Marine Weather: weather bulletins received free via SSB
Weather Information is transmitted by speech, text and fax on the HF bands. If you have access to a SSB receiver, like an Icom R1500 or an SSB transceiver like an Icom M801E you should have no problem receiving any of these transmissions.
To decode weather fax and text message you will need to have a computer and appropriate software, like Mscan Meteo.

Weather Fax transmissions

There is a world-wide network of stations transmitting weather fax pictures.

Broadcast schedule and frequencies for Northwood (GYA), England.

GYA Frequencies Broadscast Type Times in UTC/GMT
2618.5 (2616.6) kHz*
4610 (4608.1) kHz
8040 (8038.1) kHz
11086.5 (11084.6) kHz
18261 (18259.1) kHz* 		Surface Analysis 0300, 0400, 0500, 0900, 1100, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, 2300.
Surface prog T24 0524, 0800, 1000, 1300, 1736, 2200.
Wind 0812, 2112
Fronts Centres 0848, 0912, 1124, 1136, 1400, 1600, 1700, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036,
Gale Summary 0348, 0600, 0700, 1148, 1548, 1900,
Sea Swell 0924, 1912,

Click here for example weather fax picture from Nothwood

World-wide weatherfax stations

STATION Country CALLSIGN FREQUENCY
CHARLEVILLE AUSTRALIA VMC 2628 kHz, 5100 kHz, 11030 kHz, 13920 kHz, 20469 kHz
WILUNA AUSTRALIA VMW 5755 kHz, 7535 kHz, 10555 kHz, 15615 kHz, 18060 kHz
RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL PWZ 12665 kHz, 16978 kHz
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA CANADA CFH 4271 kHz, 6496.4 kHz, 10536 kHz, 13510 kHz
VALPARAISO PLAYA ANCHA CHILE CBV 4228.0 kHz, 8677.0 kHz, 17146.4 kHz
BEIJING (PEKING) CHINA BAF 5526.9 kHz, 8121.9 kHz, 10116.9 kHz, 14366.9 kHz, 16025.9 kHz, 18236.9 kHz
TAIPEI CHINA BMF 4616 kH, 8140 kHz, 13900 kHz, 18560 kHz
HAMBURG GERMANY DDH 3855 kHz, 7880 kHz, 13882.5 kHz
ATHENS GREECE SVJ 4481 kHz, 8105 kHz
KYODO NEWS AGENCY JAPAN JJC 4316 kHz, 8467.5 kHz, 12745.5 kHz, 16971 kHz, 17069.6 kHz, 22542 kHz
TOKYO JAPAN JMH 3622.5 kHz, 7795 kHz, 13988.5 kHz
SEOUL KOREA HLL2 3585 kHz, 5857.5 kHz, 7433.5 kHz, 9165 kHz, 13570 kHz
MURMANSK RUSSIA RBW 5336 kHz, 7908.8 kHz, 10130 kHz
BANGKOK THAILAND HSW64 7395 kHz
NORTHWOOD UK GYA 2618.5 kHz, 4610 kHz, 8040 kH, 11086.5 kHz
KODIAK, ALASKA USA NOJ 2054 kHz, 4298 kHz, 8459 kHz, 12412.5 kHz
PT. REYES, CALIFORNIA USA NMC 4346 kHz, 8682 kHz, 12786 kHz, 17151.2 kHz, 22527 kHz
HONOLULU, HAWAII USA KVM 9982.5 kHz, 11090 kHz, 16135 kHz
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA USA NMG 4317.9 kHz, 8503.9 kHz, 12789.9 kHz, 17146.4 kHz
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS USA NMF 4235 kHz, 6340.5 kHz, 9110 kHz, 12750 kHz
       

If using USB then tune 1.9 kHz low of frequencies. e.g. 3855 kHz tune to 3853.1 kHz
Not all stations are 24 hour operation

Click here for example weather fax picture transmitted from Offenbach

Weather bulletins received free via SSB

World-wide
NAVTEX		 US Coastguard
using Sitor (NBDP)		 German weather
service Hamburg		 Greece weather
using Sitor (NBDP)
490 (488.1) kHz 6314 (6312.1) kHz 4583 (4581.1) kHz 8423 (8421.1) kHz
518 (516.1) kHz 8416.5 (8414.6) kHz 7646 (764.1) kHz
4209.5 (4207.6) kHz 12376 (12374.1) kHz 10100.8 (10098.9) kHz  
  16806.5 (16804.6) kHz    
International NAVTEX is transmitted on 518 kHz in English.
National NAVTEX is transmitted on 490 kHz in local language.
4209.5 kHz NAVTEX transmitted by the following stations :-

List of worldwide navtex stations

 Transmits from more than 1 location.
Speed = 75 Baud		 RTTY
Speed = 50 Baud

Example of transmission

 Times 0930 & 2130 UTC
rest of time callsign SVO being sent in morse code

Example of weather broadcast

(USB frequency) Tune to the frequency in () on a USB receiver.

To receive both weatherfax and text broadcast on a USB receiver you may have to tune 1.9 kHz low of frequencie.

E.G. For RN Northwood on 8040 kHz tune to 8038.1 kHz, NAVTEX on 518 kHz tune to 516.1kHz.

All the above weather bulletins examples were received using 'Mscan Meteo' decoding software.
Mscan Meteo software, not the cheapest, not the dearest, just simply the best!

Weather information is transmitted on the Aeronautical band and gives the current weather conditions at airports around Europe.
VOLNET Frequency Times
Shannon Volmet 3413 kHz
5505 kHz
8921 kHz
11306 kHz
13264 kHz		 On the hour and half hour :-
  • 0:00 Frankfurt, Brussels, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Bonn, Munich
  • 0:05 London, Amsterdam, Manchester, Shannon, Prestwick
  • 0:10 Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Dublin
  • 0:15 Madrid, Lisbon, Athens, Paris, Lion
  • 0:20 Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva
RAF Volnet 5450 kHz
11253 kHz		 24 hours service
New York Radio 6604 kHz,
10051 kHz,
13270 kHz		 24 hours service
Information and format of transmission for each airport includes:-
  • Information transmitted in broadcast:-
    • Station & Time recorded
    • Wind speed & direction
    • CAV OK = Visibility, weather and cloud good.
    • Visibility
    • Weather
    • Cloud height in feet.
    • Temperature & Due Point
    • QNH = Air pressure
    • NO SIG = No significant change.

For marine voice weather bulletins via SSB please visit our coastguard page

Mscan Meteo - "highly recommended for the serious yachtsman!"

Weather bulletins received free via SSB

Marine Radio

Information

YachtCom Courses

SailCom Marine





Marine Radio Operator's Certificate

A marine radio operator's licence is an international legal requirement.

Yachtsmen operating a VHF only radio require a Short Range Certificate .

If operating an SSB, VHF and Inmarsat from a yacht then a Long Range Certificate is required.

Visit www.yachtcom.co.uk for more information about otaining your marine radio operators certificate.

Long Range Certificate

The Long Range Certificate is required for operations on all marine frequencies from a leisure craft.

MCA approved course & exam.

The course covers:-
- Marine VHF, SSB including DSC
- Inmarsat
- Operation and procedures.
- EPIRB, SARTs and NAVTEX.

Course duration including exam:-
- 2 days with on-line e-study
- 4 days with classroom study.

Click here for more information

Short Range Certificate

The Short Range Certificate is required for operations on marine VHF channels from onboard a leisure craft.

In the UK the Short Range Certificate is issued by the RYA.

The course covers:-
- Marine VHF DSC radio
- Operation and procedures
- EPIRB, SARTs and NAVTEX.

Course duration including exam:-
- 1 day

Click here for more information

On-Line e-study

Both the
Short Range Certificate (SRC) and
Long Range Certificate (LRC)
can be studied on-line using YachtCom's e-study training package.

The LRC and SRC e-study packages have been used by mainy students to obtain there marine radio operator's certificate.

Easy of use and informative the on-line e-study package is an ideal way to study for your marine radio operator's certificate. To study on-line just sign up for a course.

Click here for more information