DSC Basics

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

If GE or Amana can figure out how to give my refrigerator a permanent IP address, then Icom or SH can do the same for my marine radio. And then I just have to contact a registry and register, or transfer, that IP address to my name. Same process that is used to transfer EPIRB ownership today, you go online, send an email, no money changes hands. (At least not in the US.)

If I change my phone number from an AT&T landline, to a Verizon cell, to a Sprint cell, to a Podunk VOIP company...somehow, it all just happens. The number stays with me and the cost is government capped, and CAN be zero if the carrier is not a pig. Some carriers take the full 30 days that they are allowed to take, in order to inconvenience the change. Other carriers manage to do it in 48 hours.

As I said, it is time the ITU took a look at the future. This stuff CAN all be integrated, and the costs of doing so can be less than the current costs of operating redundant and disconnected multiple systems with constant paperwork filing and updating.

Simple and quick and painless? No, good planning rarely ever is.

A decent picture of a useful way forward... but probably not 'til when IPv8 rolls out, sometime in the year 2116 or so...

Not disparaging, here. Just a big <sigh>...

In the meantime, needing emergency assistance from a vessel maybe a mile or so away... a vessel that perhaps isn't as connected as necessary due to issues with devices (or maybe not having some), providers, atmospherics... remains an issue that plain old-fashioned VHF (POV?) speaks to. Sorta, kinda.

-Chris

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

In the meantime, needing emergency assistance from a vessel maybe a mile or so away... a vessel that perhaps isn't as connected as necessary due to issues with devices (or maybe not having some), providers, atmospherics... remains an issue that plain old-fashioned VHF (POV?) speaks to. Sorta, kinda.

-Chris

KISS. Just because it can be done with some new fancy technology, does not mean it should be done with some new fancy technology.

BTW - the last thing I need is a smart fridge.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by jackdale

KISS. Just because it can be done with some new fancy technology, does not mean it should be done with some new fancy technology.

BTW - the last thing I need is a smart fridge.

But it's not fancy new technology. It's been around for 30 years or more. This seems to be one issue that people just need to get smarter about because it has definite advantages.

[Prairie Chicken]

On the Irish side (Eire), the Coast Guard also send a DSC alert before sending safety messages, but they set the actual working channel in the DSC Alert.

This is what we're getting in Spanish waters too.

[Sandero]

Here's a question some may be able to help me with. I just bought a Horizon GX2200 which has of course DSC and an AIS receiver and a GPS. I haven't installed it yet but I was wondering if the AIS information can be fed to a Ray C-80 MFD? I was using an old AIS receiver which isn't working.. count be antenna or the unit... I intend to get a Watchmate in any case... but was wondering about getting the AIS info from the GX2200 onto the Ray MFD. Had anyone done this (on this forum)? Is there anything I need to know?

Thanks!

[Rusty007]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Here's a question some may be able to help me with. I just bought a Horizon GX2200 which has of course DSC and an AIS receiver and a GPS. I haven't installed it yet but I was wondering if the AIS information can be fed to a Ray C-80 MFD? I was using an old AIS receiver which isn't working.. count be antenna or the unit... I intend to get a Watchmate in any case... but was wondering about getting the AIS info from the GX2200 onto the Ray MFD. Had anyone done this (on this forum)? Is there anything I need to know?

Thanks!

If you had a Radio with NMEA2000 connection you would just plug and play. But now you have to match up the NMEA0183 wires to match your chart plotter. There should be instructions in the manuals of the chart plotter and the radio.

On a side note why are people not demanding N2K on all the radios sold?

[Sandero]

Thanks! I have the a terminal block already in place for 34.4k baud rate so I suppose it's just connecting to those 2 posts!

[colemj]

See my response in the Vesper thread - you are going to have a problem connecting your radio to the plotter when using your Vesper. You need to connect the Vesper to your plotter instead.

Mark

[estarzinger]

Since I was talking with folks about VHF related to the 'range' thread . . . . I did pick up an interesting perspective related to this one.

That is that the USCG has pushed for years and invested $B's in DSC.

But they have now decided they can no longer fight cell phones over DSC/VHF. And are investing in equipment that can read the smart phone locations (like 911 can), setting up and marketing direct dial numbers for emergency calls and developping and distributing a smart phone emergency app.

The majority of emergency contacts with the USCG are now via cell phone (and even when the initial contact is via vhf they usually ask you to switch to cell phone). And nine out of ten DSC distress alerts have no position information because the radios are not connected to a GPS and six out of ten DSC calls have no Maritime Mobile Service Identity number (MMSI) registered to the radio of origin - so the 911 cell phone location is actually MUCH more reliable.

Before you radio guys get all up in arms . . . . I am not advocating anything here, just reporting an actual real world development in emergency distress calls.

[Tayana42]

Fine if you are in cell phone range and I guess the majority of calls to USCG are. But I hope they don't give up on the money spent on DCS.


S/V B'Shert

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Since I was talking with folks about VHF related to the 'range' thread . . . . I did pick up an interesting perspective related to this one.

That is that the USCG has pushed for years and invested $B's in DSC.

But they have now decided they can no longer fight cell phones over DSC/VHF. And are investing in equipment that can read the smart phone locations (like 911 can), setting up and marketing direct dial numbers for emergency calls and developping and distributing a smart phone emergency app.

The majority of emergency contacts with the USCG are now via cell phone (and even when the initial contact is via vhf they usually ask you to switch to cell phone). And nine out of ten DSC distress alerts have no position information because the radios are not connected to a GPS and six out of ten DSC calls have no Maritime Mobile Service Identity number (MMSI) registered to the radio of origin - so the 911 cell phone location is actually MUCH more reliable.

Before you radio guys get all up in arms . . . . I am not advocating anything here, just reporting an actual real world development in emergency distress calls.

How does DSC work if there is no MMSI inputted to the radio? I understood if you buy a DSC radio but then don't set it up with an MMSI then the DSC simply doesn't transmit?

I'm also wondering if the lack of people in the US taking on DSC properly has something to do with the US being the only country to have it's own 'in house' DSC thing as well with it's MMSI local register? I'm not sure I'm making sense

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

How does DSC work if there is no MMSI inputted to the radio? I understood if you buy a DSC radio but then don't set it up with an MMSI then the DSC simply doesn't transmit?

I'm also wondering if the lack of people in the US taking on DSC properly has something to do with the US being the only country to have it's own 'in house' DSC thing as well with it's MMSI local register? I'm not sure I'm making sense

Some radios will work without an MMSI (I think they transmit a 00000000, but am not sure), and in others the user just put in a random series of numbers to get it to work. I don't think it has much to do with the BOATUS numbers - in fact that 'should' have made it easier and cheaper (eg was free) to get a US number.

I am curious for how these same sort of info on European dsc radios (how many are connected to gps and how many have real registered mmsi numbers) - but have never seen them discussed. In the US, the user programs the number in - in europe does the distributor program it in (like with AIS units in the us)?

I do know European cell phone towers generally have significantly longer range than US towers.

[AedanC]

In my part of Europe (Ireland) you program in the MMSI number yourself.

However to get one you have to have a Short Range operators license and a ships license as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by AedanC

In my part of Europe (Ireland) you program in the MMSI number yourself.

However to get one you have to have a Short Range operators license and a ships license as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Same in Australia.

[GILow]

I have taken the logic that in an emergency I will fashion a seagoing vessel out of all the certificates I have to obtain and carry on the boat.

There is no room in my Navigation desk for charts, it is full of certificates.


Sent from my iPhone so apologies for weird autocorrect typos.