ICOM 802 weatherfax connection

[bgoozee]

We have installed an 802 and in the instructions you can connect the headphone out from the radio to mic in on the PC. They suggest MSCAN to read weather files. When all is connected and we are on a transmitting weatherfax station, I cannot get any readable image. ICOM Aus have of little use. Any ideas folks?

[linnupesa]

Putting mouth in gear first I'd say check the compatability of the two circuits, there may be need for an impedance transformer between them to match them up for energy transfer.

Headphones are often 4-8 ohm devices but mic's can be high impedance like 100k+ ohms. The lo-impedance shorts out the hi-impedance in laymans terms. Google is ur friend to explain this better.

Just a thought..

Ivo KI6S

[bgoozee]

Good thinking! However icom say nothing in their info. Will give it a try but you cannot set and forget the volume input.... The mic works as a condenser and moves up in volume. You cannot lock it. Thanks for the reply. Brodie

[svReboot]

It sounds as if you don't have the receive volume set. Presuming that you are listening thru the speaker and you have an active wfax (there is a certain amount of dead time where all you get is noise) plug the pc back in (making sure that the microphone has not been disabled) and slowly advance the volume control. On MultiPSK (another program that translates weather faxes) you get both a waterfall (to make sure that you have the white and black frequencies properly tuned) and a volume control read out.

Other thoughts:
Upper Sideband?
Proper offset from the carrier frequency?

[bgoozee]

Thanks mate. We have elected to give up on freeware and use the iridium through GMN software. it tested very well and as we need to make our move to go to Oz, we had to make a call. More money!

Thanks for all the thoughts. As the sea miles slip away I am sure we will get some value out of the radio. Any thoughts on good channels for yachtie communication in the Gulf, through Panama, Galapogos and the Sth Pacific?

Cheers

Brodie

[redbopeep]

It is well worth it to get your radio up and running. Some sources of assistance:

If you bought it locally, the vendor might provide you some assistance. Also, your local chapter of ARRL can be helpful. Friendly folks, that bunch.

We downloaded a couple different freeware packages to get the download for HF weather fax set up. We played with it at anchor one day here on the US West Coast when we were out of range of any good weather VHF and needed to know what was going on. We hadn't even bothered setting it up before since we're in the USA. It was exceedingly slow to get the downloaded weatherfax. Given that experience, we put SSB Pactor modem or Winmor high on the list if we expect to get weather info while in more remote areas. Both sailmail and airmail have a nice feature of sending you GRIB (weather) files via an email. All that is needed is either the Winmor software or the Pactor modem.

Sailmail is a subscription service that many cruisers use. Airmail is one that is provided to folks with HAM license only. If you don't have your license before leaving the USA, you should get it (0r have someone aboard get a license).

Hope this info is a little helpful. Sorry I don't recall which freeware programs we used for the weatherfax--that's on a different computer than the one I'm using right now.

[llamedos]

Hi, I know you said you are on the way already. I remember recording via my mic input using Nero, and to make it useable I had to reduce input to minus 17 decibels. Perhaps your program has the facility to reduce input of mic card? And to make it useable you too have to reduce input to about -20dB?