weatherfax

[mrbill]

Anyone have any experience receiving weatherfax with small SW receivers, like the Grundig E5 connected to your laptop computer and running software like JVComm32?

[maxiSwede]

On an oldish laptop I bought from a returning circumnavigator, I have M-scan as software. I have tried a couple of times to recieve w.fax from an SSB reciever. Works fine. I run a cable from the reciever's head-phone socket to the mic-socket in the laptop.

I've only been caoastal so  I haven't really needed to use it, but it should work, and on the cheap too, which is nice  ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Swede-

You might want to run it into the line-in port, if the laptop has one.  The Mic port may be set for the wrong signal level for it come in clearly.

[mrbill]

OK, the reason I ask is that I have a Grundig E5 which is billed as a sw receiver capable of receiving weatherfax. But I can't find any weatherfax transmissions on the SSB frequencies that they are supposed to be on. For that matter I can't pull in ANY sw signals...voice, morse...nothing but static on all frequencies.

Is this an antenna problem...or is it just a piece of junk?

[Auspicious]

I'd start with the antenna. What are you using?

[mrbill]

the built-in extendable antenna with a clip-on long wire  that extends up to 20 feet

[maxiSwede]

Adrift -

I guess that is what I am actually doing. Mixing up things computer- and language-wise here, sorry  ;)

[Auspicious]

Mr. Bill --

You should be getting something. Where are you located (marina, home, what?) and how are you powering the radio?

What city are you located nearest?

I'm sure we can readily come up with a triage plan to figure out your problem. It should work.

[mrbill]

Right now I'm doing this from home, about 45 miles inland from Boston. There is a weatherfax tranmission from Boston. However, even on a recent trip to Boston Harbor area I didn't get anything. I'm powering  off the wall socket for  now, not batteries

[Godot]

I have a similar radio, I think (it's a Grundig in any case, can't remember the model as I haven't unpacked it from my move so haven't seen it in awhile).

I once noticed that reception is seriously degraded when I use it in a brick building.  This surprised me; but when I took the silly little wire antenna and ran it out the window I was able to hear Herb and other chatter.

[Lynx]

To go off topic a bit, I have the new Garmin 440x and have the MX weather and it received quite well for $ 30 per month. I am in Hopt Town now and I can get coastal forcast from anywhere as well as where the fronts are and big rain showers.

[Auspicious]

Try improving your antenna.  A long wire out the window is a good start.