UK-based McMurdo Pains-Wessex has now received full UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency approval for its F1 VHF radio with Class D Digital Selective Calling (DSC).
Now even the smallest workboats can call the wife as if on a mobile phone or send out an 'all ships' distress call when an alibi is needed. Mcmurdo said it is approved for fitting to Non-Directive Fishing Vessels in the UK under MSN 1728 (F) Standards of Performance of Radio Equipment required by the Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) regulations 1999.
Because the software is related to that for mobile phones, Mcmurdo says learning to use "DSC is as easy as ABC".
Suitable for routine inter-vessel and ship -to- shore communication, once a DSC call sign is acknowledged by the person you are contacting, normal voice communications can then take place. Both radios automatically select the channel contained in the initial DSC message.
You can auto-call 50 individual vessel numbers and names from a stored directory of unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) numbers which are issued to every vessel with a radio licence.
For an SoS (two physical moves are needed, so you do not set it off by accident) the system automatically issues vessel details, the MMSI number and a GPS position (if connected via the NMEA 0183 interface to a GPS receiver) to the shore and to other vessels in the vicinity.
The gear has a fist microphone, remote speaker facility, is programmable for up to 30 private channel, has dual watch, channel scanning, nine user-selected scanning programmes and a scan-all-channels facility. All international and US channels can be easily accessed.
The F1 can be either flush or tabletop- mounted for easy installation via plug and socket connections. There are rotary knobs for squelch and volume.
ICS NAV5plus
Also new from McMurdo is ICS NAV5plus. The ICS NAV5plus printing NAVTEX receiver exceeds GMDSS NAVTEX requirements, and is ideal for fitting to vessels wishing to comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
The ICS NAV5plus has dual channel reception as a standard feature. This allows simultaneously monitoring of both NAVTEX frequencies (518 kHz and 490 kHz) without the user needing to change channels. The ICS NAV5plus is reliable, rugged, compact and easy to use. It is designed directly to support remote active and passive NAVTEX antenna types. Developed for IMO GMDSS fitting, the ICS NAV5plus includes all the facilities required for receiving and printing NAVTEX messages. In addition, it has an RS422 data output suitable for connection to integrated bridge or PC charting systems.
