Couldn't it be a simple "request for position" from a friend of the former owner ? If you know someone's MMSI number you can send them a "request for position" that is received by their radio only and also displays a designated channel for voice contact on the radio. It's strictly a DSC function.
What the h@ll causes this?
- Thread starter Tally Ho
- Start date
Agreed, it sounded more like an MMSI call than it did an alarm. Regardless, checking the manual is the best route.
I just found a great tutorial on the boatus site, check chapter 4 "Digital Selective Calling".
http://www.boatus.org/dsc/player.html
Your number could be programmed into someone else's radio with a lot of others even, and someone sends a message to everyone in his "contacts" lists on the radio. Like some friends send out texts or messages to a whole group while sailing on weekends etc.
http://www.boatus.org/dsc/player.html
Your number could be programmed into someone else's radio with a lot of others even, and someone sends a message to everyone in his "contacts" lists on the radio. Like some friends send out texts or messages to a whole group while sailing on weekends etc.
Have you programmed your own MMSI number? If it has the PO's number in the radio, someone may be calling him and getting you instead.
Read the manual... yes they are boring, but radios today are more complicated than off/on switch. My Standard Horizon wouldn't stop complaining about MMSI number until I went online and added the boat (new) and put it in the radio (new).
I would learn how to reset the radio and sign up for your own MMSI... in the video the radio says "calling" and "Please input posistion", so I suspect it lost communication with your GPS, but you need to figure out why it says calling...
Like I said, radios are more complicated than off / on, so learn how yours works. Given it is "new to you", resetting it is probably a good start... for all you know it's a anchor watch alarm. LOL
But the related messages are on the screen... and sitting at anchor/dock with my radio on and no other electronics, mine would complain about loss of posistion...
I would learn how to reset the radio and sign up for your own MMSI... in the video the radio says "calling" and "Please input posistion", so I suspect it lost communication with your GPS, but you need to figure out why it says calling...
Like I said, radios are more complicated than off / on, so learn how yours works. Given it is "new to you", resetting it is probably a good start... for all you know it's a anchor watch alarm. LOL
But the related messages are on the screen... and sitting at anchor/dock with my radio on and no other electronics, mine would complain about loss of posistion...
I know it says "put in position", but it sounds like a standard distress alert that pops up on my ICOM VHF every so often. Could this be it?
On my radio I have a red-protector over the distress switch. If I flip the switch the MMSI of my radio along with my lat-lon go out automatically and others hear (on their radios) the sounds and alarm like you heard and see my MMSI and my info on their display. You should always write down the MMSI and the GPS coordinates as well as *YOUR* location and report it to the CG. It usually turns out to be nothing, or a false alarm, but it is a distress signal.. At least that's what it sounds like.
FWIW
Rick
s/v Black Diamond
Hylas 49-057
Portsmouth, RI.
On my radio I have a red-protector over the distress switch. If I flip the switch the MMSI of my radio along with my lat-lon go out automatically and others hear (on their radios) the sounds and alarm like you heard and see my MMSI and my info on their display. You should always write down the MMSI and the GPS coordinates as well as *YOUR* location and report it to the CG. It usually turns out to be nothing, or a false alarm, but it is a distress signal.. At least that's what it sounds like.
FWIW
Rick
s/v Black Diamond
Hylas 49-057
Portsmouth, RI.
I believe the last time we went through this subject, it was pointed out the MMSI number transfers with the boat- not the person?
If someone else hits the distress button on their radio, everyone in the area with DSC should get the alert. This happened once in a while on our previous boat (which had DSC) it's supposed to get your attention. The display at the time of the alert should provide details.
The manual on our radio didn't help much as it was quite vague. We don't have DSC on our current boat.
Ken
The manual on our radio didn't help much as it was quite vague. We don't have DSC on our current boat.
Ken
You can enter a manual position. See sectioni 3-6-1. (in case no gps or failure) We have this same one on the boat I am nav on for 2016 Pac Cup Chasch Mer SC50 #1.
Many of the replies got it correct. The VHF Radio needs position data in order for DSC to work correctly especially the distress function in which the button under the little red door sends your distress message, MMSI number and position information if it is available to the radio. This data usually comes from the chartplotter or an external GPS.
The radio display says "Calling" and input position data, pretty darn sure it's a non-emergency DSC request for position, these can be of several types I'll break it into small pieces.
POSITION REQUESTS. When you want to send your own position and request the position of a specific boat or station listed in your directory you select ‘Position Request’ and ‘Address’ from the DSC Menu on your radio and follow the prompts to transmit the request. Once the request is transmitted an acknowledgement from the receiving boat will include their position. Follow your radio’s prompts to read their position. Some plotters will automatically display this position on their chart. No acknowledgement means that the receiving boat is not in your communication area or that the other boat chose to ignore your request.
POSITION REQUESTS. When you want to send your own position and request the position of a specific boat or station listed in your directory you select ‘Position Request’ and ‘Address’ from the DSC Menu on your radio and follow the prompts to transmit the request. Once the request is transmitted an acknowledgement from the receiving boat will include their position. Follow your radio’s prompts to read their position. Some plotters will automatically display this position on their chart. No acknowledgement means that the receiving boat is not in your communication area or that the other boat chose to ignore your request.
INDIVIDUAL DSC CALL (SEND) - You can ‘discretely’ call another boat or station and shift their VHF radio to a working channel that you choose, without first calling them on Ch-16 or 9. Each radio varies slightly on how this is done so you must consult your manual on how to do this. Basically, you will select ‘Individual Call’, ‘Address’, and ‘Intership Channel’ from your DSC Menu by following the prompts on your radio’s LCD Screen. Once the radio is ‘Ready’ you will be prompted to send the call and then be notified when the transmission is complete. When the receiving station acknowledges receipt of the call both radios will automatically shift to the Intership Channel that you have selected. This shift is normally accompanied by a beep. You can then talk to the boat or station you have called following normal R/T procedures. After the call you simply shift your radio back to whatever channel you normally listen to (Ch-16).
INDIVIDUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT –Acknowledgement can be pre-programmed to happen automatically or manually. In the Manual Mode the receiving boat or station must select and send back an "Able to Comply" transmission before both radios automatically shift to the Intership Channel chosen by the caller. In the Automatic Mode this transmission is sent when the receiving unit turns off the alarm/beep that alerts them to every incoming call. Prompts on the receiving radio will normally tell you send how to do this and must be carefully followed.
ACKNOWLEGEMENT OF POSITION AND POLLING REQUESTS.When you receive a request from another boat or station your radio will beep and show you the type of request, who sent it and how to reply or ignore the request. If you initiated the request the return call will also cause your radio to beep and show you who responded, then prompt you on how to display the position received.
POLLING REQUESTS. When you want to know if a specific boat is in your communication area you can find out by sending a ‘Polling Request’. Select Polling Request and the boat’s Address from your DSC Menu and follow the prompts to transmit the request. Once the request is transmitted an acknowledgement from the receiving boat will include their position. Some plotters will automatically display this position on their chart. No acknowledgement means that the receiving boat is not in your communication area or that it chose to ignore your request.
GROUP CALL. Group Calls are used to transmit messages/announcements to a specific group only. Both the calling boat and the receiving boat must have the Group MMSI in their radios. The receiving boats all receive a VHF beep and must acknowledge the call similar to the way they acknowledge an Individual call before their radios will shift to the Intership channel selected by the caller. There is also an option to ignore the call.
And finally there's even one to send an automatic "Pan Pan" or "Securite " message to all DSC equipped radios in range, that's the selective part of DSC, you can choose whose radios to beep.
ALL SHIPS CALLS allow contact to be established with other vessels in your communications area without having their ID in your DSC Calling Directory. They are classified ROUTINE, SAFETY or URGENCY. URGENCY calls are similar to PAN PAN Calls and are given when a vessel may not be truly in distress but has a problem that may lead to a distress situation requiring assistance. SAFETY calls are similar to SECURITY Calls and are given when safety information needs to be transmitted to other vessels. When another vessel transmits an Urgency or Safety Call your radio should sound an emergency alarm and prompt you to VHF Ch 16 for the voice announcement.
ALL SHIPS CALLS allow contact to be established with other vessels in your communications area without having their ID in your DSC Calling Directory. They are classified ROUTINE, SAFETY or URGENCY. URGENCY calls are similar to PAN PAN Calls and are given when a vessel may not be truly in distress but has a problem that may lead to a distress situation requiring assistance. SAFETY calls are similar to SECURITY Calls and are given when safety information needs to be transmitted to other vessels. When another vessel transmits an Urgency or Safety Call your radio should sound an emergency alarm and prompt you to VHF Ch 16 for the voice announcement.
or like the original poster and 99% of the boating public is completely confused by DSC radio technology.
The PO did not register a MMSI number. I have never given anyone the new MMSI number.
The proble with the manual is that you don't really know the difference in the various alarms.
Greg
PO did not program an MMSI. I have programmed one it.
It could be the GPS signal (or lack thereof). Not sure why I am not passing the GPS info from my Chartplotter to the radio. I have been trying to figure out the network and settings on both devices. Thought I had them talking for a while, but then lost the comm between the two.
It seems strange that I can be sailing for an hour before the blasted alarm goes off, and it may go off again in 5 minutes....