Skip Gundlach wrote:
The software I've been using is SeaTTY. It's a free download at:
http://www.dxsoft.com/seatty.htm
They ask for a $35 registration fee if you like the software. Which I plan
on doing. There are other sources for software (and hardware) listed on the
main NOAA site.
I think you could use any receiver that can receive Single Side Band
broadcasts. A fancy Ham rig is not needed. Note: for about $250 you can buy
a dedicated "WeatherFax" receiver that will connect to your computer, or
even direct to a printer and eliminate some hardware. For non Hams and
boaters who don't have Marine SSB aboard, a "YachtBoy" SSB portable
receiver, with a good external antenna would probably do the job, .
Listees, this is very timely for me, as we're just about to get our HF
radio gear, going with the Icom M-802 and the MMSI antenna. We already have
a satellite picture capture hardware setup - which allows us to see ~1/hour
45* downlook picture from a satellite overhead. That, of course, will give
us a very good representation of what's around us, covering lots of ground.
However, there's no intelligence along with that - just a great ability to
(if we record them) make a visual track of what any particular weather
system is doing.
For intelligence, our supplier, Steve Bowden, of Sea Tech Systems, has
recommended Xaxero WeatherFax 2000 - USB, a dedicated program. No doubt
there are lots of bells and whistles in this $199 program - but not having
used any, let alone this and the referred one, I can't speak to the merits
of either.
Is there anyone here who's used the Xax, and can give me a reason to spend
that vs the shareware Mike recommends?
I have a similar lashup on my own boat for weather fax. I use a Sony
2010 with a headphone wire to the mike input on my laptop and the SeaTTY
software. I don't use any external antenna, just the attached whip and
I can pull in either Hawaii or Alaska at different times of day. The
fax picture is clear and can be drawn on etc on the computer screen.
The whole works can be set up to work automatically so you don't have to
get up to copy the weather. I can also copy NAVTEX and teletype with
the same software.
On the tall ship I command, I use a dedicated Furuno wefax machine and
it is not nearly as easy. First of all I have no graphic of the signal
and tuning the receiver is always a challenge. It runs through a
complicated antenna system as well. When it is set to automatic I
sometimes find it has gone through reams of paper with a lousy signal
wasting expensive paper that is always in short supply at sea. In order
that I don't have to rely on this system I am connecting my HF radio
onboard to a laptop so I can have a similar setup as in my own boat.
The SeaTTY software is a thing of beauty.
The trick is the radio. You have to have a decent SW radio capable of
SSB. The Sony 2010 is ideal.
Gaz