Weather info on passage.

[G12]

What kind of setups are you guys using for receiving weather at sea? I don't want to spend a fortune on something but I want reliability.
I'm going to change my backstay and put the insulators in it for use as an aerial. I'm just a little lacking in info on what to connect to that.

Anyone got any ideas?

G.

 

[Athene V30]

What kind of setups are you guys using for receiving weather at sea?

My thoughts are a barometer. I don't have the speed to get the right side of a weather feature to get fair winds so have to take what comes. At least the Barometer will give me an indication of what could be on its way.

 

[Pye_End]

I have a Roberts 818 receiver, and have been looking at SW forecasts, as well as receiving weatherfax + Navtex. I have a netbook, but am not intending to have any reliance on it. Some of the images I have recieved these past few weeks from the shed have been stunning, and others unreadable. Tried it also on board and got mediocre results using several different theories for antenna. I used to get NAVTEX using the same setup, but for some reason can't decode it at the moment. Can get the German weather information, but unlikely to have enough range to be useful.

If your french is any good then you can pick up a daily forecast from radio France on shortwave. You can get an idea of what it is like on 6175, although there seem to be many other frequencies published for reception in the Atlantic. No idea if the forecast is identical, or if it is slower and easier to understand!

Radio 4 LW should get a chunk of the way down. Have heard different reports of how far you can get it - perhaps somebody could confirm.

Navtex? If it is a useful source of weather then probably worth investing in a NASA set. Don't feel the need whilst coastal sailing, so not worth forking out for expensive sets unless wife gives me a pass more often to go offshore!

Of course there is also the theory that there is little point in knowing the weather as there isn't much you can do about it, so why stress about trying to make sure that a forecast is always available.

Will be interested to hear what others use as this has also been on my mind.

 

[tarik]

Weather

I have a Roberts 818 receiver, and have been looking at SW forecasts, as well as receiving weatherfax + Navtex. I have a netbook, but am not intending to have any reliance on it. Some of the images I have recieved these past few weeks from the shed have been stunning, and others unreadable. Tried it also on board and got mediocre results using several different theories for antenna. I used to get NAVTEX using the same setup, but for some reason can't decode it at the moment. Can get the German weather information, but unlikely to have enough range to be useful.

If your french is any good then you can pick up a daily forecast from radio France on shortwave. You can get an idea of what it is like on 6175, although there seem to be many other frequencies published for reception in the Atlantic. No idea if the forecast is identical, or if it is slower and easier to understand!

Radio 4 LW should get a chunk of the way down. Have heard different reports of how far you can get it - perhaps somebody could confirm.

Navtex? If it is a useful source of weather then probably worth investing in a NASA set. Don't feel the need whilst coastal sailing, so not worth forking out for expensive sets unless wife gives me a pass more often to go offshore!

Of course there is also the theory that there is little point in knowing the weather as there isn't much you can do about it, so why stress about trying to make sure that a forecast is always available.

Will be interested to hear what others use as this has also been on my mind.

Jonathan,

I have been thinking about installing a short wave radio, but decided against it, I have got Navtex, although not receiving very successfully on the boat at the moment. My weather forecasting tool will be the barograph. I might even borrow my grandson's copy of 'I Spy ' cloud formations !

best wishes


David

 

[G12]

Hmm,
I was thinking of getting a good quality digital barograph. Theres one for about £200 from the states with a very accurate transducer. I like the idea of the weather fax though as you might not be able to do much about the current situation but you might be able to allow for the coming weather system in good time either in terms of preparation or positioning yourself in a better place for it.

 

[G12]

What do you guys reckon to the solutions on this page?
http://www.sailcom.co.uk/receivers/index.html#wx
I quite like the look of that Icom, it's tiny!

 

[Pye_End]

What do you guys reckon to the solutions on this page?
http://www.sailcom.co.uk/receivers/index.html#wx
I quite like the look of that Icom, it's tiny!

Did you see this thread? The 'cheap' portable receiver seems to produce some remarkably good pictures.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227868&page=3

 

[shaxi]

Did you see this thread? The 'cheap' portable receiver seems to produce some remarkably good pictures.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread...=227868&page=3

thanks ,we often forget what we have done before !

 

[G12]

That is very interesting. What seems pretty clear to me is that it's pretty hit and miss with the cheap receiver.
OK, the Icom I linked to earlier is about £650 on its own and doesn't fall into the cheap category but the NASA HF set is much less. Has anyone used one of those? I'm not really a NASA fan as their stuff is pretty rubbish in my opinion having bought new and fitted a load of wind instruments and a log last winter. They work but just lack any quality, even things that would be cheap to do.

 

[Jabs]

I have Navtex, Weatherfax and a NASA SW Receiver. The NASA is OK but doesn't hold its frequency very well. Also, need a laptop to download the charts. Hence more power needed.

Where is a sensible balance between a barometer and a full blown SSB system to download weather charts?

Tony

 

[tarik]

Weather forcasting

Hi Guys,

Although I have Navtex, my main device will be the barometer. It will give me some notice of change, apart from that I'll take what comes.

Any form of weather prediction is a gamble, I'll take my chances with whatever is thrown at me, but hopefully at this time of year it should not be too vicious.

Good sailing


David.

 

[Gargleblaster]

My thoughts are a barometer.

Barometer is good, but the most accurate weather predicter is the way the Shearwater are flying in the North Atlantic, IMHO.

 

[jesterchallenger]

I have a barometer, small transistor which receives LW, Furuno Navtex, Nasa SW receiver and an Iridium phone connected to a cheap netbook.
The barometer tells you what's coming, but only very shortly before it gets to you - I find visual signs often give a longer warning (red sky in the morning and all that).
The transistor is cheap and reliable within the range of Radio 4.
Although the Furuno Navtex is very sensitive (I regularly get Haifa weather reports sitting in a marina on the East Coast) it was completely useless on the way to the Azores. I have never managed to get the Azores weather reports, even when sailing amongst or around the islands. The UK shipping forecasts take some time to get broadcast on Navtex, so the good old tranny is more immediate and up-to-date.
I bought the Nasa SW receiver so that I could get hurricane warnings and perhaps do something about it. I'm still not sure who to listen to to get said warnings though! However, Radio France do a good High Seas forecast which you can get with this, although in French. It's quite amusing on a long dark watch to be able to tune in to some of the other worldwide stations. Unlike an expensive laptop, it survived (and continues to survive) a serious dunking when I was knocked down with the hatch open.
I only bought the satphone after an unexpected windfall and use it to receive GRIB files with a little cheap Samsung netbook. I can also use this set up to send inexpensive email messages and run a blog for family/supporters back home. GRIB files give a pretty good idea of what's going on around you weather-wise and do help you make the big decisions on whether to battle on or head off in a different direction to try and avoid even nastier weather. In reality though, Jester Challengers have limited speed and therefore limited ability to take avoiding action.
Frankly I have some of this kit because the budget stretches to it. If it didn't, I would limit my weather reporting gear to a barometer and LW receiving transistor - NOT a DAB radio because the time signals can't be used to synchronise your watch (for sextant sights). With the benefit of hindsight I think Navtex is of very limited use - it trots out a plethora of information which is mostly irrelevant, and the weather forecasts are late - unless you dislike getting up early to get the shipping forecast. I like the SW receiver but would happily do without it. The Satphone is great to have and use, but an expensive luxury.

 

[Dharma Bum]

What kind of setups are you guys using for receiving weather at sea? I don't want to spend a fortune on something but I want reliability.
Anyone got any ideas?

G.

Personally, I'm using the prayer set up for receiving weather at sea. It consists of a folded blanket and the God of my choosing (a small Ganesh flashing statue that Indian lorry drivers use for protection) placed on the steps of the companionway. Extremely cheap and far more reliable than anything the Met office has to offer.

 

[franksingleton]

What kind of setups are you guys using for receiving weather at sea? I don't want to spend a fortune on something but I want reliability. ..............


G.

It surely depends on how far you will be offshore and for, how long.

A minimum must be VHF, NAVTEX and a good conventional LW/MW radio. For ocean sailing then, assuming that emergency needs will be met by EPIRBs and VHF then there are the choices of Iridium and/or HF/MF/SSB radio receiver.

Iridium will let you get text weather forecasts and GRIB files reasonably cheaply as email or email attachments. My sponsor, Ed Wildgoose, http://www.mailasail.com/, will provide advice on that option. With SSB radio receiver, you can receive weather charts by radio-facsimile, http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Radiofax-Schedules-Northwood-And-Offenbach, and some forecasts by Radio Teletype, http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Radio-Teletype-Weather-Broadcasts, as well as receiving High Seas forecasts as voice transmissions. You will not ned to change your backstay for that option.

In both cases, Saildocs or MailASail or both will give you what you need. See http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Grib-Files-Getting-And-Using.

If you have a SSB Transceiver, then you can use email to receive texts of forecasts and GRIB files. Then, of course, you are into using the backstay and fitting a grounding plate.

The cheapest option s the SSB receiver. The various makes have their adherents. One good and expensive set is the Sony UCF-SW7600. For software to get weather charts and text there are various options. I have used SEATTY with success.

That plus Iridium will give you everything that you need without having to get involved in Long range radio certificates. It will also give you more assured reception at all times and most places.

PS Forecasts will not keep you out of trouble, unless you have a very fast yacht. They will help you be prepared and give you time to make the necessary preparartions - storm sails, bayyen down, prepare meals, rig sea nchors or warps to trail asterm.

 

[Gargleblaster]

A minimum must be VHF, NAVTEX and a good conventional LW/MW radio.

What a lot of rubbish, as much as I respect Frank Singleton for his website. The minimum required is nothing. VHF and Navtex as someone else has pointed out don't work in the ocean. And if you do receive a Navtex signal it will not be the one you want. VHF can be useful if you are lonely and want to talk to ships. But the weather the ships give you will be what they are expecting and as they are travelling 4 to 5 times faster than you in 99% of cases will be inaccurate.

I must say I was impressed by Guy Waites solution on 'Red Admiral'. As I understand it he was using his SPOT tracker to send a daily signal to Herb of the Canadian 'Herb's Net', who then included a weather report for Red Admiral's position. It was necessary for Guy to have a radio capable of receiving but not transmitting an SSB signal.

Blondie Hasler believed that boats whouldn't carry any form of communications as it just gave them the opportunity to call for assistance which was a waste of tax payer funded Search and Rescue.

 

[franksingleton]

What a lot of rubbish, as much as I respect Frank Singleton ........

Your quote of my post is vary incomplete.

I did say “As a minimum.” You will need these when you approach a coast. Why else are they obligatory on SOLAS Convention vessels. I then went on to discuss options when further out. I assumed, although it was slightly ambiguous, that the original query related to ocean passages.

Whether or not you really need weather information when crossing oceans is a matter of choice. Naturally, I would say that you do; or, at least, it would be silly these days not to be keeping a watch on the forecasts.

Given GRIB files and/or synoptic charts any competent sailor will do at least as well as Herb. It is a question of how you get them. Depending on circumstances, Iridium or email over SSB is the realistic options.

If your sole requirement is warnings of adverse weather over the next 24 hours, then the GMDSS texts are what you need. I have no direct knowledge of SPOT but communications experts tell me that it is cheap and cheerful but not as reliable as Iridium. A drawback to both is that you have to go and get the information. Broadcasts on radio come to you. That is the basic feature of the GMDSS whether by VHF, NAVTEX, HF/ or INMARSAT-C.

 

[Athene V30]

I'll stick to a barometer and what I can see in the clouds / swell etc. In my opinion there is no point spending £££s I dont have on kit I don't understand and using electricery I dont have to spare.

 

[tarik]

Weather

I'll stick to a barometer and what I can see in the clouds / swell etc. In my opinion there is no point spending £££s I dont have on kit I don't understand and using electricery I dont have to spare.

Hear Hear, my views entirely !!

David

 

[franksingleton]

I'll stick to a barometer and what I can see in the clouds / swell etc. In my opinion there is no point spending £££s I dont have on kit I don't understand and using electricery I dont have to spare.

That is a matter for your good judgement. I have not met any ocean sailors who would agree with you. Rather, the reverse.