DSC VHF and Chartplotter

[nimbusgb]

We have just finished re-integrating a bunch of instruments. Rewiring a bunch of stuff, adding AIS and getting it all talking to each other.

With a Raymarine C-80 classic, AIS mode B and a DSC VHF as part of the package the boat has a fairly low level but 'modern' instrument pack. The Icom M411 VHF displays GPS position but that's about it. Having read through the VHF handbook I am a little surprised to see that there is no capability to send an MMSI number from a chart plotter to the DSC. I would have thought that it would be a basic system requirement that a user highlights a target on the Multi Function Display and hits 'enter'. The DSC VHF would then get the MMSI number via the NMEA data and be ready for a 1:1 call.

I know that this is not even possible on the C-Series but I'm wondering if any of the systems out there can do this yet?

 

[maby]

I think you'll find that there is no official NMEA sentence to represent this command. Some manufacturers implement bespoke sentences for it - Standard Horizon do, for example - but there is no standardisation, so you cannot expect compatibility between the products of different manufacturers.

 

[nimbusgb]

I think you'll find that there is no official NMEA sentence to represent this command. Some manufacturers implement bespoke sentences for it - Standard Horizon do, for example - but there is no standardisation, so you cannot expect compatibility between the products of different manufacturers.

Fair enough but it would be very simple to use a device to translate across the sentences.

 

[maby]

Fair enough but it would be very simple to use a device to translate across the sentences.

I'm sure it would - you got time to muck about with a PIC? I did spend some time researching it a while ago and could not find the bespoke sentences documented. It would be pointless anyway unless you chose a plotter that is designed to support it - our Lowrance plotters don't recognise the concept, so there is nothing to translate.

As far as I know, it is only Standard Horizon and Garmin that implement it. I think Northstar did, but they didn't use NMEA for their networking, so the translation problem would be far more than simply rephrasing a few sentences.