Uncommanded DSC distress alert

[Stemar]

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FOR SALE - CHEAP LIFEJACKETS

[/ QUOTE ]Actually, those are decent bits of kit, and supplied "badge engineered" to a number of other suppliers.

I have two. I bought them to replace a better known brand because the webbing on the other brand was so stiff, they were a nightmare to get on and off. In all other respects, they seemed identical.

At least one of them works, unlike a couple of examples of a very well known premium brand of life raft, because it fell into the bottom of a rather wet tender and inflated within a couple of seconds, just as it should have. I don't know about the other one, I've never tried it, and hope I never will.

 

[Malcb]

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I assume that it is because you "don't tend to use it" that you haven't heard the message sent out at the start of the majority of MMSI broadcasts, at least from Solent and Portland Coast Guards, recommending all pleasure boat users to install and use DSC VHF radios

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I assume that you are referring to the Solent Coastguard broadcasts announced on Channel 16 and transmitted on channel 23 which is available to ALL vhf users including those with non-DSC sets. They make a recommendation to equip with DSC prior to this channel 23 weather broadcast. It is not a MMSI only broadcast

 

[RupertW]

Fair point on the navigation hazards, though I can't remember the last useful one I heard when sailing on boats which do keep their VHFs on.

I'm not so bothered by weather forecasts via VHF - the Radio 4 ones do fine for me in the areas they cover, the SW ones work fine cross-Atlantic and you can't usually get out of the way of the systems anyway, and in the Med, I admit that I do listen on VHF for the forecasts as they are in English, with the automated Italian ones the best I've come across so far.

I certainly won't start having a radio squawking at me when I'm sailing, rules or not.

 

[RupertW]

Well, once the radio had been out of action for a season or two then I'd probably go for something which had been reviewed as robust and good value but with minimum necessary functions.

That probably wouldn't be one of the absolute cheapest, so you're right there. I am most likely to buy a waterproof handheld when I do eventually have to as this seems the most flexible and reliable way to communicate in a real emergency, compared to anything connected to the mast or the ships battery, as well as something I can carry from boat to boat - but I have been thinking that for years and would buy a personal EPIRP first.