dsc and mmsi - help?

[Fixit]

got a newer (than my previous 20 year old vhf) vhf installed in the boat, its a std horizon gx1100

noticed that it had the DSC distress feature, but that the radio keeps saying "no pos"... ???i know its not a piece of ****, wtf! (sic)???

rather confused as to how to hook it up to the Std horizon plotter, also read that i need a mmsi# for dsc to work?



although im very familiar with the AN/PRC-77's (vietnam era radios), spend a lot of time on e-comm (emergency services Digital VHF) and have helped set up repeaters all this marine stuff is new to me.
should also add that i dont have my marine radio operators licence

 

[finaddict]

got a newer (than my previous 20 year old vhf) vhf installed in the boat, its a std horizon gx1100

noticed that it had the DSC distress feature, but that the radio keeps saying "no pos"... ???i know its not a piece of ****, wtf! (sic)???rather confused as to how to hook it up to the Std horizon plotter, also read that i need a mmsi# for dsc to work?

actually DSC stands for digital selective calling and the distress feature will automatically sends out a distress signal on channel 70.

The radio will continue to send out a "No pos" (as in "No Position") because it is not hooked into your GPS via either NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2k. both of which will provide inputs from your GPS to your radio for lats and longitude. You are correct that you also need the MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) which is your personal identity much like a phone number. You will need to apply for an MMSI through Industry Canada ) http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01032.html) its an easy application and can be done over the internet.

You will then need to program that 9 digit number into your radio. This will then allow your radio along with the GPS inputs to provide a distress signal on Channel 70 to anyone listening (mostly Coast Guard....or at least we hope so). CCG has the records of all MMSI numbers and will know who to look for the size and construction and colour of your boat and the exact location where the distress is happening.

 

[tubber]

I had to do lots of googling on this one last summer. Radio manuals are poor for this. I have a Icom radio and a Lowrance plotter. I had to buy a cable that had a fitting for the back of the gps which I spliced into one or more?? of the wires coming out the back of the radio.

I got my nmea 0183 cable from gps.ca

For the mmsi # apply with this page. A nice lady from the Surrey office was helpful answering calls and emails.


http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/sd-sd.nsf/eng/00009.html
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08138.html

 

[firelight]

Some good advice above, as far as connecting the devices look in your manuals for the wiring diagram. Gps out from the plotter, to gps in on the radio. I have a similar standard horizon setup and that's how I did it. I used heat shrink on the connections, careful with the really small gauge wire.

 

[Fixit]

ok filled out the vhf/dsc unlicenced radio form and emailed it to "vancouver.district@ic.gc.ca" hope its the right one

 

[Fixit]

Got my Mmsi number on Friday

 

[Adler]

Resurrecting an old relevant post for a relevant question. Before I left on recent trip, ordered the mmsi number and programmed in. Had been told by the shop that the radio to gps was setup, just need to program in mmsi. Well, now I get an alarm every 10 minutes on the radio advising no position. I have a Standard Horizon 1400 and from what I can tell, it has cables running out and to Simrad GPS unit. I've been scouring the manual to try to figure out if there is a setting on the radio or GPS I need to set to initiate the link, to to no avail. I will keep searching and I'd needed, call shop next week, but if anyone has any advice, would love to here it. Thanks.

 

[tannerc]

You may have to adjust your gps to send the correct data. I had to switch my hds over. Have a browse through that section of your manual.

Following that I would look to see if the shop connected the wires in the correct sequence. Can be a bit confusing what goes to what on the NMEA 0183.

 

[Sir Reel]

It may be your baud rate. I believe the GPS and Radio both need to be set to 4800 baud. Could also be 38400 baud on each but they need to be the same.
It uses wires of yellow/green for input and brown/white for output. So you should see wiring like that going from your radio to GPS

 

[Adler]

Thanks for that advice, I'll look closer at both over next few days. I did not see those colour wires, but there are wires in the right places....black and pink I think it is. Hmmm, mtf.

 

[Sir Reel]

Thanks for that advice, I'll look closer at both over next few days. I did not see those colour wires, but there are wires in the right places....black and pink I think it is. Hmmm, mtf.

Does not have to be those colours but they are the standard. Pink wires might be your problem...

 

[Bill 310]

MMSI is very cool

The first day we were out in our new boat (it has both MMSI and AIS -(Thanks to Capt. Ed for the correcting edit) see below

We were called by Victoria Coast Guard and advised us of a tanker heading west with two tugs and that we would be meeting it as we rounded Admiralty Point.

VCG asked us to stay to the right side of the channel, or preferably wait until the tanker had passed. We waited .

Of course if you are the type of person who has hobbies that need discretion , remember that MMSI does provide your location to anyone who knows your MMSI Number or Boat Name.

 

[Capt_Ed]

MMSI is very cool

The first day we were out in our new boat (it has MMSI) we were called by Victoria Coast Guard and advised us of a tanker heading west with two tugs and that we would be meeting it as we rounded Admiralty Point.

VCG asked us to stay to the right side of the channel, or preferably wait until the tanker had passed. We waited .

Of course if you are the type of person who has hobbies that need discretion , remember that MMSI does provide your location to anyone who knows your MMSI Number or Boat Name.

Unlike AIS ,with just a MMSI # Your position is only transmitted if you key your mic

 

[Bill 310]

Unlike AIS ,with just a MMSI # Your position is only transmitted if you key your mic

Oh, did I mention we also have AIS. I must have forgotten that in an all my weekend excitement

Long week getting my motorcycle back on the road following a $1.99 wristwatch wrist breaking get off at a riding school in 2019.

Once I healed up made a decision not to ride during the pandemic.

It was a delightful first toot back on the bike after a long sabbatical. Off to Nakusp this Wednesday to attend HUBB.

HU Travellers Meeting Canwest 2022

Come to an HU Travellers Meeting! Meet like-minded folks who will inspire and encourage you, share their experiences and advice to get you on the road...

www.horizonsunlimited.com

 

[Saxe Point]

Unlike AIS ,with just a MMSI # Your position is only transmitted if you key your mic

I could be mistaken, but I don’t think your MMSI is transmitted by simply keying your microphone and speaking on VHF voice channels. DSC only involves MMSI numbers being transmitted on channel 70.

 

[Capt_Ed]

I could be mistaken, but I don’t think your MMSI is transmitted by simply keying your microphone and speaking on VHF voice channels. DSC only involves MMSI numbers being transmitted on channel 70.

When I ran the lodge in the Charlotte's I could track and identify with there MMSI# all the lodge boats on my plotter on my fishermaster boat and on the mothership when they keyed the mike .

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

I could be mistaken, but I don’t think your MMSI is transmitted by simply keying your microphone and speaking on VHF voice channels. DSC only involves MMSI numbers being transmitted on channel 70.

Capt Ed is 100% correct. MMSI can be tracked by transmission on a DSC radio.
It's part of the Digital selective calling, to triangulate a distressed vessels position. if I enter a vessels MMSI into my Garmin chartplotter I can track them through DSC (when they transmit only)
AIS is different and continually transmits position with a transceiver, although some may mix AIS /DSC up as they use a common identifier in the MMSI # as it identifies all of that vessels Radio station outputs. Your phone listens to you too

 

[Saxe Point]

Capt Ed is 100% correct. MMSI can be tracked by transmission on a DSC radio.
It's part of the Digital selective calling, to triangulate a distressed vessels position. if I enter a vessels MMSI into my Garmin chartplotter I can track them through DSC (when they transmit only)
AIS is different and continually transmits position with a transceiver, although some may mix AIS /DSC up as they use a common identifier in the MMSI # as it identifies all of that vessels Radio station outputs. Your phone listens to you too

But does there have to be a call and acknowledgment using DSC before the MMSI numbers can be seen on the radios? In other words, if I hail a boat by name on channel 16 and we then move to 68 to carry on a voice conversation, the MMSI numbers of either vessel will not show on the radios, even if both radios are DSC enabled. But if they use the DSC functionality to communicate via their MMSI numbers, then the numbers will be visible. Have I got that right? Just trying to understand. I have a DSC enabled VHF and have never seen any MMSI numbers except when making a DSC test call to the Coast Guard. When communicating with other vessels and the CG by voice, I never see their MMSI numbers. The manual for my VHF radio is full of protocols on how to do position polling and set up DSC groups, etc. so I don’t think MMSI information is transmitted automatically every time the radio microphone is keyed. You have to take steps.

Parenthetically, I have read that a large number of VHF radios in service are neither DSC enabled (by GPS connection), nor do they have MMSI numbers. Apparently DSC is something that has tremendous safety advantages, but it’s not used as much as it should be. It is even easier now because many VHF radios now have built-in GPS, so there’s no need to connect to a chart plotter or some other external GPS source.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

The function I refer to is enabled and displayed on a chartplotter when linked to a chartplotter that is dsc capable and linked via nmea 2000 to the DSC vhf.
I'll find it in the manual if i have a chance.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

Resurrecting an old relevant post for a relevant question. Before I left on recent trip, ordered the mmsi number and programmed in. Had been told by the shop that the radio to gps was setup, just need to program in mmsi. Well, now I get an alarm every 10 minutes on the radio advising no position. I have a Standard Horizon 1400 and from what I can tell, it has cables running out and to Simrad GPS unit. I've been scouring the manual to try to figure out if there is a setting on the radio or GPS I need to set to initiate the link, to to no avail. I will keep searching and I'd needed, call shop next week, but if anyone has any advice, would love to here it. Thanks.

Did you figure it out?
It could be the NMEA 0183 vs NMEA 2000 setting is not correct? ....among other things