roly_voya
New member
I have the idial solution, Icom do seperate and very good radio & DCS. Havn't fitted the DCS yet so can't comment on if it is a problem but we don't get inapropriate traffic on VHF.
Poll - Do you turn your VHF off because DSC alerts are too intrusive?
A
Anonymous
Guest
I hadn't thought about using the HH and that's probably a good idea.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I understood that you can no longer buy a non-DSC VHF but it seems that the rules simply require new VHFs to be able to accept a DSC module? I wonder if that ICOM VHF meets type approval when not connected to its DSC module? Not a problem if you wire it with plug and socket and plug the DSC module in if you are about to be inspected. Since officialdom recognises that DSC is a dangerous system most officials wouldn't worry you but you must never give the buggers the opportunity to do what comes naturally to them. They'd have you for thinking bad thoughts if they had the means.
ditchcrawler
Well-known member
Here on the East Coast we do not seem to be bugged by incessant DSC alarms.I have heard only two this year.I am a great believer in DSC since attending talk by coastguard & the one I fitted (an Icom) was simple to fit & operate.It is wired to my GPS & yes I do have them both on,that is afterall the big benefit in my eyes.
This is a pesonal opinion of course.
This is a pesonal opinion of course.
srevir
New member
My understanding is that we are REQUIRED to maintain a watch by all available means on the boat so, eyballs, radar if fitted and VHF.
In the event of an incident (for example you miss a warning of traffic movements and get in the way / hit) I think that you would be in difficulty arguing that you dont like to be disturbed by the DSC alerts
Close in I use the hand-held for Ch 16 and have the main VHF on the harbour movements channel.
My regular haunts are Solent, Ch Islands, Brittany and dont recall getting fed up with the DSC
Good sailing
In the event of an incident (for example you miss a warning of traffic movements and get in the way / hit) I think that you would be in difficulty arguing that you dont like to be disturbed by the DSC alerts
Close in I use the hand-held for Ch 16 and have the main VHF on the harbour movements channel.
My regular haunts are Solent, Ch Islands, Brittany and dont recall getting fed up with the DSC
Good sailing
dulcibella
Active member
Like Roly_voya, I have the Icom two-set arrangement. If DSC alerts become a pain, I simply disconnect the mike from the DSC and plug it into the VHF. Brilliant solution until the day comes when I need to send a DSC Mayday myself, when I shall have compromised the sole advantage of having DSC.
A
Anonymous
Guest
That sounds like a good solution but I have just installed a set with an integral DSC so I have now ordered an extension mic/speaker/control unit on the end of a 7m lead. Seemingly you can use it just like an extension of the radio itself so I will take it with me to my cabin and it will be handy on the upper steering position (I am a deck saloon). It is a work-around and not perfect.
Clearly there is a major problem with the spec but they are changing it (though that will presumably take years to filter through to products). Meanwhile the battle needs to be on the coastguards and coast radio stations worldwide to get the point over that routine weather and notices do not justify a DSC alert.
The result of the poll so far (the weekend starts tomorrow and there is time for more input) shows that 60% of us turn off our VHFs because of the nuisance. That, given that many of those are in areas where the problem is said to be minimal is an extraordinary statistic. The authorities have cocked it up big-time; if we on this forum are switching off, what percentage of those who are less conscientious are doing so?
Maybe this is something that PBO could pick up?
Clearly there is a major problem with the spec but they are changing it (though that will presumably take years to filter through to products). Meanwhile the battle needs to be on the coastguards and coast radio stations worldwide to get the point over that routine weather and notices do not justify a DSC alert.
The result of the poll so far (the weekend starts tomorrow and there is time for more input) shows that 60% of us turn off our VHFs because of the nuisance. That, given that many of those are in areas where the problem is said to be minimal is an extraordinary statistic. The authorities have cocked it up big-time; if we on this forum are switching off, what percentage of those who are less conscientious are doing so?
Maybe this is something that PBO could pick up?
Storyline
New member
I have just had to get a DSC equipped ICOM M505 as our old VHF packed up just as were setting off on our annual Scotttish cruise. i have got a mmsi no from a helpful chap \at ofcom.
I am now nervous of imputting it after reading this thread. There must be a way of resetting the set if i decide it was a mistake. Does anyone know the engineering codes for Icom. If so could you send them by pm.
Does anyone who sails the Scottish isles have any info on the frequency of alerts up here.
I am now nervous of imputting it after reading this thread. There must be a way of resetting the set if i decide it was a mistake. Does anyone know the engineering codes for Icom. If so could you send them by pm.
Does anyone who sails the Scottish isles have any info on the frequency of alerts up here.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I won't do that despite my dissatisfaction with DSC when abused, as it is around the Balearics. It seems much better down here on the Costa Almeria. Also I have bought an extension mic that allows me to accept alarms anywhere on the boat, and that should help though note that one poster said he'd had problems with accidentally pressing buttons on remote mics so bear that in mind when you are using one.
In view of the benefit of being able to send a single-button distress alert with MMSI and GPS position, I will keep mine at least for the time being.
In view of the benefit of being able to send a single-button distress alert with MMSI and GPS position, I will keep mine at least for the time being.
gandy
Active member
Re: Poll - Do you turn your VHF off because DSC alerts are too intrusi
I haven't heard a single DSC alert when we've been within the Aberdeen CG area, and only one in a couple of weeks in the Clyde CG area.
Do alerts propagate throughout the whole area? I mean, we're now "Aberdeen and Forth" Coastguard so would an alert for something within the Firth of Forth necessarily be received everywhere? Equally, if there were alerts in the actual Clyde, would those be heard by boats up in the Sound of Mull, which is also served by Clyde CG?
I haven't heard a single DSC alert when we've been within the Aberdeen CG area, and only one in a couple of weeks in the Clyde CG area.
Do alerts propagate throughout the whole area? I mean, we're now "Aberdeen and Forth" Coastguard so would an alert for something within the Firth of Forth necessarily be received everywhere? Equally, if there were alerts in the actual Clyde, would those be heard by boats up in the Sound of Mull, which is also served by Clyde CG?
Storyline
New member
Re: Poll - Do you turn your VHF off because DSC alerts are too intrusi
Just got back from 3 weeks in the Western Isles ("visibility moderate or good but very poor in drizzle"). Did not input the mmsi no but still our new Icom set picked up an alert which made it make a high pitched beep and it was locked to 16. I assume this is what this thread is referring to. No reason to delay inputting our mmsi now - unless anyone knows something else! fyi the alert was for a gale warning for bailey and se Iceland put out by Clyde. We heard other GW's - only this one had the alert.
Just got back from 3 weeks in the Western Isles ("visibility moderate or good but very poor in drizzle"). Did not input the mmsi no but still our new Icom set picked up an alert which made it make a high pitched beep and it was locked to 16. I assume this is what this thread is referring to. No reason to delay inputting our mmsi now - unless anyone knows something else! fyi the alert was for a gale warning for bailey and se Iceland put out by Clyde. We heard other GW's - only this one had the alert.
tome
New member
Haven't voted in your poll, but IMHO the ETSI/ITU specification for DSC is one of the worst drafted I've ever read. There was no consideration given to any vessels apart from merchant shipping as far as I can see, and so the basis for the published spec was deeply flawed
Amongst many others, we've suffered from needless alerts from both shore stations and RN ships who seem to regard the DSC alert as a convenience. It can totally destroy the below-deck rest period which is crucial to the safety of our 'small ships'
I've often been tempted to just switch off the VHF and be done with it. But I could never forgive myself for missing a call for assistance and so the VHF stays on
Amongst many others, we've suffered from needless alerts from both shore stations and RN ships who seem to regard the DSC alert as a convenience. It can totally destroy the below-deck rest period which is crucial to the safety of our 'small ships'
I've often been tempted to just switch off the VHF and be done with it. But I could never forgive myself for missing a call for assistance and so the VHF stays on
Sy-Revolution
Active member
Late August, pulled into Chatham Marina. I was on deck tidying lines etc when the DSC all stations alert went off, crew paniced "Gas alarm, gas alarm!"!!!!!
Damn thing, kept it turned off for the rest of the trip to Ramsgate /Harwich.
Damn thing, kept it turned off for the rest of the trip to Ramsgate /Harwich.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Things seemed a bit quieter for a while, around Almerimar then last Sunday we sailed to Gibraltar (24hr passage, just my wife and me). Some vessel had been lost in the Atlantic and the CG is part of a net from Cadiz to Cartagena. Every few hours this thing kept going off "wee-wah, wee-wah,..." as someone else said, it's like a fire or gas alarm going off. Utterly unacceptable.
While it goes very much against the grain I had to turn the VHF off when either of us was sleeping. Not to have done so would have been dangerous for us - my responsibility was for the safety of my own vessel and crew ahead of my duty to the rest of the world.
There needs to be not only a revised standard but pressure put on the manufacturers to make available program updates either to be fitted by the owner, repair agent or return to factory, to address this serious issue.
At the very least, it should be possible to prevent alerts for previously acknowledged alerts from triggering the alarm. Since each alert is given a unique number, that need not be difficult.
If they can't do that, they should make it legal for manufacturers to resume manufacture of non-DSC sets or provide a 'DSC disable' switch for retrofitting to DSC sets.
While it goes very much against the grain I had to turn the VHF off when either of us was sleeping. Not to have done so would have been dangerous for us - my responsibility was for the safety of my own vessel and crew ahead of my duty to the rest of the world.
There needs to be not only a revised standard but pressure put on the manufacturers to make available program updates either to be fitted by the owner, repair agent or return to factory, to address this serious issue.
At the very least, it should be possible to prevent alerts for previously acknowledged alerts from triggering the alarm. Since each alert is given a unique number, that need not be difficult.
If they can't do that, they should make it legal for manufacturers to resume manufacture of non-DSC sets or provide a 'DSC disable' switch for retrofitting to DSC sets.
Robin
Well-known member
We were away in South Brittany when this discussion started and like previous years had DSC alerts hijack out set twice to Ch16 whilst we were listening to the local VHF weather broadcast on Ch80 or Ch79. On neither occasion were the alerts relevant to us as both were 50mls or more away. There were other DSC alerts that were relevant to our area and several of these were being broadcast by voice on Ch16 at the same time that the alarm was screaming away and before we could get below to silence it the voice transmission was over or almost so, but in any case it was in French only so one assumes they only felt French speakers capable of rendering assistance (that was sarcasm BTW). With the alarm wailing we did not hear the voice broadcast clear enough to understand what/where it was it was only on later repetitions by voice only we discover it was many miles away.
Do we turn the set off? A better question would be do we turn it on! We turn it on when on longer passages, especially near shipping but frequently it goes off again if a) we can no longer stand the incessant 'radio check please' calls b) we have had to go below and shut off the DSC alert for the 3rd time in an hour telling us about a ship not under power 60mls away c) We can no longer stand listening to the carrier signal giving us a crackly broadcast of life aboard some idiot with a faulty set's boat.
This summer we were expecting perhaps to meet up with friends who left before us and would be headed north as we went south. It says it all that the arrangement was that if in likely radio range we would send each other a text to say 'turn the VHF on' as neither would routinely have a set switched on.
We still have our old non-DSC set on board as a spare. I really ought to fit it connected to our already fixed spare aerial and use that to listen not the DSC set.
Oh and as we returned from Southern Brittany we heard our first radio check from Solent Coastguard as we tacked up Chenal Du Four by Ushant. From then on home we could have been in local UK waters. Do they not realise just how far their transmissions go?
Do we turn the set off? A better question would be do we turn it on! We turn it on when on longer passages, especially near shipping but frequently it goes off again if a) we can no longer stand the incessant 'radio check please' calls b) we have had to go below and shut off the DSC alert for the 3rd time in an hour telling us about a ship not under power 60mls away c) We can no longer stand listening to the carrier signal giving us a crackly broadcast of life aboard some idiot with a faulty set's boat.
This summer we were expecting perhaps to meet up with friends who left before us and would be headed north as we went south. It says it all that the arrangement was that if in likely radio range we would send each other a text to say 'turn the VHF on' as neither would routinely have a set switched on.
We still have our old non-DSC set on board as a spare. I really ought to fit it connected to our already fixed spare aerial and use that to listen not the DSC set.
Oh and as we returned from Southern Brittany we heard our first radio check from Solent Coastguard as we tacked up Chenal Du Four by Ushant. From then on home we could have been in local UK waters. Do they not realise just how far their transmissions go?