Hello Cruising Sailors.
We all can be weather men just like Chris Parker, Sea Cat, and the Noaa guys. Here is how:
First you have to download a program on your computer to accept digital data from Your radio and turn them into weather charts, satellite photos, discussions, etc.
The program I use can be found by searching for JV Comm 32. This is a free program as long as you do not try to copy it to give to others--- This is normal in freeware, part of the payment the programmer receives is bragging rights about the number of downloads his programs are receiving.
It is a straight forward installation, the only hard part is altering the configuration page, found under file, and selecting the port of your computer the radio is accessing: microphone, line in, etc.
THE WIRE. This is not hard. I used speaker wire but anything will do. This wire leads from the computer: headphones, line out, speakers, and to the computer, line in, microphone, etc. The line leading into the computer MUST be a monoplug, not stereo.
The help file for the program is very good and clear. Have fun weather forecasting!
Below are the frequencies for the NW Caribbean from Noaa.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, U.S.A. CALL SIGN FREQUENCIES TIMES EMISSION POWER NMG 4317.9 kHz ALL BROADCAST TIMES F3C 5 KW 8503.9 kHz ALL BROADCAST TIMES F3C 5 KW 12789.9 kHz ALL BROADCAST TIMES F3C 5 KW 17146.4 kHz 1200-2045 F3C 5 KW TIME CONTENTS OF TRANSMISSION RPM/IOC VALID MAP TIME AREA 0000/1200 TEST PATTERN 120/576 0005/1205 U.S./TROPICAL SURFACE ANALYSIS (W HALF) 120/576 18/06 1 0020/1220 TROPICAL SURFACE ANALYSIS (E HALF) 120/576 18/06 2 0035/1235 24 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0045/1245 48 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0055/1255 72 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0105/1305 24 HR SURFACE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0115/1315 48 HR SURFACE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0125/1325 72 HR SURFACE FORECAST 120/576 00/12 3 0135/1335 CYCLONE DANGER AREA* or HIGH WIND/WAVES 120/576 21/09 6 0150/------ 72 HR WAVE PERIOD/SWELL DIRECTION 120/576 0000 3
/1350 (REBROADCAST OF 0150) 120/576 0000 3
0200/1400 GOES IR TROPICAL SATELLITE IMAGE 120/576 00/12 4 0215/1415 00 HR SEA STATE ANALYSIS 120/576 00/12 3
/1425 PRODUCT NOTICE BULLETIN 120/576
0225/1445 HIGH SEAS FORECAST (IN ENGLISH) 120/576 22/10 5 0600/1800 TEST PATTERN 120/576 0605/1805 U.S./TROPICAL SURFACE ANALYSIS (W HALF) 120/576 00/12 1 0620/1820 TROPICAL SURFACE ANALYSIS (E HALF) 120/576 00/12 2 0635/1835 24 HR WIND/WAVE FORECAST 120/576 06/18 3 0645/1845 (REBROADCAST OF 0045/1245) 120/576 00/12 3 0655/1855 (REBROADCAST OF 0055/1255) 120/576 00/12 3 0705/1905 (REBROADCAST OF 0105/1305) 120/576 00/12 3 0715/1915 (REBROADCAST OF 0115/1315) 120/576 00/12 3 0725/1925 (REBROADCAST OF 0125/1325) 120/576 00/12 3 0735/1935 CYCLONE DANGER AREA* or HIGH WIND/WAVES 120/576 03/15 6 0750/1950 48 HR WAVE PERIOD/SWELL DIRECTION 120/576 00/12 3 0800/2000 GOES IR TROPICAL SATELLITE IMAGE 120/576 07/18 4 0815/2015 (REBROADCAST OF 0215/1415) 120/576 00/12 3 0825/2025 REQUEST FOR COMMENTS/BROADCAST SCHEDULE 120/576 0845/2045 HIGH SEAS FORECAST (IN ENGLISH) 120/576 04/16 5
- Tropical Cyclone Danger Area chart replaced by High Wind/Wave Warning chart
Dec 01-May 14. Valid times 00z, 06z, 12z and 18z. Map area 05N-40N, 35W-100W MAP AREAS: 1. 5S - 50N, 55W - 125W 2. 5S - 50N, 0W - 70W 3. 0N - 31N, 35W - 100W 4. 12S - 44N, 28W - 112W 5. 7N - 31N, 35W - 98W (AREA COVERED BY TEXT FORECAST) 6. 05N - 60N, 0W - 100W NOTES: 1. CARRIER FREQUENCY IS 1.9 kHz BELOW THE ASSIGNED FREQUENCY
Rebroadcasts are updated