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Kettlewell · 04-03-2011, 14:53

My guess is that he had to remove non-DSC radios from commercial vessels that now require DSC radios only.

By the way, I'm not familiar with commercial radio regulations on this. Apparently they are not required to use DSC for normal safety communications, or maybe it is the opposite, they are still required to make normal safety communications in the open on channel 16 and 13 because they seem to be continually yacking on there still for things like Pan Pan calls.

**nigel1** · 04-03-2011, 15:05

One of the idea's of DSC was to cut down on the yacking by commercial vessels.
When we're towing we send a safety alert by DSC to all stations indicating a working channel on which to listen for the safety message.
Its all about education, and still has a long way to go

Greg S · 04-03-2011, 15:12

I fully agree that a keypad would be nice and, in fact, vital to general acceptance, but I found entering in the Coast Guard MMSI numbers (from back in post #26) not to be any harder than naming the waypoints in my old Garmin chartplotter, which I do with far, far more frequency than the MMSI numbers. The newer ones, chartplotters that is, have key pads or touchscreen entry systems and one would fully expect that the next generation VHFs will go that route too.

I suspect that technology will continue to outpace the longevity of most all communication devices, not just VHF radios, and not just radios. Just ask the 12.2, 24.4 36.6, etc phone modems that I saved until they were dust encrusted junk before tossing them out.

Kettlewell · 04-03-2011, 15:17

The funny thing is that when GPS units first came out they had nice keypads, and so did a lot of VHF radios many years ago. Then they all went to these ridiculous menu systems apparently in the interest of saving a few bucks in manufacturing costs. I fondly remember the first GPS I ever had that had a huge keypad and operating procedures that were the essence of simplicity.

psneeld · 04-03-2011, 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

The funny thing is that when GPS units first came out they had nice keypads, and so did a lot of VHF radios many years ago. Then they all went to these ridiculous menu systems apparently in the interest of saving a few bucks in manufacturing costs. I fondly remember the first GPS I ever had that had a huge keypad and operating procedures that were the essence of simplicity.

I have the sneaky suspicion the keypads or lack thereof are more a function of making radios smaller and more waterproof..keypads are relatively cheap in todays age.

delmarrey · 04-03-2011, 15:35

Hopefully some day they'll come out with a wireless (bluetooth) keypad that can be used on every thing from phones to kitchen utilities.

SV Enough · 04-03-2011, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigel1

One of the idea's of DSC was to cut down on the yacking by commercial vessels.
When we're towing we send a safety alert by DSC to all stations indicating a working channel on which to listen for the safety message.
Its all about education, and still has a long way to go

I also get SRM (Safety Related Message) text messages, Which come up on my chartplotter.

Your friend,
Mark

**Boracay** · 04-03-2011, 15:42

Using the MMSI is clumsy, time consuming and error prone. It would look to have too few digits to make it future proof.

I don't see why we have to have an MMSI at all. There might be one in my EPIRB, but I know nothing about it. All I have to do is get online, enter the registration numbers and it's done. If I make a mistake or circumstances change I can go back online and change things.

And while we're talking about making things easier why not make it compulsory for all DSC radios to have inbuilt GPS? The current wiring on my chartplotter and VHF needs to have two sets of wires with different colour coding permanently joined together, leaving an expensive bit of bling permanently on show. It couldn't cost more than a few dollars to do, and even if it was a little inaccurate perfectionists could still be free to get it down to 10' or so.

Even if making VHF DSC friendly doubled the cost of a VHF radio I'd be almost happy to pay it for the peace of mind gained.

Australia has not, as far as I know, paid anything more than lip service to DSC. Instead we have look to have "turned" VHF mostly over to volunteer rescue service. They do a magnificent job too.

If mobile phones were as user unfriendly as DSC no one would bother with them either.

goboatingnow · 04-03-2011, 16:04

I actually think there are "two" DSC's

The good bit, is the semi -automated Distress and Urgency alerting process. The nonsense is Routine calls. DSC should have been left soley as a distress altering technique , which is all that is required under GMDSS.

However ship operators saw DSC as a way of reducing the need for a manned radio watch. Thats what prompted Routie DSC calls.

Dave

SV Enough · 04-03-2011, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boracay

Using the MMSI is clumsy, time consuming and error prone. It would look to have too few digits to make it future proof.

I don't see why we have to have an MMSI at all. There might be one in my EPIRB, but I know nothing about it. All I have to do is get online, enter the registration numbers and it's done. If I make a mistake or circumstances change I can go back online and change things.

And while we're talking about making things easier why not make it compulsory for all DSC radios to have inbuilt GPS? The current wiring on my chartplotter and VHF needs to have two sets of wires with different colour coding permanently joined together, leaving an expensive bit of bling permanently on show. It couldn't cost more than a few dollars to do, and even if it was a little inaccurate perfectionists could still be free to get it down to 10' or so.

Even if making VHF DSC friendly doubled the cost of a VHF radio I'd be almost happy to pay it for the peace of mind gained.

Australia has not, as far as I know, paid anything more than lip service to DSC. Instead we have look to have "turned" VHF mostly over to volunteer rescue service. They do a magnificent job too.

If mobile phones were as user unfriendly as DSC no one would bother with them either.

At least you can not blame this one on the yanks. :-) The US is a late comer to all this which is a United Nation SOLAS (Survival of Life at Sea) treaty nations signed up to. The US being one and the signatories and it is possible Australia is also a signatory. The US was a huge foot dragger and even had a stripped out class D spec called SC-101 because it was chapter that no other nation accepted.

That all changed after Sept 11. It was suddenly realized what a security risk maritime traffic was. The US then got on board with the treaty and stopped foot dragging.

If you don't like where this has all lead, it's what we got.

Your friend,
Mark

**nigel1** · 05-03-2011, 04:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by SV Enough

I also get SRM (Safety Related Message) text messages, Which come up on my chartplotter.

Your friend,
Mark

SRM's are misued as well by commercial vessels, some even using it to send suggestions for collision avoidance, or using it as a SMS test service to gossip

delmarrey · 05-03-2011, 08:54

DCS VHF with a keypad! If you got the money Honey? The ICOM M604, $500.

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/produc...fications.aspx

.

Greg S · 05-03-2011, 09:35

Del,

Yes, exactly! If you have money enough and space enough all is good.

Kettlewell · 05-03-2011, 09:45

Yep, there a few keypad radios that are very expensive, but when you think that any old cell phone you can buy for $15.95 has a nice keypad and probably 10X the computing horsepower of the highest end VHF it looks pretty ridiculous.