came with a ridiculous brass-cased aneroid barometer with a dial about 3" but the needle, like most that size never really moves. I would throw it overboard save for the fact that it would leave screw holes in the teak in a place, at the Nav Station, far too small to over-mount with the larger unit.

Hiya David

Have you got that ssb radio set we talked about still ? if so Ill get you down to fit it if you want some work ?

 

[Conachair]

Hi Ribrage

When we crossed the Atlantic we used a NASA HF receiver and listened in to Herb daily, his forecasts for a boat about 40 miles north of us was good enough to get us safely away from developing systems.
The disadvantage of only having a receiver is no two way coms, but we could receive radio france and weatherfax and RTTY for the computer all the way to Barbados.
Herd is a true legend and we would listen to him just the entertainment value.
The NASA receiver is much cheaper than HAM or SSB and capable of receiving both.

Once you get across the pond weather can be gotten from local radio and most Islands have coast guard forecasts on VHF daily. If you use marinas there will daily postings as well.
Many established anchorages have a daily cruisers net where weather is always top the daily agenda.

Mark

Hi, wandering slightly off topic but what did you use as an aerial for the nasa? I wasn´t that well sorted out coming back across as I just used the FM radio masthead aerial plugged into degen 1103 ssb reciever for wefax, not great reception but worked, got new orleans for a while and boston most of the way then UK and germany, if you picked the time of day right. Tried herb but reception wasn´t great and all the boats were way north of me.
But to the original question, not been in the med but atlantic if it was one or the other I´d much rather have weatherfax than gribs. Navtex I´ve found to be a complete waste of time in Atlantic. I had satphone on this passage eastwards but won´t again, nice to have but too expensive.
Just starting to get my head around 500mb charts. Well, more like showing an interest than understanding Anyone use those?