ICOM M802 frequency programming

[gstent]

I'm just getting to know my unit and can not work out why I can't seem to programme a frequency. Seems should be simple enough - but - when I push the [RX CLAR] button no '>' symbol appears next to the frequency and hence I can't change the frequency. Seems weird because in everything I read/videos I watch it is just a simple push of the [RX CLAR] button which enables selection of 'frequency selection mode'. I have tried on multiple channels. MMSI is programmed in. Could unit be malfunctioning or am i doing something wrong??

[Paul L]

Did you do the Dial Frequency Mode Setup one time setup? It is a power on with keys 2, Set Mode and Txf/Tx all held at the same time.

[gstent]

Paul - thank you so much. That nailed it! Nothing in my manuals said anything about a 'one time set up'! Anything else I should know about a procedure for one/first time set up?
Cheers
George

[Paul L]

George
There's a book Idi-Yachts, icom m802 manual that does a decent, if simplistic, job of listing the various arcane key strokes for the 802. Once you get setup there are very few things you need to change while using it.
I know lots of people like to have the frequencies programmed into their channel settings. I gave up on that a long time ago. I have a cheat sheet near the radio with the freq and times I care about for the passage I'm on and just dial the freq in as needed. But I'm not big user of HF voice.

[gstent]

Thanks again - I'll get the book and keep it simple!

[svmobert]

FYI, I am the distributor of the Capt Marti books.. You can find the above referenced title on our site. https://www.sea-tech.com/product/the...n-marti-brown/

[gstent]

Thanks - just gearing up for the World Arc at the moment in St Lucia so won't be able to pick up a copy till back in OZ - too bad there is no e-copy I would buy for sure.

[Mark Thurlow]

I had similar issues on the ARC, and got support from Yachtcom. Mine had not been set up and utilised correctly despite the dealers assurances. I had an on-site visit but suggest you get in touch as I am sure Bob Smith will assist you.

Office@yachtcom.co.uk

Mark

[gstent]

Thanks Mark - seems to be working OK now but thanks for the tip and the contact - anything could happen

[ka4wja]

While you've gotten your initial question answered, your words here suggest that you're not too familiar with the M-802, nor MF/HF-DSC-SSB communications in general??

Originally Posted by gstent

Thanks - just gearing up for the World Arc at the moment in St Lucia so won't be able to pick up a copy till back in OZ - too bad there is no e-copy I would buy for sure.

So...

So, before you leave the dock, please have a look at these Youtube Video playlists....they will help, a lot!


Icom M-802 Instruction Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rC-8QKVyMb4tVr


HF-DSC Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ga2zYuPozhUXZX



Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zdjTJjHlChruyY


Offshore Sailing
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...KgTCj15iyl6qoY


Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y


And, please have a look at these stickies, right at the top of this Marine Electronics page...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-198305.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-133496.html





If, you'd indulge me one piece of unsolicited advice?
Please take the time to learn some about HF radiowave propagation, and proper HF Voice communications techniques / planning (as well as mastering the use of MF/HF-DSC comms, which takes about 10 minutes to learn!)....and please leave the "PACTOR" / e-mail connections go, until you have master these things, first!

You've spent the time/effort to learn navigation, sail handling, diesel maintenance, etc....please do the same for HF radio communications...



Oh, and one final comment...
Please don't take advice from "some guy down the dock", as the 100% "gospel truth".....use your head, read the info, and learn, from both those who have decades of experience, and official sources, rather than "some guy that helps with a rally"...
Not trying to say that the advice you get there isn't well intentioned, but can be faulty, and many times "myth-based"...(and sometimes, just plain wrong)



My opinion here:
Bottom line, any "average" / "layperson" sailor can learn in a couple hours everything they need to know, in order to step on-board any boat with a well designed and well-installed HF-SSB radio system, and within less than one minute, be listening to and in direct contact with someone else on-the-air, any time, day or night...24/7/365....
If not, there is a problem with the radio system, or the sailor needs to learn more...
Again, just my opinion....but, that's based one over 40 years of doing this, including using modern 21st Century comms gear / HF, VHF, etc. / modern Sat Com gear, etc...



Fair winds..

John

[ka4wja]

gstent,
Just an FYI....be sure to check to make sure that your M-802 doesn't have the dreaded "clipping issue", that effected many of the very early models, of M-802 (built prior to 2006 ? and below ser # 0108261)

Originally Posted by gstent

Thanks - just gearing up for the World Arc at the moment in St Lucia so won't be able to pick up a copy till back in OZ - too bad there is no e-copy I would buy for sure.

Also, be sure to have the internal DSP-based Speech Compression turned On (usually delivered from factory, switched Off)


Please be sure to watch the video playlists and read those stickies!

And, spend the time to learn about HF communications....it's not only fun, it might save your life someday!
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ds-146617.html
If you read all of this thread, AND all the links, including the SARSAT-COSPAS links....and you'll get quite an education...



Fair winds.

John

[Mark Thurlow]

There is no doubt that John’s recordings and guidance is of great value.

I watched them all but my big leap forward was achieved after I had received the professional set up. This enabled me to use the SSB for email, voice and weather information over my Atlantic crossing.

Fair winds

Mark

[gstent]

Originally Posted by ka4wja

While you've gotten your initial question answered, your words here suggest that you're not too familiar with the M-802, nor MF/HF-DSC-SSB communications in general??
So...

So, before you leave the dock, please have a look at these Youtube Video playlists....they will help, a lot!


Icom M-802 Instruction Videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...rC-8QKVyMb4tVr


HF-DSC Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ga2zYuPozhUXZX



Offshore Weather
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zdjTJjHlChruyY


Offshore Sailing
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...KgTCj15iyl6qoY


Maritime HF Comms
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...ZDo_Jk3NB_Bt1y


And, please have a look at these stickies, right at the top of this Marine Electronics page...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-198305.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tc-133496.html





If, you'd indulge me one piece of unsolicited advice?
Please take the time to learn some about HF radiowave propagation, and proper HF Voice communications techniques / planning (as well as mastering the use of MF/HF-DSC comms, which takes about 10 minutes to learn!)....and please leave the "PACTOR" / e-mail connections go, until you have master these things, first!

You've spent the time/effort to learn navigation, sail handling, diesel maintenance, etc....please do the same for HF radio communications...



Oh, and one final comment...
Please don't take advice from "some guy down the dock", as the 100% "gospel truth".....use your head, read the info, and learn, from both those who have decades of experience, and official sources, rather than "some guy that helps with a rally"...
Not trying to say that the advice you get there isn't well intentioned, but can be faulty, and many times "myth-based"...(and sometimes, just plain wrong)



My opinion here:
Bottom line, any "average" / "layperson" sailor can learn in a couple hours everything they need to know, in order to step on-board any boat with a well designed and well-installed HF-SSB radio system, and within less than one minute, be listening to and in direct contact with someone else on-the-air, any time, day or night...24/7/365....
If not, there is a problem with the radio system, or the sailor needs to learn more...
Again, just my opinion....but, that's based one over 40 years of doing this, including using modern 21st Century comms gear / HF, VHF, etc. / modern Sat Com gear, etc...



Fair winds..

John

Many thanks for those wise words and very helpful advice and links. One question is do you believe you need a dedicayed dsc antenna to take full advantage of the dsc function - can you recommend a particular brand or model of dsc antenna thanks again

[ka4wja]

gstent,
You're welcome!

And, the short answer is: Yes!
Yes, you absolutely do need an dedicated DSC (receive-only) antenna to use the MF/HF-DSC functions!

Originally Posted by gstent

Many thanks for those wise words and very helpful advice and links. One question is do you believe you need a dedicayed dsc antenna to take full advantage of the dsc function - can you recommend a particular brand or model of dsc antenna thanks again

The longer answer is...well longer (and includes some opinion as well)
So..

Yes, you absolutely do need an dedicated DSC (receive-only) antenna to use the MF/HF-DSC functions!
Anyone that sells a Marine MF/HF-DSC-Radiotelephone (like the M-802) should know that and provide that with the radio system (or at least inform the purchaser of this requirement)...if they do not do this, they obviously do not really know what they are doing / selling... (sorry about that)

Please remember that MF/HF-DSC (a part of the GMDSS) has been with us since 1992, and fully-mandatory for all 162 signatory nations and all SOLAS vessels since Jan 1999.....that's 20 years now....so, this is not something "new"....

Once past VHF communications range, without MF/HF-DSC signaling you have no way of making contact with the > 450 MF coast stations and > 80 HF-DSC coast stations worldwide, nor the 1000's of commercial vessels plying the oceans daily...

And, without a "DSC receive antenna" connected to your M-802, your radio has no way of receiving any DSC safety, urgency, or distress related messages, and that includes not being capable of receiving replies to your own DSC messages / alerts...

If you watch the DSC videos, and listen to my narration, you'll see this explained in detail...
If you send out a DSC message / alert (whether safety, urgency, or distress), your radio always transmits from the "main" antenna (for all transmissions) and always is listening for a DSC reply on its DSC receive antenna, while simultaneously listening on the selected Voice traffic frequency on the main antenna....
So, without a DSC receive antenna, your radio cannot hear any DSC calls on any of the 6 international GMDSS DSC freqs...

I'm not sure why/how this is glossed-over by so many in the marine electronics industry....but it is...


I use an insulated aft lower shroud for my DSC receive antenna (and wefax receive antenna)...

Some simply use the entire rig (DC-grounded, or not) as their DSC receive antenna...

Others use a Metz DSC/WeFax receive antenna (which I used for a few months myself), or a GAM DSC/WeFax receive antenna..
(these look like VHF whip antennas, but they are NOT.....they are 4.5' long and are NOT vhf marine antennas.....they have different "guts" inside their base, and are very different than vhf marine antennas, even if the look similar!)

Please have a look at these two postings, for all the details..

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2257738

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2258484


And, finally....(and again)
Please watch the videos....I know they're not "exciting", but if you watch 'em and read the stickies I mentioned previously, you will learn most of what you will need to know to use your marine (or ham) HF radio at sea, and stay safe!! (and you'll know more than 90% of your fellow sailors out there!




Hope this helps.

Fair winds.

John