Old radio licence, new DSC radio

Nostrodamus

Nostrodamus

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www.cygnus3.com
I took my personal one day radio course some years ago before the advent of DSC and when my hair was still dark.
On the boat we bought I have a DSC radio and a DSC handheld which I have registered, read the manuals and I am happy that I know most of what they do and more importantly how to use them.
Are the old personal radio certificates still valid or do I need to do a course and update mine.
 
No, you need to do the conversion course and get a new certificate. Can be done in half a day, but many people take the whole day course as a refresher.

As always see the RYA site for further information
 
Sorry - I did mine when DSC was already invented - so have the new licence ...

TBH - it's never been checked - nor has the radio gear - and if you have a VHF licence and know how to use the kit then I wouldn't fret over updating the licence.
The DSC stuff is basic and there is only one extra line to the emergency calls that includes your MMSI number (which confirms it was you who hit the red button and you're not another vessel with the same name!)
 
Our radio operator was sent on a half day course when we changed to a DSC vhf; she reports that it consisted entirely of going through the RYA booklet on the subject. She still refers to the booklet from time to time but the most useful thing is the sticky back notice with the distress procedure on which you write your MMSI number and call sign for immediate reference. So if you can read you can save quite a bit of time and some cash, though you will not have a bit of paper with a signature on it.
 
Is my understanding correct that in the UK there is no formal state-exam taken for the usage of a DSC VHF?
At present in Holland you need to do a exam both with a theory- and practice -part.

If you want to use MF/HF stuff (Shortwave) you need to do an much more extensive exam including world topography. I think I'll stick to Satellite Phone if and when the time comes for that.
 
I did the conversion course some years back when I got a DSC radio. I have NEVER had occasion to use the DSC facility. OK, where I sail, there is very little radio traffic, but to me, it seems a very clumsy method of making contact.
 
NormanS said:
it seems a very clumsy method of making contact.
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The idea was to allow ships to dispense with a full-time radio watch for voice contacts, with the radio beeping to get the OOW's attention when required instead. Seems reasonable enough if you're thinking like a shipping regulator. However, I hear that because the real world isn't quite as neat as the theory, the requirement for voice watch has not in fact been dropped.

The system was not invented for yachts. The automatic sending of position information could be handy in a quickly-unfolding emergency, but otherwise it's not really all that relevant.

Pete
 
alahol2 said:
Yes again, but then I haven't got DSC yet, the old set just keeps on going and I'm damned if I'll spend £100 for a red button and constant (non-mutable) alarums.
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Agree 100percent. I have no intention of paying to do a course which teaches me how to press a red button. Seems to me an own-goal as far as promoting the benefits of DSC is concerned

Besides that, I can program my old Sealine to any interesting channel I choose with a few diodes.....try asking 'modern' set manufacturers to tell you the 'secret' code to allow you to do it. :(

Vic
 
I still have an old license, my VHF to GPS connection doesn't work so my DSC function on the new radio which came with the boat doesn't really do anything useful. Do I need a new course to tell me how to press a button?
 
I have a full licence with MF/HF as well as VHF, SWMBO has a VHF only licence, both sans DSC add-on. When we put a DSC set on our last boat to replace a crackly old one I didn't do an update course because the SSB set was not DSC anyway and the cost of upgrading the full licence MF/HF as well to cover the DSC VHF which I loathed anyway for irrelevant screaming banshee alarms was not on. Because of the alarms which back then were a serious PITA the DSC set was soon routinely left switched off. We later bought a second (Navman) set which allowed the DSC function part to be separately switched off, which we did and thereby started to leave the set switched on again and in accordance with both our existing licences.
 
It is clumsy.

It was introduced as part of GMDSS to replace dedicated radio officers on ships and the number of people previously needed in shore stations to maintain a listening watch on 500KHz and 2182Khz.

It now falls to the watchkeepers on ships bridges to handle the radio side of life and they have too much else to do. Therefore VHF and MF DSC on ships is generally only used for testing to satisfy the authorities and nearly all the communications traffic goes through on satellite by e-mail.

NormanS said:
I did the conversion course some years back when I got a DSC radio. I have NEVER had occasion to use the DSC facility. OK, where I sail, there is very little radio traffic, but to me, it seems a very clumsy method of making contact.
Click to expand...
 
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