Contents of a DSC call
•
Calling category
Call category
Individual
All Ships
Group
Geographical Area
•
Station ID
Own ship ID and sending station ID. Coast station ID begins with 00; Group ID begins with
0.
•
Priority
Distress: Grave and imminent danger and request immediate assistance.
Safety: A station is about to transmit a message containing an important navigational or
meteorological warning.
Urgency: A calling station has a very urgent message to transmit concerning safety of
ship, aircraft or other vehicle or safety of person.
Business: Communication related to the navigation, movements and needs of ships and
aircraft.
Routine: General calling
•
Communication type
Telephone: telephone (J3E) by SSB
NBDP-ARQ: Telex (J2B) mode ARQ via NBDP Terminal
NBDP-FEC: Telex (J2B) mode FEC via NBDP Terminal
•
Communication frequency
Working frequency used to call by telephone or NBDP. The sending station may have the
receiving station (ship or coast station) assign the frequency to use.
•
Position
Position can be automatically or manually input.
•
DSC frequency
DSC frequency to use. If the order of communications priority is SAFETY, URGENCY and
DISTRESS, select a DSC distress frequency.
•
End code
The end of a DSC message is denoted by ACK RQ (Acknowledge Request), ACK BQ
(Acknowledge Back) or EOS (End of Sequence).
1-2
Individual, PSTN, Test, Position, Polling, Relay Sel (specific coast station)
All Ships, Neutral, Medical, Relay All
Group
Area
Call