easy2-MOB Emergency Beacon with AIS & DSC

[Ian_Edwards]

I've been considering a personal emergency beacon for some time, but I've holding off for a combined AIS/DSC/EPIRB, small enough to fit in a lifejacket.
I contacted the RYA about to possibility of one being produced, some years ago, and was told that it was technically possible, and that some companies already had one on the drawing board. But the hold-up was with approval from IMO (I think, but definitely international agreement on standards).
Having now given up hope of such a beast ever appearing, and coming under increasing pressure from family, to get some sort of personal emergency beacon, I was looking at this device:
easy2-MOB Emergency Beacon with AIS & DSC
NEW! easy2-MOB Emergency Beacon with AIS & DSC

I sail 46ft boat, mostly single handed or with an inexperienced crew, NW Scotland, often in remote areas, where even in the height of summer, I see very few yachts, or boats of any kind.
The boat is equipped with a Auto Release EPIRB, Auto Release Lift raft, full set of flares including an LED "flare", and all the other safety stuff you expect. None of which is of very much use should I fall overboard.

Given the area I sail in (and have done for the last 20 years), I was wonder how useful a combined AIS and DSC beacon would be?
The effective range is probably quite limited, and a list of preprogrammed MMSI numbers to be called, probably no that much use, because I won't know who the vessels closed to me are, and a rarely, if ever, sail in company.

Any comments of the suitability the easy2-MOB Emergency Beacon with AIS & DSC?
Or suggestion for alternatives, bearing in mind the remote location I like to sail in?

 

[[70521]]

Have a look at Ocean Signal PLB3. I've just purchased one, but hope never to use it in anger.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks, the PLB3 looks interesting, it has the functionality of a EPIRB and AIS alert, which is what I was looking for.
It doesn't have the DSC alert, but I'm not sure that's important or not. Almost all boats have a VHF, not all boats have AIS.

 

[sailoppopotamus]

Personally, I would prefer the PLB3, especially if single handing often (I am actually considering one for next year). It's a PLB, which means that your distress will get through to the MRCC via satellite, who will then mobilize a rescue, which presumably includes relaying your distress to nearby vessels over VHF. In comparison, the easy2 trades the satellite capability for DSC, which doesn't seem as useful, because it requires other vessels to be within its VHF range, which at 0.5W from sea level can't be too large (I may be wrong, but I'd guess 1-2 miles at best). If there aren't any vessels around, game over.

 

[jwfrary]

Thanks, the PLB3 looks interesting, it has the functionality of a EPIRB and AIS alert, which is what I was looking for.
It doesn't have the DSC alert, but I'm not sure that's important or not. Almost all boats have a VHF, not all boats have AIS.

I wonder why they omitted that when it's a key feature of the MOB 1 that's it's closely related to.

 

[[70521]]

Thanks, the PLB3 looks interesting, it has the functionality of a EPIRB and AIS alert, which is what I was looking for.
It doesn't have the DSC alert, but I'm not sure that's important or not. Almost all boats have a VHF, not all boats have AIS.

In my experience few people understand the functionally of DSC I wonder if an alert would be acted on?

I'd love to see HMCG out in sailing clubs/schools talking about how they use all the systems as I feel there is a massive lack of understanding, e.g. how many people know/use the function to automatically, request the position of another vessel as long as they know the MMSI number and the 'auto respond' has been set to yes?

I've only sailed in your area once, August 2021, when there was a rescue between Arbroath and Stonehaven. The RNLI, and other vessels, response was amazing. Seeing a Shannon Class lifeboat pass you at 30 knots was impressive, lots of shipping equipped with AIS were passing me.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks Sandy, I agree about the lack of general knowledge about DSC, I know in principle how to make a DSC call, but I've never made one, for 2 reasons, I rarely make VHF calls, the exception is to call a Marina on arrival, but these days, that is more often done with a mobile phone. And, I find the MMSI number difficult to find, I can see it on the AIS, but I then have to copy it onto a bit of paper, and then enter it into the VHF, laboriously, because the RAY 55 set I have has a difficult to read screen, and no sensible keyboard.
I do know how to press the big red button in case of an emergency!
I've always thought that DSC is an awkward mix if analogue and digital technology, that's not as effective as it could be. It strikes me as a typical compromise, cooked up by an international committee.
I haven't sailed off the east coast of Scotland's for many years, the boat is kept on the West Coast, and I sail around the more remote NW parts, where there's often no mobile signal, and VHF contact can be difficult.
I think I'll go for the PLB3, it's more expensive, but I think has more chance of being effective, if I go MOB when I'm sailing single handed, but I equally hope that it will never be used in anger.

 

[wizard]

I would also consider a dry suit if your single handed as hypothermia will set in quickly in those cold waters without one.
As you say rescue may not be prompt depending on where you are.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I've always thought that DSC is an awkward mix if analogue and digital technology, that's not as effective as it could be. It strikes me as a typical compromise, cooked up by an international committee.

I've always thought that, like SeatalkNG and NMEA 2000, it was a victim of its time. Had they waited a few years they would have been much better, but at the time everyone was bemoaning how far behind boat technology was. They couldn't wait.

It seems they're now planning to integrate short messaging into AIS.

DSC would be much better if calls gave a phone ringing sound IMO, and the current blaring klaxon was reserved for emergency calls.

 

[jwfrary]

I've always thought that, like SeatalkNG and NMEA 2000, it was a victim of its time. Had they waited a few years they would have been much better, but at the time everyone was bemoaning how far behind boat technology was. They couldn't wait.

It seems they're now planning to integrate short messaging into AIS.

DSC would be much better if calls gave a phone ringing sound IMO, and the current blaring klaxon was reserved for emergency calls.

The latest sets especially with the built in ais units are able to implement the DSC functionality much more smoothly.

On out simrad unit I'm able to tap a target and send a call from the MFD to the radio without any laborious button pressing. Because of the the work I do we are often working with an exclusion zone and therefore will call vessels in the vicinity directly to liase, it's can be much more efficient than hailing on 16.

On my yacht though, I have an icom 411, it's probobly the clunkiest menu of them all, so it's really limited to the red button push capability.

I think this is probobly somewhat by design, the smaller class d sets are mainly fitted to lesuire vessels and therefore are less likely to be making the routine dsc calls anyway. The class A sets are somewhat easier to use, tend to have large keypads and screens (the new sailor 7000 series has a touch screen now) and therefore they are easier to use and so DSC gets utilised. If I call the coastguard on routine traffic I always use DSC.

We also have safety messaging on our class A AIS and that is a pain to use, it suffers from a wheel and push type text entry which is laborious at the best of times, it does have a pc application supported by window 7 32 bit, which I had to run in a virtual machine on my laptop last time I needed to change something.

 

[awol]

I have assumed that the DSC function from these personal devices was a Mayday signal, something that I certainly cannot ignore when received by my VHF set.

 

[ShinyShoe]

I have assumed that the DSC function from these personal devices was a Mayday signal, something that I certainly cannot ignore when received by my VHF set.

But does the AVERAGE boater know what to do with it? Or do they just cancel the message. If no voice message followed (presumably it can't) then you might assume its someone 30miles away in DSC but not voice range. Will they plot the co-ords and realise its 2 miles away and they are the nearest boat?

My view was these are designed to alert YOUR boat (or perhaps fleet) and let them come and fish you out the water.

For single handers they are a false safety blanket reliant on some bloke in another boat realising that for the one and only time in his life this alarm was genuinely important and not a nuscience, and then recalling how to use the kit he was trained on around 2000 when he got his VHF ticket

 

[awol]

But does the AVERAGE boater know what to do with it? Or do they just cancel the message. If no voice message followed (presumably it can't) then you might assume its someone 30miles away in DSC but not voice range. Will they plot the co-ords and realise its 2 miles away and they are the nearest boat?

A DSC Mayday call will alert the Coastguard who will certainly poll for vessels close to the casualty, possibly quicker than the phonecall check on an EPIRB activation.

 

[ShinyShoe]

A DSC Mayday call will alert the Coastguard who will certainly poll for vessels close to the casualty, possibly quicker than the phonecall check on an EPIRB activation.

In the middle of the solent, transmitting at sea level on 0.5W to a perfectly sited high mast - - > I'm pretty sure you are right.

In a choppy sea off the west coast of Scotland with islands and lots of miles to the mast... I fancy my chances with PLB much better.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

In the middle of the solent, transmitting at sea level on 0.5W to a perfectly sited high mast - - > I'm pretty sure you are right.

In a choppy sea off the west coast of Scotland with islands and lots of miles to the mast... I fancy my chances with PLB much better.

That's what I think, I've ordered a PLB3.
I've had many days sailing around the western Ilse, when I haven't seen very many boats of any description, and the ones I have seen are many miles away.
I'm also aware that, if I'm in some steep side Sea Loch, then, I can hear the Coastguard on Channel 16, but they can't hear me. That's with 25watts on the top of a 23m mast. I don't think a DSC signal at 0.5 W at sea level has much chance, or that the AIS signal will be received by anyone.

 

[RedFrog]

A DSC Mayday call will alert the Coastguard who will certainly poll for vessels close to the casualty, possibly quicker than the phonecall check on an EPIRB activation.

Witnessed this in the Solent on Sunday, someone had triggered a DSC Mayday with no VHF follow up. The coastguard was quickly on it calling the boat by Name and Callsign to validate the DSC call... which it turned out the boat in question was completely unaware of sending.

 

[jwfrary]

One out jackets we have both a PLB and MOB1, which covers both, admittedly a bit clumsy and expensive.

The DSC part all the crews MOB1 in the jackets are programmed into the Radio so we know who when overboard, and when of course! - the ais part is pretty self explanatory, but I do like the directness.

I really think that there's no place for a blanket this is what's appropriate safety wise, what you do onboard should really be risk assessed and mitigated clearly singled handed sailing carries different risks than fully crewed or short crewed.

Once you establish the risks you can look for ways to mitigate it.

Best way of course is not to get seperated from the boat in the first place!

 

[Commercial Dave]

I've always thought that, like SeatalkNG and NMEA 2000, it was a victim of its time. Had they waited a few years they would have been much better, but at the time everyone was bemoaning how far behind boat technology was. They couldn't wait.

It seems they're now planning to integrate short messaging into AIS.

DSC would be much better if calls gave a phone ringing sound IMO, and the current blaring klaxon was reserved for emergency calls.

I think the DSC implementation is pretty good considering the limitations of the system it was added to. I think marine VHF will always be analogue FM due to the nature of its users, the same way aviation VHF will always be analogue AM. DSC does offer some useful features and it is implemented fairly well on top of the FM system, and I'm pretty sure DSC radios have a dedicated receiver for channel 70 so you are not sacrificing any reliability etc for the extra features.

I admit that the actual selective calling feature is not used anywhere near as much as it could be, but the distress button alone makes DSC worthwhile. I also like that mayday, panpan and even securité announcements will switch a DSC radio to the correct channel which gives them a far less lower likelihood of being missed.

The latest sets especially with the built in ais units are able to implement the DSC functionality much more smoothly.

On out simrad unit I'm able to tap a target and send a call from the MFD to the radio without any laborious button pressing. Because of the the work I do we are often working with an exclusion zone and therefore will call vessels in the vicinity directly to liase, it's can be much more efficient than hailing on 16.

On my yacht though, I have an icom 411, it's probobly the clunkiest menu of them all, so it's really limited to the red button push capability.

I think this is probobly somewhat by design, the smaller class d sets are mainly fitted to lesuire vessels and therefore are less likely to be making the routine dsc calls anyway. The class A sets are somewhat easier to use, tend to have large keypads and screens (the new sailor 7000 series has a touch screen now) and therefore they are easier to use and so DSC gets utilised. If I call the coastguard on routine traffic I always use DSC.

We also have safety messaging on our class A AIS and that is a pain to use, it suffers from a wheel and push type text entry which is laborious at the best of times, it does have a pc application supported by window 7 32 bit, which I had to run in a virtual machine on my laptop last time I needed to change something.

On our Garmin plotters you just tap on an AIS vessel to call them directly, and it sets the (Garmin) VHF up to do a DSC individual call to that MMSI with the working channel etc already chosen.

One out jackets we have both a PLB and MOB1, which covers both, admittedly a bit clumsy and expensive.

The DSC part all the crews MOB1 in the jackets are programmed into the Radio so we know who when overboard, and when of course! - the ais part is pretty self explanatory, but I do like the directness.

I really think that there's no place for a blanket this is what's appropriate safety wise, what you do onboard should really be risk assessed and mitigated clearly singled handed sailing carries different risks than fully crewed or short crewed.

Once you establish the risks you can look for ways to mitigate it.

Best way of course is not to get seperated from the boat in the first place!

I think the purpose of DSC MOB devices is more for convenience of the vessel they've fallen overboard from to find them, since they are presumably going to be in close proximity if they've just fallen out of it.