Digital Selective Calling

In Service Navy
1

New user here looking for a venue to discuss maritime operations and various topics.

A little background on myself, I’m a submariner in the USN. Not a lot of time spent on the surface with you guys, only coming in and going out of port. Our service in general has a relative lack of experience when it comes to navigating as well as interactions.

I’m currently assigned as an instructor for one of the schoolhouses, and one of the courses I teach is on surfaced contact management and the ROR. It would be awesome if I could use this forum to discuss questions from the course and get students answers to the questions I’m asked (everyone from the junior NAV ET to the Captain of the ship).

Now that is out of the way, my first question.

Do you routinely utilize the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) function for bridge-to-bridge communications, or do you simply hail other vessels on channels 13 and 16 using ship names/MMSI/etc.

Or even further, what is your preferred method of establishing communications on via VHF.

Thanks.

2

Welcome, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a wealth of information (among other things) here.

Do you routinely utilize the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) function for bridge-to-bridge communications, or do you simply hail other vessels on channels 13 and 16 using ship names/MMSI/etc.

Absolutely not. I’ve never met anyone (myself excluded) who has made an individual DSC call. On most radios I’ve seen, it’s a real pain, plus you have to write down the MMSI, etc. it’s just a pain in the ass. If you’re calling somebody, it’s usually important enough that you want to get a hold of them now, not after you’ve spent five minutes setting up the call.

Plus, nobody is used to getting non-emergency DSC calls, so they might immediately silence it, and switch back to 16 without even paying attention.

When I hail, I just use the other vessel’s name (assuming they’re on AIS).

If they’re not on AIS, I’d see if I could tell what kind of ship they are, and if they’re near a landmark use that. “LNG vessel, inbound Chesapeake Bay Southern Approach, this is M/V Neversail, Channel 13”.

Failing that information, I’d go with position/course/speed. “Vessel in position 25° 30’ North, 065° 30’ West, this is M/V Neversail, Channel 16”. Position/course/speed is a last resort because it’s a lot of numbers to process and nobody likes hearing that on Channel 16.

If the other vessel is very close, I’d supplement whatever information I had (name or type or position) with my position relative to them (Annabell Lykes, Annabell Lykes, this is M/V Neversail, two miles fine on your port bow")

Realistically, 90% of the contacts you’ll need to call will be on AIS. If they aren’t, chances are they’re not going to respond, even if they hear you.

3

I just hope these naval school houses are not still refering to the VHF as “Bridge to Bridge”, and the X-band/ 3cm radar as the “ARPA” (cringe). I’ve never called my macbook the “iTunes”

4

This is kind of a crazy idea but write to the Chesapeake Bay Pilot’s Association (or whichever major port is closest to you) and ask about doing some ride alongs. The opportunity to be on a ship’s bridge with a pilot and ship’s crew would provide invaluable experience with all of the aspects of Bridge Resource Management, but especially marine communications and how we all talk to each other on the radio.

To answer your question more specifically, the only way I’ve ever heard of DSC being used is for the “Distress” button on a VHF. I know there more capabilities than that but I don’t know anyone who uses them.

Thanks for using the forum in a productive manner that will expand the understanding and knowledge of yourself, your students, and probably us as well. Welcome.

5

The only time I use DSC on the VHFs is when I test the radios when I come on watch and send a test message to myself. In the years I’ve been using DSC radios the only messages I’ve ever received have been distress.

6

All,

Thanks for the all the great feedback. This is consistent with what we are putting out in the course.

After initiating a similar e-mail chain among the schoolhouses the general feedback is that the DSC function, while potentially valuable to eliminate confusion, has not yet replaced the traditional call-up.

Again, thanks to all for responding and I look forward to using this forum in the future.

7

I use it to wake the clowns driving the psv’s when they fail to respond
Most flag states I have worked for require it as a regular test, cant speak about the us flag?

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Just as powerboat said, the only one time I’ve used it was to hail a foreign tanker in the gulf who wasn’t responding.

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[QUOTE=ARINALDI;155629]Our service in general has a relative lack of experience when it comes to navigating as well as interactions.[/QUOTE]

A totally fallacious statement.

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When I want to text someone I use my iPhone, when I want to make passing arrangements I use the VHF.

DSC is just another piece of garbage pushed on commercial Mariners so electronics companies and make money.

11

What we need is local cell net on board and we use sms that includes vessel details in every message and goes out the vhf or satcom depending on the address.
Dial 911 for distress
Thats the future

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[QUOTE=Jeffrox;156156]A totally fallacious statement.[/QUOTE]

I was not speaking to the navy as a whole and did not seek to offend.

I was speaking to the submarine service, which if you consider that surface operations generally occur only when entering and exiting port make up a small percentage of our experience at sea. Consider that in some ports it isn’t very far to get to an area with sufficient depth to submerge the ship (<1 hour).