Handheld VHF with DSC

Sailmar

Sailmar

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Hello

Can you recommend a best value for a handheld VHF with DSC?

In the internet I only found the STANDARD HORIZON brand and they are very expensive.

Thanks

Pedro
 
There was an Icom handheld DSC that certainly was legal, but taken off market, though probably still available eg secondhand. Haven't looked recently to see if others have come on the market and CE marked.
 
Sailmar said:
Hello

Can you recommend a best value for a handheld VHF with DSC?

In the internet I only found the STANDARD HORIZON brand and they are very expensive.

Thanks

Pedro
Click to expand...

Surprising, since Standard Horizon are one of the more 'competetively' priced brands. I doubt you'll find a decent DSC equipped handheld for much under Standard Horizon prices.
 
Fire99 said:
Surprising, since Standard Horizon are one of the more 'competetively' priced brands. I doubt you'll find a decent DSC equipped handheld for much under Standard Horizon prices.
Click to expand...

I have an SH HX750E - floaty handheld - which works very well. I discovered that the manufacturer can program an MMSI number for you for a fee. They use one of the alternate channel sets (Canadian) to acheive this. I think it was about £30 or so they wanted for the work. Quite how much functionality there is - DSC wise was not obvious.
With the main set being fully DSC, I can't see the point in spending the cash - since there's no GPS data for the important functions!
It might be worth it if you use DSC like a mobile - for specific other MMSI stations- but who does that very much?

Graeme
 
The Standard Horizon HX471S is the cheapest DSC handheld - about £150. NMEA position data is connected to the radio's charging tray, and the radio remembers the last position when it's lifted out of the tray. Don't know about Portugal but, technically, it's not legal for use in the UK. It's a nice little radio, and also receives ordinary AM/FM music stations.
 
BrendanS said:
There was an Icom handheld DSC that certainly was legal, but taken off market, though probably still available eg secondhand. Haven't looked recently to see if others have come on the market and CE marked.
Click to expand...

You can't license a DSC handheld in the UK
 
yes you can.








You might want to take a look at the Ofcom FAQ for a start
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra364.htm


Which say:


"Ship Portable Radio Licence

A Ship Portable Radio Licence covers the use of a portable, hand-held marine VHF or VHF/DSC radio with an integral power supply and antenna not covered by a Ship Radio Licence. It can also additionally cover the carrying of either a 406MHz or 121.5MHz personal locator beacon (PLB). This licence is usually issued to someone who intends using a hand-held radio on more than one vessel. It is issued with a T reference as opposed to a vessel call sign and it is usual using the vessel name as an identifier because of this.

As with any marine radio you are required to either hold personally or be supervised by someone that holds the relevant marine radio operators certificate.

This licence and your operators certificate must be kept with or near the radio at all times when operating it. The Agency carries out random checks on vessels from time to time"

or look at an actual licence,
http://search.ofcom.org.uk/search?q...com&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&oe=UTF-8

which has the following entry in it

"Name of vessel (Applicable only for a Ship Radio Licence)
Call sign (Applicable only for a Ship Radio Licence)
MMSI (Applicable only for a Ship Radio Licence)
MMSI for VHF DSC portable radio"

Which seems pretty clear to me.

Any further arguments, or are you finished muddying the waters?
 
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I too was under the impression that DSC handhelds were not legal. Perhaps the legislation has changed since my VHF course. What I really do not understand is the tone of some replies. Whatever happened to politeness. Simply correcting a mistake without using a derogatory tone? Anyone would think we were in politics, heaven forbid.
 
Sophie19 said:
I too was under the impression that DSC handhelds were not legal. Perhaps the legislation has changed since my VHF course. What I really do not understand is the tone of some replies. Whatever happened to politeness. Simply correcting a mistake without using a derogatory tone? Anyone would think we were in politics, heaven forbid.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, DSC handhelds can be licensed. However, DSC handhelds operated in EU need to have a CE certificate. The Standard Horizon HX471S, for example, doesn't have a CE certificate, so can't legally be used in the EU.

But if you look at availability of marine VHF equipment in, say, the US and then in Europe, you'll find that we in Europe pay a lot more for our VHF radios - simply because they have a CE certificate. There's no fundamental difference in specification, just a simple little CE label. Visiting US yachtsmen can use their non-CE marked equipment without problems. It works fine. So, think of it as just another example of the price we pay for being part of this European extravaganza.

As for Brendan's little outburst, it reminds me of one of the reasons I stopped reading these forums regularly.
 
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Unrepentant I'm afraid. It's an issue been raised many times before. It was stated as a fact, not an 'I think' or 'I thought' so people could easily think it's true.
If people post what they think is fact, they can easily verify the information before they post, and back up with evidence. Took me only seconds to find the evidence I needed to show the factual statement was incorrect. The forums would be a better place if 'factual' information was verified before posting.
I mentioned CE marking in my first post, so that also was taken into account, and as I mentioned, there was an Icom handheld on the market which was legal (and CE marked!).
 
Standard Horizon HX471S price

Just to wake this thread up! does anyone know of any sites that are doing the Standard Horizon HX471S for a reasonable price?

regards

ed
 
Politeness would be nice, though I didn't think anyone was offensive, just a bit abrupt. but it is a tendency which makes me get offensive particularly when "experts2 and "professionals" publish such statements that this or that is legal/illegal such as gas regulations (which are only enforced on inland waterways) many of which are impossible to comply with on a small offshore cruiser. As to the availability or competence of "Gas Safe" engineers - don't get me started!

I agree that if you're going to comment on the legality of something, PLEASE check your facts first!

Rob.
 
st599 said:
You can't license a DSC handheld in the UK
Click to expand...


I have a dsc handheld vhf, it has a separate mmsi to my vhf dsc fixed unit, i have had it for at least 5 years, they seemed to be manufactured over a couple of years, but then disappeared, most probably not enough sales of them, as they cost around £300 at the time, mine is a simrad hd52. (only dsc on transmit mayday distress)

You might find that you cannot get any new dsc handheld units in the uk now.



http://www.yachtbits.fsnet.co.uk/radio/simrad-hd52.htm

http://www.tcssystem.com.my/tcs_pdf_files/E_HD52_HT50.pdf
 
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Just received new issue of sailing today, and on the back page full advert, standard horizon hx851e handheld vhf, a floating waterproof radio has dsc capability with 12 channel built in gps receiver.

so obviously now back in the market and around £229 a good price.
 
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That sounds a handy bit of kit colvic. I`ve just been on the Ofcom site,and a ships portable radio licence,with a MMSI number,is only valid in UK waters. They say I can only use the DSC function in UK waters. So from my reading of their implication,that means I couldn`t send a DSC alert from,for example,that Standard Horizon,when abroad. If that`s the case it kind of negates the purpose somewhat.
Also from the Ofcom site,which I found interesting,that I can register a ships portable with DSC,thus get an MMSI,then put an EPIRB and a SART on that number,and carry the whole gubbins around in belt kit as I crew around the place,without the need for a vessel to exist.
ATIS? A whole new world of confusion,the Ofcom guy,trying to be helpful,eventually advised me to sod the dutch. So,my MMSI,got through registering a HH DSC VHF,does it apply outside the UK?,because the ships portable radio licence specifically does not.
Bring it on. Do. My. Head. In.
 
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