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13-02-2014, 20:24
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Long Beach, CA, USA
Boat: Endeavour, 1983 Sloop, 38 Ft.
Posts: 35
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What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Sitting in my slip in Long Beach, CA, today my VHF DSC alarm went off with the message "Relay", some coordinates and the time. I looked up the coordinates and they were near Mag. Bay, Baja, Mexico. I know what DSC is about but I am not familiar the "Relay" portion of the message. What does this mean and what should one do upon receiving such a message?
Thanks!
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13-02-2014, 20:27
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,703
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Pass the message on.
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Cowichan Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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13-02-2014, 20:31
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Conifer, CO
Boat: Islander 32 MII "Brilliant Sea"
Posts: 144
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Here you go!
DSC Distress
__________________
Everything is as simple as it is, but never is it simpler-Albert Einstein
This is the handle, this is the tip and this is the shaft.
I try to get a handle on the tip but I usually get the shaft. (Explaining a ski pole)
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13-02-2014, 20:40
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#4
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu Jackson
Pass the message on.
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Yep, it's very important that you do.
Someone I knew passed one on three times and a week later he won 3 million dollars in a lottery.
Someone else I knew didn't pass one on and two years later his dog died.
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13-02-2014, 20:59
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Long Beach, CA, USA
Boat: Endeavour, 1983 Sloop, 38 Ft.
Posts: 35
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Thanks all. Good Info. Here in Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbors when a DSC alarm is sent hundreds vessels alarms go off. From time to time there are recreational boat DSC alarms generated from boats in their slips. These alarms create a bit of chatter on CH 16. But today, with the "Relay" alarm, there was zero chatter. Nothing mentioned on Ch 16 by the Coast Guard or any other entity. Just curious. Thanks for the Info.
Hal
"Second Wind"
37' Endeavour
Port of Long Beach, CA
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13-02-2014, 23:23
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 41
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Normal recreational DSC controller can not handle the Mayday Relay call.
So you received a DSC Relay alert from a coast station or SOLAS vessel.
These are required to usa a Class A DSC controiller.
The procedure at
DSC Distress
explains:
The DSC distress relay alert is transmitted as follows:
tune the transmitter to the DSC distress channel (2187.5 kHz on MF, channel 70 on VHF),
select the distress relay call format on the DSC equipment, key in or select on the DSC equipment keyboard:
All Ships Call or the 9-digit identity of the appropriate coast station,
the 9-digit identity of the ship in distress, if known, <<<<<<<<<< only DSC Controller Calss A
the nature of distress,
Wilhelm
__________________
_ _ /) _
Seefunk
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14-02-2014, 03:08
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NSW Australia
Boat: Traditional 30
Posts: 1,980
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
And there is a term "mayday relay" for the ship station who hears a mayday and is the communicator in the middle. Ie distress vessel calls Mayday, Next vessel provides Mayday Relay by contacting Rescue Org.
To make it easy. If the Mayday Vessel was 40 miles from shore, on VHF, and couldnt reach the Coast Guard or Safety org, a vessel at say 20 miles would provide the Mayday Relay.
I am not in the USA, but here (OZ) you need a licence to operate a VHF and one should have done the appropriate course. Is that not the case in the USA?
__________________
Cheers
Oz
...............
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14-02-2014, 03:11
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#8
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,242
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozskipper
..... Is that not the case in the USA?
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Nuh, any old doodle gets to play with the VHF over there -it's the land of the free Matey
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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14-02-2014, 06:12
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,703
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
and mosy of 'em don't bother to RTFM either.
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Cowichan Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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14-02-2014, 06:27
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: "Out There" (mailing Austin TX)
Boat: Lafitte 44
Posts: 418
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu Jackson
and mosy of 'em don't bother to RTFM either.
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And that applies to EVERYTHING, not just radios.
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14-02-2014, 17:19
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NSW Australia
Boat: Traditional 30
Posts: 1,980
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wotname
Nuh, any old doodle gets to play with the VHF over there -it's the land of the free Matey
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Ahh ,, there goes the 3 minute silence at the top and bottom of the hour. "Bring more beer bubba"
__________________
Cheers
Oz
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15-02-2014, 04:18
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#12
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Re: What Is A "Relay" Distress Alert On MY VHF DSC?
An important issues is that some radios have a dsc mayday relay function. This should NOT be used as per recent ITU. Recommendations. The feature is being removed from radios. The relay should be done by a normal dscroutine call to the nearest coastguard staton within range and followed up by a mayday relay call, using the pro word MAYDAY RELAY.
In general just relay a received dsc mayday by voice only , this removes the risk of multiple dsc distress alters that have to acknowledged by the coast guard station
This is doubly the case in MF and MF operation, in that case always just use voice relay or a dsc routine call
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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