Special Offer to beat the DSC Screams

[Robin]

Force 4 are selling off Navman 7100 DSC VHFs at £89.95 and they have one BIG advantage. The 7100 has a menu option to DISABLE the DSC as well as to enable or disable ATIS for inland waterways. So we will now have a new set on board that will be more likely to stay turned on, just like the old days.

There will no doubt be cries of 'selfish' but what is better a set not receiving DSC alarms (like thousands who haven't upgraded) that is actually switched on or a DSC set that is switched off after the 2nd/3rd screaming repeat about somthing in the TSS 70 miles away?

No I don't want to pay out shedloads of cash for cockpit command mics either, but £89.95 for a bit of peace is OK!

 

[Resolution]

Agree that the DSC alarms are v annoying and probably counter-productive for most of us.
On Sunday afternoon I was sailing solo in the Solent with a crew of three ICC candidates down below being tested on their theory stuff by an examiner. Their quiet concentration was twice shattered by the DSC going off. The examiner said later that it was an excellent test of their VHF practical knowledge, even if he did then switch the VHF off in order to have some peace and quiet!

 

[tobble]

showing my ignorance here, but in this context what is ATIS?
wikipedia (usually excelent for acronym -busting) ins't given too many clues.

Is it like AIS but with a sender? but I thought you need some sort of screen/plotter display to make sense of AIS... and doesn't tie with your inland waterways remark...

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[rickp]

See here

 

[Robin]

I bet he wished he hadn't asked! Doesn't bother me as we won't be going that way, but silence at sea is the aim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif - apart from 200 plus radiochecks per hour of course. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Capn Pugwash]

[ QUOTE ]
I bet he wished he hadn't asked! Doesn't bother me as we won't be going that way, but silence at sea is the aim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif - apart from 200 plus radiochecks per hour of course. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes....and all requested on CH16 despite the CG repeatedly asking for them to be done on CH 67. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Robin]

We know our annual summer cruise is nearly over when we come up through Chenal Du Four headed home and can hear the first of the radiocheck requests to Solent CG already. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Still once our new set is installed we can at least shut out the DSC screams! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[hightech]

Not quite sure how they got round the rules as part of the type approval would be that the DSC function cannot be turned off, maybe non UK approved sets and therefore illegalon UK registerd vessels. Might be worth checking before purchase.

 

[Robin]

No, these are Navman model 7100 EU version sets. They come with an inbuilt ATIS facility (sends a different ATIS DSC signal as the PTT button is released to inland waterway requirements) and the set can only do one thing at a time, so is toggled via the menu from DSC to ATIS. However if there is no ATIS number installed (different from the normal MMSI) it won't work, so the DSC is 'off' and the ATIS is on but cannot actually work without the number. We don't need an ATIS number so have an effective DSC 'off' switch.

I think too from the instructions that the DSC isn't enabled either unless the MMSI is programmed in first but I don't know if that merely prevents the set from sending a DSC message or alert but maybe still allows the cacophonic wake the dead calls to be received.

 

[neale]

But with ATIS enabled, even without a number input, you will only be able to use many channels on 1 watt as this is partly what the ATIS enabling is all about.

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
But with ATIS enabled, even without a number input, you will only be able to use many channels on 1 watt as this is partly what the ATIS enabling is all about.

[/ QUOTE ]

Updated information then because I actually installed the set this weekend and have re-read the manuals with the set up and working.

The set has the ability to enter both an MMSI DSC number and an ATIS number if you have one. Under the menu options you go to DSC and have 3 options, one to load the MMSI (after loaded it simply tells you the number, which cannot be user changed), two is DSC 'On'. three is DSC 'Off', simply scroll to 'Off' and press enter. DSC can be reinstated just as easily. Also in the menu is the same screen to allow ATIS entry, or to switch it on or off. So you can have the set with a) No DSC and no ATIS b) DSC and no ATIS, c) ATIS and no DSC. The set will not allow both DSC and ATIS to be on at the same time, switching one on will automatically switch the other off.

I had the chance to test the set this weekend with DSC 'off' and a friend nearby with his DSC set on, he received an alarm and we didn't so it works as we wish. If we wish to send a DSC alert it is a matter of seconds to switch DSC on again and I've put a Dymo label nearby to say how. Our old DSC set would not talk to our Navman GPS/plotter so we never had a GPS position to send if needed except manually. This one connected instantly to our GPS/plotter no problem.

I did do a radiocheck /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif, even though it doesn't prove too much with CG aerials locally other than to prove we transmit OK. We were receiving (in our berth in Poole) as far away as from Jersey CG, St Peter Port Radio, Brixham and Falmouth CGs, not to mention the troublesome Jobourg Traffic Control. This is normal for us with high pressure around.

Another good point about this set IMO is that plugging in the external speaker does NOT turn off the internal set speaker, although it can be turned off if that is what you want. Somebody designed this set with a bit more thought for leisure sailors I think.

All in all I'm well pleased with a set for just £89.95 that a) will finally talk to our GPS and get a position and b) can have the DSC turned off to stop those crazy screaming alarms when we wish.

I refitted the original set nearby, connected to our reserve VHF aerial that is permanently mounted on our gantry, so we even have a backup ready too.