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Placing Individual DSC Calls
If you have a compatible DSC radio, you can use your
AIS
WatchMate
to place an individual
DSC call to another vessel without having to
enter the other vessel’s MMSI number manually
into your VHF radio.
To use this feature, you must connect a compatible VHF radio’s NMEA-input to the
AIS
WatchMate
NMEA-output.
Go to "Settings" and select "I/O Ports",
-
Select "NMEA Input" and set it to "NMEA (4800)" and check "OK".
-
Select "NMEA Output" and set to "NMEA (4800)" and check "OK".
-
Select "NMEA Output Data" and set to "GPS + NMEA" and check "OK".
-
Select "Enable DSC calling" and set to "On" and check "OK".
Once this has been done, an additional menu option will appear in the menu (top button) on
the target display screen. Selecting the “
DSC Call
” menu option brings up a small window
that allows you to select the working channel.
Use the arrow buttons to scroll up/down to the desired channel. The last used working
channel is remembered and becomes the default for subsequent calls.
Use the “Call” button to place the call or “Cancel” to return to the target display without
calling.
NOTE:
This feature requires a compatible VHF radio that accepts the NMEA-0183 DSC
sentence. This will work with certain Icom radios and may work with other brands. Some
radios may require a firmware upgrade. Vesper Marine publishes a list of compatible radios
on its website at
www.vespermarine.com
.
We are interested in learning which other VHF radios support this capability. If you have tried
this feature and found it to work, please tell us by contacting
or
visit the support section of our website
www.vespermarine.com
.
If your VHF radio is not compatible, or is not properly connected, then using the “
DSC Call
”
option will have no effect.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Test this feature with your specific VHF radio to ensure it is
working properly before relying on it.
