DSC - who uses it

[lakelandterrier]

Whiling the time away refreshing all the seldom used controls / setting on my Icom M323, I reached the DSC functions.

DSC for safety / emergency calls is great, and whilst used to receiving DSC messages - normally from far away pan-pans or distress calls- I've never used the DSC to call up other craft, - it's something I've never seen the point of for leisure use - although I can appreciate it more for commercial / fleet users.

All the menus to go through to use the system seems a lot of effort - especially under way- (as well as programming all the MMSI numbers in) when you can simple pick up the mike and call the other boat.

Do any leisure user actually use the DSC capability other than for distress calling, and what's the advantage over a simple call?

[beerbelly]

I do but I only have one the one friends mmsi number programmed into it so only when we are boating together west coast Scotland holidays its easy enough though and I know when he's calling me because its a sort of ringtone that I hear over wind and engine noise better than a voice call

[Pikey Dave]

Nope, never use it for all the previous reasons. It’s an ergonomic disaster.

[Last Tango]

Handy with AIS..... Just select target and press "call"... ��

[lakelandterrier]

But I don't have AIS

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

But I don't have AIS

perfect excuse to upgrade safety safety

[Tim M]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Nope, never use it for all the previous reasons. It’s an ergonomic disaster.

Agreed. It serves little purpose on a small open boat like a RIB given how much of a faff it is.

I did the commercial MCA GMDSS course+exam a few years ago. The exam at the end includes a practical assessment of your ability to operate various DSC functions on a commercial set. Equally long winded and finddlesome, despite being sat in a classroom rather than on a rolling boat! Nice idea in principle, less so in practice. In my experience, if a DSC alert goes off on the bridge more often than not it simply gets silenced and no further action taken. I think you're much more likely to get a response with a good old fashioned voice call on channel 16 (even then sometimes it can be hit and miss).

[Last Tango]

Despite my previous comments I actually agree regards the faffing about to make a routine call.
We were however in the marina at Tobermory when someone put out a DSC distress call from Carsaig on the south of the Island and the entire marina seemed to "erupt" in a cocofinny of alarms. (It was later cancelled as a false alarm.) So everyone new what the problem was and there could be no ambiguity regards the vessel's location but more importantly, if you know the geography and topography of that area there is no way a voice call would have been picked up from the opposite side of Mull 20 miles away with substantial terrain in between.

[GuyC]

I wonder if the ability to 'text' via VHF would be a useful thing to have.

It would take up a lot less of the airwaves which could then be used for important things.

Obviously why text via VHF when you could just use your phone but you've not always got a phone signal.

I doubt whether there would be sufficient demand to warrant developing a DSC texting handset.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by GuyC

I wonder if the ability to 'text' via VHF would be a useful thing to have.

It would take up a lot less of the airwaves which could then be used for important things.

Obviously why text via VHF when you could just use your phone but you've not always got a phone signal.

I doubt whether there would be sufficient demand to warrant developing a DSC texting handset.

It’s back to the bumpy RIB ride again. It’s just easy & natural to pick up the mike & speak. I’d imagine that trying to text is no easier than faffing with the DSC controls.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

It’s back to the bumpy RIB ride again. It’s just easy & natural to pick up the mike & speak. I’d imagine that trying to text is no easier than faffing with the DSC controls.

Got to agree with Dave as I’m old and set in my ways but it’s easy to use mike and communicate personally.

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by jambo

Got to agree with Dave as I’m old and set in my ways but it’s easy to use mike and communicate personally.

+1

[Fender]

I guess if the poo hits the fan one of the advantages of DSC is you can get a quick mayday off with basic info (lat/long, boat details etc (if registered)) and you've got the coastguards attention - obviously just a case of pressing and holding the red Mayday distress button - then normal comms as required.
Couple of seasons ago out in some very, very wet conditions, wet enough for the water logged radio fist mike to die - the DSC facility would have got us help if it had been required

[GuyC]

I'm also set in my ways and would rather pick up a phone / mic and physically talk to someone. My 13 year old son however, thinks this approach to communication is old fashioned. He'd rather text, instagram, snapchat or whatever else is the current fashionable thing to do. As a result I can see the DSC side of things evolving to make it more user friendly.

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by GuyC

I'm also set in my ways and would rather pick up a phone / mic and physically talk to someone. My 13 year old son however, thinks this approach to communication is old fashioned. He'd rather text, instagram, snapchat or whatever else is the current fashionable thing to do. As a result I can see the DSC side of things evolving to make it more user friendly.

Understand, but that means a generation of radio / comms with touch screen, camera and unlimited (and cheap) internet access off the coast. Maybe a move away from radio - although I'm not sure the martey is large enough?

Just a thought has anyone tried to combine a VHF with a touch screen chartplotter as a single device?

[Tim M]

Standard Horizon made an all in one unit briefly. Seemed like a great idea, but they didn’t make them for long.

[GuyC]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

Understand, but that means a generation of radio / comms with touch screen, camera and unlimited (and cheap) internet access off the coast. Maybe a move away from radio - although I'm not sure the martey is large enough?

Just a thought has anyone tried to combine a VHF with a touch screen chartplotter as a single device?

Agreed

My only modification to what you've said above is that the communication would be done via VHF 'radio waves' rather than the internet.