DSC individual calls. It seems to be a very underused facility

[chris moody]

I think DSC calling is a really useful feature, but nobody seems to be using it.

A question for those with DSC VHF's. How many VHF conversations have you had where you have been contacted initially via a DSC call, instead of via CH16?

I must have had hundreds of VHF conversations, but I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of DSC individual calls that I have received to start a conversation.

[PeterM]

None.... I think as humans we are very very good at talking and being understood. DSC seems to be used in real world as an emergency system only on small vessels.

[James]

I've never spoken in to my radio in the 2 - 3 years I've had it.
Too scarred lol

[chris moody]

But are we not all missing out on something really useful? Initiating a routine conversation via DSC is so much easier than calling up on Ch 16, agreeing a working channel, then calling again on the working channel. Also the recipient might not be monitoring ch 16 or he might have his volume turned down. The DSC initiated call will come through regardless of what channel the recipient is monitoring, and the DSC alarm goes off even when the volume is turned to minimum

It seems to be such a useful feature, and I don't understand why people are not using it more for ship to ship communications.

None.... I think as humans we are very very good at talking and being understood. DSC seems to be used in real world as an emergency system only on small vessels.

[chris moody]

It's well worth doing a radio check just to ensure that your radio is still working. Aerials do fail, and aerial connections do work loose or get corroded. You can do a radio check with your local National Coastwatch Institution if you have one on ch65, with a local marina on ch80, with another vessel, or with the coastguard. In the Solent area you should use ch67 for routing traffic with the Coastguard, but in other areas it's ch16 for Coastguard routine traffic.

And the other benefit is that the more you use the VHF the less scary it is.

I've never spoken in to my radio in the 2 - 3 years I've had it.
Too scarred lol

[rogerblack]

"It seems to be such a useful feature, and I don't understand why people are not using it more for ship to ship communications."

Unless I'm missing something, Chris, how would you actually know? If the whole point is that it's direct one-to-one then presumably others won't be aware?

[chris moody]

That’s why I’m asking if others are using DSC Calling. From my personal experiences, and speaking to others, I’m getting the impression that very few (if indeed anyone at all) are using this feature.

"It seems to be such a useful feature, and I don't understand why people are not using it more for ship to ship communications."

Unless I'm missing something, Chris, how would you actually know? If the whole point is that it's direct one-to-one then presumably others won't be aware?

[ChrisParish]

I haven’t had cause to use it yet for two reasons 1) I haven’t done the VHF course, so my radio is only for emergencys at the moment and 2) I have no friends / never been out with anyone who had a radio.

However, I find the idea of the direct calling to be a good one and there are some scenarios where I can see it would be really useful. For example, if a group of you have gone off exploring or fishing and are too spread out for yelling at each other it could be useful to contact individuals directly rather than via ch16. Especially if your recipient could be under power at the time as it can be hard to hear the radio. I believe there is even a group call function on some radios which would allow you to talk exclusively to the group

[Paul B]

I suspect the vast majority of sib owners don’t have a VHF licence but do have a Radio, myself included, However I’m currently studying the rya book for the course, and hope to have my license later this year,

It would be interesting to see how many members on this forum haven’t or have got a valid licence

[rogerblack]

Ah, OK Chris, you were meaning amongst users on here rather than general marine use.
Throughout the summer when we're in our apartment overlooking the Firth of Forth, I monitor the VHF marine channels as there is constant activity with petro-chem tankers, international freight & passenger liners, pleasure vessels and fishing boats plus Forth Navigation base & pilots, as well as CG & RNLI (I have a scanner which includes Ch 0 but of course I wouldn't ever deliberately listen to that). So I do hear a great deal of ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore voice comms, however I don't think there's any way of me knowing how many, if any, are instigated by DSC calling.

Interestingly, vessel details pages on www.marinetraffic.com include MMSI numbers.

In answer to Paul B's question, I hold a Marine Radio Short Range Certificate, having completed the course back in 2015. I'm sure you'll enjoy doing it.