Australia's first purpose-built VHF DSC marine station

Australian and New Zealand specialist marine communications companies Dunstan and Associates and TransOceana have commissioned a VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) marine radio station at the Australian Volunteer Coastguard base at Sandringham, Victoria.

Dunstan and Associates Director Glenn Dunstan said that this is Australia’s first fully featured, purpose-built VHF DSC marine radio station, providing automatic distress and safety services on VHF marine channel 70 for vessels operating in Port Phillip Bay.

DSC is an integral part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) - the world’s standard marine radio distress network.

Most new models of VHF marine radio sold in Australia are equipped with DSC. If an operator is in distress, with the push of one button, the position and nature of the distress is broadcast to all ships and shore stations in range.

The station’s DSC identity number (MMSI) is 005030126.

More information on DSC may be found on the web at www.vhf-dsc.info.