Artwork by Carlos Latuff
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:
Hello Thomas,
I’m sad to know that the New Zealand meteorological agency MetService, has retired radiofax in July 1st, and is focusing on “modern solutions” of sending synoptic charts to vessels. In 2021 I received several radiofax charts from MetService in Porto Alegre.
https://about.metservice.com/our-company/national-weather-services/retirement-of-radiofax
This is a video I shot in 2020:
Radio fax uses low bandwidth FM to transmit the black and the white sections of the image.
Radio New Zealand Pacific is currently having built a new Digital Radio Mondiale, high power, high frequency transmitter. There are other examples of using DRM to transmit coloured weather map images in the North Pacific (Iceberg risk) and in the Atlantic. There are DRM receivers which contain a Bluetooth transceiver so that a tablet can be used to display larger images. The slow transmission of this images which are of better quality and if the signal strength is high enough will without distortion and additional noise. Let’s hope that RNZ-P will transmit not only weather maps, but also cyclone (hurricane or typhoon) warnings with tracking information along with tsunami warnings and maps if underwater volcanic activity occurs.
Where can such receivers be bought?
Starwaves W293-BT receiver with optional WiFi capability https://starwaves.com/
The website does not provide an option to buy it, even the prices are not listed. Looks like some vaporware.
Merci beaucoup dr OM CARLOS j’ai des souvenirs de RADIOFAX METEO MARINE ………….s 73 de Lionel SWL FRANCAIS
Hi-
This is a Steele and Loeber commercial I was able find on YouTube. Several Hallicrafters receivers
as well as some others. Thought it may be of interest?
73, Joe-WA9LAE.