£161.26 – £180.60
The new bluetooth Navtex is a dual frequency Navtex receiver that decodes and stores Navtex messages for viewing on an Android bluetooth enabled mobile phone or tablet. The unit is designed to be run continuously and have the stored messages downloaded as and when required by the user. An android app enables the user to search the stored messages or to program the device to display only wanted message types from selected stations.
The internal memory stores in excess of four hundred typical Navtex messages with new messages overwriting the oldest. The receiver can be supplied with a standard E-vector antenna or, for more challenging conditions, an H-vector antenna is also available. The H-vector antenna has a standard 14 tpi mount and is connected to the receiver using the seven metre cable provided. It can be either surface of rail mounted and there are several suitable, optional mounts available. A fused power cable is also supplied to connect the receiver to a permanent 12 volt power source.
The android app can be freely downloaded from the google play store
(Other Android options are available from the developer at www.willrite.co.uk/GS/GS_products.html)
For Apple users there are third party cost optional IOS apps available:
NASA Navtex BTLE Note – Latest update supports Dark Mode
or
Recommended mimimum iphone requirement 6s upwards and IOS 12
BT-3 Navtex with Series 2 Antenna £161.26 inc VAT
BT-3 Navtex with H Vector Antenna £180.60 inc VAT
Technical Specifications
| Antenna type | H Vector Antenna, Series 2 Antenna |
|---|
The AIS Engine 3 is supplied with a free copy of ‘SeaClear’ and a trial version of Software on Board. A data cable to connect to the 9 pin serial port of a PC and a 12 volt power cable
The AIS Engine 3 and a conventional marine antenna are all you need to start plotting vessels on your PC or AIS compatible plotter. The software runs in windows 95, 98, ME, XP, 2000, NT and Vista, it includes a world map on which vessels are plotted. Any vessel on the screen can be selected and its AIS data displayed. This includes the vessels name, MMSI number, position, call sign and destination etc. Also included on the AIS Engine is an optional input for a GPS (RMC sentence). With this connected the users own vessel is shown on the chart with its latitude and longitude displayed in a window.
The unit can receive ships on either the A or B AIS channels. In default setting it alternates between the two channels.
The AIS engine can also be used with plotters or other PC software that have an AIS input facility. Check compatibility with your software supplier. An NMEA 0183HS input at 38,400 baud is required to accept the VDM AIS strings corresponding to ITU-1371.
If your PC does not have a spare 9 pin serial port a low cost serial to USB converter is available as an optional extra.
Easy to read. This new navtex receiver features big, bold characters and intuitive message formatting.
Easy to program. Simple menus let you select which stations and which message categories you want to receive.
Easy on your battery. Its low power consumption and power saver mode on the backlight ensure minimum current drain.
Easy channel switching. Programmable automatic switching between the 518Khz and 490Khz channels. No more getting up early to switch channels.
Easy signal analysis. The built in spectrum analyser shows the signal in real time whilst you are receiving messages.
Easy Navtex is designed for panel mounting and is supplied with antenna, power cable and dust cover.
TARGET HF3/P & HF3/W
The Target HF3 is a masterpiece of R. F. engineering covering the entire spectrum between 30Khz to 30Mhz. For those new to single side band reception the unit comes complete with everything needed to ‘get on the air’ including a comprehensive instruction manual which includes a list of useful marine frequencies.
Controls on the front of the receiver change reception mode, from a narrow filter for SSB reception to a wide filter which enables high quality audio signals to be heard from broadcast stations around the world. They also control ten memory channels to store your favourite frequencies.
The large, clear liquid crystal display shows the precise frequency tuned to and there is no need for constant ‘correcting’ with the tuning knob so often associated with SSB signals as the receiver
is fully synthesised.
TARGET HF3/P
The Target HF3/P has a fixed level audio output to connect to third party weatherfax software. The receiver is supplied complete with a basic long wire antenna, 12 volt power cable and instruction book.
TARGET HF3/W
The HF3/W is complete with CD software and interface cable for connection to a PC sound card. The software enables reception of weatherfax pictures, Radiotelex weather forecasts and Navtex. Simply install the software, plug in the supplied cable to the receiver output and PC sound card to receive weatherfax pictures and forecasts from around the world.
Requires PC Windows XP to 10.
For a yachtsman planning a voyage, the ability to predict the weather is essential.
The rate of change of barometric pressure and history of wind speed can be an invaluable indicator of imminent conditions.
Many sailors rely on low cost domestic barometers, which are inaccurate, have low resolution and very poor history. Several quality paper recording instruments exist but are delicate, fiddly to use and rely on paper which can jam when damp. The MeteoMan overcomes all these problems. It provides an accurate, high resolution barograph recording in excess of five days data on barometric pressure and wind speed. It is easy to use, reliable, rugged and draws very little power from the boat’s battery.
The Meteoman is available with an optional NMEA Wind sensor which provides wind direction, wind speed and external temperature. The Meteoman provides reliable meteorological information for the yachtsman. The main display shows the wind speed and direction, the ambient temperature and the barometric pressure.
To assist in predicting future trends the unit also displays a precision barograph and an anemograph showing barometric pressure and wind speed for the previous five days.
In addition to the meteorological functions the unit includes a marine chronometer, a stop watch, a race countdown timer, display of internal temperature and battery voltage.
MeteoMan can be connected to an NMEA Clipper Wind system where it will get wind speed/direction data via the Clipper wind output.
NMEA Wind Sensor supplied with mounting brackets and 20 metres of two core screened cable.
NMEA 0183 sentences: Wind speed/direction MWV Temperature XDR
The PC Navtex USB is a two channel navtex receiver designed to operate on your personal computer. It will receive navtex messages even without your PC connected. Navtex messages are stored in a vast internal memory for you to download when you get on board. Down loading is quick and the software provided allows you to select the messages you want.
Leave the unit on 24/7 then, when you get on board, just plug in your PC and immediately download the latest weather forecast from your local station, or any other message stored in the PC Navtex USB’s memory.
An excellent website with details of NAVTEX, RTTY and HF radio weather services can be found here: http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather
Try the PC Navtex software before you buy – download a full working version here: PC Navtex Demo (requires PC Windows XP – 10)
Latest production PC Navtex software V4 (Windows 10 Compatible) – http://www.willrite.co.uk/Navtex/Downloads/navtex4_installer.exe
The Target Navtex Pro is packed with features yet is still remarkably easy to install and use. Great care has been taken to make this unit very simple to operate, in fact should one lose the comprehensive instruction book supplied with it, it is possible to program the unit via the on-screen menus – it really is that simple. The messages are displayed on a high contrast backlit liquid crystal display with a clear line space between messages to aid location – this is necessary as the unit has a very large memory.
You can be sure you always have up to the minute data as the memory will overwrite the oldest messages if it becomes full. However you can at any time erase the data memory if you wish. It is like a continuous stream of paper – without the mess or expense!
Navtex has come of age, a free worldwide information service in English. A Navtex receiver is a most essential piece of equipment and the Target Navtex Pro is state of the art. This excellent piece of equipment comes complete with its own active aerial and is designed to be left on continuously – consuming a miserly 40mA. Can you afford to be without one?
An excellent website with details of NAVTEX, RTTY and HF radio weather services can be found here: http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather
The Target Navtex receiver is supplied with – Antenna and 7 metre cable, a power cable, a crade mount bracket and a manual.
The Nasa Marine AIS SART Plotter is the first stand alone AIS receiver / plotter specifically designed for the leisure boat market.
The unit consists of a dual frequency AIS receiver, demodulator, signal processor and a backlit matrix display. It receives an NMEA input (RMC) from the boats GPS which puts the user at the centre of a radar style screen. A COG pointer is selectable by the user. All AIS carrying vessels and SART transponders are displayed with bearing and range relative to the user. Any vessel on the screen can be selected by the user. The selected vessel is highlighted and its data displayed on the right of the screen. This data includes the vessel’s MMSI number, name, course over ground, speed over ground, range, latitude and longitude.
The display, with ranges of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 nautical miles shows AIS carrying vessels and SART transponders in a format normally associated with conventional radar. A trail of previous positions clearly shows the relative track of all the targets on the screen. A box to the right of the screen displays the speed over the ground, the vessel name, mmsi number and the latidude and longitude of any target selected by the user.
As each vessel leaves a trail of previous positions the user can instantly see its relative position and bearing. Should any vessel cause concern (particularly if there is a risk of collision) it can be selected and its AIS data displayed. The MMSI number is immediately available so, in the last resort, a DSC call can be made directly to that vessel. If the user selects his own vessel then the screen repeats the users GPS position, course and speed over ground.
Each vessel’s status is shown by a different symbol so the user can see if a vessel is underway, at anchor, fishing etc.
The compact unit has a white backlit LCD display, operates from 12 volts and consumes little power. It is designed for inside cabin mounting only.
*AIS SART Plotter is an AIS receiver only and does not transmit AIS data. It should not be confused with an AIS transponder.
The receiver requires connection to a stand alone VHF antenna or connected to a VHF/AIS antenna splitter.
Conventional navtex antennas respond to the electrical component associated with the navtex radio signal. They usually perform well at sea where electrical interference is low but can sometimes be overwhelmed with interference especially when in harbour and connected to shore power.
In most small craft the electrical system acts as an effective ground for the antenna but it can also be a source of interference conducted from other electrical equipment on board. Electrical interference can result in poor reception especially in a marina where the ambient level is high or at sea when poorly suppressed electrical equipment is in use.
The omnidirectional H-Vector antenna is not sensitive to electric fields but to the magnetic component of the navtex signal. As a result it is less sensitive to locally generated interference and, as it does not need a ground, it is not affected by conducted ground interference whether in harbour or at sea.
The net result is that, under adverse conditions, the H-Vector antenna can deliver a significant improvement to navtex reception. The mushroom shaped antenna is compatible with the Clipper navtex, series 2 Target navtex and with the navtex engine. It can be mounted on a cabin roof or rail mounted using an appropriate threaded antenna base.
Customer review:
I am delighted with our new antenna. Our Navtex , normally somnolent in the marina, has burst into life!
Someone asked me recently – why bother with Navtex? My answer was simple. Last year a gale blew up suddenly on the Turkish Aegean coast. The Navtex transmitter at Izmir issued an urgent gale warning out of ‘normal hours’ and it was the only service to do so! For example there was nothing about this gale on PredictWind on our WiFi.
Now had a full month on the boat in Turkey cruising around and am even more delighted than ever with the new antenna!
John E – cruising in Turkey
