The ABC Adelaide has stopped broadcasting weather forecasts in the night hours and this poses a problem when out of range of terrestrial stations (mobile phone and TV). Night time is good to listen to interstate stations as well as our local 891. Does anyone have an idea how to get this information when isolated?
Also the BOM transmits HF voice weather reports for shipping although I usually find these quite complicated to interpret.
With a long wire or simple dipole antenna you should be able to receive medium wave transmissions from most of Australia after dark - have the ABC implemented this policy Oz wide?
With a 137MHz receiver you can receive satellite images but it's a bit complicated.
If you have an Amateur Radio licence you could use Saildocs and Winlink to "grab" a webpage - I did this successfully for many years.
Don't forget the commercial AM stations, they usually provide a weather report around news time but normally it's not detailed.
Good question - I shall dwell upon it further.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
The BOM coastal waters may be great for the boaties but no much help at Witchelina or Lake Gairdner. Just the other day we had a fatality at the lake and the chappie was NOT prepared for the outback. Many good suggestions made but having a forecast could save a life. No, this ABC policy is not Australia wide only SA as I can work out. 774 Melbourne does weather and I can receive that up north but it doesn't help us here. The wx in Vic has gone past us!!
The ABC used to fill in 2 mins, after the news going around the state giving weather at a few locations which helped but not any longer. They broadcast a meaningless message to say how wonderful they are in an emergency but of course do nothing!!
And it seemed SO simple. The low frequency band (891) can go over the horizon at night and I enhance it with a Tune-able Medium Wave Loop which while passive greatly lifts the signal strength.
I will follow up with the BOM to see if they do desert forecasts. Even knowing Coober Pedy would be a great help.
I was once a HAM operator but let it lapse about 40 or so years ago. If I knew that it might help me I might consider becoming qualified again.
Thank you for your reply. There must be other Grey Nomads who get off the sealed roads. And no, ABC Classic isn't going to cut the mustard - we often have that station on in Adelaide.
My comment about Classic FM was intended to be a humourous aside regarding your forum name.
So WeFax on HF is of no interest to you?
You could check aerodrome weather reports which automatically Tx constantly around 350kHz (0.35MHz). You could also check with the "4WD club radio networks" (VKS737 et al) to ask if they do weather reports.
A satellite phone will enable you to download weather from the BOM.
If you have ever qualified for an Amateur Radio licence then you do not need to re-qualify; you simply need to convince the ACMA that you are the John Smith who held the call VK5ABC in 1985 and they will issue you with a new callsign at the same level. I have known people get their licence back after a lapse of 40 years.
In my opinion an Amateur Radio licence would be your best bet for weather and it provides a *host* of other opportunities and facilities too.
__________________
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Well, thank you. You have provided a lot of food-for-thought. I will follow up on them. Do you want to know the outcomes?
We Fax sounds interesting but think I might need more equipment. Remember, I gotta convince the "other half" that this is worthwhile cause.
Yes, I thought the ref. to Classic FM might have been tounge-in-cheek along with my deliberate misspelling of Rachmaninov!!! He is one of "our" favourite composers but MY favourite id Beethoven - never get tired of him. But I don't play piano and muck about with two groups on ukulele and have been appointed leader of Special Effects in one of them. Yes, I like to make people laugh and take the P..S out of poppy songs/music.
Thanks for the tip on the radio licence - I will definitely follow that up.
Sat phone? That costs as the Geology Club hired one for our recent trip to Hiltaba (about 200km north of Streaky Bay). It was considered good insurance given the remoteness in the Gawler Ranges.
Yes, some aerodromes offer a weather service and it can be ATIS (Automated Terminal Information Service) but this is usually confined to major airports and not outback. I will check it out though but another thing about them is the range. They operate on a low frequency and low power and can't be heard very far. When I flew up to Tibooburra the NDB could be heard only 10nm out from the field!!!!
Thanks again, and your thoughts/suggestions will keep me busy.
I have read this topic a couple of times and I am wondering that could anyone just access any internet based weather app or online forecast with the use of a satellite internet service like the Starlink option or any satellite data service.
With apps like Windy for example you can drop a location pin anywhere on the earth. I think possibly Wetherzone and Predict Wind apps make that convenient as well.
The wind apps give all weather in detail as they are often the apps used by sailors and those commercial and serious amateur fishing.
I have read this topic a couple of times and I am wondering that could anyone just access any internet based weather app or online forecast with the use of a satellite internet service like the Starlink option or any satellite data service.
Well... yes... of course.
The problem arises if one does not have an expensive satellite link.
__________________
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I have read this topic a couple of times and I am wondering that could anyone just access any internet based weather app or online forecast with the use of a satellite internet service like the Starlink option or any satellite data service.
Well... yes... of course.
The problem arises if one does not have an expensive satellite link.
OK, I see that but I would have thought that for the importance placed on safety when off the beaten track then that kind of service would be almost mandatory,
OK, I see that but I would have thought that for the importance placed on safety when off the beaten track then that kind of service would be almost mandatory,
No: at least not yet, thank God!
-- Edited by Mike Harding on Monday 23rd of January 2023 02:01:43 PM
__________________
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Yes, the costs start to mount up with Satellite stuff. Also, thanks to those who suggested various apps but the thing is that I am out of range for mobile phone and therefore apps don't work.
It would all SOO much simpler if the ABC broadcast the weather like the did a few months ago and 774 Melbourne continues today.
I have some frequencies to follow up of the marine broadcasts and VKS something and will try for those when I get a bit of time. I also wrote to ACMA and it looks like I could renew my former amateur radio licence and buy a transceiver. But as I have a sophisticated HF receiver, will go down that path for now.
