which navtex frequency

[ErikKiekens]

Guys,
when following the UK coastline is it best to program the NAVTEX international 518kHz or local 490 kHz frequency?
Main interest, of course, is wheather info
Erik the happy sailorman

 

[skip50]

International gives you the Met Office shipping forecast plus navigation warnings etc, National gives you the Inshore Waters Forecast (also Met Office) plus some actual weather reports.

Personally, when coastal sailing I keep on National, Cross channel etc International. But I have only got the NASA Navtex 3 which you have to switch manually between frequencies.

HTH

 

[ErikKiekens]

Thanks
I have the Clipper Navtex like most of us; it has hardly a user manual and not only do you have to switch manually; you also have to re-program the message types you want to receive.

 

[Koeketiene]

Guys,
when following the UK coastline is it best to program the NAVTEX international 518kHz or local 490 kHz frequency?
Main interest, of course, is wheather info
Erik the happy sailorman

For coastal cruising in the Channel/North Sea area 490kHz is by far the most useful.

 

[[10753]]

Message ID's are the same for both 490 and 518. I tend to select ABDEJKLV for both. If you make a note of the all the times you can swap between stations to get all the weather reports. If you want to make you sure you get the most reports then for UK coast 490 is the best option.

 

[testmonkey]

For Navtex transmission times in the UK just refer to page 439 of this document http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ois/Operational_Information/VolumeD/VolumeD.pdf

MSI 490 kHz
MSI [G] 518 kHz

Broadcast Times Frequency ID Contents of Broadcast
0720, 1920 Inshore Waters 24-hour forecast, 24 hour outlook, wind, weather, visibility and sea state for areas:
1-6 and 17.
0100, 0500, 0900, 1300, 1700, 2100 [G] Navigational warnings: Coastal navigational warnings for Areas 1-5.
Navarea I Warnings are included at 0500 and 1700.
0100 [G] Extended outlook daily, signalling expected hazards (gales and/or extensive sea fog) for a further
two or three days, for the North Sea and Eastern English Channel.
0900, 2100 [G] Shipping forcast: General Synopsis. 24-hour forecasts and 24 hour outlook (hazards) for Viking,
Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Humber, Thames and Fair Isle.

 

[Bilgediver]

Guys,
when following the UK coastline is it best to program the NAVTEX international 518kHz or local 490 kHz frequency?
Main interest, of course, is wheather info
Erik the happy sailorman

Is anyone not receiving either or both of UK frequencies at present. I am pretty sure I heard a coastguard announcement saying problems would be experienced for some months on both frequencies and affecting all UK transmitters ???

 

[DipperToo]

Is anyone not receiving either or both of UK frequencies at present. I am pretty sure I heard a coastguard announcement saying problems would be experienced for some months on both frequencies and affecting all UK transmitters ???

Yes - out until the end of the month I believe..... I can receive ostend transmissions with no problem so navtex receiver must be OK!

 

[Elemental]

Yes - out until the end of the month I believe..... I can receive ostend transmissions with no problem so navtex receiver must be OK!

Hmmm, I'm Shotley based too and I also only receive Ostende transmissions. I was wondering whether Shotley is in a reception shadow though...

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Only getting Ostende up in Woodbridge at the moment.