Koeketiene
Well-known member
Just wondering...
Who still has NAVTEX on their boat?
- Thread starter Koeketiene
- Start date
Boathook
Well-known member
Not to sure that I would buy one now, but when I got mine my mobile did phone calls and text only.
I still turn it on, the NAVTEX, as it is ready to use.
I still turn it on, the NAVTEX, as it is ready to use.
FWB
N/A
I still have the Nav6+ which was installed 20 years ago.
I removed the antenna when the mast was replaced but kept the unit since it repeats the instruments and keeps an electronic log.
I removed the antenna when the mast was replaced but kept the unit since it repeats the instruments and keeps an electronic log.
Roberto
Well-known member
Samesame, I would not buy it today but I have one and keep it on. In a few years time it will be phased out to the new Navdat system, I will keep the display as a repeater for gps data.
Concerto
Well-known member
When I bought Concerto, she was fitted with a Navtex printed on thermal paper. Been removed and stored in my workshop along with some spare rolls of paper.
srm
Well-known member
I had the software on the boat's laptop plus a small SSB reciever. However that laptop died a while ago so no longer, but then I had not used it in anger for many years. Navtex Weatherfax use and interpretation of charts was part of the MN met courses I ran before retiring, but that is a long while back now.
EDIT
Sorry was thinking of Weatherfax, still have the Furuno Navtex reciever over the chart table - it easily outperformed the cheaper Nasa models and in the western isles could be my sole source of weather info, but was (like VHF) a bit hit an miss in those waters with high land around.
EDIT
Sorry was thinking of Weatherfax, still have the Furuno Navtex reciever over the chart table - it easily outperformed the cheaper Nasa models and in the western isles could be my sole source of weather info, but was (like VHF) a bit hit an miss in those waters with high land around.
Last edited:
Never Grumble
Well-known member
I have navtex on my boat but it has never worked and I took the fuse out to stop it powering up. probably should remove it and have answered no to the poll
[2574]
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Yes. Wouldn’t be without it, many places without VHF or 4g on the West of Scotland.
srm
Well-known member
I had that problem with Nasa sets, they were OK in strong signal areas but soon gave up in weaker areas. During tests with all stations open to reception (before selling the Nasa) the Furuo was getting full messages from stations well outside the area while the Nasa was lucky to get one message from the local station.
westhinder
Well-known member
Navtex has been on the boat since new, but nowadays only gets looked at on longer passages out of reach of mobile signal, eg Biscay crossing. When you’re used to the abundance of weather info on the internet, Navtex is a poor substitute, but when it became available it was a bit of a breakthrough, nearly a thing of the past now.
dunedin
Well-known member
Almost nowhere on the West coast of Scotland where can’t get a weather forecast via the internet these days - providing got a few different mobile networks and prepared to check just before entry into any rock bound bay. Sailed to most Scottish islands on west coast (over 100 of HHS 106) so been to plenty of places. Even managed to get forecast on St Kilda when walking up to radio masts. (Canna is surprisingly bad, but just an excuse to sit at the Canna Cafe or shop for WiFi)
Had Navtex on previous boat but found generally unnecessary and never wanted for one on current boat for last 8 years. Presumably if no radio signal in bay Navtex won’t work either.
Stingo
Well-known member
Sadly, I'm boatless at the moment, but when I do buy another AWC, I won't be adding Navtex, hence the "No" vote.
[2574]
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We must sail to different locations!
dunedin
Well-known member
Possibly - but my West coast travels in last 2 years included mainland coast Mull of Kintyre to Kinlochbervie and as noted islands out to Hirta and west of Harris (indeed been to all HHS islands on West except the St Kilda stacks and 3 others). Also circa 40% of Antares anchorages so far. Haven’t been round Butt of Lewis yet though, or the northern Rona and ma lack signal at Rona.
Koeketiene
Well-known member
What spurred me to ask the question is this:
I Had NAVTEX on all my previous boats.
It was pretty much one of the first things to go on there, because apart from the forecast on the HM window and the shipping forecast, that was all there was.
Got the current boat 3 years ago now, and have done without as for local coastal sailing it wasn't really a requirement.
This Summer I was thinking I might head up to Ireland and take it from there.
Have been lead to believe that a mobile signal is not always available (particularly on the west coast of Ireland and parts of the Western Isles).
Thought an Iridium Go would be overkill (not to mention expensive), so I bought one of the NASA Bluetooth Naxtex thingies.
Fitted it this afternoon.
Some passers-by were wondering what I was doing. And much to my surprise, the large majority had no idea what Navtex was.
How times have changed.
I Had NAVTEX on all my previous boats.
It was pretty much one of the first things to go on there, because apart from the forecast on the HM window and the shipping forecast, that was all there was.
Got the current boat 3 years ago now, and have done without as for local coastal sailing it wasn't really a requirement.
This Summer I was thinking I might head up to Ireland and take it from there.
Have been lead to believe that a mobile signal is not always available (particularly on the west coast of Ireland and parts of the Western Isles).
Thought an Iridium Go would be overkill (not to mention expensive), so I bought one of the NASA Bluetooth Naxtex thingies.
Fitted it this afternoon.
Some passers-by were wondering what I was doing. And much to my surprise, the large majority had no idea what Navtex was.
How times have changed.
GHA
Well-known member
Nice to have one, though doesn´t get used much as it`s online.
Not for weather though, I´ve a nasa navtex engine linked to nav computer so easy to copy/paste lat long of firing ranges, survey vessels etc & paste into opencpn. Orca interactions down here in Portugal are being promulgated though navtex now as well so could be handy any from internet access
Not for weather though, I´ve a nasa navtex engine linked to nav computer so easy to copy/paste lat long of firing ranges, survey vessels etc & paste into opencpn. Orca interactions down here in Portugal are being promulgated though navtex now as well so could be handy any from internet access
Iliade
Well-known member
I bought a navtex that needed a new aerial. By the time the aerial had arrived a battery on the board had leaked and destroyed the unit, So I now have an aerial in need of a unit, or I'm looking for someone who needs an aerial for theirs...
DJE
Well-known member
Yes, an old Furuno set that came with the boat. But most of the time it is set to display the current Lat/Long position in big clear numbers - handy for filling in the log and just in case we need it next to the radio.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
I have the NASA Weatherman. Like most NASA stuff it is pretty useless. I rarely manage to get a consistent signal & NASA were no help when I rang for advice. One gets what one pays for I suppose. 
Roberto
Well-known member
Navtex was originally conceived to cover MSI maritime safety information over GMDSS Area A2, which is not really coastal, beyond vhf coverage but not mid ocean, say a few hundred nm radius, which is what most stations achieve; outside of mobile range anyway.
The UK has the advantage of having two frequencies with one language, so they use 490kHz for the inshore waters bulletin.
Other countries only broadcast the offshore bulletin (two languages for the two frequencies), ex Spain sends "Alta mar" bulletins via Navtex whereas VHF stations broadcast the coastal bulletins; it was the same in France but now the station has been "under repair" for months so I guess it will never broadcast again; they have begun talking about shift to NavDat.
From Brittany I can receive Niton, Coruna, Valentia, Malin Head (plus plenty of other stations at night, from Kaliningrad to Iceland to Turkey), I think it is an interesting source if making crossings say Biscay, Celtic/Irish sea etc.
The UK has the advantage of having two frequencies with one language, so they use 490kHz for the inshore waters bulletin.
Other countries only broadcast the offshore bulletin (two languages for the two frequencies), ex Spain sends "Alta mar" bulletins via Navtex whereas VHF stations broadcast the coastal bulletins; it was the same in France but now the station has been "under repair" for months so I guess it will never broadcast again; they have begun talking about shift to NavDat.
From Brittany I can receive Niton, Coruna, Valentia, Malin Head (plus plenty of other stations at night, from Kaliningrad to Iceland to Turkey), I think it is an interesting source if making crossings say Biscay, Celtic/Irish sea etc.
