Weather Internet & Comms

[Richsquest]

We have been in the south of Spain now for a little over a year and still we cannot decide on how to economically buy equipment to receive weather forecasts including the pressure maps, get hooked up to the internet and send and receive emails and possibly talk. We have bought a Sangean radio which is supposed to receive SSB for both voice and data transmissions but to date cannot get the thing to work properly, antenna problem ? I don't know, SSB transceivers appear to be very expensive to buy, and Satellite phones wow, mucho caro. Can anyone give me a solution.


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[jerryat]

Hi Rich,

Obviously you didn't get much further with the Sangean, which is a pity, 'cos it WILL give you good weatherfax and RTTY with a little patience! Which software are you using in your computer? As I suggested, I think JVComm32 (free on the web) will suit you well for both, though I prefer MMTTY (also free) for RTTY myself, as it uses the full screen which is easier on the eyes.

As I mentioned before, there are lots of places in Spain where you will NOT get a picture, either because of the mountains or the masts of other yachts. You do need a decent length aerial wire, perhaps hauled up the backstay(?) and the computer and radio running off their batteries (or a DC-DC converter) to avoid extraneous 'noise' mucking up the incoming signals.

Internets in Spain are incredibly cheap, or were a couple of years ago, so that's another useful (though inconvenient) source of info. Personally I'd play some more with the Sangean!

Cheers Jerry

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[Talbot]

an option instead of the long antenna wire is to get an active antenna for the HF and try that - lots of people use them for connectivity of the NASA SSB receiver

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[trouville]

Sangean,have always made very good radios at very low prices (out side a ship shop) i bought one years ago, and its still going though splashed with antifouling, and paint .Its out lived my £250 sony (ssb, not very good) and the small sony radio which lasted just 2 years.
I borrowed a large sangean with bfo-ssb and it worked wonderfully just the tunings very sensitive.I used it with a cheep MFJ rtty reader for hamborg WX and it worked!!! Not bad for a £60 radio!!
Ive tried lowe-expensive arrigant company poor price usefulness, sony wouldent bother again and kenwood i bought a ts140 for £300 s/h it does everything your asking and you can chat to freinds on passage!!! Great reciever low power consumption(12v) very sensitive and you just connect it to the back stay.(but youll need an atu to transmit)

ON anntenners if you make the anntena to long on the sangean youll overload it and get lots QRM QRB just try possitioning the set. And it speakers not bad, i still listen to it when anti fouling and doing the top sides

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[Steve Clayton]

I'm no expert when it comes to RTTY and the like but for internet then a german company called WLAN operate wifi out of a number of marinas on the Spanish med coastline. Not too cheap if you go short term rental but a year works out at 400€'s with no restrictions on upload or download sizes and you can connect in all of their marinas. (so I reckon this is a pretty good deal)

For internet telephony then Skype is the best I've found.

For mobile telehone with international calls then Amena with the International dial card (which works out at about 5 cents a minute) is one of the best I've found.

Anybody got anything better and cheaper then let me know!!


Steve
(in Marina de Denia)

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[Sailorbuoy]

It helps to know the time and frequency of the transmissions.
Go to www.WalterReed.co.uk for the schedules and help with the setup.

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[MedMan]

It really all depends upon where you are headed. Are you going to stay in Spain, cruise around the Med or head off trans ocean?

If you intend to stay in the Med, have a look at Communication in European Waters on my website - link below. Have a look also at Frank Singleton's page on GRIB Files <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtretreat.com>http://www.yachtretreat.com

 

[Jorodeta]

We use Weatherfax and a Sony ICF, this has survived well and we use the in built telescopic aerial, although was disappointed further south even when using a long wire aerial, and depended on Radio France International - the only country offering any coverage.

If your staying in Europe the suggestion to use the Internet via a Café is the best, followed by the mobile and local sim card then WIFI.

Don’t forget, if you can afford the luxury of a Satellite Phone.

Whatever you need to ensure your weather source is accurate for your area. Not always as simple as it sounds, irrespective of the claims.

GRB files are great for their animation but unless you have sailmail or equiv. after several days it can’t be expected to be dependable.

Makes you wonder how one coped 20 years ago, my sextant has corrosion on it and i thought i checked it only recently!!!!!!!


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[trouville]

Sounds really good!!Have you tried getting the files via SSB HF radio??
Im going to read their page and links as soon as i can
On the subject of radios nasas not bad and not to expensive! You can also consider buying an amature radio I bought a kenwood ts 140s for 300Euros its small (two car radio size) and if you add an atu or cut a diapole to size you can chat as well!!! Other good radios include Icom 706 mk11 (the earlyones had sptatter problems on transmit) but S/H costs 600euros i think? or a kenwood ts 50 small costs S/H about 500Euros
As for sony and lowe products they are far two expensive and very "fragile" i had my lowe repared twice in Italy it took the technician more than an hour to find and repair the fault and twice he did it for free!!! the third time i gave the set away!! The sony i still have and next time im in portofino ill see if hell repaire my sony!
I must say the amature radios really do last well on a boat i have an old ten tec which is really rusty more than 30 years old and still works perfectly!! Its only problem is that its HUGE!!! but still 12 v and no valves

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