I have a 1997 430 and I want to add a SSB and weather fax program for a lap top computer. What type of SSB are people installing, what is your experience with weather over the SSB? What software is being used to accept the information and what type of printer is best? Also anyone have hardware regrets ie speed memory durability in the marine environment?
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Ed Schenck
Not sure, but. . . .
it's a question that needs an answer. Over the years here on HOW I have seen the question asked and answered. But it has been awhile and the technology changes so fast. The Related Link is a place I go whenever I think it is time to spend the money. Most replies here on HOW encourage us to go with a HAM setup since the Tech license is so easy to get now. My own plan has been to go to an AES store and buy a decent used HAM transceiver, probably a Yaesu. I am hoping they will recommend a weatherfax hookup. There is always the HAM to PC connection and then view the weatherfax. Do we need a print capability? Don't know. Will the PC survive the environment? And for how long? Don't know that either.
it's a question that needs an answer. Over the years here on HOW I have seen the question asked and answered. But it has been awhile and the technology changes so fast. The Related Link is a place I go whenever I think it is time to spend the money. Most replies here on HOW encourage us to go with a HAM setup since the Tech license is so easy to get now. My own plan has been to go to an AES store and buy a decent used HAM transceiver, probably a Yaesu. I am hoping they will recommend a weatherfax hookup. There is always the HAM to PC connection and then view the weatherfax. Do we need a print capability? Don't know. Will the PC survive the environment? And for how long? Don't know that either.
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Mike DiMario
Info on Ham etc
Monty, I have a marina neighbor and good friend who started in this business a couple of years ago. He has written articles and is himself an ameteur HAM operator. He has gone through more equipment in testing these contracptions out than any other man could possibley. I am putting a link to his site. He will happy to help you out with any recommendations you may need. His email address is on the site and he welcomes questions and loves his work. His name is Tim Hasson, contact him, he is a great guy. Mike D
Monty, I have a marina neighbor and good friend who started in this business a couple of years ago. He has written articles and is himself an ameteur HAM operator. He has gone through more equipment in testing these contracptions out than any other man could possibley. I am putting a link to his site. He will happy to help you out with any recommendations you may need. His email address is on the site and he welcomes questions and loves his work. His name is Tim Hasson, contact him, he is a great guy. Mike D
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Scott
Have Yaesu with laptop
We are currently cruising the Bahamas and in fitting out we spent alot of money installing a HAM radio Yaeso FT100. We have software to get weather faxes and rtty weather. We have not used it much as the quality of the image stinks and you need to turn on the machine and tune it at the right time. We do use the radio to monitor Herb on SouthBound II and rarely call him. We probably could do with just an HF reciever. It really depends on where your going. For us a better solution for weather maps has been the sat phone with a data connection hitting the NOAA site. Hope that helps... Scott
We are currently cruising the Bahamas and in fitting out we spent alot of money installing a HAM radio Yaeso FT100. We have software to get weather faxes and rtty weather. We have not used it much as the quality of the image stinks and you need to turn on the machine and tune it at the right time. We do use the radio to monitor Herb on SouthBound II and rarely call him. We probably could do with just an HF reciever. It really depends on where your going. For us a better solution for weather maps has been the sat phone with a data connection hitting the NOAA site. Hope that helps... Scott
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Ed Schenck
Thanks Scott, . . .
that is helpful info. Kinda' conflicts with other earlier posts on the subject however. Most seem to feel a complete HAM transceiver installation is required. Like you said, depends on where you are and where you plan to go I guess. I gather then that you do not communicate with others. Do you have an e-mail capability with the satellite phone? Would the phone and a PC be sufficient without SSB or HAM?
that is helpful info. Kinda' conflicts with other earlier posts on the subject however. Most seem to feel a complete HAM transceiver installation is required. Like you said, depends on where you are and where you plan to go I guess. I gather then that you do not communicate with others. Do you have an e-mail capability with the satellite phone? Would the phone and a PC be sufficient without SSB or HAM?
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Scott
part II
Before we left we thought it would be essential to have ssb and weatherfax capability. We expected to spend a lot of time on the different ssb nets getting info and weather. It just hasn't panned out. That's not to say we have never used it but you could easily spend 5000.00 on the setup and I would have a hard time doing that. I do listen to Herb 12359 once in a while especially in the Bahamas. It isn't necessay for me to talk because there's a bunch of boats down there calling him. True in many places. I have never used the marine fax capabilities since we left the dock. I used it in test at home alot but I can get better clearer faster maps via the satelitle phone. I can also get my email from it. I have met people who use it alot and I have met people who use a receiver only which is a lot simpler install and a fraction of the cost. You don't have the redundancy for emergency communications without the ssb transmitting capability. It's all a big trade off. We have spent many thousands on safety gear sometimes before we really how useful it would be. We have epirb, sat phone, liferaft, strobes, jack lines, harnesses and on and on. If you can try to get to people who are cruising they'll have opinions on this. Some will sound like me and others will say ssb is mandatory equipment. Scott
Before we left we thought it would be essential to have ssb and weatherfax capability. We expected to spend a lot of time on the different ssb nets getting info and weather. It just hasn't panned out. That's not to say we have never used it but you could easily spend 5000.00 on the setup and I would have a hard time doing that. I do listen to Herb 12359 once in a while especially in the Bahamas. It isn't necessay for me to talk because there's a bunch of boats down there calling him. True in many places. I have never used the marine fax capabilities since we left the dock. I used it in test at home alot but I can get better clearer faster maps via the satelitle phone. I can also get my email from it. I have met people who use it alot and I have met people who use a receiver only which is a lot simpler install and a fraction of the cost. You don't have the redundancy for emergency communications without the ssb transmitting capability. It's all a big trade off. We have spent many thousands on safety gear sometimes before we really how useful it would be. We have epirb, sat phone, liferaft, strobes, jack lines, harnesses and on and on. If you can try to get to people who are cruising they'll have opinions on this. Some will sound like me and others will say ssb is mandatory equipment. Scott
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