Weatherfax, ICOM-725, JVComm and a USB connector.

O

Obi

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Jun 2009
Messages
743
Location
Landlocked temporarily.
Visit site
Im new to this, and wow, I am ****ng thick.

Can anyone offer me a "quick start" solution please?

Ive JVComm32 + Win7, a HF ICOM IC-725, a USB connection from the back of the 725 into my laptop because thats what we do these days - USB, not serial.

Ive looked at the help pdf and getting started, there is no talk of how to setup the USB.

First problem.

I have a connection from the back of my ICOM 725 that connects to USB. In the JVComm32 window, what do I set my interface setting to be? There is sound card or PTC, if I select sound card then I cannot specify a port number. If I select PTC, then what?

Incidentally I know "virtual" com ports are assigned when devices are plugged in. For instance sometimes my GPS USB connector is on COM4 and sometimes COM3. When I first plugged the ICOM into the USB it said COM5, but whether that has changed since I do not know, nor can I seem to find out how to indentify what COM port the ICOM is now conencted on.

So far my advice to anyone wanting to get involved with this, would buy your own met station and employ a team of metreologists to live on your boat with you. Or simpler still, just call god and ask him what the weather will do. Finding Gods telephone number has GOT to be easier than this.

Then, when I get that working, can anyone suggest where to connect my HF to? Its currently sat on FM 11.086.50 which is what my weather fax book tells me is the GYA UK frequency in MHz.

Anyone help? Please?

Thanks
Mark
 
Ive abandoned the USB method for now, and am just going to go via the headphones out put on the ICOM to the mic input on the laptop.

Still to try and find a broadcast now.
 
May not be of too much help, but have just put a receiver headphone output into a microphone input on netbook, and using JVComm32 to recieve watherfax ok. Didn't need to change any of the default settings.

Frequencies - 4610 and 8040kHz for 24 hour (North Atlantic). 2618.5 (2000 to 0600) and 11086.5 (0600 to 2000).

Details in Reeds.
 
Com Port

If you connect up and go into laptop Control Panel, Device Manager & scroll down the tree, you should be able to see whether a port has been allocated to the ICOM connection & if so, what.
 
Hi PyeEnd,
so Ive set my ICOM to USB (band) 11.086.50 and it also says VFO B SPLIT

All Im picking up presently is just some low level back ground white noise.

RobBrown, yes, I tried that, initially a few minutes after I first plugged my ICOM in it registered a serial device on COM5, but I cant see anything in device manager.

On a seperate note, the GPS dongle is there under ports, on COM3. So I can see that fine. But nothing for the HF ICOM.

Mark
 
Try the 4610 - I was on it the other day and it was not far off continuous.

Alamanc gives charts at 1436, 1500, 1548, 1600, 1612. Should see you through the afternoon!

Just pulled up the frequency and there is currently some pips and squeeks, but no chart currently transmitted.
 
Obi said:
Im new to this, and wow, I am ****ng thick.

Can anyone offer me a "quick start" solution please?

Ive JVComm32 + Win7, a HF ICOM IC-725, a USB connection from the back of the 725 into my laptop because thats what we do these days - USB, not serial.

Ive looked at the help pdf and getting started, there is no talk of how to setup the USB.

First problem.

I have a connection from the back of my ICOM 725 that connects to USB. In the JVComm32 window, what do I set my interface setting to be? There is sound card or PTC, if I select sound card then I cannot specify a port number. If I select PTC, then what?

Incidentally I know "virtual" com ports are assigned when devices are plugged in. For instance sometimes my GPS USB connector is on COM4 and sometimes COM3. When I first plugged the ICOM into the USB it said COM5, but whether that has changed since I do not know, nor can I seem to find out how to indentify what COM port the ICOM is now conencted on.

So far my advice to anyone wanting to get involved with this, would buy your own met station and employ a team of metreologists to live on your boat with you. Or simpler still, just call god and ask him what the weather will do. Finding Gods telephone number has GOT to be easier than this.

Then, when I get that working, can anyone suggest where to connect my HF to? Its currently sat on FM 11.086.50 which is what my weather fax book tells me is the GYA UK frequency in MHz.

Anyone help? Please?

Thanks
Mark
Click to expand...


I am not sure why you went the USB route as JVFAX uses the sound card hence you connect the line/data output of the radio to the line input of the laptop. This is the output used for things like pactor navtex and packet radio.
You can also use a speaker from the radio placed near the computer mike. This wont work so well.

If you have the equivelant of shift and width control on a Yaesu then the reception can be improved using this. The versions of JV I have used do not use the USB or serial port.

On some radios you get a cleaner output
 
OK, Im sitting on USB 4.610.00 hoping for something.

Maybe its an aerial problem, Ive mooched around the frequencies and cant really find anything other than very feint distant voices and lots and lots of constant hiss/static/white noise.

For instance this llink states that BBC world service was on from 8-5pm on 6195.00

http://hfradio.org/english/

I thnk I treid both USB and AM for that and couldnt find anything.

Probably time to do a course, or get someone on board who knows a thing or two.

Mark
 
Whereabouts are you on the south coast? As a founder member of the amateur radio RIG (Remote Imaging Group), I might be able to advise.

Give me a call if you like, my phone numbers are freely available.

You could have a number of faults which might need addressing before you can safisfactorally 'see' WeFax images. :rolleyes:
 
Obi said:
OK, Im sitting on USB 4.610.00 hoping for something.

Maybe its an aerial problem, Ive mooched around the frequencies and cant really find anything other than very feint distant voices and lots and lots of constant hiss/static/white noise.

For instance this llink states that BBC world service was on from 8-5pm on 6195.00

http://hfradio.org/english/

I thnk I treid both USB and AM for that and couldnt find anything.

Probably time to do a course, or get someone on board who knows a thing or two.

Mark
Click to expand...


Here are a few frequencies.....

http://www.yachtcom.info/Weather.htm


Please note that as you are using a ham radio which indicates the frequency of the removed carrier you need to tune the radio to a slightly different frequency as data coms use the ACTUAL frequency ie 4610 you tune 4608 .


JoHn
 
Obi said:
OK, Im sitting on USB 4.610.00 hoping for something.

Maybe its an aerial problem, Ive mooched around the frequencies and cant really find anything other than very feint distant voices and lots and lots of constant hiss/static/white noise.

For instance this llink states that BBC world service was on from 8-5pm on 6195.00

http://hfradio.org/english/

I thnk I treid both USB and AM for that and couldnt find anything.

Probably time to do a course, or get someone on board who knows a thing or two.

Mark
Click to expand...


Just to double check, is that frequency 4610kHz, ie 4,610.00Hz? USB correct. Do you know what sort of noise you should be listening for?

Just had a listen and it is going at the moment. I am just using a 4ft arial with a cheap reciever and am picking it up ok.
 
Pye_End said:
Just to double check, is that frequency 4610kHz, ie 4,610.00Hz? USB correct. Do you know what sort of noise you should be listening for?

Just had a listen and it is going at the moment. I am just using a 4ft arial with a cheap reciever and am picking it up ok.
Click to expand...

There are a sequence of different tones for each fax initially an alternating sound between high and low tone...then a fixed tone for a few seconds then the rasping noise of fax being sent....if a ham radio tun to 4608 then fine tune using the JV tuning guide on the computer to get the narrowest vertical trace with the skirt as small and as low as possible. This is achieved on a Yaesu using shift and width filtering of the USB signal.

The purpose of the sequence is to automatically start the fax machine and line the fax up to mid page. The end tome switches on the printer.

If Propagation is poor then you might have difficulties unless using a very good antenna.
 
Obi said:
. . . . Probably time to do a course, or get someone on board who knows a thing or two.
Click to expand...

Mark, thanks for the call. Let me know how you get on with the signals on USB.

I think I make a very good imitation of a wefax signal? :D

This is a link for the 137MHz FM Wefax Recievers, there are others:

http://www.hamtronics.com/r139.htm

Worth thinking about as it will not tie your HF SSB Rx up doing mundane work and being FM, is far easier to 'tune in' to the signals from space. :rolleyes:
 
Yes I am in port, a million aerials, radars, navy, port operations, ufos and aliens here to interfere.

Ive started to be able to hear somethign that sounds fax like, although I suspect there is a lot of interference as mentioned by you all.

Just been talking to Dave/lenseman from DSWMarineEngineering, apparently even the computer iteself can cause significant interference.

Sorry, still figuring out things like "what kind of aerial" is in situ. Its too cold to go out there right now :-)

Since unplugging the laptop from the power supply and turning things off, the signal I could hear from the laptop was more fax like, but still not getting a clear picture (Attached).

Ill see about one of these high pass filters, and spend some more time with the SSB radio on and nothing else.

Otherwise it might be up for sale.

Mark
 
Last edited:
Obi said:
Yes I am in port, a million aerials, radars, navy, port operations, ufos and aliens here to interfere.

Ive started to be able to hear somethign that sounds fax like, although I suspect there is a lot of interference as mentioned by you all.

Just been talking to Dave/lenseman from DSWMarineEngineering, apparently even the computer iteself can cause significant interference.

Sorry, still figuring out things like "what kind of aerial" is in situ. Its too cold to go out there right now :-)

Since unplugging the laptop from the power supply and turning things off, the signal I could hear from the laptop was more fax like, but still not getting a clear picture (Attached).




Ill see about one of these high pass filters, and spend some more time with the SSB radio on and nothing else.

Otherwise it might be up for sale.

Mark
Click to expand...



YOur picture shows that you are not synchronised but you are receiving the synchro signals.

Once you are getting a good signal and those sprocket holes are down the sides then you are ready for lesson 2

you can line up the fax by putting the cursor to top left or top right of fax screen and clicking. This will drag picture left and right. It does this automaticaly once running.

Unless you are very very very lucky you will not get a recognisable picture first time due to scanning errors and you will have to tweek your JV using a tools setting.. This is described in the help pages...

Can you move the lap top further away from the radio....I put mine about 6 ft away.
 
Mark, regarding the 137MHz WeFax signals I spoke to you about on the phone, I have found a link to an Australian guy who has done a 4 minute video on YouTube of these satellite signals:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88bXnBab3ZE

Bear in mind, he is using a hand held tranceiver plus coat hangers and the signal is being received from an overhead NOAA satellite pass, the received signal is full strength in his reciever [30dBs over 9]! No QRM, no fading! :)

The NOAA Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites do polar orbits (south to north) about once every 93 minutes and rely on the rotation of the earth to make sure that on its next pass, the earth will have rotated and therefore a different area is being scanned. There is always an overhead pass at least once or more in any 24 hour period. I am not currently up to speed as to which NOAA LEO birds are flying and talking? :rolleyes:

See here:

http://www.oso.noaa.gov/history/first-launched.htm

'Similar' 137MHz transceivers (not Icom as in the YouTube video) are for sale on e-Bay for about £86 from Hong Kong or other ham rado shops or you can purchase a dedicated 137MHz FM WeFax receiver which is what I would do personally. The 137MHz FM band is not subject to the same vagaries as is the HF SSB bands and far 'cleaner' and easier to work with in terms of signal reception.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Yaesu-VX-170-...equipment/R2ZX_weather_satellite_receiver.php

http://www.elektor.com/news/new-receiver-for-weather-satellite-images-in-the.5111.lynkx

http://www.hamtronics.com/r139.htm

I hope this helps?

73 de G6UXD/MM
 
Bilgediver said:
YOur picture shows that you are not synchronised but you are receiving the synchro signals.

Once you are getting a good signal and those sprocket holes are down the sides then you are ready for lesson 2

you can line up the fax by putting the cursor to top left or top right of fax screen and clicking. This will drag picture left and right. It does this automaticaly once running.

Unless you are very very very lucky you will not get a recognisable picture first time due to scanning errors and you will have to tweek your JV using a tools setting.. This is described in the help pages...

Can you move the lap top further away from the radio....I put mine about 6 ft away.
Click to expand...

I agree he is apparently receiving and it is as you say out of synch but the sprocket holes are in fact the word 'demo' printed at intervals over the page because it is an unregistered trial version of JVComms. The help files should say how to get in synch and as you say it will take a few goes to get it right.
 
This all sounds very reassuring - and thank you everyone, I am extremely grateul for all the help and support.

I think I can extend my cable to move my laptop away from the radio, Ill give this a go next chance I get.

Mark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top