DSC Scare...The USCG called me at 12:15pm Tonight!

[blueh20pc]

I'm posting this as a what happened, real world situation.


Tonight I just recieved a call from the USCG at 12:15pm EST saying my vessel has been transmitting a DSC distress call which was picked up 12 NM offshore of Kitty Hawk, NC by a vessel, and the CG was checking to see if the vessel was safe.

That's at LEAST 20NM as the crow flies from where my boat is positioned, with the antennae folded down.

My boat is a 23 footer, and stays on the trailer in my driveway, in Kill Devil Hills, NC. It sits approximately 1 mile from the coast, behind the house on the trailer, with my 8 foot shakespeare antennae folded down off the t-top. ICOM 322 VHF is hooked to it, and the radio is hard wired to the Standard Horizon GPS via the NMEA bus to distribute the GPS coord's in the event someone pushes the distress button. I was charging the batteries, the perko switch was set to off, and the dogs were out and would have alerted me if someone was messing with the boat.


The USCG did not recieve any GPS coordinates. They marked my vessel 9 miles off shore using their software.

I told the PO to cease and desist with any alarms coming from my boat for the next 2 weeks until I diagnose and fix the problem. I disonnected the batteries at the wing nuts just to be certain.

I don't think it's the radio, it's less than a year old from a reputable reseller. Has anyone had something like this happen before?

BTW... Kudos to USCG station Oregon Inlet, NC... They were getting ready to launch the MLB and go look for my boat. And it is nasty tonight, breaking whitewater across the bar today.

[blueh20pc]

Batteries are clear from the terminals, put them on the deck just to be sure.

there are no footprints on the deck, I just washed it down last weekend.

Nobaody was messing with the boat, it was some sort of electrical snafu.

I'm going back to bed, it's been a long night, I'l trouble shoot this weekend.

[vettnman]

Damn Chris, That'll wake you up won't it? The CG had no gps coordinates, your boat was 20 nm miles away from where they thought it was via their software. That's the scary part for me. The fact that the cg could be that far off in their initial search. Not good. I'd love to hear some more details about that if at all possible.

[blueh20pc]

I'm so jacked up, I can;t sleep

You have to hold down the DSC button for 5 second before it transmits.

But the batteries were turned off and the battery charger was on. SO someone had to get in the bilge and turn on the perko switch to either 1 or all before they transmitted the DSC call, then hit the DSC button (after turning on the friggin radio) for 5 seconds.

Nobody but a damn good boater would know how to do those things. AND the USCG doesn't lie, especially when they are making phone calls at 1am.

I dunno....

[Daddy'O]

Chris,

How does the USCG know it was your vessel sending the DSC? Not trying to be a smart guy. Obviously I don't know how this system is supposed to work. I did find some info on DSC (see link below) and I'm a little smarter now. But still not clear as to how they would know it was your vessel and not your next door neighbor's. I’m assuming the signal is generic with some kind of encryption (registration) code unique to your radio?

Digital Selective Calling - USCG Navigation Center

Thanks,
Wayne

[Blue Magic]

Chris
If that thing was showing the boat being 12 miles offshore when it's at your house....throw the damn thing in the garbage. What I means is that if something happens where you need to rely on it, it's giving a position that's 12 miles off. It apparently has a bad short somewhere or some other electronics around your house or neighbors might have set it off.

[fishbard]

How could the radio be on with the main switch off? Is the radio feed hooked in ahead of the Perko? Battery charger shouldn't matter. This is weird, I guess you are sure your boy was in bed?

[fishbard]

Re-read the original post, there wasn't a GPS position, a boat 12 miles off Kitty Hawk reported the DSC signal. That would be consistent with the GPS not being turned on.

[FASTFJR]

Originally Posted by Daddy'O

Chris,

How does the USCG know it was your vessel sending the DSC? Not trying to be a smart guy. Obviously I don't know how this system is supposed to work. I did find some info on DSC (see link below) and I'm a little smarter now. But still not clear as to how they would know it was your vessel and not your next door neighbor's. I’m assuming the signal is generic with some kind of encryption (registration) code unique to your radio?

Digital Selective Calling - USCG Navigation Center

Thanks,
Wayne

If I remember correct, when I registered for a number I filled out an online form with my boat and personal information.
9 miles???? Glad to see they really narrowed down that signal

Their is no way the signal could have come from your boat. What I bet happened was another boater programed a wrong number into his unit, Which means................who's off the coast?

[offshore]

Chris,
Did you have another radio on your boat before this one? Did you sell the old radio with the same number programed in? Mark