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Page 35GX2360S
7 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING
7.1 GENERAL
WARNING
This radio is designed to generate a digital maritime distress and safety
call to facilitate search and rescue. To be effective as a safety device,
this equipment must be used only within communication range of a shore-
based VHF marine channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The
range of signal may vary but under normal conditions should be approxi-
mately 20 nautical miles.
Digital Selective Calling is a semi-automated method of establishing a radio
call, it has been designated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
as an international standard for establishing VHF, MF and HF radio calls. It has
also been designated as part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Sys-
tem (GMDSS). It is planned that DSC will eventually replace aural watches on
distress frequencies and will be used to announce routine and urgent maritime
safety information broadcasts.
This new system allows mariners to instantly send a distress call with GPS posi-
tion (when connected to the transceiver) to the US Coast Guard and other vessels
within range of the transmission. DSC will also allow mariners to initiate or receive
Distress, Urgency, Safety, Routine, POSITION REQUEST, POSITION SEND, and
Group calls to or from another vessel equipped with a DSC transceiver.
7.2 USCG DSC WATCH
The USCG has plans to upgrade its VHF National Distress System (expected
by 2005), so at the time of printing only larger vessels that are required to carry
VHF DSC radios, other mariners with VHF DSC radios and many towing com-
panies will be able to hear your DSC Distress or ALL SHIPS transmission.
7.2.1 Maritime Mobile Service Identity
(
MMSI
)
What is an MMSI?
An MMSI is a nine digit number used on Marine Transceivers capable of using
Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone number to
selectively call other vessels.
THIS NUMBER MUST BE PROGRAMMED INTO THE RADIO TO OPERATE
THE QUANTUM DSC FUCTIONS.
How can I obtain an MMSI assignment?
Boat US offers free MMSI numbers. Visit the following to register:
http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/.