Securite calls and DSC

[Dean Abramson]

It is often recommended, say, in fog, to periodically do a Securite call on Ch 16 to announce your position, course and speed.

But is there a DSC equivalent which requires no response? On my unit, it seems that a "position report" can be made to specific MMSIs programmed in, but not to "All Ships."

Is DCS in general considered too emergency-oriented to use for this purpose?

Any thoughts on this?

Dean

[Neil Gordon]

It is often recommended, say, in fog, to periodically do a Securite call on Ch 16 to announce your position, course and speed.

But is there a DSC equivalent which requires no response? On my unit, it seems that a "position report" can be made to specific MMSIs programmed in, but not to "All Ships."

Is DCS in general considered too emergency-oriented to use for this purpose?

Any thoughts on this?

Dean

Even if it broadcasts your position, that would just be lat/lon numbers.

My ch 16 (and 13) transmissions go something like this:

"Securite, securite. This is the sailing vessel Liquidity, 1.5 nautical miles south of the Davis Ledge buoy, heading north on course ___ at a speed of _ kts, bound for Boston."

That or something like this: "Securite, securite. This is the sailing vessel Liquidity, inbound approaching the New Bedford hurricane barrier, at red #6." (Joe Myerson will confirm that crusty NB fishing boat captains thanked me for that series of fog bound transmissions.)

[Dean Abramson]

I have always wondered about this. Ch, 13 is for inter-ship navigation communication. It is also called "Bridge to Bridge."

I have always assumed that that meant a ship's "bridge." But now and then I read something which describes this channel as being for, you know, bridges. The kind that begin and end on land. Isn't this also the channel on which you call a bridge-tender?

Dean

[Neil Gordon]

I have always wondered about this. Ch, 13 is for inter-ship navigation communication. It is also called "Bridge to Bridge."

I have always assumed that that meant a ship's "bridge." But now and then I read something which describes this channel as being for, you know, bridges. The kind that begin and end on land. Isn't this also the channel on which you call a bridge-tender?

Dean

It's listed as "Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge)." I think that's to distinguish it from communications that are from one ship's radio operator to another's, so that ch13 is reserved for navigation related chat.

[Dean Abramson]

Do you call a bridge tender on this channel?

[Neil Gordon]

Do you call a bridge tender on this channel?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I poked around the web a bit... some operators monitor 13, some monitor 9. Often there's a sign. Check the cruising guide otherwise.

[Dean Abramson]

Thanks, Neil.

[Jim Davis]

You want to stick with voice on 16 and 13 for Securite calls. This is a call that you want everybody near by to hear. The more folks who hear it, the less likely you will have to make the other type call that you want everyone to hear, but hope you never need to make.

DSC, AIS and Radar aren't on that many boats, but voice VHF is reasonably universal.

[Sally Perreten]

A few years ago on our CD 27 the fog dropped down out of no place when we were in Plum Gut. Once we had exited the rips, we did a position report every five minutes on ch 13. We did not have radar, but we knew we shared the waters with ferries, other sailors, ....and crazies.

After one transmission the New London ferry responded, told us we were off their port bow and should hold our course. Then we were told they could see the tip of our mast; and they slowly made their way past us. We were mighty grateful for the skill and care of the ferry captain.

Sally

[Andy Denmark]

Jim Davis nailed this.

In low viz or restricted manueverability situations a Securite call on 13-16 every couple of minutes works for everyone within hearing. There are too many boats who have DSC and even AIS but haven't made it operational for a variety of reasons. I see far too many of such examples on boats I deliver.

Lat/Lon is useless on these occasions but an accurate verbal position relative to well known or easily recognizable marks is effective. Make it simple and concise without precise bearings, etc. I want the close proximity skipper to be looking over the bow of his boat, not focused on a chart, digital display or plotting board.

Many don't seem to realize that Channel 13 is limited to one watt (1 watt) and if you can hear a Securite call on that channel you are close aboard and need to watch out.

The 13/16 dual watch feature on many VHF's is a huge safety feature but largely unused by most folks. It's easy and potentially lifesaving. I strongly recommend you learn to use it.

FWIW

[Klem]

I know that I have posted about this before but please think through a securite call before you make it. There is limited airtime and if everyone made a call every 10 minutes, it wouldn't work. My opinion is derived from 9 years of commercial work on the Maine coast where there were a lot of poorly worded and unnecessary securite calls.

When I decide whether to make a call, I think about how maneuverable the boat is, how tight the space is, how bad the visibility is, and the likelihood of their being other vessels that I could collide with. In all but the worst of visibility, two cruising size sailboats have enough maneuverability to avoid a collision once they make visual contact provided that their skippers react properly. The same is not true of larger, less maneuverable boats. The calls that I really want to hear on the radio are the tankers, freighters, tugs and barges and other larges vessels. These vessels are moving quickly and cannot maneuver to avoid you on short notice and it is often unclear how best to avoid one when it looms out of the fog.

In my opinion, many securite calls should be made at 1W power output. 1W will give you enough range that by the time you have outrun it, your call has been forgotten anyways. This way, the airwaves will be much less cluttered.

As for what is in the call, the post above is spot on about only giving a geographic position and not coordinates. Realistically, no one will plot coordinates and you are left wondering where the boat is who made the call. Otherwise, they need a way to contact you (name) and approximate direction of travel.

Sorry for taking the thread a little off-topic but I do feel that this something that is worth thinking about. The number of times that I haven't been able to make contact with another vessel because someone is giving a securite call every few minutes is shocking.

On the other hand, fog horns should always be used, the airwaves can't be too cluttered with them.

[Bob B]

I concur with Klem's assessment. We ran tugs in the southern waters and encountered many days of fog bound travel. Rarely would we hear small vessels performing securite calls but we would get some response when we would place them on 16 and 13. In addition to fog situations, we would place securite calls prior to entering very contricted or dangerous waters. Some of the tight places (bridges,channels, canals...) we would place securite calls to warn people that we are entering this area and they either delay their entry or to be very wary of entering while we are there.
Be safe out there.

Bob B.
CD Typhoon Liberty
Lancaster, SC

[Neil Gordon]

The calls that I really want to hear on the radio are the tankers, freighters, tugs and barges and other larges vessels.

And vice versa!

I agree that overwhelming the limited bandwidth of ch 13 and 16 might cause more harm than good but I haven't found that to be the case where I sail. More often than not, the ferry drivers and commercial fishermen thank me for letting them know I'm out there.

And yes, lat/lon is lots less meaningful than "1 mile southeast of the Davis Ledge buoy, bound for Boston."