518 kHz NAVTEX

[ChrisSmolinski]

I ran MultiMode (http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/cw-rtty-sstv-fax-psk31-packet-decoding-software.html) last night, and logged the following NAVTEX stations. Not too impressive, but maybe I'll pick up some new ones once we get into winter. I also want to try to log some of the 490 kHz transmissions.

A Miami, FL
B Bermuda
C Sept-Îles - Rivière-au-Renard, QC
F Boston, MA
G New Orleans, LA
N Chesapeake, VA
P Thunder Bay, ON
R San Juan, PR
U Saint John, NB (NS)

There is an excellent list of NAVTEX stations and schedules here: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/navtex.htm

[DavidB]

What kind of computer do you have? If it's a PC running Windows, you might want to check out MULTIPSK: http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm

You can download a free (i.e. not nag-ware) version of MULTIPSK that can decode SITOR-B (aka AMTOR-FEC). I tried Multimode and found it to be less than user-friendly. The pay version of MULTIPSK has even more features yet and still costs less than Multimode.

My favorite sound card modem software is Fldigi (very well-designed, so intuitive that I didn't have to read the manual to use it, runs on Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux natively), but alas it can't grok SITOR. Having a Mac, Fldigi is still choice number one for me, but if I want to decode a SITOR transmission, I fire up Virtual Box and launch MULTIPSK.

[paranoid dxer]

caught this --

E E T EEE E E E
26N80W THU NING...FROM 28N65W TO CENTRAL CUBA FRI

MORNING...THEN WEAKEN AND MOVE E OF AREA SAT. HIGH PRES
WILL BUILD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT ANDCONTINUE MOVING E
ENABLING A SECONDCOLD FRONT TO MOVE OFF THE FL COAST SUN
NIGHT. THE FRONT WILL REACH FROM 31N77W TO W CUBA EARLY
MON...AND FROM 31N75W TO CENTRAL CUBA MON NIGHT.

SW N ATLC S OF 31N W OF 65W INCLUDING BAHAMAS
.TONIGHT...WINDS BECOMING NW TO N 20 TO 25 KT W OF FRONT. SEAS

6 TO 9 FT. N OF 28N E OF FRONT SW TO W WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS

5 TO 7 FT. ELSEWHERE N OF 26N SW TO W WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS

5 TO 6 FT. S OF 26N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT

EXCEPTP1 TO 3 FT W OF BAHAMAS. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT.

.THU AND THU NIGHT...NW OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT
SHIFTING NE LATE. SEAS BUILDING TO 8 TO 11 FT IN N SWELL. N OF

27N E OF FRONT SW TO W WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. S OF

27N N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT EXCEPT 2 59 4 !5

2 9! ?-#-.-'. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT.
.FRI AND FRI NIGHT...N OF 29N WKOF 7572 ,3 59 3 28,'' '15 TO 20

KT SHIFTING E TO SE NW PART. S AS 5 TO 8 FT IN NE SWSLL.
ELSEWHERE NW OF FRONT NE W NDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 111 !5 8,

.8/3$ , -,$ ,3 '23)) 3/:305 3 TO 5 FT W OF BAHAMAS. SE OF
FRONT NE W NDS 10 O  5_ (5. (-'   TO 6 FT IN NE SWELL.
.'-5...N OFO 72, 2 9! !75W NE TOT E WINDS  0 TO 15 K KM S AS 7 TO

0 FT IN NE SWELLJM ELSEWHERE N OF _242, ,  282$' 15TO OWP K . _
SEAS 8 T   21 !  8,8,!5 8, )33 9!
?-#-.-'. S OF 2N NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. S AS ST TO 8 F  IN

,3 '23)). ..7,...E OF 2W NE TO E WINDS 15 TO OWP KT. SEAS S  TO

10 FT IN NE SWELL. W OF 72W E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20
KT...BECOMING NW 20 TO 25 KT BEHIND FRONT SUN NIGHT. SEAS 6 TO

8 FT IN NE SWELL E OF BAHAMAS...ANZ 3 TO 5 FT W OF BAHAMAS.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT_M
.MON...W OF FRONT W TO NW WINDS 20 O 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO
 
TO 10 FT N AND E OF BAHAMAS...3 TO   FT W OF BAHAMAS. N OF 26N

E OF FRONT SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT. S OF 26N

E OF FRONT SE TO O WINIS 15 TO OWP KT. SESS 6YTO   FT.

CATTTTED_SHOWEWS A D TSTMS ALONO FRONT.

$$$



,,,,,_
?4(4
2__+___2+_+: :3_
:!'*7

:9-'5-) 2-5343 !:'5

2, '-' * -, 04 2=
$ ,9= 23 2011

P AND U.S. VI WATERS

AMZ700-241515-
1008 M A A D  OV 23 2011

.SYNOPSIS FOR PR AND DHE U.S. VI WATERS...
A MOD TRADE WIND FLOW WILL PREVAIL THRU THE END OF THE
WEEK. NE SWELLS WILL CONT TO SUBSIDE TONIGHT. A NEW
GROUP OF N SWELLS IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE INTO OUR AREA ON
SUN.

$$

AMZ710-241515-
ATLC WATERS OF PR AND USVI FROM 10NM TO 19.5N-
1008 PM AST WED NOV 23 2011

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...

.REST OF TONIGHT...EAST NE WINDS 12 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO
6 FT IN NE SWELLS. ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY...EAST WINDS 11 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 6 FT. ISOLATED

SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...EAST NE WINDS 10 TO 14 KT. SEAS 5 TO
6 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY...EAST NE WINDS 10 TO 14 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
ISOSOWMJDZ0PYPYGMGII__
.FRIDAY NIGHT...EAST NE WINDS 11 TO 16 KT. SEAS 4 TO
5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY...EAST NE WINDS 12 TO 17 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT.
SCATTERED SHOWERS...THEN ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST WINDS 13 TO 17 KT. SEAS 7 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS.

.MONDAY...EAST WINDS 12 TO 17 KT. SEAS 7 FT. ISOLATED SHOWERS.


$$

AMZ712-241515-
COASTAL WATERS OF NRN PR OUT 10 NM-
1008 PM AST WED NOV 23 2011

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXE__

ZCZC PZ57
240630UTC
NO MESSAGE ON HAND
NNNN

____ Y\LLDHLQFGPQX__O 14 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY...EAST NE WINDS 9 TO 14 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT.
SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY...EAST NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 6 TO 7 FT. SCATAERED
SHOWERS.
.MONDAY...EAST WINDS 8 TO 13 KT. SEAS 6 TO 7 FT. ISOLATED
SHOWERS.

$$

AMZ715-241515-
COASTAL WATERS OF NRN USVI ANDCULEBRA OUT 10 NM.
10080 0. -'5 23$ ,9= 23 2011

...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...

.REST OF TONIGHT...EAST NE WINDS 13 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO
6 FT IN NE SWELLS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY...EAST WINDS 12 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. SCATTERED

SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...EAST NE WINDS 8 TO 12 KT. SEAS 3 TO
5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY...EAST WINDS 8 TO 13 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. ISOLATED
SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 8 TO 13 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY...EAST NE WINDS 12 TO 17 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT.
SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED
SHOWERS.
.MONDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAE 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED
SHOWERS...THTN ISOLATED SHOWERS.

$$$

-.+722-241515-
ANEGADA PASSAGE SOUTHWARD TO 17N-
1008 PM AST WED NOV 23 20111

...SMALA CRAFT THOULU EXERCISE CAUTION...

.REST OF TONIGHT...EAST WINDS 13 TO 1 KT. SEAS 5 TO 6 FT IN

N N  SWELLS. ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY...EAST WINDS 12 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. ISOLATED

SHOWERS.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 9 TO 14 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.FRIDAD...EAST WINDS 9 TO 12 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. ISOLATED
SHOWERS.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 10 TO 1 KT. SEAS 4 FT. SCATTERED

SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY...EAST NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT.
ISOLATED SHOWERS...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST WINDS 13 TO 15 KT. EAS 5 TO 7 !5. SCATTERED
SHOWERS.
.MONDAY...EAST WINDS 14 TO 16 KT. SEAS 5 TO 6 FT. SCATTERED
SHOWERS...THEN ISOLATED SHOWERS.

$$

AMZ725-241515-
COASAAL WATERS OF SRN USVI VIEQUES AND E E N  OUT
1 NM-
__02.+
.
70K07    _MI__
...SMALL C AFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION..

[rchateauneu]

What kind of computer do you have? If it's a PC running Windows, you might want to check out MULTIPSK: http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm

You can download a free (i.e. not nag-ware) version of MULTIPSK that can decode SITOR-B (aka AMTOR-FEC). I tried Multimode and found it to be less than user-friendly. The pay version of MULTIPSK has even more features yet and still costs less than Multimode.

My favorite sound card modem software is Fldigi (very well-designed, so intuitive that I didn't have to read the manual to use it, runs on Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux natively), but alas it can't grok SITOR. Having a Mac, Fldigi is still choice number one for me, but if I want to decode a SITOR transmission, I fire up Virtual Box and launch MULTIPSK.

Now fldigi can decode and encode SitorB and Navtex messages, since version 3.21.50 . More explamations are available here:

http://www.w1hkj.com/FldigiHelp-3.21/Navtex.html

[BOR]

I ran MultiMode (http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/cw-rtty-sstv-fax-psk31-packet-decoding-software.html) last night, and logged the following NAVTEX stations. Not too impressive, but maybe I'll pick up some new ones once we get into winter. I also want to try to log some of the 490 kHz transmissions.

A Miami, FL
B Bermuda
C Sept-Îles - Rivière-au-Renard, QC
F Boston, MA
G New Orleans, LA
N Chesapeake, VA
P Thunder Bay, ON
R San Juan, PR
U Saint John, NB (NS)

There is an excellent list of NAVTEX stations and schedules here: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/navtex.htm

That's a pretty good haul for one night's monitoring. Of the stations listed, I've only managed to receive New Orleans from my qth on the west coast. However, I am able to hear Navtex stations from Kodiak, Alaska to San Francisco as well as Honolulu and Japen. It's fun to just let it run and see what you've got in the morning....BOR

[ChrisSmolinski]

Yes, I need to try doing that again this fall. I also want to try the foreign language frequency (490 kHz?) and see what I can pick up there. I don't think I have ever heard anything. Likewise I'd like to pick up something from Europe or Asia.