Handheld DSC

[lustyd]

I have had a DSC handheld for a couple of years but never used any of the features until now because I've never had a DSC set on the boat. Now that I do, I think it's the best thing in the world. I will admit that sending a mayday to the coastguard from the water may not work due to range. However, the mayday WILL make it to the boat, and the boat can perform a position request to find out where the casualty is within 10m or so. It can also set this position as a waypoint, allowing the plotter to guide you to the casualty. This stuff is absolutely brilliant!

And for the inevitable responses from those reading this on a wooden boat in the "romantic" glow of an oil lamp who will no doubt tell me that DSC is a fad and unnecessary - would you like to buy a fully working non DSC set?
Cheers
Dave

 

[RAI]

Does your handheld DSC have a built in GPS?

 

[sam_uk]

Strange my understanding was that the first DSC handheld was the SH HX850S that came out last year?

 

[lustyd]

HX851e is the one I have, pretty sure I bought it 2 years ago at the boat show. It does have built in GPS

 

[lustyd]

My mistake, last year

 

[RAI]

My cousin had a Raymarine hand held DSC VHF radio years ago. It could be connected to a GPS, in order to send coordinates in the event the Mayday button was pressed. The snag was, how to know what coordinates were being sent. There is no way to test the combination without a false alarm transmission. Raymarine kindly did a private test for him in their lab.

 

[lustyd]

My cousin had a Raymarine hand held DSC VHF radio years ago. It could be connected to a GPS, in order to send coordinates in the event the Mayday button was pressed. The snag was, how to know what coordinates were being sent. There is no way to test the combination without a false alarm transmission. Raymarine kindly did a private test for him in their lab.

I know mine are correct because I tested it. Distress is not the only use of DSC, and is actually one of many, many features which I suspect most people are unaware of. Position request and position send are two. There is also a test function to test an MMSI in your address book as well as call individual, call group etc.

 

[colvic987]

Strange my understanding was that the first DSC handheld was the SH HX850S that came out last year?

The first handheld dsc came out around 2002, the simrad hd52, but was not really a success, no gps incorporated but gps signal only when in charging cradle wired to gps output.

sh brought a new version out last year...

 

[pvb]

I've had a handheld DSC for several years now - it's a Standard Horizon HX471. A brilliant little VHF, also receives FM broadcast radio. Remembers GPS position last received in charging cradle.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

..... However, the mayday WILL make it to the boat, and the boat can perform a position request to find out where the casualty is within 10m or so. It can also set this position as a waypoint, allowing the plotter to guide you to the casualty......

I appreciate the benifits that you point out. It would be good to keep track of the kids in the dinghy when the yacht is at anchor and they are off exploring.

I fall into the category where "many, many features which I suspect most people are unaware of".

Thanks for posting this, a good prompt.

 

[AIDY]

I bought a Hand held DSC about 10 years ago... a Simrad... however it had to be linked to a seperate gps. and took it's last known position from when it was in the cradle.

 

[lustyd]

I appreciate the benifits that you point out. It would be good to keep track of the kids in the dinghy when the yacht is at anchor and they are off exploring.

I fall into the category where "many, many features which I suspect most people are unaware of".

Thanks for posting this, a good prompt.

Some of the more modern ones can also poll the handheld or another vessel and keep a marker updated on the plotter so you could even watch where they go in real time if you wanted. Of course if they have the dinghy you may have trouble retrieving them if they go too far!

 

[trapezeartist]

I bought a Hand held DSC about 10 years ago... a Simrad... however it had to be linked to a seperate gps. and took it's last known position from when it was in the cradle.

So if you have to send an automatic mayday, you transmit the position you were an hour / a day / a week ago? Not very helpful, I feel, and possibly downright deceptive.

 

[lustyd]

So if you have to send an automatic mayday, you transmit the position you were an hour / a day / a week ago? Not very helpful, I feel, and possibly downright deceptive.

Keep in mind though that this is only on the old out of date kit. The current stuff has GPS built in and current position can be polled while you're in the water which was one of my original points

 

[kyleview]

I have a SH HX851 and mainly use/have it with me, and switched on, when going ashore in the dinghy when at anchor. I just feel in windy conditions or a dark night that it's that extra bit of safety kit if anything were to go wrong. Maybe expensive for this, but at least reassuring.

Initial thinking was to carry with me when working on the foredeck in bad conditions if I were to go over, but in reality it's a bit too bulky for that. That said I do not regret buying for £218.

 

[Shorn100]

Doh!

I've had a handheld DSC for several years now - it's a Standard Horizon HX471. A brilliant little VHF, also receives FM broadcast radio. Remembers GPS position last received in charging cradle.

PVB - I've got a feeling that that set may not be legal in the UK. It's OK though nobody at Ofcom reads these threads.

Shorn

 

[pvb]

PVB - I've got a feeling that that set may not be legal in the UK. It's OK though nobody at Ofcom reads these threads.

It's legal if a visitor from, say, America uses one. Don't get me started on the CE-marking protection racket...