SRC training inadequate...

snowleopard

snowleopard

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having established that the SRC course doesn't teach you to do anything on DSC beyond pressing the red button...

a) anyone know of a book that will tell you the procedure for individual calls, calls to coastguard, group calling etc?

b) who is to blame for the syllabus?

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There is a good book called Reeds DSC VHF, written by Sue Fletcher. Very readable and tells you all the information you want, with nice pictures as well. I read it before my SRC course.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
I would suggest that there is nothing wrong with the sylabus. more the instuctor! I teach the SRC and from my own standpoint I get students to operate the set in all the different modes. Distress, Urgency, Safety and Routine and the scenario cards used in the practical asssement have a combination of all the calls to be made using DSC. I have been following your earlier thread. You should remember that DSC is in effect a paging system and you should have been shown how to input MMSI data into the directory and to select the correct working channel. DSC does not obviate the need for normal voice calling - it simply enables you to contact another station - in terms of routine calls to another vessel without the need to call up initially on channel 16 and will the automatically switch the "called" set (providing of course it is DSC enabled) to the preset working channel you have designated. This should have been shown to you on the course!
The real problem at the moment is that there is no real directory of MMSI numbers, so unless you know the MMSI number of your "friends" there is no way of really finding out another vessels number. Depending on your area of operation you can input your local coastguard MMSI number into your directory - like storing a phone number in your mobile. All DSC transmissions are made on Ch 70 and the coastguard station you are calling will then respond.

The Distress call is the only call made using the red button - all others will be made by pushing the enter button and will in fact ask you to confirm the action you wish to take. For example in the case of an urgency call - Pan Pan. Also remember that your position is only sent sent when making a Distress call - Mayday!
You also have the facilitity to preset the working channels so that when you make a routine call to a known MMSI number ( a mate!) it will automatically set the recieving set to the working channel you have designated. Then normal voice contact takes over.
As to Group calling, a group number is allocated on an individual basis and only one group number can be entered at a time. It is used by "fleet leaders" to contact large groups of boats at the same time. For example, MBM cruises may ask for a Group MMSI for a cruise in company - but it will only reach those boats that have DSC enabled sets. And this is not the case at the moment so it is likley that a prearrnged working channel would have been agreed.

Channel 67 is the "Small Ship Safety" channel and should be used to make "routine" calls to the CG. However, if you local area is covered by Portland Coastguard, then their "routine" traffic channel is 73.

Oh another point, I was a bit surprised that you decided to send your CG66 by DSC - I'd been interested to know how you thought that might work? CG66 is a written document giving all details of your boat although it can be submitted online! I could not see the operator taking down your details on an "open" channel, let alone having the time to do so.



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a) call to coastguard: you can't put in a designated working channel (on my set at least) if the mmsi starts with 00. i didn't know that from my LRC course and there's nothing in the manual for the set.

b) i was sending a passage reoprt, not the cg66 itself (which i did on-line). sloppy terminology i'm afraid.

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You can enter CG MMSI into the directory. But it would be easier to contact then directly on their working Ch - 67 or 73 - in the first place. Remember that DSC was set up as part of the GMDSS system and facilitates quick action by SAR services. It's primary function is to ensure that maximum numbers of stations hear a Distress call and can react to it. All commerciall vessels must be fully GMDSS compliant but us "sunday" boaters are not required to follow suit. The use of MMSI numbers will allow us to contact "our mates" without blocking Ch 16 trying to track em down for a casual chit chat - which of course should not happen anyway!/forums/images/icons/wink.gif. And of course send out Mayday and Pan Pan calls ensuring all around can hear! That's why you have to follow up with a voice call. It's clever but not that clever.! I think you are looking for it to do things it can't and was not designed to do.



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ok...

so when coastguards and shipping stop listening on ch16 we stop calling except in emergencies? interesting viewpoint but frankly even i am not that cynical!

when a ship is bearing down on us, do we resort to firing flares at him because he isn't listening on voice vhf?

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Re: Global directory.

sorry, can't let that one pass...

the directory of mmsi numbers is fine if you have internet on board and can see the name of the vessel converging on you! for the rest of us....



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Re: Global directory.

says it all really. My computer tried to close down on me as I read message.I really struggle to see the benefit of this system other than helping the bureaucrats close down a perfectly good system

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni
 
Re: ok...

CG's maintain a loudspeaker watch in the control room. During busy periods Solent CG still maintain a dedicated headset watch, but I belive that they like the loudspeaker watch as it means more of the watch will hear it! I suspect that most commercial vessels have a loudspeaker watch on 16 but don't know that for a fact. Still, I'm sure you have a couple of white flares in your kit!

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David
Just to say thank you for an excellent explanation.

It appears to me that we Sunday Boaters are being driven by availability of the technology rather than the need. I will remain with VFH until I can no longer do so.

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Now without wanting to sound smug, when I moved from VHF Restricted to SRC it was still a 2 day course (which I took) or a 1 day upgrade. This meant that the operation of class A DSC units was still covered, however, under mounting pressure from pleasure boaters, due to the cost of the course, the MCA took the decision to trim it down (something I was against TBH) and this resulted in less being taught to pleasure boaters. If memory serves the LRC does go through the difference in operation between Class A and D sets.

So to the answers, hopefully:

You cannot designate a channel when calling a Coast Station (MMSI beginning 00 ie HMCG or a Port Authority) as it will be using Class A DSC and is expected to take control of you and specify a working channel which your radio will move to. SOLAS convention vessels also have Class A and can over-ride your chosen working channel.

I would only disagree with one thing that Snowleopard has said and that is the use of Channel 67 for calling HMCG. You should call HMCG using C70 if DSC enabled (or C16 if not), it is up to HMCG to tell you to go to a working channel as they have a "stacking" system when busy and you will jump all over it if you just come up and call.

An MMSI Directory! This idea was floated a few years ago and killed. Thinking about it sensibly, where will you keep this book and when in collision how will you find time to jump down into the cabin to find it, identify the vessel and then call! If your "Urgency" call (PAN PAN under the old system) on C70 and subsequent calls on C16 and C13 have gone unanswered, and you defo cannot avoid the collision the flare is the next step

Having been to the Falmouth Ops Room on a few occasions (ļ) it is definitely not a good idea to rely on the "Loudspeaker" watch in order to avoid moving to DSC, things can get quite loud in an Ops Room. Try to remember that the watch are not just listening to VHF C16 they are also monitoring MF/HF/VHF DSC, EPIRB alerts, telephones, with Inmarsat and Iridium calls from around the world.

Mike


<hr width=100% size=1>Team Executive,
Maritime & Aeronautical Team, Ofcom
 
M A R S ?

ITU has a website http://www.itu.int/cgi-bin/htsh/mars/ship_search.sh

There are two possible "Solitaires" Since I would surmise that you have an EPIRB then my guess is that you are 235001414 but if I had your callsign, (is it ZNBY9?) as well as your ship's name then I could get your MMSI number.

Steve Cronin



<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
 
Re: M A R S ?

hmmmm....his MMSI number doesn't seem to be listed against his boats record so even knowing his call sign won't help!
Curious and I am sure we will hear more on this soon......

<hr width=100% size=1>madesco madidum ..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Re: M A R S ?

Steve, as it happens I don't have an MMSI number. My call sign is MXPQ6

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Mike - it was me who suggested calling CG on 67! I should point out that Solent Coastguard constantly request that routine traffic to them is made directly on 67. This is with particular reference to the continous stream of "radio check" requests which they will now no longer respond to on Ch16.

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Apologies to Snowleopard then.

Whilst not trying to argue but if a specific MRCC, at a specific time, specifically requests you use a specific channel then that is what you do.

However, it is incredibly dangerous to make it into a sweeping statement as most MRCCs do not have the problems that Solent have to contend with and have a set procedure to manage their traffic.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Team Executive,
Maritime & Aeronautical Team, Ofcom
 
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