Comments on: Guarding One-Six http://threesheetsnw.com/blog/archives/6198 Three Sheets Northwest Boating News Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:29:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Scott Wilson http://threesheetsnw.com/blog/archives/6198/comment-page-1#comment-451 Scott Wilson Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:19:13 +0000 http://www.threesheetsnw.com/?p=6198#comment-451 That's a good point about DSC. We haven't seen a huge benefit to upgrading to a DSC-capable set yet, for many of the reasons you mention. You're also correct about the receiving capabilities of VHF, of course; that was what I was getting at but looking back it's quite poorly worded. Thanks for helping to clear that up for people! That’s a good point about DSC. We haven’t seen a huge benefit to upgrading to a DSC-capable set yet, for many of the reasons you mention.

You’re also correct about the receiving capabilities of VHF, of course; that was what I was getting at but looking back it’s quite poorly worded. Thanks for helping to clear that up for people!

]]> By: steve hulsizer http://threesheetsnw.com/blog/archives/6198/comment-page-1#comment-448 steve hulsizer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:54:20 +0000 http://www.threesheetsnw.com/?p=6198#comment-448 As more and more boats get DSC capable radios, hopefully we will begin using it to call boat to boat and avoid cluttering up 16. DSC is not easy, unfortunately. Making a call involves several steps, and knowing the other boat's MMSI, for which there is no directory. Given the architecture of most VHF's and the difficulty of inputting the MMSI and connecting to a GPS, we are probably years from universal application. Comment: just because 16 is a simplex channel is not the reason that it won't carry multiple calls, it is that the receiver can't sort out the calls and will only deliver the strongest signal. A duplex channel, such as the old marine operator channels, uses different frequencies for calling and receiving, and still has the same problems. As more and more boats get DSC capable radios, hopefully we will begin using it to call boat to boat and avoid cluttering up 16. DSC is not easy, unfortunately. Making a call involves several steps, and knowing the other boat’s MMSI, for which there is no directory. Given the architecture of most VHF’s and the difficulty of inputting the MMSI and connecting to a GPS, we are probably years from universal application.

Comment: just because 16 is a simplex channel is not the reason that it won’t carry multiple calls, it is that the receiver can’t sort out the calls and will only deliver the strongest signal. A duplex channel, such as the old marine operator channels, uses different frequencies for calling and receiving, and still has the same problems.

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