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Lowrance Link-2 DSC VHFGPS Link-2 User Guide - EN - Page 47

Sending and Receiving DSC Calls

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Section 5 - Sending and Receiving DSC Calls 5-1 What is DSC? DSC (Digital Selective Calling) is a semi-automated method of establishing VHF, MF, and HF radio calls. It has been designated as an international standard by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) and is part of the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System). Currently, you are required to monitor Distress Channel 16, but DSC will eventually replace listening watches on distress frequencies and will be used to broadcast routine and urgent maritime safety information. DSC enables you to send and receive calls from any vessel or coast station that is equipped with DSC functionality and within geographic range. Calls can be categorised as distress, urgency, safety, or routine, and DSC selects a working channel automatically. 5-1-1 Maritime mobile service identity An MMSI is a nine-digit number used on Marine Transceiver capable of using Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone number to selectively call other vessels. 5-1-2 How can I obtain a MMSI number? You must obtain a user MMSI (Marine Mobile Service Identity) and enter it into your Link2 in order to use the DSC functions. Contact the appropriate authorities in your country. If you are unsure who to contact, consult your Lowrance dealer. The user MMSI is a unique nine digit number, similar to a personal telephone number. It is used on marine transceivers that are capable of using DSC (Digital Select Calling). Depending upon your location, you may need a radio station license for the Link-2 . You may also need an individual operator's license. Lowrance recommends that you check the requirements of your national radio communications authorities before operating DSC functions. WARNING This radio is designed to generate a digital maritime distress and safety call to facilitate search and rescue. To be effective as a safety device, this equipment must be used only within communication range of a shore - based VHF marine channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The range of signal may vary but under normal conditions should be approximately 10 nautical miles. Quickly press the CALL/MENU key to display the DSC CALL menu. You can then select the DSC call type to send. The channel remains unchanged and allows normal Tx operation. Lowrance - Link-2 Installation and Operation Instructions 47

Section	Page
Safety and operational information	7
Important	8
Safety Information	8
Section 1 - General information	9
Section 2 - Controls and keys	10
2-1 Keys/Controls and functions	11
2-1-1 Use of Softkeys in this radio	13
2-1-2 DSC Softkeys	14
Section 3 - Operating the radio	15
3-1 Power On/Off	15
3-2 Adjusting the Squelch level	15
3-3 Volume control	15
3-4 Channel selection	16
3-5 Receiving and transmitting	16
3-6 Dual Watch operation	17
3-7 3CH operation (Favorite Channel)	17
3-7-1 Add a favorite channel for the first time	17
3-7-2 Modify or delete favorite channel	17
3-8 Scan Operation	18
3-9 Navigation mode	18
3-10 WP select mode	19
3-11 Plotter mode	19
3-12 GPS satellite mode	20
Section 4 - Advanced setup	21
4-1 Waypoint	22
4-1-1 Add a new waypoint	22
4-1-2 Edit a waypoint	23
4-1-3 Delete a waypoint	24
4-1-4 Set a route to a stored waypoint	24
4-2 Backlight adjustment	25
4-3 Lamp timer	25
4-4 Buddy list (Manage your buddy list)	26
4-4-1 Add a new buddy name	26
4-4-2 Edit a buddy name	27
4-4-3 Delete a buddy name	27
4-5 Contrast adjustment	28
4-6 GPS/DATA	28
4-6-1 Manual (Manually enter your position and UTC time)	29
4-6-2 Settings: LL display (Show or hide your position)	29
4-6-3 Settings: Time display (Show or hide the time)	30
4-6-4 Time offset (Local time)	30
4-6-5 Settings: Time format (12 or 24 hour clock)	31
4-6-6 Settings: COG/SOG (Course & speed display options)	32
4-6-7 GPS alert	32
4-6-8 Turn GPS ENABLE on/off	33
4-6-9 Set Magnetic Variation (MAG VAR)	33
4-7 Radio setup	34
4-7-1 Channel Bank selection (UIC)	34
4-7-2 Channel name editing (CH NAME)	34
4-7-3 Ring volume adjustment (RING VOLUME)	35
4-7-4 Beep volume adjustment (KEY BEEP)	35
4-7-5 Select unit (UNITS)	35
4-7-6 Set the Priority channel (WATCH MODE)	36
4-7-7 Weather alerts (WX ALERT)	36
4-7-8 Set NMEA output (NMEA OUT)	36
4-7-9 Favorite Channel Setup (FAV CH SETUP)	37
4-8 DSC setup	38
4-8-1 Enter or check your user MMSI (USER MMSI)	38
4-8-2 Maintain groups (GROUP SETUP)	39
4-8-2-1 Enter your groups	39
4-8-2-2 Edit groups	40
4-8-2-3 Delete a group	40
4-8-3 Response to individual calls (INDIV REPLY)	41
4-8-4 Enable DSC functionality (DSC SELECT)	41
4-8-5 Response type to LL polling calls (LL REPLY)	42
4-8-6 Automatic Channel switching (AUTO SWITCH)	42
4-8-7 DSC Test Reply (TEST REPLY)	43
4-8-8 Set the inactivity timer (TIMEOUT)	43
4-9 ATIS SETUP (EU only)	44
4-9-1 Enter or check your ATIS MMSI (ATIS MMSI)	44
4-9-2 Enable ATIS functionality (ATIS SELECT)	45
4-10 Get Buddy	45
4-11 Track log	46
4-12 Erase track	46
4-13 Reset (Reset to factory defaults)	46
Section 5 - Sending and Receiving DSC Calls	47
5-1 What is DSC?	47
5-1-1 Maritime mobile service identity	47
5-1-2 How can I obtain a MMSI number?	47
5-2 DSC call types	48
5-3 Send an Individual call (INDIVIDUAL)	49
5-3-1 Call to a Buddy	49
5-3-2 Call to others	49
5-4 Reply to the Last Call (LAST CALL)	50
5-5 Send a Group call (GROUP)	50
5-6 Send an All Ships call (ALL SHIPS)	51
5-7 Send using the Call Log (CALL LOG)	51
5-8 Send using the Distress Log (DISTRESS LOG)	52
5-9 Request the LL position of a buddy (LL REQUEST)	53
5-10 Track your buddy request (TRACK BUDDY)	53
5-10-1 Add or delete a buddy (TRACKLIST)	53
5-10-2 Select your TRACK BUDDY	54
5-10-3 Set the time interval of tracking	54
5-10-4 Start tracking	55
5-11 Make a DSC test call (DSC TEST)	55
5-11-1 Send a DSC TEST call	55
5-11-2 Receiving an incoming DSC TEST call reply (DSC TEST ACK)	56
5-11-3 Acknowledging an incoming DSC TEST call	56
5-12 View User MMSI and GPS information	56
5-13 Receiving DSC Calls	57
5-14 Receiving an All Ships Call (ALL SHIPS)	57
5-15 Receiving an Individual Call (INDIV)	58
5-16 Receiving a Group Call (GROUP)	58
5-17 Receiving a Geographic Area Call (GEOGRAPH)	59
5-18 Receiving a Polled Position Call (POSITION)	59
Section 6 - Distress calls	60
6-1 Send a Distress call	60
6-2 Receiving a Distress Call (DISTRESS!)	62
6-3 Distress Acknowledgement (DISTRESS ACK) or Distress Relay All Ships (DISTRESS REL)	62
6-4 Distress Relay Individual (INDIV DISTR RELAY)	63
Section 7 - Installation Instructions	64
7-1 Batteries and charger	64
7-1-1 Installing the battery pack	64
7-1-2 Initial charge	64
7-1-3 GPS connector	65
7-1-4 Battery charger operation	66
7-1-5 Mounting battery charger to flat surface	66
7-1-6 Mounting battery charger and bracket onto wall	66
7-2 Installing the belt clip	67
7-3 Installing and removing the antenna	68
Appendix A - Technical specifications	69
Appendix B - US & ROW VHF Marine Channel Charts	71
B-1 International Channel Chart	71
Special Notes on International Channel Usage	72
B-2 USA Channel Chart	73
Special Notes on USA Channel Usage	74
B-3 CANADA Channel Chart	75
Special Notes on Canada Channel Usage	76
B-4 US & Canada WEATHER Channels	77
B-5 EAS (Emergency Alert Systems) Alerts	78
Appendix C - EU VHF Marine Channel Charts	80
C-1 EU International Channel Chart	80
Special Notes on EU International Channel Usage	81
C-2 Inland Waterways Country Specific table - ATIS ON	82
C-3 Special Channels	85

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Lowrance - Link-2 Installation and Operation Instructions

Section 5 - Sending and Receiving DSC Calls

5-1

What is DSC?

DSC (Digital Selective Calling) is a semi-automated method of establishing VHF, MF, and HF ra-

dio calls. It has been designated as an international standard by the IMO (International Maritime

Organization) and is part of the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System).

Currently, you are required to monitor Distress Channel 16, but DSC will eventually replace

listening watches on distress frequencies and will be used to broadcast routine and urgent

maritime safety information.

DSC enables you to send and receive calls from any vessel or coast station that is equipped with

DSC functionality and within geographic range. Calls can be categorised as distress, urgency,

safety, or routine, and DSC selects a working channel automatically.

5-1-1 Maritime mobile service identity

An MMSI is a nine-digit number used on Marine Transceiver capable of using Digital

Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone number to selectively call

other vessels.

5-1-2 How can I obtain a MMSI number?

You must obtain a user MMSI (Marine Mobile Service Identity) and enter it into your Link-

in order to use the DSC functions. Contact the appropriate authorities in your country.

If you are unsure who to contact, consult your Lowrance dealer.

The user MMSI is a unique nine digit number, similar to a personal telephone number. It is

used on marine transceivers that are capable of using DSC (Digital Select Calling).

Depending upon your location, you may need a radio station license for the Link-2 . You

may also need an individual operator’s license.

Lowrance recommends that you check the requirements of your national radio

communications authorities before operating DSC functions.

WARNING

This radio is designed to generate a digital maritime distress and safety call to

facilitate search and rescue. To be eﬀective as a safety device, this equipment must

be used only within communication range of a shore – based VHF marine channel

70 distress and safety watch system. The range of signal may vary but under normal

conditions should be approximately 10 nautical miles.

Quickly press the CALL/MENU key to display the DSC CALL menu. You can then select

the DSC call type to send. The channel remains unchanged and allows normal Tx

operation.