[Alberg30] Re: Re[2]: lv-ab: Using Sangean 909 to receive Wefax

Brian and Elaine Timmins timmins at optonline.net
Fri Oct 25 02:49:27 PDT 2002


Corinne,
   We are on Long Island, NY, not really far from you in SW terms. One of my
freinds has downloaded the same Wefax program onto a laptop, and I have the
radio. We're planning on getting together on Saturday, at our boats (in
Jamaica Bay, Brooklyn) to try this out. I'll try to let you (and the LvAb
list) know how it works out.
   We're planning a cruise / rendezvous to/in Bermuda for this coming July
and want this set up for enroute weather info. This will be our first real
offshore jaunt and probably our biggest concern is the 4-5 days out of reach
of VHF weather forecasts. I bought the 909 for the ability to receive SW
offshore weather voice broadcasts. Shortly after receiving the radio, I
started to learn about the ability to receive Wefax which should be even
better than voice weather. Lots to learn.
Thanks for your input,
Brian
P.S.  What frequency to you use to receive the wefax from Boston and is
there a specific time(s) they broadcast?
----- Original Message -----
From: "csutter" <csutter at frontiernet.net>
To: "Brian and Elaine Timmins" <timmins at optonline.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 8:13 PM
Subject: Re[2]: lv-ab: Using Sangean 909 to receive Wefax


> Brian,
>
> I think it is worth a try-- the radio runs off batteries, so
> there isn't much danger.  I did this at my house, which has tons
> of electromagnetic interference from all kind of things
> (including aluminum siding).  What I did was set up a long wire
> (14 gauge copper, covered) and ran it from a tree in through the 2nd
> story window and I wrap the exposed copper wire at that end
> around the top of the extended built in antenna.  The reel thing
> that came with it didn't help, and it didn't work to attach the
> external antenna to the plug labeled for it.  When you use that
> plug, it cuts off the built in antenna.  I found it was better to
> use the built in ant., but boost it.  Don't see  why it would
> work to run a wire from the built in ant. to the standing rigging
> in the same way.  I put an isolator at the tree end, but trees
> aren't standing rigging.  There I would try just wrapping exposed
> copper wire directly to the rig.  You'll have to play around with
> it and see what works.  It also depends on your immediate
> surroundings.  Since a mast should get your ant. above the
> "ground" level  -- above all the stuff around you, it should be
> pretty good.  Where are you located??
>
> I don't know if you have AC or not, but I found that the power
> lines caused way too much RFI, so I just use fresh batteries.  If
> your are running off a DC circuit on your boat, you shouldn't
> have that problem -- though an inverter running or something
> could cause some interference.
>
> A good place to learn about antennas, if you want to learn more,
> is at the various ham radio websites. I learned alot from them.
>
> BTW, my son has a YB400, which he used at totally differant
> location, on the boat -- not for wxfx, but for just listening to
shortwave,
> and the extended ant. worked fine.  Wxfx needs a better signal I
> think.  I can get Boston loud and clear, here in Rochester, NY
> -- about 400 miles away.
>
> Hope this helps --I'd be interested to see how it works out for
> you.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Corinne
>
>
>
>
>
> Thursday, October 24, 2002,  7:59:51 PM, you wrote:
>
> BaET> Corinne,
> BaET>     You mention that the hardest part was getting a good antenna up.
Do you
> BaET> think the antenna lead from the 909 can be connected to the standing
rigging
> BaET> for the mast?  Seems to me that should be lots of antenna for
reception
> BaET> purposes.
> BaET> Brian         timmins at optonline.net
> BaET> ----- Original Message -----
> BaET> From: "csutter" <csutter at frontiernet.net>
> BaET> To: <owner-live-aboard at crux.astro.utoronto.ca>; "Brian and Elaine
Timmins"
> BaET> <timmins at optonline.net>
> BaET> Cc: <live-aboard at crux.astro.utoronto.ca>; <kirk at post7.tele.dk>
> BaET> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 4:59 PM
> BaET> Subject: Re: lv-ab: Using Sangean 909 to receive Wefax
>
>
> >> I have the Radio Shack version of the 909.  I used JVcomm just
> >> fine.  It is free -- use a search engine and you will fine it
> >> easily.  How you make the connection depends on your computer.  I
> >> used an audio cord which plugged into the radio output.  The other
> >> end, it depends.  Sometimes you can plug into audio input,
> >> sometimes you can use a serial port (I'd doing this from memory
> >> here).  I used the audio input on the computer because that is
> >> what worked.  (I am using a Gateway desktop for this).  The
> >> documention that comes with JVcomm is quite useful here.  The
> >> hardest part for me was getting a good antenna up and working,
> >> then learning to tune the radio.  The program (and it's online
> >> help stuff) is really good here.  You can listen to what the wxfx
> >> is supposed to sound like, so when you are tuning the radio you
> >> know what you are listening for.  The graphical interface has
> >> lots of stuff to to help and to let you adjust what ever you want
> >> (after you figure it all out).  Also, there is a setting  on the
> >> program that you need to adjust to get the USCG wxfx properly.
> >> There is specific info on this on the NWS/wxfx website (it has
> >> to do with setting the drum speed, etc,).
> >>
> >> Good luck,
> >>
> >> Corinne
> >> s/v Beyond
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Thursday, October 24, 2002,  4:50:10 PM, you wrote:
> >>
> >> BaET> Kirk,
> >> BaET>    I'm new to the idea of using the 909 (which I just purchased)
to
> BaET> receive Wefax. I assume you are using the line out jack and
connecting it to
> BaET> your computer.
> >> BaET>    How do you make the connection and what program do you have to
> BaET> receive it?
> >> BaET> Thanks for your help,
> >> BaET> Brian         timmins at optonline.net
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> csutter at frontiernet.net
> >>
> >> automatic mail servant: TheBat! 1.61
> >>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> csutter at frontiernet.net
>
> automatic mail servant: TheBat! 1.61
>

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