Which NAVTEX? Furuno?

[CodStewart]

I definitely want a NAVTEX on the boat. The Furuno appears to be popular.
Any other suggestions and from which UK supplier could I find one at the best price?

Ta very much in advance for your help.
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Deleted member 478]

What a waste of money when GRIBs are available. Plus Navtex is only reliable in the more civilised parts of the planet. All IMHO

 

[jonic]

Nasa clipper. Good value, easy to use and works well. Got an ICS nav 6 now and have to refer to the manual every time I try and use it.

 

[CodStewart]

Right. Time to do a search for GRIBs.
Ta Stingo.

 

[Deleted member 478]

p.s. Go and play on this site http://www.grib.us and download their free GRIB viewer.

There are other GRIB sources that don't use such large file sizes (i.e. SSB or SailMail friendly)

 

[CodStewart]

Ah, but it looks like you need wireless access to get the reports. Or am I just being typically stupid. This kind of stuff confuses me to bits.

 

[CodStewart]

"All that's required is to purchase the Ocens software (can be done online) and have an e-mail or Internet provider which supports TCP/IP connections. Products are downloaded on a pay-per-item basis, with most products costing from 15-cents US to 75-cents US"

Doesn't sound like something I can do. For a start, no credit card to pay for this kind of service.

Isn't NAVTEX free once you've paid for the receiver?

.

 

[Deleted member 478]

You need internet access of any description.

I have suggested this site so that you can learn to interpret GRIB weather reports while on dry land i.e. download the area you are currently in and compare the GRIB forecast to reality - easy eh?

Once you are afloat, SailMail's GRIBs are the way forward. You will need an SSB and a Pactor modem though.

 

[Birdseye]

Yes, navtex is free and is a worlwide system in English on the main frequency.

I have found NASA to be excellent. Like most electronics, if it works out of the box it generally ccontinues to do so and if it doesnt work out of the box you send it back. Tests in magazines have shown little if any difference in performance between cheap / cheerful and expensive, so being a Yorkshireman I go for the cheap. The only negative so far with NASA is that the taffrail aerial is easily broken at the mount, but just as easily repaired.

I know of no way of receiving grib files without internet access which at sea means satellite with all the costs that implies. On land / pontoon, there are many many weather and wind sites accessible by internet / wifi.

 

[CodStewart]

Thanks for the online advice, Stingo. Am clear now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, navtex is free and is a worlwide system

[/ QUOTE ]

For some definitions of worldwide!

Its usefulness will depend enormously on where you intend to sail.

 

[CodStewart]

Ah, so I do need wireless to get GRIBs. Hmm, I'm confused again.

 

[CodStewart]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, navtex is free and is a worlwide system

[/ QUOTE ]

For some definitions of worldwide!

Its usefulness will depend enormously on where you intend to sail.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mexico, South Pacific, South East Asia

 

[whipper_snapper]

I could not find a map showing world-wide coverage, but there must be one somewhere.

There is a list of stations and ranges here:
http://www.icselectronics.net/navtexdb518.php
and a description with some good links here
http://www.franksingleton.clara.net/navtex_2.html

Although most popular cruising areas are covered pretty well, there are lots and lots of holes in this coverage especially for the more adventurous.

 

[Koeketiene]

If you are going to have Navtex, the Furuno NX300 is the only one worth going for (IMHO of course).
Reception is very good, you get the option to "tune out" bits you don't want/need,...

When I got it I used to think it was the best thing since sliced bread, now my main gripe with Navtex is that at times you get conflicting forecasts covering the same area, so you're none the wiser.

A man with 1 watch knows the time - a man with 2 watches is never sure.

So now I tend to ignore it and go with gut feeling.

 

[david36]

Unless you plan to spend all your time in the South Pacific the advantages of having NAVTEX are really beyond dispute. Have other things as well but do have NAVTEX, preferably automatic dual frequency. INHO Furuno is by far the best for crusing - low drain, good reception, good at receiving data from other kit eg GPS, easy to use, reliable, solid construction - it is also cheaper than some but not as cheap as NASA. I wish I had bought one rather than the more expensive thing I did buy, but it was the only dual frequency one available at the time.

 

[whipper_snapper]

[ QUOTE ]
Unless you plan to spend all your time in the South Pacific the advantages of having NAVTEX are really beyond dispute.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or the W half of the Indian Ocean; there is nothing all the way up the E coast of Africa after Durban.

 

[purplerobbie]

If you have an SSB reciver and a laptop you can download synoptic weather charts via JVCOM free for charge.
Rob

 

[Shanty]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Unless you plan to spend all your time in the South Pacific the advantages of having NAVTEX are really beyond dispute.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or the W half of the Indian Ocean; there is nothing all the way up the E coast of Africa after Durban.

[/ QUOTE ]

Add the West Coast of Scotland to the list. Reception tends to be very patchy.

Even a small distance can make a big difference. A couple of years ago, we were on the visitor pontoon in Ardfern - perfect reception on my NASA Navtex. We were moved 50 yards along the pontoon - no reception.

I regard Navtex as a sometimes useful backup, rather than a primary source of weather information.

 

[CodStewart]

Great thread, guys. I think I'll get the SSB first and go from there. Most likely will go the way of the free download stuff. I intend to be based mostly in South East Asia eventually.