VHF/ weather info

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by mestrezat

I looked at the Grundig G5 at Radio Shack and it has both the line out and the ear phone jack for downloading to my computer. Seemed ok. After installing a program is it difficult to download the info and if so, are there any hints you can give as to how to do the download. The article was quite vague.

Too many years since I did it to remember details. Look at the radio schedule. Tune the radio to a station, start your software, follow software instructions. (Fight with your computer as needed to make the sound card talk to the software. You know the usual PC stuff. ) The MultiMode software for the Mac has readouts to tell you when you have tuned properly, most likely others do to.

You pick a frequency, different bands work at different times of the day.
This web site gives you an idea of distances and times the bands work.
This website is specifically Ham frequencies, but just find a fax freq. that is close to give you the idea. Or you just try the different freqs until you hear one.

HF Ham Radio Bands and Frequencies:: Electronics and Radio Today

Here's a site that describes the basics using software for a Mac. So ignore the details for operating the software, you're going to have to read the manual with whatever software you decide on.

Receiving Weather Fax and Weather Satellite Images With Your Macintosh

This is interesting. NOAA says the schedule is going to change Aug 1 2007, but they still have this schedule posted. Might have to call them.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf

The G5 doesn't have a usb lsb switch only a switch to change from am to ssb, but the manual says it receives either usb or lsb. I wonder how it does that? Maybe call Grundig tech support before buying to make sure it works for what you want.

John

[Lynx]

these little HF units require an external antenna. Good luck.

[Vasco]

I use my littly Sony receiver with the built in antenna and get very good reception. I tried it with an external antenna and it wasn't appreciably better. Just the little antenna gets me all the SSB nets.

[coot]

Originally Posted by cal40john

The G5 doesn't have a usb lsb switch only a switch to change from am to ssb, but the manual says it receives either usb or lsb. I wonder how it does that?

I don't have this particular radio, but the principle is simple.

There will be a knob on it somewhere that you adjust until the received voice sounds right. It might be labeled "clarifier". (Or it might not.) It adjusts the exact frequency of the local oscillator that reproduces the carrier that was suppressed by the transmitter. To receive USB, turn this knob so the local carrier is a lower frequency than the received signal. To receive LSB, turn this knob the other way, so the local carrier is higher than the received signal.

In either case, you will have to do some fiddling to adjust it so it is just right for the signal you are listening to right now. An marine SSB transceiver (or even an amateur SSB) might tune in fine enough steps that you hardly need to mess with the clarifier, but a relatively inexpensive radio like this Grundig can't.

So, no matter what you are listening to, you will need to adjust the clarifier (or whatever it is called on your radio) to make the signal come in clearly. To eliminate the need for a USB/LSB switch, it just needs a slightly wider range.

[GordMay]

The LSB/USB selector (fine tune) “clarifier” might also be labeled:
“BFO” (Beat Frequency Oscillator), or “Delta Tune”.