[Lowfer] Navtex attempt, day 1

[Garry Hess]

Neil,

A concise description of Navtex reception is at 
http://olivier.marsan.free.fr/AMARADP/amarad_elements/navtexintro.pdf. A 
more detailed description is at http://www.sjospeider.org/navguide.pdf. 
The program NAVTEXvw.exe provides a flexible transmission schedule. It 
used to be available via http://www.ndblist.info/navtex.htm but now 
might require joining the Navtex Yahoo group.

I've tried quite a few different decoders and like Jay, W1VD, find 
SeaTTY to be the best. Even though it is not free and some other 
programs have more features, for me it decodes best.

Roger, I have a tough time decoding Boston, $04F even though I'm much 
closer. The reason is Savannah, $04E usually transmits well past its 
allocated 10 minute window. That's a problem with numerous other US 
Navtex stations and it often makes decoding more distant stations 
problematic. Bermuda, $04B is another example. Miami, $04A usually 
covers it up.

Incidentally, while 518 kHz is the most common frequency to monitor for 
Navtex, there is a lot of European activity on 490 kHz. There local 
languages are the norm rather than English. Canada operates area 4 
stations D,J,S, and V in French. Don't know if there is any activity on 
the west coast. Mark, KU7Z has decoded Japanese stations on 424 kHz too. 
There is also Navtex activity on various HF frequencies.

-- 
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL