Hf dsc

[laura]

Working in and out of West Africa and am really struggling to carry out the weekly DSC test call.

There's no VHF DSC facilities (you barely get a response over R/T), or MF within range. The only option is HF and no-one seems to respond (Cape Town were good with 4khz range but not further afield) and I've tried South America as well depending on better night time propogation levels but nope... and I don't want to clutter the frequency either by repeatedly calling.

Any one got any experience of working down here and who do you use for a test call to a coast station? Who is most likely to ping back.

Oh how I miss Europe! Nothing is simple down here... oof

[Martyboy]

You could try Wiluna in Australia, think the MMSI is 005030001 for your HF, and I don't know about your set up, but we'd often DSC ourself for th VHF which seemed to be allowed

[Greig]

Regarding the VHF DSC, you could always send it to another vessel, or to yourself. For the MF/HF I'm sure any surveyor wouldn't tell you off for using Cape Town all the time. At the end of the day, if you get an acknowledgment from an MRCC then it's working okay

[Silvertop]

Those southern waters can be very hit and miss. Don't let it get to you or you'll have them ripping the gear apart when nothing is wrong!! I usually say to my officers to log all messages whether reply received or not to prove you are trying. Also using other ships to at least prove the equipment is working is usually accepted when no contact can be made with the shore. You do get very weird propagation down there as well, I once spoke to Walvis Bay on VHF when 1000' away. When I told them they couldn't quite believe it.

[laura]

Regarding the VHF DSC, you could always send it to another vessel, or to yourself. For the MF/HF I'm sure any surveyor wouldn't tell you off for using Cape Town all the time. At the end of the day, if you get an acknowledgment from an MRCC then it's working okay

Haha... some of the vessels down here are pretty hit and miss too! I can't get an answer from Cape Town at this range though have previously just a bit closer... it was working fine for MF... but then we sailed South of Las Palmas.

I don't like using other vessels, unless I have to... but I log the sending of the HF anyway, but leave it at that and don't try to fake an acknowledgement.

Thanks for everyones responses