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ka4wja · 07-12-2021, 22:14

David, et al,
Although, I had unofficial word this was coming, I wasn't sure if it would be announced before end of the year....but here, on Dec 7, 2021, it was!

Effective Feb 7, 2022, the US Coast Guard will now only monitor HF-DSC, not SSB Voice Channels!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by davil

And yes, been wandering about my ICOM 710, I guess have a hard time to accept the fact all this equipment has a lifetime.
Cheapo me.
Again, thank both of you
David

IMPORTANT INFO HERE!!

Effective 7 Feb 2022
The US Coast Guard will no longer maintain an HF-SSB VOICE Radio Watch-standing, but rather will fulfill their IMO/GMDSS requirements with HF-DSC Watch-standing!
Of course they will maintain their requirement to provide two-way SSB Voice Comms (on the GMDSS SSB-Voice freqs), after initial contact has been signaled / established via HF-DSC....but they will not be monitoring the SSB-Voice channels for calls.

Please see this link for details:
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006

MF/HF-DSC is the proper way to initially signal other vessels (> 10,000 of them) and the 100's of coast stations worldwide! (before then moving to an SSB Voice traffic channel for two-way Voice comms)
And, this has been the case for decades.
Whether for "routine" traffic, or for "safety", "urgency", or "Distress".

The fact that the USCG is finally discontinuing the SSB Voice Radio Watchstanding is not surprising.....especially with what I've observed when speaking to senior CAMSLANT personnel earlier this year (and from what I was told 2 years ago, by a few in DC).

{FYI, Australia is soon going the same route....not sure how long New Zealand's Taupo Radio will still have a SSB Voice watch, though?}

For all here....

Please remember that the GMDSS has been with us since the 1990's (fully implemented and mandatory for all SOLAS vessels and signatory nations on Feb 1, 1999)...so, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

And, now....maybe, just maybe, some sailors will see the fallacy of trying to use a ~ 25 - 30 year old radio / non-DSC radio, in our modern world....
(and, they'll think of what phone, computer, TV, etc. they were using in the early 1990's, and see if they'd like to go back to using that?)

Everyone remember that the Voice Watch-standing info here on the USCG page is now only valid 'til Feb 7, 2022!!

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

And, it'll be HF-DSC from then on!!
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006

Fair winds to all!

John

ka4wja · 07-12-2021, 22:24

David, et al,
Although, I had unofficial word this was coming, I wasn't sure if it would be announced before end of the year....but here, on Dec 7, 2021, it was!

Effective Feb 7, 2022, the US Coast Guard will now only monitor HF-DSC, not SSB Voice Channels!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by davil

And yes, been wandering about my ICOM 710, I guess have a hard time to accept the fact all this equipment has a lifetime.
Cheapo me.
Again, thank both of you
David

IMPORTANT INFO HERE!!

Effective 7 Feb 2022
The US Coast Guard will no longer maintain an HF-SSB VOICE Radio Watch-standing, but rather will fulfill their IMO/GMDSS requirements with HF-DSC Watch-standing!
Of course they will maintain their requirement to provide two-way SSB Voice Comms (on the GMDSS SSB-Voice freqs), after initial contact has been signaled / established via HF-DSC....but they will not be monitoring the SSB-Voice channels for calls.

Please see this link for details:
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006

MF/HF-DSC is the proper way to initially signal other vessels (> 10,000 of them) and the 100's of coast stations worldwide! (before then moving to an SSB Voice traffic channel for two-way Voice comms)
And, this has been the case for decades.
Whether for "routine" traffic, or for "safety", "urgency", or "Distress".

The fact that the USCG is finally discontinuing the SSB Voice Radio Watchstanding is not surprising.....especially with what I've observed when speaking to senior CAMSLANT personnel earlier this year (and from what I was told 2 years ago, by a few in DC).

{FYI, Australia is soon going the same route....not sure how long New Zealand's Taupo Radio will still have a SSB Voice watch, though?}

For all here....

Please remember that the GMDSS has been with us since the 1990's (fully implemented and mandatory for all SOLAS vessels and signatory nations on Feb 1, 1999)...so, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

And, now....maybe, just maybe, some sailors will see the fallacy of trying to use a ~ 25 - 30 year old radio / non-DSC radio, in our modern world....
(and, they'll think of what phone, computer, TV, etc. they were using in the early 1990's, and see if they'd like to go back to using that?)

Everyone remember that the Voice Watch-standing info here on the USCG page is now only valid 'til Feb 7, 2022!!

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

And, it'll be HF-DSC from then on!!
https://www.regulations.gov/document...2020-0668-0006

Now, I think some of you may see why I wrote what I did here, last week...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka4wja

David,
1) Upfront, please remember that ALL of this info is right up top in the stickies above and the links therein...(and, this thread has drifted way off topic..)

So, I won't ramble on here in great detail ('cuz it's already here for you, up top)

2) But, please remember (as I have written 100's of times), that successful HF communications of any type is all about maximizing receive signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and doing this requires ridding your boat of RFI producing devices, improving your transmit antenna efficiency and effectiveness, and learning the basics of radiowave propagation.....as well as, understanding both your radio and how normal HF radio operations take place.

HF-DSC comms (particularly for Distress signaling) goes a long way to reducing these necessities (although RFI can still be an issue, even with the robustness of the FSK/SITOR-FEC DSC signal, a mult-freq DSC distress call generally gets thru when everything else might fail).

3) And, fyi....please also remember that the GMDSS and DSC signaling (VHF and MF/HF-DSC) have been with us for decades....
(designed and implemented in the 1990's, mandatory for all SOLAS vessels and all signatory nations Feb 1, 1999)
Maybe it's time to buy a new radio?
Yes, I know, I know....everyone has "all this other stuff", so they think why buy a new radio? I've tried for decades now to explain and there are some that still wish to beat a dead horse, but not me...
Just saying, we've all known about this for decades....maybe it's time?

4) Nothing wrong with the M-710....nice old girl...
But, be aware of its limitations.

Actually, while the USCG does monitor some of the GMDSS SSB Voice freqs, for the western N. Atlantic, US east coast, etc., they only monitor 6215khz and 8291khz, 24-hours/day....and 4125khz at night, and 12290khz daytime...
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall
And, fyi...as much as I love my coasties, the unfortunate facts are that they are NOT all that great at maintaining a Voice Watch! (in my contacts with some of the senior personal at CAMSLANT, this is understood and not a great concern, as they do all that the GMDSS requires [DSC, etc.], so they don't put a lot of effort into training their staff on HF voice comms....seriously, this kinda pisses me off, but I do understand)
Give 'em a call on HF and see how quickly (or not) they respond, and how adept they are in HF Voice comms, I think you might be surprised.

5) All HF Maritime communications radio watch-standing has been via HF-DSC, since Feb 1999.....not by SSB Voice!
{the exceptions have been the USCG, New Zealand Maritime Authority, and soon-to-disappear Australia AMSA}
So, for us here, except for the couple freqs that the USCG tries to listen to, that's it!
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

Of course, there are some "cruiser's nets" and on the ham bands you can almost always scare up someone to talk to!

But, for safety / weather / urgency, etc....you must signal the > 10,000 merchant ships at sea, > 450 MF-DSC coast stations, and > 80 HF-DSC coast stations, with DSC first....and then continue the comms on an SSB traffic freq.
Now, if you have no DSC....well, then it's 8291khz maritime, and 14300khz ham! (6215 or 8291, 24/7....and 4125 at night and 12290 daytime....and early mornings 7268khz....or just "tune-around" until you hear someone....but, that's not very easy to do with the M-710, so...so, make sure you have 8291 and 14300 working well!)

6) Brian, be careful quoting other media sources ('cuz most media gets "tech" information wrong, at least half the time!)....while the USCG in the Pacific does monitor those four freqs, as you see they do it differently on the Atlantic coast...
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

Again, all of this is in the stickies above....have a look.

Gotta' go!

Fair winds.

John

I hope those of you with non-DSC radios will now grasp what I've been saying for decades?

John

davil · 08-12-2021, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka4wja

David, et al,
Although, I had unofficial word this was coming, I wasn't sure if it would be announced before end of the year....but here, on Dec 7, 2021, it was!

....
...................................
Effective Feb 7, 2022, the US Coast Guard will now only monitor HF-DSC, not SSB Voice Channels!!..............................
.................................

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall

I hope those of you with non-DSC radios will now grasp what I've been saying for decades?

John

======================================
edited the response to avoid re-posting a lengthy text that is already available.
I admire your dedication to educate those like me seem Ineducable.
Got a chuckle on your observation regarding keeping/rehabilitating old electronics, this week my daughter decided to clean up my "depository"of old tablets, cell phones even an old desktop!!!, eyeball several thousand dollars on today's dollars, at the same time picked up a new Kindle (number 5) on a series of "upgrades"!!!
Became interested on returning to SSB declared "obsolete" by some, as reliance on the new gizmos seems to feed that line of logic (or lack of) and need to re-evaluate what my horizons will be as age tells me long passages may not be there, however if were to do even "one more sail"will not hesitate to get a newer SSB radio with DSC, if nothing else the availability of those "10000 ships"is a very strong persuasive suggestion.
Again, thank you
David

ka4wja · 08-12-2021, 07:44

David,
You're very welcome!

Fair winds.
John

{see, I can be brief}

davil · 05-02-2022, 11:29

Brian.and ka4wja

have the ICOM 710 installed and working, thank you both.
exploring weather fax downloads.
have done it back in late 90s, now use Predictwind and IridiumGo but since have a functioning radio like to download the faxes.
Seems hard to find monaural cables, just received the cable (stereo)1/4 to 3.5, but before I open the package or return it.
Question
Will stereo with the terminals having two channels, work?, understand will transmit just one, does it matter?
Thank you

David

team karst · 05-02-2022, 11:54

I just use the phone app. HF FAX. NO cables. .

davil · 05-02-2022, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by team karst

I just use the phone app. HF FAX. NO cables. .

===========================
Ha
was wondering as I have seen articles using the laptop or tablet close to the speaker.
Will try
Either IO or Android?

team karst · 05-02-2022, 14:07

IOS here. Of course u will be listening to the racket on the audio link/path. . [emoji848]

Brian.D · 06-02-2022, 19:02

Davil, you can use a stereo cable. Since the radio jack is mono, only the sleeve and tip of the connector will be used. The ring will not be connecting to anything. Once connected to the PC, you will need to find which side, left or right, will be active and then you can use the balance control to only listen to that channel, if you want. There shouldn't be any noise on the non-active side.

davil · 06-02-2022, 19:35

Thank you Brian

team karst suggested to bypass the cable and use the microphone,will play both choices.
Just to let you know, have the radio hooked up and functional, was nice to play with after so many years sitting in the garage.
Ran a 20 ft stainless rigging wire I had well insulated from the backstay and was able to pick up Chris Parker evening free report from Morehead City NC,the marina is surrounded by heavy forest, mostly tall pines.