TechMinds: Building an Automated NavTex Receiver using a Raspberry Pi and SDRplay
Over on the TechMinds YouTube channel, Matt has uploaded a video tutorial showing how to create an automated NavTex receiver using a Raspberry Pi and an SDRplay software- defined radio.
NavTex is a safety and navigational information radio text broadcast system for mariners, typically broadcast at 518 kHz and 490 kHz. On ships, it is typically received by dedicated hardware that prints out information on a piece of paper as it comes in. However, with an appropriate antenna and an SDR, it is possible to receive and decode NavTex signals at home.
In his video, Matt shows how a Raspberry Pi loaded with a piece of software created by "boat-comm" can be combined with an SDRplay RSPdx to create a homemade automated NavTex receiver. Matt shows how to install the software and goes on to demonstrate it in action.
Currently, only SDRplay receivers are supported by boat-comms software, but it's possible that in the future, other SDRs may be supported, too.
If you're interested, boat-comm also has a video about his software available on his YouTube channel and we've embedded his video below.