VHF _ DSC Alarm yesteday - what is it?

[peter2407]

Out sailing yesterday in the Solent and my VHF DSC set displayed an audio and visual alarm - can't remember the details, but this was followed by a Securite announcement. Were the two connected, and what are they? Turned the set off and then back on, and it had gone.

 

[colvic987]

Out sailing yesterday in the Solent and my VHF DSC set displayed an audio and visual alarm - can't remember the details, but this was followed by a Securite announcement. Were the two connected, and what are they? Turned the set off and then back on, and it had gone.

most probably yes, first the all ships call, then the voice call from the coastguard.

why turn the set off, you should have a procedure to ack or cancel the call.

 

[planteater]

Turned the set off and then back on, and it had gone.

I heard my first DSC alert a couple of months back. The alarm signal from my Cobra F55 was deafening in my small 22'er so I turned the volume knob down but it had no effect. Inadvertently, I turned the radio off. Like you, I turned it back on but the alarm had gone.

I'll have to plough through the menus and see if there is any way of setting the alarm volume.

 

[colvic987]

I heard my first DSC alert a couple of months back. The alarm signal from my Cobra F55 was deafening in my small 22'er so I turned the volume knob down but it had no effect. Inadvertently, I turned the radio off. Like you, I turned it back on but the alarm had gone.

I'll have to plough through the menus and see if there is any way of setting the alarm volume.

On my vhf it starts low and gets louder the longer you ignore it.

 

[DogWatch]

I heard my first DSC alert a couple of months back. The alarm signal from my Cobra F55 was deafening in my small 22'er so I turned the volume knob down but it had no effect. Inadvertently, I turned the radio off. Like you, I turned it back on but the alarm had gone.

I'll have to plough through the menus and see if there is any way of setting the alarm volume.

you don't have your DSC licence then?

 

[Powersalt]

ok for the un initiated can someone explain the dsc proceedures etc

 

[Heckler]

ok for the un initiated can someone explain the dsc proceedures etc

Well its like this, as Jools alluded to, if you have your licence, you would know what the procedure is!
Stu

Quote:
An essential safety aid for sailors and powerboaters. The ability to communicate effectively is essential when at sea.
This course is the perfect complement to the basic RYA practical courses like Competent crew and Dayskipper theory and RYA Day Skipper practical courses as well assential study for any sailor or powerboater.

The Short Range Certificate (SRC) has replaced the old VHF radio licence, the Restricted certificate of competence in radio telephony - VHF only. Holders of the old licence are entitled to operate VHF-only radio equipment, but not DSC installations.

A valid licence is a requirement for Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore candidates. Operation of a VHF set without a licence is illegal.

VHF radio's equipped with DSC (Digital Selective Calling) are rapidly replacing VHF-only radio's in small craft with good reason.

For small craft users the advantage of DSC over VHF-only radio is that the equipment can provide automated distress alerting via Digital Selective Calling (DSC). A simple push button operation sends a distress call.

The entire syllabus is taught on the day but a little preparation goes a long way. The phonetic alphabet should be committed to memory as should the mayday procedure including the voice message.

A short RYA VHF Radio exam paper is taken at the end of the day, failures are rare but in the event no charge is made for a resit, you do not have to attend the full course again.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

In my humble opinion the DSC alarm is a complete nonsense for recreational vessels!!!!!
It is delivered at 90db so that it will be heard on the bridge of a commercial vessel and is "over the top" for a sailing yacht. Because of this , many yachts switch off the VHF at night so that the of- watch crew can get some sleep.
It should be possible to reduce the volume of the alarm and/or have a flashing light to alert the watch to urgent messages.
There is still a good market for non-DSC sets at boat jumbles because of this unfortunate feature.

 

[planteater]

you don't have your DSC licence then?

Err, yes I do.

Am I missing something?

 

[DogWatch]

Err, yes I do.

Am I missing something?

Well, all this was explained during the course no?

 

[charles_reed]

Well, all this was explained during the course no?

not if his course was pre-DSC

 

[Rustyknight]

not if his course was pre-DSC

In which case he'd not have a DSC licence then. But he says he has one, in which case the course couldn't have been pre-DSC...... or have I missed something?

 

[snowleopard]

IIRC the references to DSC on the course don't go much beyond learning how to send a Mayday.

 

[Solitaire]

Err, yes I do.

Am I missing something?

There are 4 types of DSC alert.

Distress: A Mayday and will be the only time the position and nature of the distress is given. Set will automatically be set to Channel 16. The only time the red button on the set is used.

Urgency: This will announce a Pan Pan or a Mayday Relay. No position or MMSI number will be displayed. Set will auto change to ch 16. This call is selected from within the call menu setting.

Safety: To be followed by a voice message with prefix "Securite" on ch 16 with request to move to another channel after initial response. Will set the radio to ch 16. Again no MMSI or other details will be displayed. Again selected from within the call menu.

Routine:This is for ship to ship use where the other vessel's MMSI number is known and the initiator can set the required channel - 6,8, 72 or 77. Can also be used to contact other stations where the MMSI number is known - CG for example.


There is no facility for turning down the volume and the sound will increase unless cancel or enter button is pushed.

When you turned your set off, it would have reset itself so you would no longer see the nature of the call received. This facility is used if you accidentally make a Distress DSC alert and don't get an acknowledgement from an appropriately equipped station. If you don't turn the set off it (the radio) will send the distress alert again approx every 4 minutes.

 

[Solitaire]

IIRC the references to DSC on the course don't go much beyond learning how to send a Mayday.

Should not be the case at all. During the course all types of DSC call are "practised" or they should be.

 

[snowleopard]

I took the LRC at a time when DSC was just starting to be accepted in the small boat world and the equipment was a bit flaky. My Icom set had no provision for specifying a channel for inter-ship calls for example.

One would hope the standard of training as well as equipment has improved.

 

[KREW2]

There are 4 types of DSC alert.

Distress: A Mayday and will be the only time the position and nature of the distress is given. Set will automatically be set to Channel 16. The only time the red button on the set is used.

.

It seems there are a few who do not know what to do when they receive DSC distress alert. I hope they don't interpret this as, when they receive one, they have to push the red button.

 

[planteater]

Well, all this was explained during the course no?

I don't recall anyone telling me that the alarm volume was fixed. It's painfully loud in my small, bare cabin.

 

[Neil]

When I first got my short range cert of competence, I noted that it was a legal requirement to call the CG and confirm your newly-programmed MMSI No. Which I did. I'd programed an address list of a couple of useful MMSI No's, including the Dublin CG. About 2 mins after I'd confirmed my MMSI No., I got a DSC alarm. It was Dublin CG, calling me! Panic! I called back immediately to see what was up! To be dryly informed is was a securite all stations call. Red ears! (face, neck, chest)

Funnily enough, I don't remember being bothered any alarms going off afterwards - I can't remember if there was a way to disable the DSC alarm? (it was a Cobra F55), It was few years ago.......

 

[Laundryman]

VHF_ DSC Alarm

ok for the un initiated can someone explain the dsc proceedures etc

I'm going to ask this question again because i cant see a straightforward answer yet.
I passed my dsc licence 3 years ago but until 3 weeks ago i didnt have a dsc set. If i was told how to respond to a dsc alert on the course, i have forgotten. Ive even dug out my course notes and my hand written notes but they seem to concentrate on mmsi numbers and when to press the mayday/ distress button. I now have an icom 411. Please, if the alarm goes off, what do i do, which buttons do i press?

Thank you