Hand-held VHF with DSC/GPS Capability

[Calif. Ted]

Good find Sumner, I almost jumped at the $180 price last week also.

And then you are relying on fellow boaters, many of whom don't even observe the radio watch regulations.

Don't the regulations require you to monitor 16 if the radio is on ? So turning it off is not prohibited ? If I'm wrong, Mea Culpa

 

[Gunni]

No, the watch keeping requirement is your VHF radio be on while you are underway, and that you monitor Ch16. If you have DSC you are required to be monitoring that as well. As with any other rule, lax enforcement leads to poor compliance - and the high possibility that nearby boaters will not hear, or respond to your emergency via VHF/DSC.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Good find Sumner, I almost jumped at the $180 price last week also.

Don't the regulations require you to monitor 16 if the radio is on ? So turning it off is not prohibited ? If I'm wrong, Mea Culpa

You may be remembering that it's not required that a recreational vessel have a VHF aboard of any type. But--if you do have one you're required to turn it on and monitor VHF Ch 16 as stated earlier while underway. It also helps if it's turned up enough to hear it!

 

[Calif. Ted]

Huh, Yeah somehow I'd twisted that around so that I could just turn it off to avoid the requirement to monitor on weekends.
I wonder if a DSC call wouldn't have a greater useable range than a voice transmission because it's probably a short fast digital data packet as opposed to a longer linear transmission with a lot of modulation involved ?

 

[Jackdaw]

I wonder if a DSC call wouldn't have a greater useable range than a voice transmission because it's probably a short fast digital data packet as opposed to a longer linear transmission with a lot of modulation involved ?

It does, in particular if it's the coasties listening. There is a fair amount of redundancy and forward error correction (FEC) built into the DSC protocol. They've got the digital signal processing HP to get 'er done. It can get through when voice might be unintelligible.

 

[hawk232]

the new model is already out... the HX870. I got mine in a couple of weeks ago but have only played with it at the house. built in GPS/DSC, higher waterproof rating, bigger screen and (I think??) longer battery life. but its like $200.

 

[Kings Gambit]

the new model is already out... the HX870. I got mine in a couple of weeks ago but have only played with it at the house. built in GPS/DSC, higher waterproof rating, bigger screen and (I think??) longer battery life. but its like $200.

It's $250 from the GPS store. Same wattage as the HX851 which lists at $120 at the same store.

http://www.thegpsstore.com/Standard-Horizon-HX870-Handheld-VHF-with-GPS-P4248.aspx

 

[Kings Gambit]

Decided on the HX870

I decided on the HX870 model from Standard Horizon. Regarding our discussion earlier of the MMSI number, it seems clear from the literature that if your boat has already been assigned an MMSI number that same number should go into each VHF radio associated with the boat. Also, if you're racing in a race that adopts the US Sailing Safety Requirements, in addition to the HH, your fixed VHF is supposed to have DSC/GPS capability as well as of 1/1/2015. See attached for more information!

 

[Jackdaw]

Regarding our discussion earlier of the MMSI number, it seems clear from the literature that if your boat has already been assigned an MMSI number that same number should go into each VHF radio associated with the boat.

That's true for commercial craft, where it is impossible to assign an MMSI without it being associated to a vessel. For non-commercial use, in particular if you take it off often (like on your dinghy) or like me use it on lots of different boats when racing, then the USCG says this:

Non-commercial users of VHF handhelds not primarily associated with any single ship may use an MMSI provided by an organization such as BOAT US, SEA TOW and U.S. Power Squadron (see above).

As for me, I like the idea of my handheld NOT having the same MMSI as the boat that might be trying to find me. The coasties are in fact trying to set that up.