Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 543
Loc: Canaries
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Should I be getting better weatherfax reception? Just been on passage for a week (positions here www.conachair.co.uk ) and I was only just getting reception, some days not at all. Using nasa target HF3 with active aerial on the radar arch at back of boat, jvcomm and turning everything I could think of off, fridge, laptop power, depthsounder. Northwood on 11086 seemed to give best resaults. Should I be getting better reception or is that just the way it is? Any tips?
Ta
PS I finally caught a fish  - anyone know what it is? http://www.conachair.co.uk/chapters/blog/pics/myfirstfish.jpg
(couldn't get photobucket to work this morning either!)
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phlim
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 648
Loc: Channel Islands
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Looking at your positions I guess you didn't get to Horta? Neither did I, got to Sta Maria and then Ponta Delgada, then back to Leixoes and on to Camaret. Was a crazy 5 weeks, I'm knackered - did you get that N 7/8?
Anyway, WFax reception for me was iffy on these legs. Occasionally Marshfield (Boston), sometimes Offenbach. Northwood I found poor, I think their power is really low, relatively (was OK in Biscay but then I had Radio 4 anyway). Ended up relying on the DWD rtty forcasts which receive easily and give a good synopsis. On 10101 Mhz at about 2200 UTC (there are 3 sets broadcast spanning Murmansk to Canaries AFAIR), but not midatlantic - still synopsis is useful. Also Radio France spoken broadcast AM on 15365 Mhz at 1140 UTC - in French but again a good synopsis and all the N Atlantic. I need to record it though as I can't translate quickly enough!
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Rgds
Phil
Dream as if you'll live forever..
Live as if you'll die today..
James Dean
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phlim
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 648
Loc: Channel Islands
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Oh yes, I only use the backstay and I turn off all the noise as you do.
Good fish - dunno what though, we caught FA in 2250 miles..
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Rgds
Phil
Dream as if you'll live forever..
Live as if you'll die today..
James Dean
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 543
Loc: Canaries
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Quote:
Looking at your positions I guess you didn't get to Horta?
Nope! Don't have much engine power and no autopilot (motoring anyway, aries is constantly fantastic even with just a little wind) so gave up and headed for Madeira. nice here, Calheta, really good marina. Wasn't near the N7, quite the opposite, no wind. But will have another go at azores in a few days. Had probs recieving navtex as well, though suspect his might be due to interference from fridge. Might try boston this time. Or just forget it and take what comes
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 543
Loc: Canaries
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Quote:
Ended up relying on the DWD rtty forcasts which receive easily and give a good synopsis. On 10101 Mhz at about 2200 UTC
What did you use to recieve these? I've got jvcomm but not sure what settings o use for rtty, only used it for weatherfax.
Well done on trip north but be careful, a bloke in a bar told me if you go too far north you fall of the edge of the world or freeze or something.
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phlim
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 648
Loc: Channel Islands
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I've given up on Navtex - though have received it occasionally on Target receiver. My NASA navtex is useless - have changed set, aerials etc and even tried it on the pontoon and still no joy unless I'm within sight of Niton. Ah well. Good luck with your next leg. New marina in Sta Maria by the way. Vila do Porto, Sta Maria
They are keen to get people there and are very helpful (even the police) except the port captain who levies a re-fuelling tax (unless you're desperate don't re-fuel there - it involves a trailer and a hosepipe...). Anyway, I know you're an anchorman anyway, but if you're getting tired it's a quiet place to stop. Have a good trip. IMHO ignore the negative noise about Horta, I found Peter's cafe very atmospheric, and the service was OK. Enjoy
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Rgds
Phil
Dream as if you'll live forever..
Live as if you'll die today..
James Dean
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 543
Loc: Canaries
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Thanks for the link, looks worth a visit and knocks 1/2 day off the passage.
Navtex reception seems random, navtex pro linked to pc will recieve sweden, estonia, iceland amongst others but won't always get a forecast. Suspect the fridge may be on when forecast being transmitted, but one needs a cold beer at sundown
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beserksail
regular
Reged: 15/08/2007
Posts: 71
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What is it about the fridge that affects navtex.
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 543
Loc: Canaries
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Quote:
What is it about the fridge that affects navtex.
When it kicks in i can hear loads of inteference on the ssb radio, presumably navtex has the same.
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beserksail
regular
Reged: 15/08/2007
Posts: 71
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I have a keel cooler bronze plate job from penquin and it never seemed to affect navtex or vhf and I only lost navtex reception after rounding Finnistere, am now in Vigo and still no navtex so put it down to bad reception. Interesting though.
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