American VHFs

[BrendanS]

Re: FCC FAQ

I'm sure all the information is there on your site somewhere Mike, but a nice simple FAQ like the FCC one would be nice. Might even remove some of the evident confusion about licensing shown here on the forums.

UK agency sites are not easy to navigate from the home page, better links and search engines would be a big improvement. Another example is customs and excise, practically impossible to find anything from the home page, you have to find the correct key words using Google to find the pages you want.

<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide

 

[stevebirch2002]

Hi Mike

The ICOM seems to have a choice of American, Canadian or International settings. These are selectable from the keypad. As companies like ICOM make systems worldwide surely they would make for the complete marketplace and then just select for the country you are in? Can you explain the difference between the DSC available on the ICOM and a UK DSC Radio. I am a Radio Ham as well so a little technical data would not go amiss. Many tahnks in advance.

<hr width=100% size=1>Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

 

[BrendanS]

Have a look earlier in the thread, it's already been covered. Many (even most) pleasure boat VHF DSC radios for US market are manufactured to SC-101, not Class D or above. Even when manufactured to Class D or above, if built for US market, they may well not be CE marked.

Not a feature of ICOM, it's the same for most manufacturers.

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[kdf]

The ICom 601 is sold in europe,while the icom 603 is sold in the US. Its the same unit , same features, box, buttons and supports dsc class D, not sc-101 as per their previous models. The only real difference is the price. the one with the CE sticker costs twice the price of the one without it!





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[stevebirch2002]

Many thanks for the info. Any idea on the ICOM 402 ? It seems a nice unit and I know ICOM make quality gear for the Radio Ham market. Would still like to know what the technical difference is between SC101 and the D system of DSC, anyone help? The CE sticker is just that, a sticker. Having been in the manufacurer industry a sticker could be put on if all components conformed, seems a bit of a joke. No wonder we dont want to join fully in the great European Community!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

 

[kdf]

Steve,
I dont know much about the 402. re DSC classes - SC-101 is the US equivelent of DSC Class F (I think). This is the minimum specification that is required under US regulations. In Europe, class D was the minimum. The major differences are that a Class D has two receivers - one for the VHF and one for the DSC. This gives it the ability to have voice and data received at the same time. Class F does not. Class F doesn't allow individual calls. They would not receive urgent or safety messsages and theres also no way to test them as they can only send distress calls and you cannot legally use a distress call as a test.

The CE sticker issue is down to the manufacturers. Getting CE type approval does not incur a 100% unit surcharge so you can only assume that the additional charge for units in Europe is down to price sensitivity in different markets. US boaters simply would not tolerate (ie would not buy) a VHF costing $900 whereas we in Europe appear to have no difficulty parting with this kind of money.

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[BrendanS]

SC-101 is a hybrid of Class D and Class F

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[Mike_Martin]

As much as I hate to do it (slope shoulders) this is a question for ICOM and the other manufacturers who penetrate various national markets. As only they can answer questions on why they have such price differentials.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Services Section,
Radiocommunications Agency