mocruising
Member
Can anyone advise me what additional software/hardware I will need in order to obtain decent weather information from my SSB and Laptop. Or advise where I might by a book or get the information on the web.
Rgds
Rgds
Weather Reports from SSB and Laptop
- Thread starter mocruising
- Start date
graham42
New member
what software/hardware do you have?
TigaWave
New member
I use Mscan meteo and Mscan fax, with the earphone output straight into the audio in on an old Tosh.
There are some others available on the net. Then you just need the schedule and its a bit of fine tuning to get the best picture, I've also found that due to interference it works much better when 20-30 miles off shore rather than in the marina. I used a Target receiver, but their software (dos) was not easy to use.
There are some others available on the net. Then you just need the schedule and its a bit of fine tuning to get the best picture, I've also found that due to interference it works much better when 20-30 miles off shore rather than in the marina. I used a Target receiver, but their software (dos) was not easy to use.
Stevie_T
New member
I use mscan meteo too after trying others I found this the eaiest to get working.
It appears to have a fax option with it but i have no idea how to use it or what frequencies / schedules. Perhaps you could give me some pointers?
Thanks
Steve
It appears to have a fax option with it but i have no idea how to use it or what frequencies / schedules. Perhaps you could give me some pointers?
Thanks
Steve
Stingo
Well-known member
Steve
Once you've down loaded the schedule, you need to tune you SSB receiver 1.9khz below the published frequency (See paragraph 3 of on page 6 of the schedule)
If you have any problems, post them here and I will do my best to help you get weatherfax with meteoscan working.
Once you've down loaded the schedule, you need to tune you SSB receiver 1.9khz below the published frequency (See paragraph 3 of on page 6 of the schedule)
If you have any problems, post them here and I will do my best to help you get weatherfax with meteoscan working.
Stevie_T
New member
Affinite
Thanks for the link
Thanks for the link
Stevie_T
New member
Stingo
Thanks for the offer of help, I think I will need it, though it may be limited as I am away from the boat and the software at the moment.
However, perhaps you can clear up a confusion I have.
Is this schedule only for faxed pictures such as synoptic charts and ice limits and so on, because the schedule I currently use for textual forecasts from Hamburg for the Med are totally different frequncies? If so is where can I get this information too?
Mscan Meteo also has Navtex software, are you able to use this as well?
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Steve
Thanks for the offer of help, I think I will need it, though it may be limited as I am away from the boat and the software at the moment.
However, perhaps you can clear up a confusion I have.
Is this schedule only for faxed pictures such as synoptic charts and ice limits and so on, because the schedule I currently use for textual forecasts from Hamburg for the Med are totally different frequncies? If so is where can I get this information too?
Mscan Meteo also has Navtex software, are you able to use this as well?
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Steve
whipper_snapper
New member
After looking at the others, I use SeaTTY http://www.dxsoft.com/en/products/seatty/
I much prefer it to Meteoscan to which I took a (possibly irrational) loathing.
As others say, all you need is an audio cable from radio to laptop line-in or microphone socket. Tune in, adjust the levels, and you are away. In addition to Wx Fax there is some very good German RTTY (in English) for the med and baltic which SeaTTY will also decode.
(If you can transmit with your SSB then all sorts of other options open up via Sailmail.)
I much prefer it to Meteoscan to which I took a (possibly irrational) loathing.
As others say, all you need is an audio cable from radio to laptop line-in or microphone socket. Tune in, adjust the levels, and you are away. In addition to Wx Fax there is some very good German RTTY (in English) for the med and baltic which SeaTTY will also decode.
(If you can transmit with your SSB then all sorts of other options open up via Sailmail.)
orizaba
New member
the dos program they used to use has now been superceded by the new mscan meteo,which i find excellent,they tell you you can upgrade your olld target to run with the modern version. i duly paid the 40 pounds and it all worked using headphone out to microphone in on laptop, while experimenting with it last year i tried an older model that had not been "converted" and that was fine , i was left feeling that all i'd paid for was a cd of mescan.
use the most up to date mscan you can get tho the older ones seem ok preferablly the pro and not the lite and all should be well.
i have had little joy in getting navtex but synoptic charts and ritty no problem, for synoptic hamburg seems better at the momment,i like northwood but have found their service intermittent.in reference to the tuning 1.9 below that is not always true,it varies from set to set. rtty is usually a strong signal and if all is setup ok you should get something on 10.110'but just ckecked mine in tunisia and its10.103, not sure why.
if you get rtty the you know the laptop is reading the signal and deciphering it,if it doesn't its usually a problem with microphone/line in settings,
the other thing i found was the ariel supplied was hopeless, again as a try out get a bit of wire or coax fit an appropriate end to it and clip it on directly to the backstay and see if you get an improvement,there is a 12v booster fitted in the line make sure you disconnect /bypass it before connecting to stay,if you get an improvement as i did i strung a lenght o 3mm stainless cable isolated from the mast fitted the other end to my backframe and use that as an ariel,tho a length of wire hauled up by a halyard would do to try.you should find in your config part of mscan a list of stations and frequencies,
its a matter of playing with it a bit,the real thing is to know what noises your listening for and then fine tune around them.
its worth noting that some laptops will not give a clear picture i have a dell and can't get enough slant to straighte it tho on the advertec and an old samsung its fine,somene suggested it might be the internal battery needs changing, any advice on that would be handy
use the most up to date mscan you can get tho the older ones seem ok preferablly the pro and not the lite and all should be well.
i have had little joy in getting navtex but synoptic charts and ritty no problem, for synoptic hamburg seems better at the momment,i like northwood but have found their service intermittent.in reference to the tuning 1.9 below that is not always true,it varies from set to set. rtty is usually a strong signal and if all is setup ok you should get something on 10.110'but just ckecked mine in tunisia and its10.103, not sure why.
if you get rtty the you know the laptop is reading the signal and deciphering it,if it doesn't its usually a problem with microphone/line in settings,
the other thing i found was the ariel supplied was hopeless, again as a try out get a bit of wire or coax fit an appropriate end to it and clip it on directly to the backstay and see if you get an improvement,there is a 12v booster fitted in the line make sure you disconnect /bypass it before connecting to stay,if you get an improvement as i did i strung a lenght o 3mm stainless cable isolated from the mast fitted the other end to my backframe and use that as an ariel,tho a length of wire hauled up by a halyard would do to try.you should find in your config part of mscan a list of stations and frequencies,
its a matter of playing with it a bit,the real thing is to know what noises your listening for and then fine tune around them.
its worth noting that some laptops will not give a clear picture i have a dell and can't get enough slant to straighte it tho on the advertec and an old samsung its fine,somene suggested it might be the internal battery needs changing, any advice on that would be handy
orizaba
New member
one thing,ithe backstay/ariel is for receiving only tho i would assume anyone who transmits has a similar setup anyway,but tuned etc accordingly
ccscott49
Active member
I have an icom r1000, PC based SSB, which meteo program would be best for it? I have heard of one which tunes the set through the PC, but dont remember which it was. Is the NASA active antenna no use? I have one connected to my NASA target, but it never seemed to be any good? I havent fitted it to the Icom r1000 yet, is it worth it, or should I just go back to a wire antenna? or triatic stay antenna? Any help here would be appreciated.
captainslarty
N/A
Hi
The r1000 (I have the 1500, very similar) is, as you say, pc based, so no need to tune via the pc, mscan meteo does this in a very basic way, I use the old (Ver 2.3 I think), does everything I would ever need.
Re the antenna, no, dont use the nasa, use a wire, you will be better off.
It really is a matter of selecting the memory channel on the icom, opening MScan and off you go, a slight tweak may be needed for fine tuning, but hardly ever, the set is stable at the SW frequencies.
I personally have a 23 foot whip for tx/rx on the Kenwood with SCS Matcher, a wire from cockpit to Mizzen top for Icom, change over switches for each ant (Hardly needed) and also an Icom Discone for the Mizzen top for above 30Mhz.
Joe.
The r1000 (I have the 1500, very similar) is, as you say, pc based, so no need to tune via the pc, mscan meteo does this in a very basic way, I use the old (Ver 2.3 I think), does everything I would ever need.
Re the antenna, no, dont use the nasa, use a wire, you will be better off.
It really is a matter of selecting the memory channel on the icom, opening MScan and off you go, a slight tweak may be needed for fine tuning, but hardly ever, the set is stable at the SW frequencies.
I personally have a 23 foot whip for tx/rx on the Kenwood with SCS Matcher, a wire from cockpit to Mizzen top for Icom, change over switches for each ant (Hardly needed) and also an Icom Discone for the Mizzen top for above 30Mhz.
Joe.
mdrifter
New member
Hi, you don't say if you transmit with your ssb - if you do have a ham licence then winlink system with AirMail software is hard to beat for world wide wx access; if you have LRC then you have more limited access through the SailMail software to text wx reports; both AirMail/SailMail best used with SCS radio modem. GetFax/ViewFax software integrates with Air/SailMail and uses SCS modem to decode WxFax/RTTY/NavTex from wherever you can get a signal. Not a cheap setup initially but we've been successfully using it for c.7 years and you can speak to people as well as listen!
ccscott49
Active member
Thanks for that Capn' I'll go with the wire and I have Mscan, an old one I think as well. I'll give it a go.
I Have Navtex for pc, charts for pc, GPS for pc and AIS for pc, will get it all up and running when I get back to barca, just bought a brand new PC, with dedicated serial ports, bluetooth keyboard and mouse, all the bells and whistles etc etc. cheap! Very chuffed! Didnt have time to get it all installed before I left!
I Have Navtex for pc, charts for pc, GPS for pc and AIS for pc, will get it all up and running when I get back to barca, just bought a brand new PC, with dedicated serial ports, bluetooth keyboard and mouse, all the bells and whistles etc etc. cheap! Very chuffed! Didnt have time to get it all installed before I left!
richardwatson
New member
I have been using the Mscan Meteo programme with an Icon 710. It requires an audio cable into the laptops mic-in socket and an optional cloning lead which allows you to control the ssb remotely from the laptop and programme it to receive a particular station at a given time. The downside is the ssb, or mine at least, has to remain switched on.
I bought the software and leads from Bob Smith at sailcom.co.uk, and he was very helpful in setting it up. Mscan's techie in Hollland was rather less so. The RTTY transmissions from Hamburg were without doubt the most accurate forecasts I received when we were in the Med.
I bought the software and leads from Bob Smith at sailcom.co.uk, and he was very helpful in setting it up. Mscan's techie in Hollland was rather less so. The RTTY transmissions from Hamburg were without doubt the most accurate forecasts I received when we were in the Med.
orizaba
New member
i would agree about the icom setup,sorted a few out for peeps last year and some of the icoms say you have to go out from their serial port,most modern laptops don't have one so you have to get a changer lead serial to usb.this is where a lot of problems where as the drivers do not always seem to work, the solution seemed to be use the external speaker/headphone socket on your icom going to microphone on your laptop,as captain slarty says the nasa ariel is pretty usless and the backstay is a better option to try, if its better then maybe you can use a seperate length of wire as i described above,i found that to work the best but its worth experimenting..