DSC alarms too noisy

[barnakiel]

Anybody knows a trick to reduce the volume of DSC alarms on SH radios?

On our unit, anytime a DSC call comes in, the alarm will beep in high and higher pitch/volume that make sleeping impossible (the radio is down below - at the nav station). This is so even if the volume knob is at minimum loudness.

I would hate to have the radio off as I know that someone might need help. But with the radio on it is impossible to sleep on a passage.

Any ideas how to approach this issue (other than moving the unit to the cockpit)?

barnakiel

[colemj]

Our fixed SH VHF is one year old and I swear that when we first started using it the DCS call ring started at low volume and steadily increased over time to an ear-splitting volume until it was answered. I like that approach.

Now, it just always ring at an ear-splitting volume. We actually jump out of our skin every time it rings now. Perhaps it has always done this and I don't remember it well when new because we didn't use the DSC function as often then.

Strangely, our remote mic in the cockpit rings almost inaudibly when a DSC call comes in and the volume does not increase at all with time. It is pretty useless that way, and a friend's identical RAM does the same. Luckily, the base station is so loud that we hear it all the way in the cockpit (catamaran, so the two locations are just about in separate boats).

I would also like any ideas on this.

Mark

[Podjo]

The individual alarm on the Standard Horizon GX2000/2100 can be programmed to ring for 2 minutes (default), 15 rings, 10 rings, 5 rings, or turned off. I have had people come up to me on land and tell me that my boat was making a lot of noise, lol. I guess that is a good thing unless someone is trying to sleep.

[capngeo]

I guess I'm a bad sailor.... I leave it off when not actively navigating

[barnakiel]

We seem to have a unit with exactly the same habits as Mark's.

I do not want it off on the passage (I do want the alarm) but I do not want the alarm wake up and scare to death the person sleeping down below - just us two here so good sleep of the off duty one is essential.

I was thinking of the remote but now it is clear the remote does not solve the issue.

Perhaps I can get the remote and then switch the sound alarm off - I can always see the remote while I am in the cockpit, so any alarm would be picked up even if maybe not always immediately.

b.