SSB HF Receiver with timer recording?

[Franziska]

Hey, El, to the benefit of others, sure go ahead and do.
I'm fully PC though and will not want to start mixing with the other environment (Apple) thanks though.

[Franziska]

Correction.

[Franziska]

Here is a procedure for PC:

1)
Get SSB radio (Tecsun PL-880 or similar) & add external antenna if necessary.
2)
Install Audacity freeware on your PC
3)
Connect radio line out to PC radio line in.
Adjust volume level. See here:
https://www.hagensieker.com/wordpres...ng-short-wave/
4)
Switch radio on (or set time when it should switch on if it has a timer built in).
5)
Dial in broadcast frequency
6)
Start Audacity & set its timer to start recording a little before broadcast.
7)
Leave PC on or set it to wake from sleep at a given time & start Audacity.
8)
Save broadcast recording file and decode HF weather fax image by playing it back to OpenCPN weatherfax plugin or SeaTTY.

This minimises power consumption and avoids another expensive electronic box for recording.

Enjoy.

[NGOC]

,NASA Target HF3 + Android Apps "HF WEATHER FAX" in Play Store ???

[Franziska]

The Target probably works as well but has no timer to wake up as far as I am aware off. Correct me if I am wrong.
Apart from that it's 60€more expensive than the more versatile and more modern Tecsun PL-880.
But, you are right, it is another option.

I tested the above mentioned PC procedure.
Works fully automatic and can even switch the PC off after recording.

Three things though I just found out:
1)
When you use the "radio alarm", on the PL880 make sure to set sufficient running time for the alarm (which is basically the radio playing on a set frequency /station). It can run up to 90min which should be way more than enough for most HF fax receptions.
2)
When you use windows task scheduler to wake up the machine from standby, you need to manually go into the energy plan which you use and set explicitly the option to wake up from any scheduled event.
Otherwise it does this only for windows system processes, which means it keeps sleeping on user scheduled events.
3)
You can set the windows wake up task even to daily at the same time. Similar you can set the PL-880 radio alarm to run daily.
So you get an automatic weather fax every day for free over the air, even without internet or VHF reception.
The only thing you need to do apart from decoding at a moment convenient to you is give the file to be recorded with Audacities timer module a new name for each recording.

[El Pinguino]

Excellent research!!

I have to use one of those little adapters on my newer MacBook Pro... which still has USB but no sound in plug...https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sabrent-...oAAOSwuJdZcAw5

What I don't have to do is adjust line out volume on the radio as you are doing there....

You may be able to get around that - and the use of Audacity - by feeding the radio signal directly in to your fax program which will - or at least should have - the ability to recognise the stop and start tones in each fax transmission.

There is a free fax decoder in the Sailmail/Airmail software... but I suspect you already know that.

End tones can be seen in the waterfall below vvvvvvv

[Franziska]

Your right about feeding that directly into the weatherfax software that does work with weatherfax.pi plugin and Seatty, but, live feeding gives you not the chance to modify parameters on a second try, and Audacity allows fully auto reception at a set time.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Franziska

@nwdiver

If you don't have something valuable to contribute and it's not an issue which you have yourself than just keep your "wise" words to yourself. Thank you.

Apart from that there are sometimes other things to take care of on a boat than running to catch a weather report at a very specific moment in time. Especially when short handed.

Maybe a tiny bit harsh....

He has actually gt a point, from experience there's nothing else really to do out there way offshore and getting a few faxes in can become a highlight of the day.

But back to the question cos gadgets and automation is great fun , unlikely to help you out much but I've had raspberry pi doing automated wfax receive using a fun cube dongle USB receiver and recording from GQRX on the Pi triggered from node red. Then little bit of processing to change the bit rate and copied across wifi to a windows 10 laptop to decode on JVCOMM.

Think this is one >

[davil]

Just received the Tecsun PL 880 from Amazon $ 159.98 plus
the TROND External USB Audio Adapter Sound Card, with One 3.5mm Aux TRRS Jack for Integrated Audio Out & Microphone in (9.99)
I hope this radio works as good as it looks,comes complete will cables and is amazing they include a very nice pouch/case.really nice.
After much back and forth decided to shelve at least for now my original idea to use my old Icom SSB, this outfit meets my needs for weather fax,really a cool system and less complicated.
cheers
PS
sorry the pic is upsidedown and not sure how to rotate