aaronp said:
Does anyone do any decoding of the new digital data formats on Marine frequencies (for sending your coordinates in an emergency)?
Are there programs available to decode this stuff from a scanner?
Is it just straight ASCII??
Any info would be appreciated.
USCG Navcen website for HF-DSC:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/cgcomms/call.htm
USCG Navcen website for VHF-DSC, and GMDSS in general:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/dsc.htm
COAA sells a software/soundcard-run DSC decoder that uses the discriminator-tap output of a receiver to decode either VHF or HF Digital Selective Calling. Modification to the receiver is required, and instructions/links to perform this are on the COAA website:
http://www.coaa.co.uk/dscdecoder.htm
Of course if you have a marine radio made after 1998 it has DSC-capability. A marine radio will only receive calls made to ALL SHIP (Safety/Distress) or the unique registered Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of a particular radio in the case of ordinary DSC traffic. The software-run DSC Decoder however will read any DSC traffic that it's connected receiver captures.
Hope this helps.
Jack
