Is a radio with DSC worth the extra cost?

[Mongo Johnson]

There's a spiffy radio for sale here at BWE, but I've peeked at more upscale units with DSC.

Has anyone made the choice to step up to the digital selective calling (DSC) units? The ability to sqirt our you GPS coordinantes in a crisis seems valuable.

But, do they pay off in practical use?

I just happened to talk with a returning Marine Patrol boat in LB after they jetted by my yak early with horns blaring earlier in the day. On return, they commented the guy calling for help said one thing, but was a couple miles away from the landmark he'd given.

[MrM]

I'd be interested to hear what everyone has to say about this. My radio took a shit on me half way in to the trip yesterday, and is confirmed dead as of this morning...

[MrPatrick]

I like Dave, Shelly and Chainsaw. :cheers1:

[Sdspeed]

This one looks like it would do the job without breaking the bank.
Only have need the DSC once to know it was a good investment especially if your out late or in an early morning fog.

http://www.cabelas.com/vhf-radios-uniden-mhs-135-dsc-handheld-vhf-radio-1.shtml?WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03447426&rid=40&mr:trackingCode=9B3F6DC4-6BB6-E111-8DC4-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=21232641311&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=43606454831

[Fiskadoro]

Has anyone made the choice to step up to the digital selective calling (DSC) units? The ability to sqirt our you GPS coordinantes in a crisis seems valuable. But, do they pay off in practical use?


Not for a kayak.

DSC is designed for offshore use. The deal is if your 40 miles offshore and your GPS is down and your in trouble the DSC is a good backup system to give your coordinates. There's no land marks when offshore so if you don't have your lat lon you are relatively screwed, though you can say something like I'm forty miles out SSW on a compass heading of 235, from Point Loma and they can still look at a chart and get a fix on your position for rescue.

If your in a kayak off the point the CG does not need DSC to find you.

Maydays are only for life threatening situations, I.E. You are severally injured, off your yak in the water and can't get back to it, or your kayak is sinking.

You just get on your radio turn it to 16 (it should always be set there when not in use) call out: "Mayday Mayday Mayday" This is the kayak such and such (give them the name of your yak or say kayak owned by your name) five miles off La Jolla Shore (or where ever you are) Taking on water ( or whatever the problem is) seeking Coast Guard assistance, and end with "over".

Wait for a response, if you do not get one repeat the same message again. Chances are you will get a instant response from the CG our local harbor patrol, after that just give them the info they ask for.

If you do not get a response after several tries that means you have poor line of sight reception. You then ask for a relay.

Say: "Calling all vessels", "Mayday Relay, Mayday Relay Mayday Relay" This is the kayak such and such (give them the name of your yak or say kayak owned by your name) five miles off La Jolla Shore (or where ever you are) Taking on water ( or whatever the problem is) seeking relay for Coast Guard assistance, and end with "over".

Wait for a response and if you do not get one repeat it again.

Technically every vessel out there with a working radio should have it on and turned to channel 16. Someone with better reception and bigger radio will take your call for help and repeat it to the coast guard.

The CG radio operator has a chart right in front of them they will immediately dispatch your problem, vessel type and estimated coordinates to the closest rescue personnel. Keep in mind these people are used to searching hundreds of square miles to rescue people, to them your practically in the parking lot.

Personally I've never had to call in a Mayday but I have relayed a bunch of them. Sometimes offshore people are just too far out for reception and you have to pass on their info. I've also passed on a lot of weak signal relays from people coming back from Catalina late at night who run out of fuel while I was hooping from my skiff in Santa Monica Bay.

Some of these people just blow you away. It's like some comic sea soap opera. I'll never forget one drunk on the radio, calling from a 18ft Bayliner, somewhere out in the channel. He was out of fuel, had no idea where he was, all he knew was he was headed towards Redondo from the Isthmus, his motor stopped. and when he put out his anchor it didn't hit bottom. I actually felt embarrassed passing on his info but they still dispatched Vessel assist and had him back before I went home.

Like I said these guys aren't new at this, they do this all the time. You really do not need DSC to get rescued at La Jolla.

Jim

[flying bait]

Some of these people just blow you away. It's like some comic sea soap opera. I'll never forget one drunk on the radio, calling from a 18ft Bayliner, somewhere out in the channel. He was out of fuel, had no idea where he was, all he knew was he was headed towards Redondo from the Isthmus, his motor stopped. and when he put out his anchor it didn't hit bottom. I actually felt embarrassed passing on his info but they still dispatched Vessel assist and had him back before I went home.


That's funny. I remember someone ask me if we could anchor in 2000 feet of water in the middle of the Catalina channel. I replied, I don't think I have 14000 feet of rode on board. If I do, my boat would probably sink by the weight of the rode. :)