MMSI Distress Call

[bawlmer]

We were sailing around Baltimore harbor Sunday afternoon when the VHF started screaming. I looked on the screen and it was an automated distress call. I have had a DSC radio since 2014 and this was the first time I heard it.
The alarms went off at least 5 more times. There was a note on the screen that stated "acknowledgement" but I was not sure if that triggered the following alarms. Naturally there was a lot of chatter afterwards. The distress call did not have a location attached to it and a lot of the radio chatter indicated the same thing.
The Coast Guard was immediately involved. After about 10 minutes the vessel was located visually. A catamaran capsized just north of the bay bridge and from radio traffic all were rescued. I do not know the disposition of the cat but I assumed it was righted as I heard nothing on the news. A few observations:
From the radio traffic the CG could not determine the name of the vessel from the MMSI distress call. They requested the name of the boat from the first responding vessel. That was not comforting at all.
The MMSI did not have a location attached to it. The VHF either did not have a GPS source or it was not functioning. Not having a GPS attached took a lot of the functionality out of that call and caused a tremendous amount of confusion.

One other thing of note was the range of the digital distress call was far greater than a voice call. We were behind Port Covington. The distance was about 20 miles direct and we typically do not hear voice calls from that area. If the cat in distress was on its side that is even more impressive. I do not know if it was from a HH or not. Few HH radios have MMSI.

There was a lot of confusion and even some consternation in the radio responses as no one could figure out the immediate location of the vessel in distress. One woman even yelled and told them not to send out a "SOS" if there was no emergency.

The constant repetitive distress signals captured your radio and pulled it off 16 which was where the search and rescue chatter was. That would be a problem if you were immediately involved in the SAR.

There were several soft keys that appeared on the screen when the distress call came in. I first hit "quit" when I realized this was not in my area and could not assist. The calls kept coming. I then hit "accept" but the alarms continued each time the call was repeated.

After the vessel and its crew were assisted the calls eventually stopped. I hope no one here ever had to use it. I am curious about others knowledge and experiences with MMSI distress. All input welcome.

 

[Jackdaw]

I am assuming the boat:
1. Entered but did not register an MMSI
2. Did not connect to a GPS source

That would explain the events. Dumb.

Yes the digital range in much longer, part of the reason they created it.
You ACKing on you radio does nothing more than turning off the alarm.

 

[Ken Cross]

Clearly, it was not sent from a handheld because the GPS position would have been there on most handhelds unless it was activated before a position could be established (Just turned the radio on.) This is a case where advance preparation could have saved lives. (Register your MMSI and connect GPS to your radio).

I find it surprising on a catamaran that they could get a signal out. When they capsize, don't they usually turn turtle?

Ken

 

[bawlmer]

What did confuse me was this guy got an MMSI number so he had to register it somewhere. At least he gave his name and probably his vessel name. When the CG got the call they did not have that info immediately available. Several things:

He never filled out the info fields.
The info did not get to the CG for one reason or another.

It is my understanding your info is placed in a database that is available to the CG. There are a few places to register your info. I did it on Boat US. My mission today is to call BOAT US and ask them to explain the process. I expect to be on hold a while. I will report back.

 

[bawlmer]

What I heard on the radio was" catamaran partially capsized". Unfortunately I do not have any more detail.

 

[njlarry]

Yes a handheld will also be received. A coasty explained to me that the signal is automatically relayed by every vhf in the area.
I believe the dsc radios will not transmit a dsc call unless the mmsi has been programmed in first.
Without gps, dsc is pointless.

 

[Jackdaw]

A coasty explained to me that the signal is automatically relayed by every vhf in the area.

Not true.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I am assuming the boat did not:
1. register an MMSI
2. connect to a GPS source

That would explain the events. Dumb.

I just purchased a fixed-mount radio with MMSI and should install it within a few weeks. I don't have a chartplotter yet (just have a Garmin handheld). I suppose it is possible that the owner just installed the radio and hasn't gone thru the follow-up steps prior to this event.

 

[bawlmer]

Scott. Both of my old Garmin handhelds had an accessory plug that outputted GPS signal as well as accepted power from the boat. It also provided a mount. Using that may save you from buying a new chartplotter. Unless you want one.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I do want to get a chartplotter at some point when I eventually find the nerve to leave our inlet and have some use for it! In the meantime, I have a recent model, 78sc, so the output should be just fine for this purpose. Is it also possible to use an iPhone for this purpose? I'm hoping to try daysailing outside the inlet this weekend, possibly, for a trial run thru the inlet.

 

[SFS]

...Without gps, dsc is pointless.

For rescue situations, this is true. But I was under the impression that DSC had another purpose/capability, and that is to call another station directly, using their number, like a phone call. Have I misunderstood?

 

[njlarry]

True but imho very impractical. It is not the reason it was developed. Without gps hailing on 16 makes more sense as the example posted demonstrated. DSC was to minimize confusion not add to it.

 

[Biobob Catalina 27]

I was out in the bay area few miles north of the bay bridge, what I got from just listening, there were apparently 2 events happening at the same time. One person had mistakenly sent out a DSC signal, realized the mistake acknowledged his mistake on air with apologies, and a separate occurance was happening with the catamaran. Another boat was nearby the catamaran and was able to rescue the 3 occupants. I believe it was just coincidence that the two were happening at the same time. The CG was talking with the rescuing boat asking for boat names etc.
My issue with what I heard was 1) there were many people who chose to talk over the reported emergency, some from quite a ways away, and 2) the person who accidently caused the DSC signal apparently didn't know to shut it down.
Both situations possibly were preventable?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Both situations possibly were preventable?

RTFM F stands for Funny.

 

[Gunni]

Between the weekend warriors clogging up Ch16 for 'radio checks' and rambling conversations I don't know what the Coast Guard was thinking when they decided that adding DSC to radios was a good idea. Better being the enemy of good enough. This thread reminds me to put electrical tape over the DSC cover next time I'm aboard!

 

[dziedzicmj]

If i recall correctly, the rules don't require a GPS connected to a DSC radio. If you don't have a GPS connected, you are supposed to enter your position manually once an hour (as a minimum). If you don't, you are contravening the rules.

 

[Jackdaw]

True but imho very impractical. It is not the reason it was developed. Without gps hailing on 16 makes more sense as the example posted demonstrated. DSC was to minimize confusion not add to it.

Sorry, but we do DSC individual hails to other boats ALL THE TIME. It is a great way to call someone at evening or night at an anchorage without waking up the entire place. No GPS needed.

 

[Tally Ho]

If i recall correctly, the rules don't require a GPS connected to a DSC radio. If you don't have a GPS connected, you are supposed to enter your position manually once an hour (as a minimum). If you don't, you are contravening the rules.

My old Link 8 radio was DSC equipped, but would not talk to my Chartplotter via NMEA 2K reliably. I had registered the MMSI number and put it in the radio, but then every hour the d@mn radio would start a terrible racket. Turned out it did not have a GPS coordinate and this was the " gentle" reminder to manually enter one.

New B&G V50 radio connected to my Chartplotter via N2K works great. AIS from the radio visible to the chart plotter, and GPS coordinates from chart plotter feeding my position to the radio.

And I bought the wireless handheld mic for the helm (just because it was cool).

Greg

 

[njlarry]

Sorry, but we do DSC individual hails to other boats ALL THE TIME. It is a great way to call someone at evening or night at an anchorage without waking up the entire place. No GPS needed.

Maybe its an east coast thing but where we sail everyone shuts their vhf down at anchor and communicates by cell phone. Never exchanged MMSI numbers. There's enough radio chatter already in the Annapolis area. Whatever gets you through the night.

 

[BigEasy]

Here's my understanding about DSC:
With older VHF radios that do not have an internal GPS,
You have to patch into an onboard GPS antenna. If the GPS antenna is connected to a chrtplotter, you can patch the radio into a nmea output on plotter to enable the radio to receive the gps signal and transmit your position to the coast guard emergency center. You have to register the dsc radio and supply your name, emergency contact phone numbers, vessel & radio info inorder to get a mmsi number. This is NOT the same as a VHF station license that is necessary for commercial users and recreational boaters visiting foreign waters. YOU must enter the mmsi number into your VHF radio. With an older radio, that is DSC equipped and not connected to a gps antenna, the USCG will receive your mmsi number and can obtain your personal info; however, they will have to "triangulate" your radio signal to attempt to obtain your position---takes much more time and not as accurate as obtaining your gps derived position. Most new vhf hard wired radios have an internal gps antenna /receiver as well as many newer hand held radios.
Jackdaw is absolutely correct about hailing other vessels directly without broadcasting to everyone. If you have their mmsi number, it's similar to placing a direct call. If there are several boats traveling together and you have their mmsi numbers, you can hail everyone in the group simultaneously, if you program their mmsi numbers into your radio.
If you have a dsc equpped radio and it is properly registered and connected to an internal or external gps source, a flip of the dsc emergency switch on your radio substantially improves the possibility of rescuers to reach you quickly in the event of an emergency. This should be high on your to do list if sailing inshore or especially in coastal waters. The cost of these dsc radios has deminished to the point that it should be a "must have" safety feature onboard.