Is the DSC on Your Boat's VHF Activated?

By Sailingguide

Lots of sailors have recently new VHF radios on their boats (or maybe you recently got one as a gift and anticipate installing it this spring) that have DSC capability - but they never get around to activating the DSC function, leaving that critical feature worthless. Digital Selective Calling, especially when your radio is connected to a GPS, can save your life in an emergency. Far too often, when a boater has to make a mayday radio call, the voice communication is weak or disrupted - or the skipper has to drop the mic to rescue someone or save the boat - and the Coast Guard never learns the boat's location, greatly delaying or preventing rescue. Learn how to activate your radio's DSC so that it takes only a simple push of a button to get help on its way in an emergency.