Dsc and Vhf radios....

[nahmint]

The topic came up on another forum and it occurred to me that it might be a good time to start the thread here as well... as we all start ramping up our plans for a new boating/fishing year. When I was rigging my new boat in 2008, I became aware of the potential life saving benefits of having a Vhf/chartplotter with Dsc (digital selective calling) capability and chose to have the system installed. I understand that pretty well all Vhf radios today are Dsc capable.
In short, virtually all commercial vessels around the world now monitor channel 70 full time... ch 70 is exclusively dedicated to Dsc use. Now as more and more recreational/charter boats add the capabilility, emergency assistance has never been closer for all of us who are out on the water. That's gotta be a good thing!
Dsc is basically a ship to ship communication system and when a boat makes an emergency call, simply by pushing the Dsc button on the Vhf, all Dsc capable boats within approx. 20Nm will immediately receive an alert along with the boat's position, and immediate voice contact will be enabled with the boat in distress. What a great life line to have available. Dsc has several other key operational options that are explained in the manuals.
All this said, of course it is most important for us all that boat operators KNOW how to use their Dsc... just like radar/chartplotters, the technology has little value unless boaters are able to use it. Following my study/practice with my system, I decided to laminate the basic Dsc instructions... in bold print... and now keep them on the dash in my boat, so that anyone in the cabin can hopefully use the basic system if needed...
Anyway,thought it might be a useful thread to toss out...
Cheers,
Larry

 

[Charlie]

Safety is always a good topic! Maybe should include MMSI along with DSC?

I guess units might be different, never thought about that knowing there is a standard they have to abide by? Mine is an ICOM 602 and it is all preprogrammed and automatically (and does) receive DSC distress calls. I never show or discuss how to clear those with anyone, as I want to read or receive any distress messages myself. When I do receive a DSC call (which is often during the summer) all other functions of the radio are disabled and that irritating noise continues, until I either respond or push clear, which it then automatically returns to the transceiver mode.

DSC is part of the little safety briefing I give, but that portion is simply where I point to the “Big Red Switch” on the VHF marked “Distress” and tell everyone that is our “Panic” or “Hail Mary”! When everything hits the fan, the closest to that switch needs to lift the cover and push that button hopefully for 5 seconds, until you hear one long beep. After that, the radio is programmed to automatically do everything else. I don’t even discuss DSC or MMSI or try to explain anything else, but simply if that button is pushed until the short beeps turn into a long beep hopefully there is going to be “a lot” people trying to get hold and find out what kind of problem, and I do explain how to basically work the VHF. In fact, if you ask my wife what DSC or MMSI are, she would not have a clue, but ask where the distress, panic, or Hail Mary button is she will immediately point to the DSC switch!

The distress alert contains (by default, unless you change it) an “Undesignated” distress. If attached and programmed it provides GPS data. The distress automatically repeats every 3.5–4.5 min., until receiving an ‘acknowledgement.’

I guess I should check my MMSI now that you mention it and see if things changed? Also curious - what you laminated?

 

[spring time]

does some radio's when talking to other boats put there location on your chartplotter screen

 

[Klob]

Would love to know how to tell if your DSC is enabled after entering your MMSI into your VHF.(Other than pushing it)

 

[Charlie]

quote:Originally posted by spring time

does some radio's when talking to other boats put there location on your chartplotter screen

That would be AIS,

You can buy a separate receiver specifically for AIS, but if you are looking at that and need to upgrade your VHF look at the ICOM IC-M505 and ICM603 receivers. They integrated both DSC and AIS and believe it is now standard on those units, with a cable which simply connects to your PC or chart plotter. You will then be able to display AIS equipped vessels over your cartography (both chartplottter and radar) and work out their speed and trajectory. In addition, you will be able to gain other information such as MMSI number, name of vessel and destination, useful to know in case you need to use the DSC to arrange to speak on a calling channel, but not practical to most of us? I don’t know about the other VHF manufactures, as I am sold on my ICOM. Also, a lot of chartplotters (like my Garmin 545s) currently has both DSC/AIS ‘receiver’ capabilities, with most having to enter the MMSI number to show the info?
A friend of mine installed AIS a couple of years ago and it is nice, but he also has more money than since!

It is definitely, something to look for on GPS/VHF upgrade as the prices are now getting into the range of affordable for us non-commercial boats, especially as the popularity is increasing over the last couple of years, but unfortunately most non-commercials off the WCVI have neither?

Still at this time, “Reality” very few or no DSC calls really need to be made or answered, and only a small proportion of boats really need to be rigged such that their VHF channel appears on AIS to others, such as friends. For this to work most of the time - as an augmentation, a DSC call is made to those boats that don’t have this feature … are just a request they meet on channel xx. However, the MMSI feature could very much be a life saver! As more and more get AIS… the fog situation will be improved drastically! I like in the idea, anyone with an AIS receiver can easily contact me without knowing how to use the user DSC feature of VHF radio. This comes would be handy when traveling with other boats, in the fishing grounds, they can see where I am on the channel.

quote:Originally posted by Klob

Would love to know how to tell if your DSC is enabled after entering your MMSI into your VHF.(Other than pushing it)

Testing is easy! FIRST, DO NOT PRESS THE DISTRESS BUTTON! (that would be those DSC calls I get during the summer months!) Just find someone who has MMSI. Enter their MMSI number in your VHF and call them on any working channel, NOT 16! Just like making a ship to shore or any other phone call. Their receiver will show your information if working!

This info is a year or two old, so remember things change!

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by Charlie

quote:Originally posted by spring time

does some radio's when talking to other boats put there location on your chartplotter screen

That would be AIS,

MUCH TXT SNIPPED

Charlie: You are partially correct.

AIS does indeed show other AIS equipped ships on your chartplotter.

However, you can do the same in a limited way with a DSC equipped radio and a chartplotter.

While this will not allow you to see all the other boats around you, you CAN set it up so that you can keep track of a buddy boat or other friends.

You have to know each boats MMSI number and have it input into your radio, and he must do the same to his.

You can then push a series of buttons on your radio to call your buddy and send him your position data and request his. This can be set so that he must manually answer your request or he can set it so that his radio will automatically respond to all position requests.

Once acknowledged, his position will show up on your chartplotter.

You can also use MMSI/DSC to call specific boats and have them switch to a specified channel. You can also do a broadcast to ALL boats.

Just read the manual that came with your radio. Each radio is different. I have an Icom in the boat and a Standard Horizon in the house which may get switched into the truck to replace a non-DSC radio so that I can hook it up with the Lowrance GPS there.

Here is a website if you wish to track ships via AIS:

http://www.siitech.com/

Just follow the instructions on the page for real time ship tracking anywhere in the world!

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Charlie]

Guess I screwed up, or maybe didn’t want go into that much detail?

 

[spring time]

what radios do you have jim, do the cheaper dsc radio's work for that

 

[beemer]

hey jim , I have only heard of standard horizon doing this type of dsc/gps integration? are there other companies doing it?

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by spring time

what radios do you have jim, do the cheaper dsc radio's work for that

Icom 422 in the boat, Standard Horizon Spectrum + GX2355S in the house, and and older non DSC Standard Horizon Eclipse in the truck.

Lowrance LCX-112c GPS/Chartplotter/Sonar in the boat and Lowrance Globalmap 3500C GPS in the truck.

I'm thinking of swapping the house and truck radios as DSC is kind of useless in the house without a GPS though it would be nice for tracking friends out fishing.

I was suprised to find that I can talk from the boat to Tahsis while I'm out on the Highway, 10 or 12 miles off-shore. Once I get into the shadow of Nootka Island around Ferrer, I lose contact with Tahsis, but able to pick it up again once back in Esperanza.

I'm going to try and raise my antenna height at the house to see if I can improve the distance.


Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by beemer

hey jim , I have only heard of standard horizon doing this type of dsc/gps integration? are there other companies doing it?

Yes, my Icom 422 will do all of the fancy DSC stuff.

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/m422/

You can download the manual at the above link to check out the features - check page 14 and up.

Standard Horizon GX2355S Manual:
http://www.standardhorizon.com/down...e=GX2355S.pdf&FileContentType=application/pdf


I'm not sure about all the Icom models, I know the 422 had more features such as a PA that I wanted which is why I chose it over a less expensive model.

Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://ca.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[beemer]

thanks JIm. Technology is moving so fast it is hard to keep up ! A friend of mine loaded Navionics on his Iphone for 9 bucks , bought a waterproof otterbox? and now used that as his primary GPS. Crazy.

 

[pescador]

fyi, Steveston Marine has the HX850S portable Standard Horizon on sale for $ 209 right now. Its a GPS/DSC floating model. I bought one today. Apparently the regular price is $ 359.. Seemed like a pretty good deal given some of the ICOM's I looked at. 6Watts and all the other chargers etc.

Matador

 

[spring time]

ya I see stevenston has a lot of radio's on sale now the wether to get a standard eclipse or a uniden solara looks like the standards are half price

 

[beemer]

One note on portable dsc radios. If they are not gps enabled (most aren't) you need to have the charger for the radio integrated into your main boat gps. The two units will"communicate" and update your position on your handheld while it is in the charging tray , once you take it out of the tray it will no longer be updating your position. If you fall out of your boat and press the dsc the position that will be sent will be the last updated position from your main gps , not nessasarily where you are.

I work on the water alone a lot and my overboard kit is a floating waterproof radio , floating waterproof strobe and a large orange HD garbage bag for extra flotation and signalling.

 

[searun]

I would give up on DSC and go to AIS as this will be the future of anti collision navigation anyway. There are way too many advantages with AIS, specifically the ability to see the exact position, speed and heading of each AIS equipped vessel. As all freighters must be equipped with AIS you are that much safer because they can see you and vice versa. In the event of an emergency it is easy for the coast guard to find your position...and they are tracking you all day anyway. Disadvantage is other fishermen who have AIS can also quickly track down your position and follow you to the hot spot.

Only draw back really is the price of the transceiver unit. Not sure if anyone has located any deals out there?? Would be interested to hear about them.

Searun

 

[Charlie]

X2

 

[quicksilver11]

All commercial traffic has the ability to see you using ARPA it tells your CPA, COG, SPD, TCPA. We mainly use AIS to identify vessels. The idea of being located quicker if in trouble is great. You can just turn it off so you are not identified.

 

[searun]

True, forgot about the on/off switch on the transmitter. I would still prefer that the big boys knew where I was. No point taking a chance they sneak up on you in the fog. Besides there are really no secrets out there anyway.

Searun

 

[TenMile]

quote:Originally posted by spring time

does some radio's when talking to other boats put there location on your chartplotter screen

I have a Standard Horizon radio. If I also had a Standard Horizon chartplotter, it has the ability to overlay the DSC information onto the charts and plot a course and distance for you.

Even without that feature, if you have buddies fishing, you can program their MMSI number into your radio (my radio allows me to assign their name) -- the radio will poll that MMSI number (or group of numbers) and allows you to speak with them directly. Again, if you had the DSC capable chartplotter, their positions would also show up automagically.

I have the radio hooked up to my chartplotter using the NMEA0183 connections -- basically 2 wires that have to be spliced from the plotter to the radio. Then tell the plotter to Output NMEA signals at 4800bps. When properly connected, the radio has a satellite image on the screen and will show my GPS location and the time every 2 seconds.

After seeing this thread, I remembered that the GPS connection to my radio had stopped working last summer and I had not gotten around to fixing it. Took me 5 minutes yesterday to repair a poorly done splice and it's working again -- so thanks for bringing it up.

TenMile
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