Tag Archives: Radiofax

QSL: Australian Radiofax Received in Brazil

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:

For the first time, I received in Porto Alegre a noisy radiofax from the Bureau of Meteorology of Australia: Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP) map.

Frequency of 20469 kHz USB, 08h45 UTC.

Radiofax (noisy)

Original

My request for a QSL card was kindly answered (attached along the radiofax and the original chart from BoM’s website). Notice that BoM’s transmitter is 1 KW only!

I realize that your Radiofax decode wa noisy, but I feel like that’s an impressive feat considering the distance involved, the fact that your radio was a portable, and their output power was only 1,000 watts. Proper Radiofax DX! Thanks for sharing!

Carlos notes passing of New Zealand MetService Radiofax

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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:

Carlos improves quality of radiofax decodes

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:

I made some adjustments and now I receive better quality radiofaxes. Since I started receiving radiofaxes in 2021, I had forgotten a fundamental detail.

To tune 1.9kHz lower than the advertised frequency. For example, the frequency of Kyodo News is 16971 kHz. I therefore tune in 16970 kHz. Of course, the fact that I tune in at 4:10 am in Brazil also makes a difference, as the propagation is quite good at that time.

Thank you for sharing that tip with up about moving down 1.9 kHz lower than the broadcast frequency. It certainly works–your decodes a very clean.

Carlos pulls headlines from Kyodo News radiofax

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:

Kyodo News is a Japanese news agency, the only one in the world that still transmits news via radiofax to Japanese vessels, on shortwave frequency of 16971 kHz USB. The international radiofax transmission standard is 120 lines per minute, but the Kyodo News standard is 60 lines per minute.

However, the retransmission of the bulletin in English is done at a cadence of 120 lpm. I’m using an Android application called HF Weather Fax with which I’m decoding the radio signal coming from Japan and received in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The receiver is the Xhdata D-808 and the antenna is a magnetic loop. The image arrived this morning in Porto Alegre, at 4:10 am local time, quite noisy and with a lot of effort I managed to decipher some headlines.

Carlos’ illustrated listening reports of Typhoon Khanun from Okinawa and KBS

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art from two recent reports and a radiofax.

Good morning, Thomas.
My radio activity on August 10, 2023.

Attached are two illustrated listening reports about Typhoon Khanun: one from Okinawa Fishery radio station and the other from KBS World Radio.

Okinawa Fishery

Here is the audio via YouTube:

KBS World Radio

Here is the audio via YouTube:

Radiofax

Also attached a typhoon warning issued yesterday by South Korean meteorology agency via radiofax at 05h00 UTC and received in Porto Alegre. Signal wasn’t good, therefore image arrived with poor quality. Even though, it’s possible to notice the map of Korea and the path of Typhoon Lan, now a tropical storm.

Thank you so much for documenting these broadcasts, Carlos, and sharing them with us in the SWLing Post community!

Carlos’ E-QSL card from JFX Kagoshima

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:

I got an e-QSL card (see above) from Kagoshima fishery radio station, related to the Radiofax (below) I received on August 2, 2023, at 22h UTC, on 8658 kHz USB, here in Porto Alegre:

That’s just brilliant, Carlos! I didn’t even realize that JFX still issued QSL cards. Thanks so much for sharing this!

Typhoon Khanun: Carlos’ Radiofax decodes using an XHDATA D-808 and Mag Loop antenna

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Carlos’ Radiofax portable receiving and recording station.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who recently shared a number of Radiofax images of Typhoon Khanun he’s decoded over the past few days–apologies as I’ve been traveling and could not post when received. Carlos writes:

Attached is a satellite image broadcasted today by Japanese meteorological agency via radiofax (7795 kHz USB), and received by me in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at 19h10 UTC.

Even with image quality compromised by the signal, it’s possible to spot powerful typhoon Khanun, approaching Okinawa, with winds of 220 km/h.

Receiver is a Xhdata D-808 with loop antenna, signal decoded by HF Weather Fax app.

Also:

Tropical cyclone forecast broadcasted today by Japanese meteorological agency via radiofax (7795 kHz USB), received in Porto Alegre, Brazil, at 19h50 UTC.

Typhoon Khanun is approaching Okinawa, with winds of 220 km/h.

In addition:

Radiofax (detail) from the meteorological agency of Japan, received today at 19:50 UTC in Porto Alegre, frequency 7795 kHz (USB). In the circle, position of the powerful typhoon Khanun, in southern Japan.

Thank you for sharing these, Carlos. It’s amazing that with such simple equipment we can track and download weather events and imagery like this. Pretty amazing!