coastguard - advice please on dsc calling

[prv]

I believe I read somewhere that the coastgurds equipment has been modified so that it The Called station can divert the call to 67 .. Seems the mod is accepted by calling stations and like sheep they go....ANy one confirm this????

That was my understanding too, although designed into the system from the beginning rather than some kind of modification. Ship-to-ship the calling station chooses (the opposite to a voice call, but more sensible), ship to shore the shore station always chooses because they probably have a fixed working channel.

Pete

 

[Csail]

Does anyone know who if any have been asked for vhf/dsc cert?

 

[snowleopard]

That was my understanding too, although designed into the system from the beginning rather than some kind of modification. Ship-to-ship the calling station chooses (the opposite to a voice call, but more sensible), ship to shore the shore station always chooses because they probably have a fixed working channel.

Your DSC controller should be programmed to ask you for a calling channel if making an individual call to a ship but not when calling a shore station. The selection is on the basis of the MMSI number which starts 00 for coastguards. When the CG acknowledges your call they designate a channel and your set switches automatically.

 

[prv]

Your DSC controller should be programmed to ask you for a calling channel if making an individual call to a ship but not when calling a shore station.

Yep, that matches my description above. Purely from memory of the course though - I've never made a DSC call in anger

Pete

 

[VicMallows]

Does anyone know who if any have been asked for vhf/dsc cert?

By whom? ... but anyway no.

Vic

 

[Nostrodamus]

Can anyone on here give me a valid reason for calling the coastguard to do a radio check?
Most people have both a VHF/DSC set and a hand held radio. It is unlikely that both will not be working but people do not check both radios by calling the coastguard.
If you put both on (not on channel 16 but another appropriate channel) and key the mike you will hear or see if they are transmitting.
Most radio checks will be carried out before the journey begins so the likelihood you are in a marina where you can test your radio by calling the marina or a friend.
Of those people who for some reason did not get a response from the coastguard (especially in the Solent) would they not go out having got everything ready or would they use the handheld or a phone if they needed to.
Just a few thoughts

 

[Stemar]

The trouble with calling yourself is that you know you can transmit a few hundred metres. (It must be at least that 'cos the antenna on the top of your mast is concentrating the signal more or less horizontally, so all you'll receive on the handheld is the scatter), but it doesn't tell you you'll do any good at a few miles as the water reaches your knees.

Personally, I reckon on one test call per season, which may be the only time I'll use the thing as I tend not to do marinas, I understand a charter wanting to check each time, though I'd prefer to do it the charter office or marina than bug the coastie.

 

[chriscoreline]

I think in many cases it's not a carefully thought-out rationale, just a habit, a ritual that they believe must be done. Which makes you wonder where they get it from in the first place. Are comp crew / day skipper courses teaching it? I know my VHF instructor advocated against the practice - do some in fact advise it? Or is it just that they hear so many voices asking, and assume it's the done thing, because by definition the silent majority of non-checkers won't be apparent to them?

(I'm considering only the Solent, and only the practice of calling the Coastguard for a radio check on leaving the berth every time for however short a trip - not all radio checks under all circumstances everywhere.)

Pete

In the next draft of the spec they should have a data channel so you can run an automated test on the unit without effecting anyone else's traffic, like an ICMP ping.

 

[Dougal]

@Tom W

Having once almost died as the result being unable to make any VHF contact, just 7 miles offshore, take it from one who knows....

PLEASE get yourself a VHF.

If you want it, I have an old, but perfectly functional unit you can have for postage?

Either reply or PM me.

 

[snowleopard]

Yep, that matches my description above. Purely from memory of the course though - I've never made a DSC call in anger

If you put the MMSIs of your mates and the local CG into your set you wouldn't need to clog up ch16 making contact but could go straight to a working channel.

 

[davidpbo]

Most people have both a VHF/DSC set and a hand held radio. It is unlikely that both will not be working but people do not check both radios by calling the coastguard.

I currently only have one fixed DSC radio. I would be interested to know how many sailors on smaller boats have both.

Most radio checks will be carried out before the journey begins so the likelihood you are in a marina where you can test your radio by calling the marina or a friend.

IMHO range too short to prove reasonable function both for self testing with two sets and testing with marina/friend when leaving berth whilst in marina. I am interested to know what others think, I certainly do try and test locally without bothering C.G. but like a range of at least a mile or so more.

Of those people who for some reason did not get a response from the coastguard (especially in the Solent) would they not go out having got everything ready or would they use the handheld or a phone if they needed to.
Just a few thoughts

Probably depends on duration of trip and destination.

 

[prv]

In the next draft of the spec they should have a data channel so you can run an automated test on the unit without effecting anyone else's traffic, like an ICMP ping.

Not a bad idea (and could probably fit in the data layer on the existing ch70) - but it won't stop the ritual radiocheckers.

Maybe it's Sunsail? I vaguely remember their beach clubs asking you to do a radio check when you took out one of the old flotilla yachts they kept for daysailing.

If you put the MMSIs of your mates and the local CG into your set you wouldn't need to clog up ch16 making contact but could go straight to a working channel.

I don't have any mates with their own boats. Indeed, the last time I called another boat on VHF was probably on a flotilla holiday with my parents yonks ago. I also don't make regular contact with the Coastguard; if I did need to call Solent with routine traffic I'd do it on 67.

Pete

 

[bluedragon]

Not sure if anyone has said this, but call the CG to give them your passage plan (and why not by DSC...good to practice) and you have your radio check.

 

[VicMallows]

Not sure if anyone has said this, but call the CG to give them your passage plan (and why not by DSC...good to practice) and you have your radio check.

Agree....but perhaps not for a short hop such as Portsmouth to Cowes which we hear all too often in the Solent. Difficult call between using DSC or voice....the microphone is probably one of the most vulnerable/unreliable parts of the kit, so you need to weigh up which element you would value most in an emergency.

Vic

 

[Rowana]

We must call the harbour control to request permission to leave the marina, so therefore I've tested my (Non-DSC) VHF. Apart from listening to the CG weather forecasts, the next time I use my VHF is to call the harbour control to request permission to enter the harbour.

In the last 6 years I've only used the radio once apart from this, and that was when I came into a place where I'd not been before and another yacht called me to advise where the visitors buoys were. I got such a surprise when the radio burst into life with the name of my boat!

Can't be bothered with all this DSC/Plotter/electronic gismo malarkey

KISS ! ! !

 

[VicMallows]

I got such a surprise when the radio burst into life with the name of my boat!

Biggest surprise I ever got was back in the days of ship-to-shore radio before we had mobile phones. We were anchored on the south coast of Guernsey when Jersey Radio called us on 16 for a link-call. It was only the elder daughter calling to say she was pregnant! By the nature of link-calls (which were great fun to listen to) half the boats in the Channel Islands were also informed.

Strangely for some reason I ended up the one charged for that call ....about £10 for 3 minutes back in the 80s.

Vic

 

[Nostrodamus]

can you still do ship to shore radio?
Has anyone else ever used it?
Must be like using your mobile phone with a News of the World reporter close by.

 

[Talbot]

can you still do ship to shore radio?
Has anyone else ever used it?
Must be like using your mobile phone with a News of the World reporter close by.

Done a fair number of those on HF from distant oceans in the past. Your analogy is accurate.

 

[Dougie_the_Mate]

'its easier to look a numpty on here than over the airwaves by calling them and bothering them.......the coastguard has started requesting that routine traffic calls are done by dsc rather than a hail on 16 ......we get a reminder in front of the weather forecast........'

Exactly how do you do this? I thought the DSC thingy was for emergencies - how do you use it to call someone?

 

[prv]

I thought the DSC thingy was for emergencies - how do you use it to call someone?

By knowing their MMSI number (from almanac for shore stations, AIS if you have it for big ships, or by asking your mates for theirs) and then following the instructions for your radio.

Obviously not your current radio, because if you had a DSC radio you'd have done the DSC course and would know this, right?

Pete