Pete Threo
New Member
Hi, I,ve recently returned to boating after some years away. I gained my VHF licence in 1997, pre DSC. Does anyone know if it is still valid in the worl of DSC. I've heard conflicting opinions on the matter.
VHF licence
- Thread starter Pete Threo
- Start date
Graham376
Well-Known Member
To operate a DSC VHF, you need to do an upgrade course but, AFAIK, still valid for non DSC. In an emergency, anyone can operate radio with or without certificate.
harvey38
Well-Known Member
I've not bothered upgrading my license to DSC, I understand how DSC works and hopefully will never have to use it personally but would assist anyone if I were in a position to. Judging by the quality of transmissions I hear on the SE coast, I don't think many have attended any form of training ??
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Neither have I. I believe that conversation courses are no longer available, you have to do the full course.
If you buy a DSC set and don't program it with your mmsi, it will behave like a non-DSC set.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
How many people use DSC? Only DSC call I made on this radio was a test call to a mate when I installed it several years ago. Think I've only used the radio once or twice since to call Marina Bay on working channel, not DSC. Did the conversion course so long ago, I'd be hard pushed to remember how to use that function anyway except for red button.
ylop
Well-Known Member
Potentially that could be because the trained ones use DSC and then are automatically switched to a working channel which you don’t hear. Although I suspect that is not the case.
harvey38
Well-Known Member
Not by the conversations I hear, permission to leave the marina and harbour are mandatory and a real mish mash of listing to ATC or a chat down the pub.......but it works.
Commercial Dave
Well-Known Member
Never, it is the distress button that matters. We are commercial and frequently have passengers with no nautical experience. In the safety briefing I tell them that if there is an emergency at sea and the crew are incapacitated, pressing the distress button is the single most important thing they can do. A single button press that can be achieved by any untrained person that will alert all nearby vessels, port control, coastguard etc that we are in trouble, plus everyone will automatically know who we are and more importantly where we are. Even if they don't follow up with a voice mayday (there is a cue card by the radio), help is still going to come quickly.
jbweston
Well-Known Member
I agree. Possibly doing the VHF course helps the skipper understand this, and some more besides.
I've had DSC for 13 years and never used it except to cancel DSC 'securitay' alerts (which can be apin in the neck). But I like the fact that the most inexperienced crew can lift the DSC Mayday cover and hold the button in. As long as the skipper briefs them as part of the safety brief of course . . . The insructions are placarded by the VHF too.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
It's not usually as simple as a single button press. My radio, for example would give a list of emergency types if you just press the button, and until you choose one would not send anything. A press and hold will send an undesignated emergency. Knowing specifically how your radio operates and giving specific instructions could be the difference between help and no help, especially for those who wouldn't know how to check.
Commercial Dave
Well-Known Member
Sending an undesignated DSC distress alert will get you assistance no less quickly than selecting the type of emergency, and for the added complexity of doing so (especially for untrained users who have never used a VHF before and may be in a very high stress situation) I don't personally see a benefit in briefing inexperienced passengers in sending a specific alert type. I do point out that after sending the DSC distress they can use the microphone to talk and I explain the importance of when to press and release the PTT button, but I always stress that pushing the red button is the primary and most important way of calling for help
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Indeed, help will come just as quickly. A press of the button doesn’t achieve that though on most radios. My point was that you need to check specifically what is needed and tell them that. On mine it’s press and hold since a simple press is just a shortcut to the DSC menu.
ylop
Well-Known Member
Lustyd is correct - I think for most (all?) lift flap press button does not send a distress - it’s lift and hold to do that (or lift, press, select type, press again). I’ve seen a couple of poor skipper briefings where they tell people lift flap push button. You need to hold for 3 (?) seconds to get that very simple alert to go. I tell people five because people are bad at judging time. There is a countdown on the screen - but don’t expect someone in a panic to read that.
dolabriform
Well-Known Member
My briefing is "lift the flap, hold the button down for 5 seconds and watch the display countdown" It's also written on the card by the VHF