What is a DSC controller?

A DSC controller is a unit that encodes and interprets DSC messages. In some radios this is built-in and in others it is an external ‘add-on’. DSC controllers have the facility to alert another vessel or rescue centre directly and exclusively to the fact that you want to talk, before opening voice communications in the normal manner, on the normal channels. In this respect, the system works rather like a pager with the recipient being alerted by an audio alarm, which has different sounds for routine and distress calls.

Most importantly, before putting out an urgency safety message you can digitally alert ‘all ship’'. Or before broadcasting a Mayday, in the time-honoured format, you can transmit a distress alert at the press of a red button, which will set off an alarm in ship and shore stations within radio range.

07/11/2003