Thinking of disabling the gps function in your DSC handheld? Think twice!

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I have a Standard Horizon HX870, and, annoyed by the short battery life, had been about to use the menu option to disable gps completely* to save some amps when it dawned on me that it mightn't be that clever. Would pressing the red button switch the gps back on? There's no mention in the obvious bits of the manual**.

I wrote to SH, and they said 'good question', and would ask the engineers. The answer received today is that it won't, and your alarm message will go out without a position.

Other brands may or may not do the same.




(*The options do let you select 50/75/90% power saving by reducing the frequency of fixes, but since I never use the gps bit I thought it might as well be off completely).

(** If you do disable gps completely, you do get a serious telling off next time you turn it on).

 

[gregcope]

Why not enable 90% power saving? Gets you nearly all the benefit yet not much of a downside. Unless your traveling very quickly your fix will be at most, slightly out, or rather probably good enough to locate you.

 

[LadyInBed]

If gps is off I wouldn't expect it to send a position, it takes time to aquire a fix.
A 10% on setting sounds like a good solution.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Why not enable 90% power saving? Gets you nearly all the benefit yet not much of a downside. Unless your traveling very quickly your fix will be at most, slightly out, or rather probably good enough to locate you.

I have now, but I'd have taken the completely off option if I could.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

If gps is off I wouldn't expect it to send a position, it takes time to aquire a fix.
A 10% on setting sounds like a good solution.

I 'd rather hoped that the designers would have made the red button override the menu options, although as you say the first broadcast would have had to be without a fix, subsequent ones could have included it once gps was up to speed.

 

[bedouin]

Why not enable 90% power saving? Gets you nearly all the benefit yet not much of a downside. Unless your traveling very quickly your fix will be at most, slightly out, or rather probably good enough to locate you.

What sort of battery life do you get with that enabled?

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

What sort of battery life do you get with that enabled?

The manual explains that with the power saving on, the gps operates for 3 seconds every 3/9/27 seconds under the three conditions. I need to use mine tomorrow, but after that will have a play and see what it actually does in real life.

 

[GTom]

My handheld is for emergency, I keep it turned off usually. I wouldn't turn the GPS off anyway...

 

[pvb]

My HX870 has a very good battery life, even with GPS enabled. I wouldn't dream of turning GPS off.

 

[ProDave]

So we have a handheld DSC radio with built in GPS.

How long before someone puts a colour screen on the front and incorporates a chart plotter as well?

That is a serious question as I would have thought that would be a damned handy bit of kit.

 

[ShinyShoe]

ICOM M93 manual:

NOTE on Distress calls (Simple calls and Regular calls): If no valid position data is received when sending a Distress call,the transceiver waits for 15 seconds until position data is received, and then the Distress call is sent. If no position is received during this 15 seconds, the position data in the transceiver memory is automatically sent. However, if there is no position data in the memory, the Distress call is sent without position data.

NOTE (For USA and Export versions):After sending a Distress call without position data•While waiting for an Acknowledgement, if valid position data is received, the transceiver will automatically send a Distress call again.•Even after exiting the DSC mode, if valid position data is received within 20 minutes after receiving a Distress Acknowledgement, the transceiver will automatically send a Distress call again.

If you do the simple distress call DSC (hold down red button 3 seconds) - above applies.
If you do a regular DSC distress call (via the menu buttons - selecting distress type ) - if no pos you are prompted to manually enter one. (By the time you've done that you'll likely have drowned!)

But I don't think you can disable GPS - correct me if I'm wrong...

Seems quite different from the HX870. No mention of waiting for a new fix. If you do the manual DSC call you can give a manual location but seems less automated in asking.

 

[Elessar]

So we have a handheld DSC radio with built in GPS.

How long before someone puts a colour screen on the front and incorporates a chart plotter as well?

That is a serious question as I would have thought that would be a damned handy bit of kit.

With a 5 hour battery life.

Less is more.

 

[ProDave]

With a 5 hour battery life.

Less is more.

WHY?

My phone can go all day running it's GPS and Open CPN

A handhheld VHF receiving should not use much power, it's transmitting that eats the juice. Make it with an interchangable battery pack like most Icom's etc and problem solved.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

With a 5 hour battery life.

Less is more.

You're getting 5 hours from an HX870? That's about what mine does, pvb's comment suggests that he's getting more.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

WHY?

My phone can go all day running it's GPS and Open CPN

A handhheld VHF receiving should not use much power, it's transmitting that eats the juice. Make it with an interchangable battery pack like most Icom's etc and problem solved.

It's not great is it, but it does have swappable batteries.

 

[ShinyShoe]

But is 5hrs on GPS updates every second? Who needs that level of precision on a HH GPS? Even on a RIB doing 30kts, in 1 minute you've travelled 0.5knot. If you go with the 90% saving option you'll get a position every 0.25knot at that speed. Good luck plotting that onto you chart in 30 seconds before the next position comes in while travelling at that kind of speed...

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

But is 5hrs on GPS updates every second? Who needs that level of precision on a HH GPS? Even on a RIB doing 30kts, in 1 minute you've travelled 0.5knot. If you go with the 90% saving option you'll get a po27sition every 0.25knot at that speed. Good luck plotting that onto you chart in 30 seconds before the next position comes in while travelling at that kind of speed...

Prezactly! I think it's every three seconds though, and introduces gaps of 3, 9 and 27 for the saving modes.

 

[Giblets]

My handheld is for emergency, I keep it turned off usually. I wouldn't turn the GPS off anyway...

You may be surprised at how long it can take to get a fix if only used very occasionally. In an emergency speed is of the essence.

My HX870 has a very good battery life, even with GPS enabled. I wouldn't dream of turning GPS off.

Same here with my HX851E.

 

[Elessar]

WHY?

My phone can go all day running it's GPS and Open CPN

A handhheld VHF receiving should not use much power, it's transmitting that eats the juice. Make it with an interchangable battery pack like most Icom's etc and problem solved.

Hmmm
In answer to your question - Probably because I have an iPhone.
My comment withdrawn.

 

[LadyInBed]

Even on a RIB doing 30kts, in 1 minute you've travelled 0.5knot. If you go with the 90% saving option you'll get a position every 0.25knot at that speed.

I think you mean Nautical Miles!