This year we heard R/T from controllers of Traffic Separation schemes from Off Casquets right round to Cabo Gata east of Malaga We continually heard shore stations calling ships on Ch 16. We heard ships calling each other on Ch 16 and not on Ch 13. We heard ships calling shore stations on Ch 16. Most, if not all that we heard must have been SOLAS vessels. Is anyone really using DSC?

Also, we heard ships calling shore stations repeating their call so quickly that they would not have heard the shore station had it replied. We heard two vessels that sounded very like RN (they were not yachts) having a long chat on Ch 73 before one of them said that they had better close since he thought that Ch 73 was used by local port authorities.

We heard no obvious misuse of Ch 16 by yachtsmen. Howver, the reason became obvious when we heard a PAN PAN relay from Alicante Radio upgraded to a serious MAYDAY for a fire on a yacht leading to the crew abandoning ship. On a Sunday in August, not one pleasure vessel replied. We and commercia; vessels who replied were too far away. Clearly, very few pleasure vessels were monitoring Ch 16

I am sure that we will be upgrading to a DSC radio in due course. I just wonder if anyone else has had similar experiences?

By isims on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 07:27 pm:

Interesting topic, and input from others who have DSC set would be useful.

In our three months cruise on our HR34 this spring, Baltic, N Sea to Scotland, to Holyhead, the DSC on our Sailor radio only rang an alert twice - one Danish distress and one Aberdeen Coastguard putting out safety info. We have a separate Ch 70 aerial so it is constantly watched. This implies that DSC alerts are seldom broadcast at present, or else our radio is faulty.

In the Irish sea around Anglesey the yacht and commercial traffic on Ch 16 is reasonable, but its as nothing compared with the channel 16 onslaught from the massed forces of Falmouth, Milford Haven, Holyhead, Liverpool, Clyde, Belfast, and Dublin Coastguards, all in Ch 16 range and with thrice repetition of calling on each and every one of their aerials! They do a great job (?) but I've never heard a DSC alert from them yet. Is my DSC not working, I wonder?

I look forward to the day when we can monitor 16 only when we want to (and not have a guilt complex if we turn it off), but intend to keep my DSC Ch 70 aerial down near sea level in case all this Coastguard traffic eventually transmogrifies into DSC alerts !

What is the experience of others with DSC?

By Donald E. Saballus on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 06:12 pm:

Hi all... this is my first time on the network.

We have a 1988 HR382 ("Falconer") with afiberglass encased lead keel and wish to install a SSB MF/HF Marine Transceiver (Icon M802, before embarking on a year long cruise this fall.

I understand that the best connection for electrical grounding is to the lead keel. I do not know how to access the keel from inside the HR 382 hull. The fiberglass water tank is installed directly over the keel preventng access. Perhaps there is access through the bilge.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has completed such an instalation or can lead me to others who have solved this problem. Thanks in advance!

By Yardena Rudawski on Thursday, July 01, 2004 - 12:41 am:

I have a very very unual request and am hoping that someone might be able to point me in the right direction.
My boyfriend is an avid boater - he owns a 2002 46 ft. Sea Ray. He is absolutely in love with the Hallberg Rassy and is considering changing his boating status to sailing status sometime in the future as soon as he a bit more time to really enjoy the time for sailing.
He has a big birthday coming up in August and I would love somehow to try and organise a ride or daytrip for him on a Hallberg Rassy if anyone knows of anyone who might be able to help me. Price at this point is not my most important concern as he has never been sailing on a boat like this...only admires from afar when we have passed one on very infrequent occasions.
Any leads to finding out whether this idea of mine might even be possible would be hugely appreciated!
We live in New York City and keep the Sea Ray in Sag Harbor so anywhere in between to try and find a Hallberg Rasssy "cruise" would be unbelievable.