Problems Decoding WEFAX

[AlaskaMike]

I was playing around with wefax in fldigi, and I was able to decode some images. Unfortunately something is obviously wrong with how I had it set. I was hoping someone here could take a look and tell me what I did wrong.

Here's one example image:

http://www.tibor.org/wefax-test.jpg

In the fldigi display window, all the images looked fine but when I looked at the saved files they all have that funky out of phase look.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[SCPD]

The standard Wefax format is 120/576. Sometimes they use a different format for certain broadcasts.

Here's a list of wefax frequencies and formats.

00122.5 CFH CF Halifax CAN 120/576 0520 schedule
02017.5 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576
02052.0 NOJ USCG Kodiak USA 120/576
02195.0 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576
02342.5 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576 1900-0700
02401.0 LSB Centro Met Marambi ATA 120/576 0025+0325+1225+1525 2030
02618.5 GFE 25 Bracknell Meteo G 120/576 120/288 1800-0600
02628.0 AXM 31 Melbourne Meteo AUS 120/576 0115+1215 schedule
02720.0 UNID CIS 60/576 2304 Samara ?
02754.5 CKN CF Vancouver CAN 120/576 0245 schedule
02822.0 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576
03232.0 AFS USAF AWS Elkhorn USA 120/576 Night
03250.0 RXB 70 Khabarovsk Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
03253.0 VFF CCG Iqaluit CAN 120/576 0300-0500+0900-1140
03253.0 VFR CCG Resolute CAN 120/576 1200-1500+2300-0230
03280.0 RBX 70 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576
03302.0 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576
03357.0 NAA USN Cuttler USA 120/576 Standby on Call
03360.0 RPN 71 Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
03365.0 JMJ Tokyo Meteo 1 J 120/576
03377.4 YMA 20 Ankara Meteo TUR 90/576
03610.0 ROO 70 Rostov na Donu RUS 90/576 60/576
03622.5 JMH Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
03652.0 GYA RN London G 120/576
03657.0 RVZ 73 Arkhangelsk Meteo RUS 60/576
03690.0 ? Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576
03745.0 RIS 70 Tbilisi Meteo GEO 90/576 60/288/576
03830.0 Moscow meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
03855.0 DDH 3 Hamburg Meteo D 120/576 /288 1050 schedule
03863.0 ? Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
04014.0 ZRO Pretoria Meteo AFS 120/576 1530-0400
04053.5 UNID USA 120/576 1150-1250
04228.0 CBV Valparaiso Radio CHL 120/576 1115+1915+2310
04268.0 CKN CF Vancouver CAN 120/576 0245 schedule
04271.0 CFH CF Halifax CAN 120/576 0520 schedule
04298.0 NOJ USCG Kodiak ALS 120/576
04307.0 GYA RN London G 120/576
04316.0 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
04317.0 NMG USCG New Orleans USA 120/576
04346.0 NMC USCG San Francisco USA 120/576 1104+2324 schedule
04365.0 RPJ 78 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
04481.0 SWA 18 Athens AIR GRC 120/576 0845-0945
04524.5 SUU 36 Cairo Meteo EGY 120/576 (04526.4 LSB) LSB
04562.0 UNID ??? 120/576
04570.5 DHJ 51 Grengel Meteo D 120/576 0700-1900
04610.0 GFA 22 Bracknell Meteo G 120/576 120/288 continuous
04616.0 XL1763 Charlottetown CGR CAN 120/576 1130 UTC 100 W !
04616.0 BMB Tai-pei Meteo TAI 120/576 0050 schedule
04618.0 CZW Maritim Air Group CAN 120/576 IIP Ice patrol
04622.0 UNID ??? 60/576 1150-1250
04777.5 IMB 51 Rome Meteo I 120/576
04785.0 NDT USN Yokosuka J 120/576 Standby on call
04790.5 6VU 23 Dakar Meteo SEN 120/576 60/576
04807.0 LSB Centro Met Marambi ATA 120/576 0025+0325+1225+1525 2030
04853.3 NPM USN Pearl Harbour HWA 120/576 Standby on Call LSB
04966.5 NDT USN Yokosuka J 120/576 Standby on call
04995.5 ATA 55 Delhi Meteo IND 120/576
05008.0 Moscow meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
05100.0 AXM 32 Melbourne Meteo AUS 120/576 0115+1215 schedule
05100.0 BDF Shanghai Meteo CHN 120/576 2210-0950
05121.0 ? Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
05250.0 BMB Tai-pei Meteo TAI 120/576 0050 schedule
05262.0 NPN USN Apra Harbour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call
05280.0 RKR 76 Irkutsk Meteo RUS 90/576 60/576
05285.0 RPN 75 Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
05285.0 RBX 71 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
05302.5 Centro Met Ed Frei ATA 120/576 0330+2130
05325.0 UNID CIS 2112 Alma Ata ?
05335.0 RBW 41 Murmansk Meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
05347.0 RSW 71 Arkhangeslk Meteo RUS 60/576
05405.0 JMJ 2 Tokyo Meteo 1 J 120/576
05526.4 BAF 6 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
05670.0 UNID CIS 120/576 2000-2200
05698.0 UNID USA 120/576 2200 USCG ?
05705.0 LOR Puerto Belgrano ARG 120/576 1200+2200
05710.0 UNID USA 120/576 USAF ?
05807.1 ZKLF Auckland Meteo NZL 120/576 0430+1630 schedule
05850.2 OXT Copenhagen Meteo DNK 120/576 0028+0943
05857.7 HLL 8 Seoul Meteo KOR 120/576
05869.5 RBV 78 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
05890.0 RBV 78 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
05908.0 AFS USAF AWS Elkhorn USA 120/576 Night
05909.0 UNID
05909.0 UNID
06340.5 NIK/NMF USCG Boston USA 120/576 1600+1810 ice chart
06380.0 UNID CIS 90/576 0740+1640 (Amderma?
06445.1 Murmansk Meteo RUS 120/576 90/576 1910 Apr-Oct
06452.5 GYA RN London G 120/576
06453.0 NPG USN San Francisco USA 120/576 Standby on call
06455.0 UNID CIS 1840
06456.0 CKN CF Vancouver CAN 120/576 0245 schedule
06496.4 CFH CF Halifax CAN 120/576 0520 schedule
06720.0 RPN 71 Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
06772.5 UNID 120/576 1000
06790.0 YMA 20 Ankara Meteo TUR 90/576
06906.0 AFS USAF AWS Elkhorn USA 120/576 Day
06910.0 UNID CIS 90/120 1900-2200
06915.1 XL1763 Charlottetown CGR CAN 120/576 1400+1930 UTC 100 W
06917.0 CZW Maritim Air Group CAN 120/576 IIP Ice patrol
06950.0 RJK 78 Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
06987.0 Moscow meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
07305.0 JMH 2 Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
07335.0 UNID
07395.0 HSW 64 Bangkok Meteo THA 120/576
07405.0 ATP 57 Delhi Meteo IND 120/576
07420.0 BDF Shanghai Meteo CHN 120/576 2210-0950
07433.5 HLL 5 Seoul Meteo KOR 120/576
07470.0 VLM Casey Meteo ATA 120/576 Summer Freq.
07495.0 RDK 23 Tbilisi Meteo GEO 90/576 60/288/576
07508.0 ZRO 2 Pretoria Meteo AFS 120/576 Continuous
07570.0 RBX 72 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
07582.0 UNID
07582.0 NKW USN Diego Garcia DGA 120/576 Standby on Call
07595.0 AOK USN Rota E 120/576
07630.0 RNR 78 Rostov na Donu RUS 90/576 60/576
07638.0 UNID CIS 60/576
07670.0 RCC 76 Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
07695.0 ? Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
07702.0 RTP 72 Irkutsk Meteo RUS 90/576 60/576
07710.0 VFF CCG Iqaluit CAN 120/576 2000-2236
07710.0 VFR CCG Resolute CAN 120/576 1200-1500+2300-0230
07762.0 RGH 77 Arkhangelsk Meteo RUS 60/576
07845.1 UNID CIS 120/576 1833 (7845.5 LSB)
07880.0 DDK 3 Hamburg Meteo D 120/576 /288 1050 schedule
07906.4 Murmansk Meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
07968.0 RFU 7 Rostov na Donu RUS 90/576 60/576
08040.0 GFA 23 Bracknell Meteo G 120/576 120/288 continuous
08069.0 UNID
08080.0 NAA USN Cuttler USA 120/576 Standby on Call
08083.0 RIJ 75 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
08103.9 SWA 27 Athens AIR GRC 120/567 0845-0945
08140.0 BMB Tai-pei Meteo TAI 120/576 0050 schedule
08146.6 IMB 55 Rome Meteo I 120/576
08176.0 FZR 81 Saint Denis Meteo REU 120/576 0430-1200
08183.0 ? Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
08296.0 UNID
08302.2 BAF 36 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
08320.0 Possibly Argentinian FAX (southern tip of SA)
08331.5 GYA RN London G 120/576
08444.0 Murmansk Meteo RUS 120/576 90/576 LSB Apr-Oct
08444.0 UNID CIS 120/576 1833 LSB
08459.0 UNID ??? 120/576 1730
08459.0 NOJ USCG Kodiak ALS 120/576
08467.5 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
08467.5 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
08494.0 NUD USN Adak ALS 120/576 Standby on Call
08503.9 NMG USCG New Orleans USA 120/576
08677.2 CBV Valparaiso Radio CHL 120/576 1115+1915+2310
08682.0 NMC USCG San Francisco USA 120/576 1104+2324 schedule
09044.5 AOK USN Rota E 120/576
09045.0 5YE Nairobi Meteo KEN 120/576
09050.2 AOK USN Rota E 120/576
09090.0 NPG USN San Francisco USA 120/576 Standby on call
09100.0 RFU 9 Rostov na Donu RUS 90/576 60/576 ROO 72 ?
09110.0 NMF/NIK USCG Boston USA 120/576
09150.0 RCH 73 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
09165.0 ? Seoul Meteo KOR 120/576
09263.0 UNID
09318.5 NRK USN Keflavik ISL 120/576 Standby on Call
09340.0 RCH 72 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
09354.0 UNID CIS 90/576
09360.0 OXT Copenhagen Meteo DNK 120/576 0003+1008+1153+1243
09396.0 NPM USN Pearl Harbour HWA 120/576 Standby on Call
09430.0 3MA 34 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
09438.0 JMJ 3 Tokyo Meteo 1 J 120/576
09458.6 ZKLF Auckland Meteo NZL 120/576 0430+1630 schedule
09951.0 LSB Centro Met Marambi ATA 120/576 0025+0325+1225+1525 2030
09970.0 JMH 3 Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
09982.5 KVM 70 Honolulu Meteo HWA 120/576
10107.0 ATE 60 Delhi Meteo IND 120/576
10117.8 BAF 4 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
10121.0 SUU 2 Cairo Meteo EGY 120/576 (10122.9 LSB) LSB
10130.0 RBW 48 Murmansk Meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
10207.0 RTP 78 Irkutsk Meteo RUS 90/576 60/576
10242.3 UNID
10253.0 NPN USN Apra Harbour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call
10522.7 UNID
10536.0 CFH CF Halifax CAN 120/576 0520 schedule
10542.0 AOK USN Rota E 120/576
10560.0 UNID CIS 90/576 harmaonic Irkutsk?
10865.0 NAA USN Cuttler USA 120/576 Standby on Call
10980.0 RDD 79 Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
11030.0 AXM 34 Melbourne Meteo AUS 120/576 0115+1215 schedule
11090.0 KVM 70 Honolulu Meteo HWA 120/576
11122.0 AFS USAF AWS Elkhorn USA 120/576 Day
11135.5 UNID USA 120/576 USN Pearl Har/Adak
11137.0 UNID ??? 120/576
11381.0 UNID CIS 90/576 1930
11420.0 BDF Shanghai Meteo CHN 120/576 2210-0950
11455.0 VLM Casey Meteo ATA 120/576 notin use 97/98
11475.7 HMF 52 KCNA Pyongyang KRE 60/352 nx/px 2330+0030
11617.9 ? Moscow Meteo RUS 120/576 60/90/288/576
11662.5 Centro Met Ed Frei ATA 120/576 0330+2130
12446.6 UNID ??? 1510
12666.9 PWZ Rio de Janeiro B 120/576 0745-0830+1745-1830
12673.9 UNID ???
12730.0 NMC USCG San Francisco USA 120/576 1104+2324 schedule
12745.5 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
12750.0 NIK/NMF USCG Boston USA 120/576 1600+1810 Ice chart
12753.0 CKN CF Vancouver CAN 120/576 0245 schedule
12764.0 LOR Puerto Belgrano ARG 120/576 1200+2200
12776.7 NDT USN Yokosuka J 120/576 Standby on call
12789.9 NMG USCG New Orleans USA 120/576
12806.0 UNID ??? 120/576 USN ?
12806.0 NKW USN Diego Garcia DGA 120/576 Standby on Call
12961.0 Moscow meteo RUS 120/576 90/576
13345.0 UNID
13510.0 CFH CF Halifax CAN 120/576 0520 schedule
13538.0 ZRO 3 Pretoria Meteo AFS 120/576 Continuous
13550.1 ZKLF Auckland Meteo NZL 120/576 0430+1630 schedule
13570.0 Seoul Meteo KOR 120/576
13570.0 UNID
13580.0 HMY 33 KCNA Pyongyang KRE 60/352 nx/px 2330+0030
13587.4 IMB 56 Rome Meteo I 120/576 Test ?
13597.0 JMH 4 Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
13597.4 IMB 56 Rome Meteo I 120/576
13671.3 6VU 73 Dakar Meteo SEN 120/576 60/576 LSB
13766.0 3MA 26 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
13855.0 OXT Copenhagen Meteo DNK 120/576 1218+1308+1803
13882.5 DDK 6 Hamburg Meteo D 120/576 /288 1050 schedule
13900.0 BMB Tai-pei Meteo TAI 120/576 0050 schedule
13900.5 ? Kiyev Meteo UKR 90/576 60/576
13920.0 AXM 35 Melbourne Meteo AUS 120/576 0115+1215 schedule
13947.0 ROM 5 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
13986.6 (Japan Meteo Fax?) (Actual tuned freq)
14367.0 BAF 8 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
14436.0 GFE 23 Bracknell Meteo G 120/576 120/288 continuous
14545.0 UNID 0923
14547.4 BAF 9 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576 LSB
14572.3 UNID ??? 120/576 0820
14626.0 CZW Maritim Air Group CAN 120/576 IIP Ice patrol
14626.0 UNID ??? 120/576 1225
14685.0 3MA 25 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
14692.5 JMJ 4 Tokyo Meteo 1 J 120/576
14842.0 ATV 65 Delhi Meteo IND 120/576
14914.1 UNID CIS 60/576 1315+1350 Tiblisi ?
14982.5 RBV 76 Tashkent Meteo UZB 90/576 60/576 120/288
14990.0 ? Tbilisi Meteo GEO 60/288/ 60/288/576
15470.0 Centro Met Ed Frei ATA 120/576 0330+2130
15878.0 3MA 24 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
15959.0 NAA USN Cuttler USA 120/576 Standby on Call
16014.0 UNID USA 120/576 USCG ?
16025.0 BAF 9 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
16027.0 NPN USN Apra Habour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call
16035.0 9VF 207 KYODO Singapore SNG 60/576 nx/wx/txt
16135.0 KVM 70 Honolulu Meteo HWA 120/576
16226.0 VNA VNA Vietnam VTN 60/352 0800 UTC Photofax
16335.0 FZS 63 Saint Denis Meteo REU 120/576 0430-1200
16340.1 ZKLF Auckland Meteo NZL 120/576 0430+1630 schedule
16904.0 Victoria Harbour HKG 120/576 0755-0850+1130-1245
16907.5 JFA Chuo Fisheries J 60/120 0800 UTC
16971.0 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
16979.7 PWZ Rio de Janeiro B 120/576 0745-0830+1745-1830
17069.5 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
17144.4 CBV Valparaiso Radio CHL 120/576 1115+1915+2310
17151.2 NMC USCG San Francisco USA 120/576 1104+2324 schedule
17430.0 9VF 235 KYODO Singapore SNG 60/576 nx/wx/txt
17445.5 5YE Nairobi Meteo KEN 120/576
17510.0 OXT Copenhagen Meteo DNK 120/576 1333
17520.0 HSW 61 Bangkok Meteo THA 120/576
18002.0 UNID 120/576 0715+0800 Hanoi ?
18220.0 JMH 5 Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
18237.0 BAF 33 Beijing Meteo CHN 120/576
18238.0 ZRO 4 Pretoria Meteo AFS 120/576 Continuous LSB
18261.0 GFE 24 Bracknell Meteo G 120/576 120/288 0600-1800
18441.2 JMJ 5 Tokyo Meteo 1 J 120/576
18560.0 BMB Taipei Meteo TAI 120/576 0050 schedule
18680.0 Tashkent Meteo UZB 120/576 60/90/576/288
18940.0 BDF Shanghai Meteo CHN 120/576 2210-0950
19327.0 AFS USAF AWS Elkhorn USA 120/576 Day
19680.0 3MA 23 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
19745.0 UNID CIS 60/576
19752.0 6VU 79 Dakar Meteo SEN 120/576 QRT ? LSB
19858.0 NPN USN Apra Harbour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call
20015.0 NAA USN Cuttler USA 120/576 Standby on Call
20302.0 UNID
20302.0 NKW USN Diego Garcia DGA 120/576 Standby on Call
20469.0 AXM 37 Melbourne Meteo AUS 120/576 0115+1215 schedule
21785.0 NPM USN Pearl Harbour HWA 120/576 Standby on Call LSB
22326.0 NDT USN Yokosuka J 120/576 Standby on call
22517.5 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
22527.0 NMC USCG San Francisco USA 120/576 1104+2324 schedule
22542.0 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
22567.0 JJC Tokyo Radio J 120/576 60/576 nx/wx
22850.0 3MA 36 CNA Tai-pei TAI 120/576 nx/txt 0900
23010.0 NPN USN Apra Harbour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call
23331.5 KVM 70 Honolulu Meteo HWA 120/576
23522.9 JMH 6 Tokyo Meteo 2 J 120/576
24300.0 NPN USN Apra Harbour GUM 120/576 Standby on Call

 

[kruser]

I remember years ago receiving a Chinese or Japanese newspaper in a fax format. I think it used an odd format as I can recall having a hard time tuning it not expecting Asian charaters to appear on my screen.
The image link you posted looks like it was an interesting fax reception. Much better than the old boring weather charts!
Have you ever tried MultiPSK? I know it will decode most fax but I think the free version times out.
Maybe have the loaded for the next time you catch this one and try them both.
I'd have loved to see what that one looked like without the odd distortion.

What was the frequency you captured this one from?
It does sound like a possible bug in fldigi. I've not used that in some time.

 

[AlaskaMike]

I had the radio tuned to 16969.5, which looks like a slightly off-frequency reception of Radio Japan's 16971.0 broadcast, according to Nick's frequency list above. I'm wondering if that might've been the problem. I forgot to mention that it was 120/576 format.

I didn't think about a bug in fldigi though--I know I don't have the latest version so I'll take a look at the latest change log and see if they've addressed anything like this.

Nick, thanks very much for the frequency list! That'll keep me busy over the holidays.

Mike

 

[14ZK192]

I had the radio tuned to 16969.5, which looks like a slightly off-frequency reception of Radio Japan's 16971.0 broadcast, according to Nick's frequency list above. I'm wondering if that might've been the problem. I forgot to mention that it was 120/576 format.

I didn't think about a bug in fldigi though--I know I don't have the latest version so I'll take a look at the latest change log and see if they've addressed anything like this.

Nick, thanks very much for the frequency list! That'll keep me busy over the holidays.

Mike

Merry Christmas to All from Northeast France,

Mike is no 120/576 is 60/576

73
Marcel

 

[SCPD]

No problem Mike. That frequency list is actually floating on the web (it's not mine, save for a few additions from me.)

The only thing about that list is that I'm not sure if it's the center frequency or the frequency someone used to receive the fax.

As you may recall, you need to tune down 1.9khz from the center frequency.

So if it's 16771 then you should be on 16769.1 in usb and set your b/w 2.3khz.

 

[AlaskaMike]

Thanks Nick, I didn't know that. It makes sense though--what I'd done was just line up the peaks to the red lines on the waterfall display in fldigi.

 

[ratboy]

Go on one of the WXFAX freqs like 6096, anything really strong and slowly adjust your tune until the maps/pics look right. Make sure you've got the settings at 120/576 for most fax. The 120 is the speed, 2 "squeaks" a second. Some is one a second. After a while, you can tune it in by ear, or at least I could, but I never had the slightest trouble tuning in SSB signals. One of my pet peeves is someone listening to SSB voices and not having it tuned in correctly when a tiny adjustment would make the voice sound totally natural. I had a friend who died a few years ago who never, ever, got it right, and was floored when I would just tune it in instantly. Years and years of him listening, and he never got any better. I thought it was just weird how he listened to off freq SSB. He never could do fax without looking at what it was printing, he couldn't tell by the sound of it at all.

 

[AlaskaMike]

Alright--success! The below appears to be from USCG San Francisco. Interestingly, later images show the Gulf of Mexico and areas further east. I would've thought that USCG SF would focus solely on the Pacific.

http://www.tibor.org/wefax_success.jpg

The problem I ran into earlier where the image was severely distorted definitely seems to have been a bug in the version of FLDigi that I was running. Downloading the newest version, I see that all the images I've decoded since all appear as they should.

I really wish I could pick up that Japanese news station again. Unfortunately I haven't heard anything at all on that freq since I started this thread.

Ratboy, I think I understand what you mean. I have a very minor musical history, and I think it's helped me greatly in my utility listening. For example, I can easily discern 850 Hz shift RTTY from 170 Hz shift RTTY, and I'm only just now getting into radio.

Anyhow, thanks very much to everyone for helping me figure this out!

Mike

 

[ratboy]

Good to see you've got it all solved!

You will be impressed at how clean some of the images will be once it gets really cold and quiet out. I have some WX photos and a bunch of AP wirephotos from about 20 years ago that are almost flawless. They all were from the Winter months. Summer reception is the worst, with never ending static crash marks all over them.

 

[AlaskaMike]

Well, I spoke too soon. I found the Japanese news station again and it was definitely 60/576 as Marcel mentioned. What I'm finding is that 120/576 transmissions come through clearly, but 60/576 transmissions don't.

I don't seem to have control over the LPM and most other settings for HF Fax in FLDigi. Once it starts figuring out the phasing, it autodetects the LPM. The only time I can specify the LPM setting is if I want to transmit. I think I may take a look at other software packages to see how they work differently.

Not really related, but I'd like to see if anyone can hear me do a test on either 40 or 20m with a small test image.

 

[ilgrant]

I haven't played with HF fax in a long time. Many years ago I had trouble with the Japanese stations mostly because there was too much noise and probably a weak signal.

You can definitely determine if the LPM is correct. Just listen to the beats per second. I had a hardware system that would sometimes get the LPM wrong because of noise.

 

[f4ecw]

Well, I spoke too soon. I found the Japanese news station again and it was definitely 60/576 as Marcel mentioned. What I'm finding is that 120/576 transmissions come through clearly, but 60/576 transmissions don't.

I don't seem to have control over the LPM and most other settings for HF Fax in FLDigi. Once it starts figuring out the phasing, it autodetects the LPM.

Very possibly, because these transmissions are rare, and it was not completely tested in this situation (All the ones I could get are 120/576). Also, the default LPM is 120 by default, when it could not be automatically detected. Maybe a logging message was issued, telling this.

Would you please be able to record such a fax and make it available ? Ideally, in WAV format, 16 bits, mono-channel (But conversions are possible). And if possible with the image you actually got on your screen (To be able to make a comparison). I would be very happy to help doing the necessary software fix in fldigi 3.22, and this audio record is necessary.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AlaskaMike]

Thanks very much! I'll see what I can get this weekend.

 

[SCPD]

Mike, here are the controls for the main Wefax receiving window:

Save: This allows to save the current image as a PNG file at any moment.
Manual mode/Abort: At startup, the modem goes into automatic mode, and the text "Abort" is displayed. When clicking "Abort", this blanks the image and resets the APT detection. When "Manual mode'" is clicked, no APT detection is done. The Automatic/Manual mode is displayed in the reception window label.
Pause/Resume: At any moment, the image reception can be paused and resumed (State is displayed in the reception window label).
Zoom: This allows to zoom in/out the image.
FIR: This allows to select an input FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter. Practically, the narrow filter (Default value) gives the best results. The selected value is saved in the configuration file.
Skip APT/Skip phasing: When in automatic mode, this allows to skip detection steps. This is often necessary when the signal is not very good.

Here's the help page for Wefax in FLDIGI:

Weather Fax

 

[AlaskaMike]

f4ecw, I finally was able to get on the radio again and listen for it tonight. I've made a short recording using fldigi's audio capture:

http://www.tibor.org/wefax-60-576-capture.wav

Hopefully that's enough to be useful to you.

Mike

 

[AlaskaMike]

When receiving this one I selected "manual" in the wefax viewer window, which allowed me to specify the LPM. I set it to 60, and I think that might've made the difference. The resulting image came through far better than earlier examples from that station:

http://www.tibor.org/wefax-60-576-success.jpg

f4ecw, I do have the audio capture corresponding to the above image--let me know if you'd like it. It's pretty big so I'd prefer not to link to it publicly. The web server is on my home network and it doesn't take much web traffic to clog my DSL connection.

Mike

 

[Sol100]

Weather Fax

The Japanese KYODO Fax stations use 60 by 288 (IOC).
If you Google KYODO news you should be able to find the schedules and frequencies, six frequencies I think.
Have fun.
Sol

 

[f4ecw]

Thanks for the wav files

Thanks for the wav and the pic. That's the right moment because changes are being tested now, and any new test case is interesting. You might send the big wav file to my address: remi dot chateauneu at gmail dot com

 

[f4ecw]

Kyodo images are fax288, not ?

Apparently, these images should be received in mode wefax288, LPM=60. At the moment, when the LPM cannot be deduced, it is set at 120 as a default value. What I suggest is to have 60 as default for wefax288 and 120 for wefax576 as it is now.

So, you would have to do anything provided that the right mode wefax288 is used for these images.

What do you think ?

Regards

Remi