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Getting a weather forecast onboard in an
economical way, yet still getting good quality forecasts can be achieved
using email attachments using GRIB files. All you need is a way of
receiving emails onboard (via GSM, Satellite phones or HF radio etc)
and then a computer program is needed to convert the GRIB file into a
weather map , the raw file received by email is not readable without the
software. You can specify the weather maps you want with some systems
and they are then emailed to you.
GRIB files can be accessed either for
free or from some commercial suppliers for a charge. The ones that make
a charge may provide more types of information than the free ones and
also may provide a good integrated service such as the Buoyweather/Ocens
service as listed below.
Below we have provided information on how
the system works, followed by information on obtaining the GRIB files
and the software needed to read them.
This page is not intended to explore the
onboard systems needed to receive emails (see our
Yacht Communication systems page for this) but it is intended
to show how to get weather forecasts via email/GRIB files once you do
have such a system. |
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Information |
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Frank Singleton |
Frank Singleton provides a comprehensive
explanation on what the system is and how to set it up |
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What is a
GRIB file |
A brief explanation from Sea Tech Systems |
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What is GRIB |
A brief but slightly more technical
description from Environment Canada |
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BoatUS article |
A rather long and general article but
useful for those thinking of getting email onboard via HF and using GRIB
files for weather forecasts. |
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A Sailnet article |
Dan Neri installed a Globalstar satellite phone
on board and loaded Max Sea's navigation and routing software. With this
combination of hardware and software, he was able to access the Internet
at his convenience, download detailed wind-forecast files once a day. |
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Info on Buoyweather from a yachtie |
A description of using Buoyweather from a
yachtie via Noonsite. |
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Software for obtaining and viewing GRIB files
(This software is used to read and
interpret the files you download via email - some software is free and
some you pay for) |
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Airmail |
(For
Airmail users or HAMS only)
A new
version of Airmail's weather fax program is available, including an
updated GRIB/Fax viewer (Viewfax) which can display GRIB weather-data
files as well as most graphical weatherfax image files. |
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Buoyweather |
You are sailing in the middle of the
Indian Ocean and need a forecast. Who are you going to call?
Buoyweather! Email your latitude and longitude to the auto-responder and
get an email forecast back to you within 15 minutes. Works anywhere in
the world as long as you have email
NB - see Buoyweather + Ocens below |
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Buoyweather +
Ocens |
If you are searching for the best way to
get weather forecasts through Globalstar, Iriduim, Winlink, Sailmail or
MarineNet
Buoyweather and Ocens have teamed up to
combine Buoyweather's unique weather charting and data engine with
WeatherNet's fast and efficient wireless deliver system |
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Maxsea |
Forecasts and data are requested through
MaxSea's exclusive chopper interface, allowing you to receive
data via e-mail that you can overlay onto your charts |
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MScan Meteo |
A GRIB
file viewer has been added for viewing common GRIB files. A handy
utility is included to request GRIB files by e-mail from the Saildocs
service, working closely with an installed e-mail or Airmail program |
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Ocens GRIB Explorer |
GRIB
Explorer levels the playing field. Now any at-sea user, from day sailors
to coastal cruisers and fishermen, can acquire and put to use the
weather offered by GRIB data |
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Saildocs |
Saildocs is
an email-based document-retrieval system for the delivery of text-based
Internet documents either on request or by subscription. that can
deliver web pages (including text weather forecasts), and provides
subscriptions for automatic delivery |
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Xaxero Windplot |
Windplot is a simple to use yet powerful GRIB viewer that will display
most available GRIB types. A limited version of WindPlot is available
for evaluation or use the full version for a modest registration fee |
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GRIB file sources (mainly web
based retrieval)
(you can download these files and
then read them with software as listed above - some sources are free and
some you pay for) |
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Global
Marine networks |
Global Marine Networks is now offering 7 day wind forecasts of the world
as a public service via it's GRIB Mail Robot. The forecasts are
generated daily for every region of the world. |
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Marine Meteo.com |
The read me file is in French |
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NavCenter |
Download weather forecast data for use
with MaxSea Marine Software |
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Raymarine |
Forecast files for adding up-to-date
weather data to RayTech Navigator are available for the regions listed.
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