Digital Selective Calling.

Anyone try using it yet? Anyone using it regularly. Anyone have their
MMSI? How many people have connected their VHF-DSC radio to their GPS
to broadcast position? How many people even know what DSC is, let alone
how to use it?

I've had my MMSI installed for a few years now, but I have yet to make
or receive a DSC call, nor have I yet heard a DSC emergency distress
call - which should signal every DSC radio in range. I don't know
anybody else's MMSI, although I do know one person in our boating group
who says he has his (and no, its not because I don't have any friends,
wise guys).

USPS has a nifty DSC simulator you can load onto your computer and I've
been playing with it (as well as teaching their new VHF-DSC how-to
seminar). DSC is pretty cool, but I can see how it could be a bit
complicated or cumbersome for some.

I'm just wondering how people feel about DSC, and if this is going to
catch on at all.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"

Anyone try using it yet? Anyone using it regularly. Anyone have their

yes. Semi-regularly.

MMSI? How many people have connected their VHF-DSC radio to their GPS
you can't use it w/o one.

to broadcast position? How many people even know what DSC is, let alone
how to use it?

I find it sorta hit & miss on that -- both sides need to be using gps to make
that part work.

I've had my MMSI installed for a few years now, but I have yet to make
or receive a DSC call, nor have I yet heard a DSC emergency distress
call - which should signal every DSC radio in range. I don't know
anybody else's MMSI, although I do know one person in our boating group
who says he has his (and no, its not because I don't have any friends,
wise guys).

well; you can't make a call w/o his # -- so swap #'s; make friends with him, and
have a reason to call him... or be called...

USPS has a nifty DSC simulator you can load onto your computer and I've

United States Postal Service??

been playing with it (as well as teaching their new VHF-DSC how-to
seminar). DSC is pretty cool, but I can see how it could be a bit
complicated or cumbersome for some.

I'm just wondering how people feel about DSC, and if this is going to
catch on at all.

I think the biggest problem is that people need to BUY a NEW radio. The only
reason I have one is that I bought a boat w/o a radio -- it wasn't much more to
get one with dsc - so i did. Most folks I know have older radios that work; so
they don't get new ones. I'd say 90% of people I know use cell phones for
"person to person" communications. Around here (Puget Sound) it seems most
people use the vhf for pan-pan or mayday calls (some bogus) and mis-placed
'radio test' (ala: cb crap) type calls -- over 1/2 of people that have them
probably don't even turn on their radio for coast-guard announcements, even if
they're required to have it on...

but definately -- the "buy a new radio" is the biggest clincher for why more
don't use it.. followed closely by cell-phone usage.

-j

Josh Assing wrote:
Anyone try using it yet? Anyone using it regularly. Anyone have their

yes. Semi-regularly.

MMSI? How many people have connected their VHF-DSC radio to their GPS
you can't use it w/o one.
Actually, that is not true. DSC works fine without a GPS hooked up. It
just won't be able to broadcast your position.


[snip]
I think the biggest problem is that people need to BUY a NEW radio. The only
reason I have one is that I bought a boat w/o a radio -- it wasn't much more to
get one with dsc - so i did. Most folks I know have older radios that work; so
they don't get new ones.

I don't think the need to buy a new radio is that much of an issue. DSC
has been required on VHF radios for years now (1999 I think). Most
boaters I know have VHF-DSC radios, but I don't know anyone who is using
the DSC feature yet.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"

On May 14, 8:31 am, Larry Weiss wrote:
Josh Assing wrote:
Anyone try using it yet? Anyone using it regularly. Anyone have their

yes. Semi-regularly.

MMSI? How many people have connected their VHF-DSC radio to their GPS
you can't use it w/o one.

Actually, that is not true. DSC works fine without a GPS hooked up. It
just won't be able to broadcast your position.



[snip]
I think the biggest problem is that people need to BUY a NEW radio. The only
reason I have one is that I bought a boat w/o a radio -- it wasn't much more to
get one with dsc - so i did. Most folks I know have older radios that work; so
they don't get new ones.

I don't think the need to buy a new radio is that much of an issue. DSC
has been required on VHF radios for years now (1999 I think). Most
boaters I know have VHF-DSC radios, but I don't know anyone who is using
the DSC feature yet.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"

My VHF has DSC capability, and I haven't bothered to screw around
setting it up.
DSC takes a relatively straightforward technology, (VHF radio), and
makes it additionally complex without any actual really important
benefits. If I want to have a private conversation with somebody, I
will probably ring them on the cell phone.
In areas without cell phone coverage, I guess one simply needs to keep
the content of conversation restricted to topics that are OK for
others to overhear.

In a genuine emergency, it seems more reassuring to actually be
communicating, in person, with nearby boats, the USCG, etc. You can
verbally relay your coordinates based on a visual scan of the GPS. if
the GPS is "down" as a result of the emergency, then it would be of no
value to the DCS either.

Speaking of cell phones- the DSC pehnom reminds me a bit of a techno
tendency to make everything a lot more complex than it needs to be.
Last time I shopped for a cell phone the young saleslady was
enthusiastically listing all the capabiities of the product. "It takes
pictures, will store all of your digital music files, will pick up
your email, keep track of appointments, plays computer games, will
text message, will......"

I interrrupted her. "That's nice, but the only thing I'll ever do on a
cell phone is make a phone call." :-)

On Sat, 12 May 2007 16:21:14 -0400, Larry Weiss
wrote:

Anyone try using it yet? Anyone using it regularly. Anyone have their
MMSI? How many people have connected their VHF-DSC radio to their GPS
to broadcast position? How many people even know what DSC is, let alone
how to use it?

I have a MMSI. It is registered to both our EPIRB and also to the SSB
radio, but not to the VHFs which are not DSC compatible. The SSB gets
a Lat/Lon position update from the Furuno chart plotter.

Fortunately we've never had occasion to use any of this.