DSC alarms gone quiet?

[Robin]

Having been one of the complainers last year about constant (like often every 20 minutes) DSC alarms on Ch16, not for Maydays but for information broadcasts, I have to ask where they all were last weekend in the Channel? We crossed from Poole to Cherbourg on Friday 1400 -2300 and didn't hear a single alarm and we arrived with the VHF set still switched on! We returned yesterday 0700 - 1600 and there was just one alarm (at least it proved our set was working still) which was from Solent CG to announce a new strong wind warning and they didn't use the alarm for repetitions of this either.

Is this a new era where some commonsense is being applied, has someone had a quiet word with Jobourg Traffic Control? Jobourg were announcing warnings on Ch16 without alarms and repeating them as they do, in particular about a 3kt moving tow on an 800m line in the NE lane of Casquets TSS so certainly would have been clanging the bells loud and often last year.

Wow now all we need is to stop the radio check prats and peace will prevail!

 

[duncan]

right now you have done it..........on the basis of this post, and the one on PBO re Simrad yesterday, I have pushed the button on an Icom 421 purchase.

If all I get is those damm alerts I know where I will be visiting! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

oh - and glad you had a peacefull trip!

 

[tome]

Good news Robin, let's hope the Andrew have stopped the Lulworth alerts also.

 

[johna]

When I first read this I thought you had finally got your DSC hooked up to the GPS. BTW I like the one about the halyard and the mouse. Golf this week now the back is better?

John

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I liked the idea from another poster this week of a poster campaign.

Anti radio check messages in the clubs, by slips, in the HM office, on the pontoons etc.

Make them feel stupid and they will catch on quickly enough.

Maybe a joint RYA/MCA/Marina effort.

 

[Robin]

Hi Duncan

I hope you have more luck connecting it to the GPS than I have mine though! Still cannot get Mr Navman and Mr Nasa on speaking terms and met others over the weekend who have Navman not talking to Icom either.

BTW bought a folding lobster pot at Beaulieu to try, only for close in to the rocks use not for catching props, only dinner.

Robin

 

[duncan]

re connection a quick cross check on the manuals (isn't the internet a wonderfull thing!) shows that the old Garmin unit will send a V1.5 or V2 NMEA message and the Icom will accept a V2 or later NMEA so I will have to reset to V2 output - you may remember I had to go back to a V1.5 for the JRC radar but that's superfluos now as the radio will dispay the lat long instead.....! Good games. I too have heard problems with Navman GPS outputs to some DSC radio.

Hope you catch the lobster and call me on my MMSI number to join you for lunch (will bring chilled Sauvignon Blanc to party). Recomend Christchurch ledge or 'round west'.

 

[truebrit]

I have a cobra DSC radio and magellan GPS ,and they dont talk to each other either!! Just have to enter position manually if I ever have time in an emergency.

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a cobra DSC radio and magellan GPS ,and they dont talk to each other either!! Just have to enter position manually if I ever have time in an emergency.

[/ QUOTE ]

I find it extremely irritating though that a seemingly easy hook up should prove so difficult and it begs the question do the manufacturers or type approval people even try the sets with various GPS sets. Like you ours now is a manual system of Lat/Long entry, good luck doing it in an emergency at any speed especially if the manual is needed to remember how to do it! It kind of takes away 50% of the advantage of the DSC set, but in reality I think we would be putting any Mayday position out by voice on Ch16 after pressing the red tit with no specific lat/long entered just to wake folks up.

Robin

 

[duncan]

Robin which units do you have?
Guessing a 5600 and an SX35 they should happily use NMEA v 2 sentence RMC via cables connected Nasa brown/red to Navman white/black. Navman configured in software via Autopilot out setup.

However I guess you have been through all that..........

On this principle I may well have a practical problem too I guess

 

[Cantata]

I can suggest why DSC alarms have gone quiet. As 'ST' reported last month, CG personnel have recently been reminded when to use the alarm and when not to use it.

 

[Robin]

HMCG were not the only nor the major culprits last year in the Channel, it was usually Jobourg Traffic Control, the French station on Cherbourg peninsular that monitors the Casquets TSS and central channel, but the Royal Navy could add their input with repetitions of exercise area activities too. Even last year HMCG would usually only use the full alarm for the first broadcast, not the repeats.

Big improvement it seems. Let's hope it continues and they don't get trigger happy again!

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
Robin which units do you have?
Guessing a 5600 and an SX35 they should happily use NMEA v 2 sentence RMC via cables connected Nasa brown/red to Navman white/black. Navman configured in software via Autopilot out setup.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Duncan

Yes we have two Navmans (Navmen?) a 5600 and a 5500i and a NASA SX35. The 5600 is brand new and with the very latest software added by Navimo the 5500i is 18 months old and is usually just a standalone in the cockpit. Since the connecting leads are the same on both sets I have tried both with the NASA and with no luck. The connections are exactly as you suggest (and I have also tried without the ground lead, so using the common grounds via the -ve power connection (which worked with the NASA and the old GPS the Navman 5600 replaces). Navman 'autopilot out' is switched on and I've tried setting the NMEA sentences it sends from all to just the RMC which is what the NASA wants apparently, I've tried every other combo too! The Navman (both) will run our Yeoman plotter OK using any or all of the NMEA sentences. The NASA set DID work with the old Shipmate 5800 GPS which also ran the Yeoman, but the Shipmate got senile dementia and kept getting lost so was retired in favour of another Navman which cost about the same as a new GPS on it's own. NASA talked me through a master reset of the SX35 but it didn't wake it up, so they blame Navman who say their set is fine it is the SX35....

Someone suggested the Navman sends out a very gutsy NMEA signal and a resistor has been known to help - where and what size I know not but if I find some I'll try that.

I also talked to someone else with a Navman they cannot get to run an Icom set either.

Plan B will eventually be to do a flotation test (witch finder by dunking) on the NASA and fit a Navman 7100 DSC set so then the problem if it is still there is only in Navman's court to solve!

Plan C is to forget about it and just use it as is, it is no worse than the old non DSC set and at least I can send a noisy Mayday with either a manual Lat/Long or none, followed by voice.

'Flustration is f@@@@@g about with maline electlonics' Old Chinese proverb.


Robin /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[duncan]

love the proverb!

it's only fun for the first few minutes though

my monies on the NASA - yes the Navman does have a pretty full sentence but it includes the right bit. Only gap I had in the manuals was that the NASA unit didn't define the NMEA v as 2 - everything else is an exact match. Had this with the Garmin - JVC link where the sentence was fine but the version had to be an older one (1.5) for the JVC to be happy.

 

[Robin]

Duncan

The NASA has an option for 'Checksum' to be 'on or 'off' which apparently is the toggle between the NMEA versions but I've tried both and neither work.

Robin

PS If I ever thought of buying a NASA AIS so called 'Radar' set, that is way out of the question now as I wouldn't be able to feed it with a GPS position from the Navman. NASA's loss not mine.