Ideal AIS/DSC MOB Device -- Courtesy of the German Navy

[Dockhead]

How about this? A040-Pro easyRESCUE-PRO GMDSS - Weatherdock English

It transmit AIS but also includes a full-function DSC module -- sends a DSC alert to your own boat first, then if not acknowledged, to all ships.

Very cool. Just haven't figured out whether you can actually buy it if your not a German Navy sailor . . .

[Hydra]

Thanks for the information, Dockhead.

The website says the device is fully approved and certified by:

• German Maritime Agency BSH
• United States FCC
• United States Coast Guard

Then, it should be possible to buy one, even if I couldn't find a dealer in Europe. I will keep looking for one.

But I don't know what kind of MMSI I would need for this to broadcast a DSC message.

Alain

[smac999]

does it activate the dsc and ais at the same time? if so I don't understand the 5 min dsc delay.


I get having the delay, so if you fall in, and your own boat knows, they can ackknowlege and turn around and it won't get sent to every boat. but if it has already gone out to every boat via ais then the delay doesn't make sense.


or do you have to manually activate each function? but that would be silly to activate the dsc, wait 5 mins hoping your driver gets it and turns around, then activate the ais if he doesn't turn around..


really the dsc should be water activated. then with 5 min delay on widespread dsc and ais.

[Sssssailor]

Originally Posted by Hydra

But I don't know what kind of MMSI I would need for this to broadcast a DSC message.

Alain

MMSI are ID #'s for ships and coast stations only. I'm assuming since it has gps capability, it will just broadcast an general emergency DSC all ships call with a position. If these things are only a couple hundred bucks I'll definitely pick one up and attach to my work pfd.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Sssssailor

MMSI are ID #'s for ships and coast stations only. I'm assuming since it has gps capability, it will just broadcast an general emergency DSC all ships call with a position. If these things are only a couple hundred bucks I'll definitely pick one up and attach to my work pfd.

Perhaps, but every AIS SART device has a unique MMSI, so I suspect that the DSC function uses that same MMSI.

[chuckr]

Dockhead -- thanks for this -- we will take a hard look as we have a couple of personal epirps on board and their battery life is just about over. So this may be a great replacement.

Have to do a bit more research first through.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by chuckr

Dockhead -- thanks for this -- we will take a hard look as we have a couple of personal epirps on board and their battery life is just about over. So this may be a great replacement.

Have to do a bit more research first through.

I don't think these are an exact substitute for a PLB, so you might consider changing the batts in your PLBs as well.

I keep a PLB in my life jacket and don't even have an EPIRB, as I am rarely more than a couple hundred miles offshore these days. If the SHTF, I would have VHF DSC and HF DSC for emergency signalling from the boat, and flares! In these waters with dense shipping, old fashioned pyrotechnical flares are still very effective.

Then, if I have to get into the liferaft, I have the PLB and a handheld DSC VHF with a lot of spare batteries. And more flares.

If I fall overboard when single handed, God forbid, I'm probably dead in these cold waters, but I do have the PLB which sends out a 121mhz homing signal besides the satellite signal.

I think an AIS/DSC MOB device like this would be just perfect, if I could only figure out how to buy one. But I wouldn't give up the PLB, which is another leg in the system.

All this emergency signalling might sound like massive overkill to someone, but I just don't think there is a such thing as overkill, where this is concerned. I do not want to die, and do not want any of my friends or loved ones to die, because he or she or we could not be found after some kind of disaster, and a few redundant methods to ensure that seems like the right approach to me.

[nigel1]

I think Telemar in the UK might be the best people to ask about this product

[Sssssailor]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Perhaps, but every AIS SART device has a unique MMSI, so I suspect that the DSC function uses that same MMSI.

Ah, ok. I had to look it up on the CG Navcen website: AIS Search and Rescue Transmitter (SART)

"AIS search and rescue transmitters (SART) use the format 917203X4X5Y6Y7Y8Y9, where the digits 4 and 5 are assigned by the International Association for Marine Electronics Companies (CIRM) and refer to the SART manufacturer, and digits 6, 7, 8 and 9 are sequential digits assigned by the manufacturer identifying the SART."

Here's another link to CIRM: AIS-SART Manufacturer IDs

Looks like ACR, McMurdo, etc. have requested #'s to be issued, so we should be seeing these units in the US soon.

[autumnbreeze27]

No affiliation, but I contacted the vendor and asked about availability in the USA. Here is the response I got:



We are looking forward to get the A040-Pro available for March next year.
So come back to us then and we´ll find the best solution for you to get it.

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