NASA DSC

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Graham_Wright

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www.mastaclimba.com
Any views, experience, recommendations?

I have noticed that the flaps over the panic buttons on all the DSC sets I have seen are very flimsy and some open downwards making them susceptible to accidental operning and perhaps button operation.
 
It's a discontinued product, and was the same as the M-Tech SX35. Lots of better radios to spend your money on. What's your budget?
 
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It's a discontinued product,

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Wow;- that didn't last long! What went wrong, I thought it received good reviews? Was it a badged variety?

As one of the most important items of kit on board, It seems worth spending the money for a good 'un.

£200 budget.
 
With £200 to spend, there's a fair choice. The Standard Horizon GX1500E is only £135, complete with a RAM mike. Or the Standard Horizon GX3000E with RAM mike is around £200. The Navman 7200 at about £150 is worth a look. Or just over budget, the Icom M505 at about £230.
 
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The Icom M505 at £230

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The Icom M505 is, in many ways a good set. However,before paying £230 for one, be aware that it won't work as it should. Sending a message that involves GPS position, including a "type designated" DSC distress message requires about 20 presses of the "enter" button, to step through the GPS position/time page, before the message can be sent. The problem has been aired on this forum earlier. Icom have been aware of this software fault for at least 3 months. A solution is still awaited. AFAIK this affects all Icom M505's. ( Icom do say that undesignated distress calls transmit OK, I've not tried it myself )
 
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With £200 to spend, there's a fair choice. The Standard Horizon GX1500E is only £135, complete with a RAM mike. Or the Standard Horizon GX3000E with RAM mike is around £200. The Navman 7200 at about £150 is worth a look. Or just over budget, the Icom M505 at about £230.

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I recall a mention of "last received message recorded". As I am quite deaf, this sounds a useful feature for replay.

Anyone know who offers this please?
 
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I recall a mention of "last received message recorded". As I am quite deaf, this sounds a useful feature for replay.

[/ QUOTE ]There are various radios which offer this. The best are the Sailor RT5020 and RT5022, which record 90 seconds. Then there's the Cobra F80 which records 20 seconds, as do some newer Cobra handhelds. I don't think the Standard Horizon GX3000E mentioned by Morgana has any recording capability.

But you can add this feature to any radio with the Last Call recording speaker. Take a look at the demo video on their website. It sounds ideal for your need.
 
The particular advantage of the GX 1500 over the ICOM equivalent was demonstrated to me at the SBS. To send a designated DSC distress on the GX requires you to press the button, then turn the knob to show the particular type of distress and press the button again.

As you say on the ICOM this takes multiple button presses. The Standard Horizon chap took me and a couple of other interested by-standers over to the ICOM stand to demonstrate this /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I don't think the ICOM guys were amused /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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I don't think the Icom Guys were amused

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That's very interesting, perhaps I should have emphasised in my post that this characteristic in NOT in accordance with the operating manual.. I'm intrigued that it was known even by competitors at SBS in September, I was given the impression that Icom didn't know about it until November. IcomUK keep saying they are waiting for IcomJapan. I'm beginning to wonder if they are serious. Annoying thing is, they're still marketing a faulty product.
 
Other thing to consider is that both Icom and us,. Standard Horizon, offer a three year warranty.
Not all offer this.

The GX-1500 goes head to head with the Icom M421 and M411.
The advantage of the GX-1500 is it is cheaper than both. larger screen and can be fitted with a second station (RAM Mic)
You can not fit a second station to the entry level Icom units.
Most of the dealers were selling GX-1500 4-1 against Icom at the show.

The GX-3000 goes head to head with the Icom M505.
Again is cheaper and offers more facilities over the Icom.

Icom DSC menu has been the same ever since they introduced a DSC unit.
This problem/issue has been fed back to Japan many times, I know as I did it when I worked there!
It does and will slow down sending a distress call and has been hi-lighted by many RYA schools.

Whilst the Cobra does offer a playback thingy, is it not just a gimick? and the feedback is that it does not work very well.
It was interesting to see the lack of Cobra on the dealers stands at the show.

During the boat show I took a number of visitors to see other makers kit.
Mainly as I was confident in ours, not only VHF's but plotters also.

Hope that helps a bit.

All the best
 
Thanks for that Jon, it seems I and others are just being strung along by Icom then. I'm given to understand that the 2 other Icom models with the same operating function don't have this issue. I was therefore expecting it to be sorted, seems I might be wrong in that.
PBO in their group test last year didn't pick this one up, perhaps they didn't want to upset Icom.
 
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Whilst the Cobra does offer a playback thingy, is it not just a gimick? and the feedback is that it does not work very well.
Hope that helps a bit.

All the best

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Very valuable feedback. In terms of "playback thingies" you have to wear a deaf mans shoes (ears?!) to appreciate how wearing and embarassing it is to say pardon/say again/what many times a day. Face to face, lipreading, whether conscious or subconscious, helps enormously. This benefit is absent with telecoms in general. With VHF there is the added excuse of poor reception which alleviates the embarassment. If the playback is poor quality, then the difficulty of understanding the original may not be helped. Presumably the replay can be activated as often as required. The add-on unit from the USA seems expensive for what it is - $129. My cheap and cheerful BT answerphone has fantastic clarity and the function seems very similar.

Email and "texting" are more reliable methods of transmitting important messages (assuming the technology works). Text by VHF would be great. Any manufacturers listening?

Is the Sailor facility of the same poor quality? (Academic really, I read that a Sailor handset is way beyond my budget for the complete radio!)

Wouldn't it be nice is PBO did exhaustive tests on kit. All too often we read reviews of equipment examining less than half what is available. I understand the reasons given but can't accept them.

Particularly with VHF thereare many models which don't get a mention. What about Raymarine? I am told one they offer is re-badged (and described as rubbish by one vendor!) but what about their upmarket version?

I hope this thread continues;- the feedback is very valuable. In particular, clarity of reception is very subjective and cannot be gleaned from the publicity literature. Any views?

The pointers at the moment seem to be towards Standard Horizon. I think the "gimmicks" they offer include foghorn, anchore bell? and loud-hailer?
 
Hi Graham,

I chatted for a while at the boat with a chap who had the same issue as your good self.
I showed him many option inc the second station ram mic and our extention speaker with a built in audio amp.
This gives an extra boost to the audio but will not help with weak signals.

The Standard Horizon GX-3000 and VM-3500 offer built in Loud Hailer and Fog Signals, unlike others that offer this they also have a manual horn and siren.
Many just have a few of the standard fog signals.

If I can be of any further help please do not hesitate to contact me.

All the best
 
Standard Horizon GX1500E deffo got my vote. The Remote station is excellent and works a treat.. even without the DSC in consideration the improvement in clarity on both the base and remote station is ecellent and i get the impression the range has inproved... picking up more distant fixed stations... but that may be that i can hear them now with the inproved clarity. DSC gps data displayed on the secondary station is also very usefull... and all for £135!!!!!
 
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