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Irishaisling · 22-11-2020, 10:21

Hi,
I just bought a Tecsun PL880 all band radio and am looking for stations I could pick up during my Atlantic crossing.
Any tips or lists out there I could use?

Also any tips on using the radio also appreciated!

ka4wja · 23-11-2020, 00:58

Irishaisling,

There is a lot of info available to you....depending on what you're actually looking to listen to / what your needs and desires are...

1) First off, please remember that HF ("SSB", shortwave, LW, etc.) communications success is all about received signal-to-noise ratio (s/n)....period. (now-a-days, man-made noise is the predominant issue here....of course, minor contributions to this are operator knowledge / experience / skill in radiowave propagation and actual HF Radio operations)

And, quite frankly, the single most important thing you can do is to rid your boat of all the RFI-generating devices on-board, or at least disconnect them (not just "turn them off") when using the radio!

This is of such importance, I cannot stress it enough....easy-peasy HF SSB, Shortwave, and LW communications is easily attainable if you rid your system of noise / RFI, but if not even 1000's of $$$$ worth of radios can be a waste (some times even rendered almost useless)!!!

2) Another "tip" is to use the radio out in the cockpit / away from any RFI sources below-decks....and clip a wire from the radio's antenna (or external antenna jack) to a stay / shroud....or string up a short wire (15' - 30' long) on a flag halyard, etc., and use this as an antenna....(using the radio below-decks can be problematic, due to RFI, especially if all you have is its small telescoping whip antenna)

There are a LOT of tips, techniques, etc. on HF radio, HF receiving in the "stickies" above and in the videos....but, you didn't provide much detail of your desires/needs, so all I can do is answer in generalities....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
Not knowing where you are located, nor which direction you're crossing the Atlantic, nor what time of year, exactly where your departure and arrival locations are planned, etc....it's difficult to be specific, but here are the generalities:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

3) If you're looking for Marine SSB Voice broadcasts...I assume you're looking for weather info, and/or to listen in on some "cruiser's nets"?

(fyi, when doing a east-to-west crossing, from Canaries to Caribbean, after Hurricane season....there is little chance of severe weather, so while having a daily weather forecast update is nice, don't worry too much about it)

a) If all you want is SSB Voice reception (rather than WeFax, weather charts, etc.), it's pretty easy:

The USCG HF Station, NMN, in Virginia, USA....broadcasts "Hi-Seas Weather" for the N. Atlantic 4 times a day, updated every 6 hours....covering the N. Atlantic, west of 35*W (in two regions, one from 7*N to 31*N, west of 35*W, and including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico....and one from 31*N to 67*N, west of 35*W)

https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

Please be aware that these SSB Voice weather broadcasts of the "Hi-Seas" weather, are very general forecasts, covering large areas, and typically for ocean mariners on merchant vessels...hence they lack the small-scale detail that we are accustomed to in the "Offshore Forecasts" (which cover from 60nm to 250nm, offshore), and also the Hi-Seas Voice forecasts lack the detail you get from the WeFax (weather charts), which are also broadcast by USCG, 4 times a day, updated every 6 hours, for FREE!

I recommend trying their 8764.0 and 13089.0 frequencies, in afternoon and evening....for your first attempt...see their schedule for exact times and frequencies....
https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

Here is a copy of this morning's broadcast:

Quote:

HIGH SEAS FORECAST

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 0430 UTC MON NOV 23 2020

SUPERSEDED BY NEXT ISSUANCE IN 6 HOURS

SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT.

SECURITE

ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO 31N W OF 35W INCLUDING CARIBBEAN SEA AND GULF OF MEXICO

SYNOPSIS VALID 0000 UTC MON NOV 23.

24 HOUR FORECAST VALID 0000 UTC TUE NOV 24.

48 HOUR FORECAST VALID 0000 UTC WED NOV 25.

.WARNINGS. .NONE. .

SYNOPSIS AND FORECAST. .

ATLC WITHIN 24N65W TO 21N66W TO 22N69W TO 25N72W TO 28N68W TO 24N65W SE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 11 FT.

.24 HOUR FORECAST LOW PRES NEAR 26N70W 1010 MB. SURFACE TROUGH FROM 30N69W TO 26N70W TO 21N70W. WITHIN 25N64W TO 24N67W TO 29N68W TO 31N65W TO 31N62W TO 25N64W WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT.

.48 HOUR FORECAST SURFACE TROUGH FROM 31N62W TO 21N70W. WITHIN 29N57W TO 28N60W TO 29N62W TO 31N61W TO 31N55W TO 29N57W WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT.

.ATLC WITHIN 13N55W TO 08N53W TO 10N60W TO 20N62W TO 19N50W TO 13N55W WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT IN NE TO E SWELL.

.24 HOUR FORECAST WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

.ATLC WITHIN 24N35W TO 23N39W TO 24N42W TO 30N40W TO 29N35W TO 24N35W WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT IN N TO NW SWELL.

.24 HOUR FORECAST WITHIN 20N42W TO 20N46W TO 19N53W TO 25N47W TO 24N40W TO 20N42W WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT N TO NE SWELL.

.48 HOUR FORECAST WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT.

.ATLC 30 HOUR FORECAST COLD FRONT FROM 31N67W TO 27N75W TO 25N80W. WITHIN 30N69W TO 29N72W TO 29N75W TO 31N77W TO 31N68W TO 30N69W N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT.

.48 HOUR FORECAST COLD FRONT FROM 31N62W TO 27N70W TO 26N78W. WITHIN 28N66W TO 25N74W TO 29N78W TO 31N75W TO 31N62W TO 28N66W NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT.

.ATLC 36 HOUR FORECAST WITHIN 26N35W TO 25N37W TO 26N39W TO 27N39W TO 30N35W TO 26N35W NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT.

.48 HOUR FORECAST WITHIN 27N35W TO 26N40W TO 28N40W TO 31N37W TO 31N35W TO 27N35W E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT.

.REMAINDER OF AREA WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS LESS THAN 8 FT. $$

.FORECASTER ERA. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.

And, here is what the computer-generated voice sounds like, and the "forecast / broadcast format":

b) There are also WeFax broadcasts (weather charts) for the whole N. Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico....and simple/free software (JVComm32) can be used a laptop, etc. connected to your Tecsun PL880 receiver, to get excellent weather charts....

This is detailed in some of the links in the "stickies" above....(look for SSB Receive, SSB receive only, etc.)

Here are some schedules:
https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

https://www.weather.gov/marine/radiofax_charts

https://www.weather.gov/marine/gulf
https://www.weather.gov/media/marine/hfgulf.txt

https://www.weather.gov/marine/marsh
https://www.weather.gov/media/marine/hfmarsh.txt

Have a look here for what the charts look like:
Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2mPZAx2vWzdjTJjHlChruyY

c) The OCC (Ocean Cruising Club) has an Atlantic crossing net on Marine SSB....and you should be able to tune this in while you're at sea (and/or before departure across the Atlantic), but be aware that these are other boats using their HF-SSB radios, so their signal strengths can vary quite a bit...

In Europe/Med (and Canaries?), they used to use 8.104.0 (or 8.297.0mhz), at 0600z...

There is the "pre-ARC Net", on 8.297.0mhz at 0815z

The old "Mediterranean SSB Net" / "MedNet" has been resurrected / restarted as the new "MedNet"!! Starting on 6.516.0mhz at 0600z for initial check-ins....then moves to 8.134.0mhz....and then to 12.359.0mhz, to cover the whole Med and Atlantic, when needed.

There is also an OCC Caribbean Net and OCC East Coast USA Net, etc...In Europe/Med, Canaries, they used to use 8104 at 0600z, but now in the Carib and US East Coast, they use 6.227.0 (and sometimes 4.036.0) at 1130z to 1230z...

See more "Cruiser's Nets" here:
http://www.docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm

d) I believe the ARC also has their own "crossing net", but they keep the frequency they use fairly private....but, I suspect 6224, 6227, 6230....or one of the "auxiliary" 4mhz or 8mhz maritime simplex channels between 4000 - 4063 kHz and 8100 - 8195 khz....or possibly 4146, 4149, or 8294, 8297.??

e) The SSCA has a quasi offshore net / quasi Atlantic crossing net on 8mhz, and I think on 12mhz as well.
8.104.0mhz at 1215z -1230z.....and on 8.152.0mhz from 2200z - 2215z (called the Doo-Dah Net), and from 2215z - 2230z, on 12.350.0mhz.

f) Of course, there is always the Maritime Mobile Service Net / Intercon Net, on 14.300.0mhz....from 1200z thru 0300z https://mmsn.org/ and http://14300.net/

And, the on 40m ham band, there is always the Waterway Net....on 7.268.0 LSB, from 1245z thru 1345z... https://www.waterwayradio.net/

g) If you are within range of the US East Coast Nets, and/or within range of the Caribbean Nets, there are many "regional" cruising nets, you be able to receive....have a look here:
http://www.docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm

h) There is also Chris Parker's Caribbean Weather Center's nets....concentrates mostly on US east coast to/from Caribbean, but does some Atlantic weather, sometimes... https://www.mwxc.com/
https://www.mwxc.com/marine_weather_services.php

4) If you're looking for news, sports, some entertainment, etc....the list includes:

--- BBC shortwave broadcasts (that are receivable when sailing the Atlantic....and even here in USA, even though they are not beamed to N. America), my "go-to" is the BBC on 12095khz...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2x9tqt6mc05vB2S37j8MWMJ/global-short-wave-frequencies

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/bbc-and-other-shortwave-braodcasts-still-on-the-air-and-stong-in-florida-184267.html

--- USA MW (AM Broadcast) Stations, that are 50kw, day and night, and have few other stations licensed on the same freq....such as WSB, on 750khz, from Atlanta, Georgia....WSM, on 650khz, from Nashville, TN....WCBS, on 880khz, and WABC, on 770khz, both from New York City...the world-famous WLW, on 700khz, from Cincinnati, Ohio....WLS, on 890khz, from Chicago....(and possibly even WINZ, on 940khz, from Miami, FL...)

--- Some US SW broadcasts, such as WMRI, WWCR, WTWW, etc....
http://www.wrmi.net/
http://www.wwcr.com/
http://www.wtww.us/

5) And, fyi.... much of the answers to your questions are found in the "stickies", at the top of the Cruiser's Forum "Marine Electronics" page...

HF-SSB Radio, Proper Installation Tips/Techniques, etc.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tc-198305.html

Marine SSB Stuff (how-to better use / properly-install SSB, & troubleshoot RFI, etc.)
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tc-133496.html

And, for details on specific frequencies and the various terms/acronyms, have a look at this post #78 here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post2749864

And, in some youtube playlists....
Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2mPZAx2vWzdjTJjHlChruyY

Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y

And, for some USCG comms info, have a look here:
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

I do hope this helps?

Fair winds...

John

bill352 · 23-11-2020, 03:12

To the OP - You couldn't find better guidance than you're getting here; but if you follow it and still have problems, it may just be your equipment. I have the Tecsun PL660 and it is absolutely worthless on these frequencies. Indoors, outdoors, high, low, antenna deployed or not - even WWV is sketchy. So if John's advice doesn't work out for you, try a better radio.

Irishaisling · 24-11-2020, 00:34

Thanks a million John. This is hugely helpful. Will give these a shot today.
Aisling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka4wja

Irishaisling,

There is a lot of info available to you....depending on what you're actually looking to listen to / what your needs and desires are...

1) First off, please remember that HF ("SSB", shortwave, LW, etc.) communications success is all about received signal-to-noise ratio (s/n)....period. (now-a-days, man-made noise is the predominant issue here....of course, minor contributions to this are operator knowledge / experience / skill in radiowave propagation and actual HF Radio operations)

And, quite frankly, the single most important thing you can do is to rid your boat of all the RFI-generating devices on-board, or at least disconnect them (not just "turn them off") when using the radio!

This is of such importance, I cannot stress it enough....easy-peasy HF SSB, Shortwave, and LW communications is easily attainable if you rid your system of noise / RFI, but if not even 1000's of $$$$ worth of radios can be a waste (some times even rendered almost useless)!!!

2) Another "tip" is to use the radio out in the cockpit / away from any RFI sources below-decks....and clip a wire from the radio's antenna (or external antenna jack) to a stay / shroud....or string up a short wire (15' - 30' long) on a flag halyard, etc., and use this as an antenna....(using the radio below-decks can be problematic, due to RFI, especially if all you have is its small telescoping whip antenna)

There are a LOT of tips, techniques, etc. on HF radio, HF receiving in the "stickies" above and in the videos....but, you didn't provide much detail of your desires/needs, so all I can do is answer in generalities....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
Not knowing where you are located, nor which direction you're crossing the Atlantic, nor what time of year, exactly where your departure and arrival locations are planned, etc....it's difficult to be specific, but here are the generalities:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

3) If you're looking for Marine SSB Voice broadcasts...I assume you're looking for weather info, and/or to listen in on some "cruiser's nets"?

(fyi, when doing a east-to-west crossing, from Canaries to Caribbean, after Hurricane season....there is little chance of severe weather, so while having a daily weather forecast update is nice, don't worry too much about it)

a) If all you want is SSB Voice reception (rather than WeFax, weather charts, etc.), it's pretty easy:

The USCG HF Station, NMN, in Virginia, USA....broadcasts "Hi-Seas Weather" for the N. Atlantic 4 times a day, updated every 6 hours....covering the N. Atlantic, west of 35*W (in two regions, one from 7*N to 31*N, west of 35*W, and including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico....and one from 31*N to 67*N, west of 35*W)

https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

Please be aware that these SSB Voice weather broadcasts of the "Hi-Seas" weather, are very general forecasts, covering large areas, and typically for ocean mariners on merchant vessels...hence they lack the small-scale detail that we are accustomed to in the "Offshore Forecasts" (which cover from 60nm to 250nm, offshore), and also the Hi-Seas Voice forecasts lack the detail you get from the WeFax (weather charts), which are also broadcast by USCG, 4 times a day, updated every 6 hours, for FREE!

I recommend trying their 8764.0 and 13089.0 frequencies, in afternoon and evening....for your first attempt...see their schedule for exact times and frequencies....
https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

Here is a copy of this morning's broadcast:
And, here is what the computer-generated voice sounds like, and the "forecast / broadcast format":

b) There are also WeFax broadcasts (weather charts) for the whole N. Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico....and simple/free software (JVComm32) can be used a laptop, etc. connected to your Tecsun PL880 receiver, to get excellent weather charts....

This is detailed in some of the links in the "stickies" above....(look for SSB Receive, SSB receive only, etc.)

Here are some schedules:
https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts

https://www.weather.gov/marine/radiofax_charts

https://www.weather.gov/marine/gulf
https://www.weather.gov/media/marine/hfgulf.txt

https://www.weather.gov/marine/marsh
https://www.weather.gov/media/marine/hfmarsh.txt

Have a look here for what the charts look like:
Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2mPZAx2vWzdjTJjHlChruyY

c) The OCC (Ocean Cruising Club) has an Atlantic crossing net on Marine SSB....and you should be able to tune this in while you're at sea (and/or before departure across the Atlantic), but be aware that these are other boats using their HF-SSB radios, so their signal strengths can vary quite a bit...

In Europe/Med (and Canaries?), they used to use 8.104.0 (or 8.297.0mhz), at 0600z...

There is the "pre-ARC Net", on 8.297.0mhz at 0815z

The old "Mediterranean SSB Net" / "MedNet" has been resurrected / restarted as the new "MedNet"!! Starting on 6.516.0mhz at 0600z for initial check-ins....then moves to 8.134.0mhz....and then to 12.359.0mhz, to cover the whole Med and Atlantic, when needed.

There is also an OCC Caribbean Net and OCC East Coast USA Net, etc...In Europe/Med, Canaries, they used to use 8104 at 0600z, but now in the Carib and US East Coast, they use 6.227.0 (and sometimes 4.036.0) at 1130z to 1230z...

See more "Cruiser's Nets" here:
http://www.docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm

d) I believe the ARC also has their own "crossing net", but they keep the frequency they use fairly private....but, I suspect 6224, 6227, 6230....or one of the "auxiliary" 4mhz or 8mhz maritime simplex channels between 4000 - 4063 kHz and 8100 - 8195 khz....or possibly 4146, 4149, or 8294, 8297.??

e) The SSCA has a quasi offshore net / quasi Atlantic crossing net on 8mhz, and I think on 12mhz as well.
8.104.0mhz at 1215z -1230z.....and on 8.152.0mhz from 2200z - 2215z (called the Doo-Dah Net), and from 2215z - 2230z, on 12.350.0mhz.

f) Of course, there is always the Maritime Mobile Service Net / Intercon Net, on 14.300.0mhz....from 1200z thru 0300z https://mmsn.org/ and http://14300.net/

And, the on 40m ham band, there is always the Waterway Net....on 7.268.0 LSB, from 1245z thru 1345z... https://www.waterwayradio.net/

g) If you are within range of the US East Coast Nets, and/or within range of the Caribbean Nets, there are many "regional" cruising nets, you be able to receive....have a look here:
http://www.docksideradio.com/east_coast.htm

h) There is also Chris Parker's Caribbean Weather Center's nets....concentrates mostly on US east coast to/from Caribbean, but does some Atlantic weather, sometimes... https://www.mwxc.com/
https://www.mwxc.com/marine_weather_services.php

4) If you're looking for news, sports, some entertainment, etc....the list includes:

--- BBC shortwave broadcasts (that are receivable when sailing the Atlantic....and even here in USA, even though they are not beamed to N. America), my "go-to" is the BBC on 12095khz...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2x9tqt6mc05vB2S37j8MWMJ/global-short-wave-frequencies

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/bbc-and-other-shortwave-braodcasts-still-on-the-air-and-stong-in-florida-184267.html

--- USA MW (AM Broadcast) Stations, that are 50kw, day and night, and have few other stations licensed on the same freq....such as WSB, on 750khz, from Atlanta, Georgia....WSM, on 650khz, from Nashville, TN....WCBS, on 880khz, and WABC, on 770khz, both from New York City...the world-famous WLW, on 700khz, from Cincinnati, Ohio....WLS, on 890khz, from Chicago....(and possibly even WINZ, on 940khz, from Miami, FL...)

--- Some US SW broadcasts, such as WMRI, WWCR, WTWW, etc....
http://www.wrmi.net/
http://www.wwcr.com/
http://www.wtww.us/

5) And, fyi.... much of the answers to your questions are found in the "stickies", at the top of the Cruiser's Forum "Marine Electronics" page...

HF-SSB Radio, Proper Installation Tips/Techniques, etc.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tc-198305.html

Marine SSB Stuff (how-to better use / properly-install SSB, & troubleshoot RFI, etc.)
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tc-133496.html

And, for details on specific frequencies and the various terms/acronyms, have a look at this post #78 here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post2749864

And, in some youtube playlists....
Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnN6ygtZ3h2mPZAx2vWzdjTJjHlChruyY

Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y

And, for some USCG comms info, have a look here:
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

I do hope this helps?

Fair winds...

John

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