DSC Distress Calls --- I can't take it anymore!

[GadgetGeek]

All morning my Vesper Cortex VHF / AIS has been ringing with an "All Ships" DSC distress call. Over and over and over. There is no position with the call.

I'm in Punta Gorda, FL at a marina at the moment and USCG has been announcing the same alert with a position that is a hundred miles from my location.

I can't figure out how to get the radio to stop the alarm. If I choose "End" it will ring again in a few minutes. I've just clicked "End Standby" and it looks like the call is in progress and the radio is totally quiet so the beeping has stopped for now. My only other choice it seems is to turn off the radio.

This happens about once a week and then stops. Any thoughts?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

All morning my Vesper Cortex VHF / AIS has been ringing with an "All Ships" DSC distress call. Over and over and over. There is no position with the call.

I'm in Punta Gorda, FL at a marina at the moment and USCG has been announcing the same alert with a position that is a hundred miles from my location.

I can't figure out how to get the radio to stop the alarm. If I choose "End" it will ring again in a few minutes. I've just clicked "End Standby" and it looks like the call is in progress and the radio is totally quiet so the beeping has stopped for now. My only other choice it seems is to turn off the radio.

This happens about once a week and then stops. Any thoughts?

Maybe give up the boat? I mean if you can’t take it anymore, something needs to be done. Have you considered switching the radio off?

[jeanathon]

I know it's not helpful, but the irony of your username and this thread must be pointed out!
Now that I've stopped laughing. Give this a look, and see if it leads to the right rabbit hole. https://support.vespermarine.com/hc/...S-calls-on-VHF

[GadgetGeek]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

I know it's not helpful, but the irony of your username and this thread must be pointed out!
Now that I've stopped laughing. Give this a look, and see if it leads to the right rabbit hole. https://support.vespermarine.com/hc/...S-calls-on-VHF

It is ironic. Totally agree. This radio system has been a PIA since I installed it last year. I love the AIS feature. It is great. The VHF has been nothing but a headache.

[GadgetGeek]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Maybe give up the boat? I mean if you can’t take it anymore, something needs to be done. Have you considered switching the radio off?

Yes. I ended up turning the thing off. Ringing has stopped. All is peaceful again.

[CaptTom]

This is a real issue. If we get too many false alerts, people will just start turning off their radios, or (if possible) disabling the alert function.

If the alert came with no position, that's because either the boater didn't connect it to a source of GPS data, or turned off the source but not the radio. Probably some kid found a device (the radio) with a big red button to push, and well, what do you think a kid is gonna do?

The CG can only do so much without a position. Theoretically, their fancy new radio system can automatically triangulate a signal, but last I knew that was only for channel 16. From what I've seen, not all the watchstanders seem to know how to use that function anyway.

Beyond that, they'd have to go out there with some RDF equipment, tuned correctly and operated by someone properly trained, and search. Even then, chances are the signal will lead back to a marina with hundreds of boats in it.

It's like the open mike problem. One moron can ruin the whole VHF communication system for everyone.

[Parrothedd]

Well, turning off your radio is an irresponsible thing to do, not mentioning illegal if you have a VHF radio on your boat. The DSC calls can be a bother, but in my opinion, if one life is saved via the DSC Alert, it's worth the inconvenience of silencing the alert. It should have the MMSI number of the boat making the call. Report the alert to the USCG on Channel 16. They most probably heard it also, but it will help them triangulate on their position. If you are interested, read the reports of sailors being saved via their VHF and HF DSC distress calls. See Boatwatch.org. Thanks. Glenn

[JasonS]

We've had the Vesper Cortex since the month it became available (August 2020). And yes, as an early adopter there have definitely been some challenges. 98% of which Vesper has done a fantastic job of handling. They upgrade the software at least monthly and the new features continue to improve.

Yes, there are some things with the VHF that we'd like to see soon... like automatic channel scanning and a variable squelch. But overall, the system has been incredible from a AIS, VHF, boat monitoring standpoint. And we left our old VHF Standard Horizon in place so we have two VHF systems.

Please don't blame the Cortex for what is the CG sending out a repeat signal. The Vesper is doing what it is supposed to do. Is it annoying. Heck yes. It's supposed to get your attention.

Unfortunately, when there is no triangulation, or the CG has a ATON that is sending out a bad signal, its a PITA. We've had it happen 2x in two years. The signal will eventually end. The first time I thought it was a Vesper problem and sent them a message. They checked it and the DSC was real.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by Parrothedd

Well, turning off your radio is an irresponsible thing to do, not mentioning illegal if you have a VHF radio on your boat. The DSC calls can be a bother, but in my opinion, if one life is saved via the DSC Alert, it's worth the inconvenience of silencing the alert. It should have the MMSI number of the boat making the call. Report the alert to the USCG on Channel 16. They most probably heard it also, but it will help them triangulate on their position. If you are interested, read the reports of sailors being saved via their VHF and HF DSC distress calls. See Boatwatch.org. Thanks. Glenn

Turning off your radio is both responsible and legal. You are in a marina. You are surrounded by coast guard assets with much better VHF receivers. You are not in a position to provide assistance to a vessel at an undisclosed location. It might be different if you were in a remote anchorage in the Bahamas, but you aren't.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Parrothedd

Well, turning off your radio is an irresponsible thing to do, not mentioning illegal if you have a VHF radio on your boat.

Could you provide a link to the law that pertains to mandating a radio of any kind be running?

To my knowledge, the radio need only be installed and CAPABLE of Bi-Directional communication. Here is the legislation pertaining to Commercial vessels. (recreational vessels rarely if ever have MORE stringent requirements than recreational)

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) Title 46 - Shipping CHAPTER I - COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SUBCHAPTER C - UNINSPECTED VESSELS PART 28 - REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY VESSELS

46 CFR § 28.245 - Communication equipment.

§ 28.245 Communication equipment.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, each vessel must be equipped as follows.

(1) Each vessel must be equipped with a VHF radiotelephone capable of transmitting and receiving on the frequency or frequencies within the 156-162 MHz band necessary to communicate with a public coast station or U.S. Coast Guard station serving the area in which the vessel is operating.

[rslifkin]

In the US, recreational vessels under 65 feet are not required to have a VHF at all. However, if you have a VHF, you're required to monitor it. The below quote is taken from the USCG site:

In general, any vessel equipped with a VHF marine radiotelephone (whether voluntarily or required to) must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate.
Source: FCC 47 CFR §§ 80.148, 80.310, NTIA Manual 8.2.29.6.c(2)(e), ITU RR 31.18, 52.244

More details here: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtWatch


That said, if you're tied up at the dock, in my mind it's entirely reasonable to not have the VHF on. Same applies for anchored overnight with everyone aboard sleeping. But otherwise, if at anchor, underway, or getting ready to depart a dock, my VHFs are on (and generally monitoring 9/13/16 unless location or situation dictates otherwise).

[Parrothedd]

Agreed. If you are in a marina, no need to leave your VHF radio on. But just for your information, you can keep the volume down to zero, and still receive DSC alerts. The boat sinking or with a medical emergency could be calling from a low power handheld radio and not received by the USCG Rescue 21 system.The USCG really appreciates relays on DSC alerts if they don't answer immediately. That is provided the DSC has the proper MMSI number programmed into the radio, and broadcasts it's GPS position. It's all about Cruisers Helping Cruisers.
Glenn Tuttle
Boatwatch.org

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Parrothedd

Agreed. If you are in a marina, no need to leave your VHF radio on. But just for your information, you can keep the volume down to zero, and still receive DSC alerts. The boat sinking or with a medical emergency could be calling from a low power handheld radio and not received by the USCG Rescue 21 system.The USCG really appreciates relays on DSC alerts if they don't answer immediately. That is provided the DSC has the proper MMSI number programmed into the radio, and broadcasts it's GPS position. It's all about Cruisers Helping Cruisers.
Glenn Tuttle
Boatwatch.org

Very true, although realistically, if you're in a marina on the US coast and you can receive a transmission, the USCG almost certainly can unless they have a receiver offline. Rescue 21 design intent is to have enough range to receive a 1 watt signal from a handheld 2 meters above the water (small antenna) 20 miles offshore. So basically a guy standing in a dinghy with a handheld set to lower power holding it just above head height.


If you're further out or in one of the areas that doesn't have good coverage (like certain parts of Alaska), then the situation is different.

[Kerry1]

Originally Posted by GadgetGeek

All morning my Vesper Cortex VHF / AIS has been ringing with an "All Ships" DSC distress call. Over and over and over. There is no position with the call.

I'm in Punta Gorda, FL at a marina at the moment and USCG has been announcing the same alert with a position that is a hundred miles from my location.

I can't figure out how to get the radio to stop the alarm. If I choose "End" it will ring again in a few minutes. I've just clicked "End Standby" and it looks like the call is in progress and the radio is totally quiet so the beeping has stopped for now. My only other choice it seems is to turn off the radio.

This happens about once a week and then stops. Any thoughts?

I feel for you bud. Recently I was awoken from my landlocked home at around 3am by a call from Police. Apparently people had notified them of a voice emanating from my boat which is moored 400metres from the nearest shore. The voice was calling out "Man Overboard" repeatedly. Yes, it was my Cortex relaying the same type of message as yours. Because of the still, calm conditions and the external speaker in the cockpit which is on standby with Cortex, it was easily heard.

But this is interesting, neither CG or Harbour Control who also monitor DSC calls, (even though this system is not widely used in NZ, though a lot of boats have DSC capacity on their VHF's) picked up on the call. When I got to my boat next day it was still going intermittently and I recorded the position which was a mile or two upstream of me. It was a landlocked position, so falling overboard probably meant no more than bumping your head on the ground.

Later I took a drive and found at the approximate location a trimaran which looked like it had sat there for a number of years.

Here's how Vesper responded to the problem: We are looking at the best way to change the configuration of the Cortex for uses such as yours, where the Cortex needs to be on to monitor, but the alarms MOB specifically does not wake the neighbors.

I attach a user guide for silencing the M1 when you leave the boat, so this will not happen again.
https://support.vespermarine.com/hc/...oat-unattended

Happy it turned out that the MOB was organic (genuine) Amazing that no one else received it.
As the MOB was genuine, we don't need to analyze the log. Thanks for getting it for us.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

Turning off your radio is both responsible and legal. You are in a marina. You are surrounded by coast guard assets with much better VHF receivers. You are not in a position to provide assistance to a vessel at an undisclosed location. It might be different if you were in a remote anchorage in the Bahamas, but you aren't.

What he said. Have to possess some situational awareness, one size doesn't fit all situations.