DSC Radio

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mmm There IS only one DSC course/exam I take it? The reason is, I just did an upgrade, the whole damd thing, full day, and there was no exam, continual assessment I think they call it. Passed of course. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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You should have done a short written exam. This is a requirement even if you were doing the upgrade. Did the assessor ask for you old details and enter them on the application form?
 
Like you I thought that the DSC course might be a repeat of what I did many years ago,but I was pleasantly surprised that I learnt quite alot re DSC radios etc.Having a DSC & only operating it as an old style VHF seems to defeat the object of having DSC in the first place.Just my opinion of course.
 
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I did the course and got the SRC before buying my new DSC radio. Probably a waste of money as I may never use the DSC bit, but it's not terribly expensive to do the conversion course.

[/ QUOTE ]Is buying flares or a liferaft a "waste of money" if you never use them either?

Sorry but that is a rediculous way of looking at it.

If you have DSC onboard knowing how to use it properly could save your life and that of your loved ones onboard with you... waste of money eh?
 
You know... I can't believe I am reading some of these posts! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Surely, the point of having a radio is to allow safe operation and to assist in an emergency. Why would someone want to have a DSC radio but cannot be bothered to spend the £100 or so to learn how to use it properly to help save your or someone elses life?

Obviously the normal VHF part will be familiar to anyone competent at normal VHF procedures but given the number of people I hear on the radio that clearly have no idea at all I would suggest that most people, if they haven't done the course recently, would benefit from a revision.

Then there is the DSC part... operation of the DSC part is very different to standard calling. OK, it might not take a whole day to learn it and it might be easily learned from a good book BUT on the course you actually make DSC Securite, Urgency and Distress calls on the radio simulator and believe me... you will appreciate that familiarity should you ever need it for real.

So please, if you want to use a DSC VHF and you don't have a VHF certificate or if you have a non-DSC VHF certificate... don't worry about the legalities of whether you can operate a DSC radio with the old licence (BTW you can't)... get on a course and learn how to do properly.

It might save your life.
 
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