Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

Introduction
DSC is, basically, a paging system that is used to automate distress alerts sent over terrestrial (ie: nonsatellite) VHF, MF and HF marine radio systems.
The DSC system's digital processing techniques, combined with the relatively narrow receiver
bandwidths used, provide a DSC signal with resistance to noise and fading over the radio path.
This results in increased range compared with radiotelephone transmissions.
Unfortunately, DSC remains one of the GMDSS' least understood sub-systems. This lack of
understanding is reflected in the very high DSC false alert rate.

DSC technical specification

The latest draft revision of the ITU DSC technical specification may be found here.
The document will display in "word for windows" format - the words in blue are the revised sections.

The major changes are:

More clearer definition of the DSC equipment Man Machine Interface;
Aural alarms for reception of HF distress messages, including relays, now sound only if the distress
position is within 500 nautical miles of the receiving ship's position (a very good idea...).

The ITU committee that has developed the revisions is soliciting input via member email
correspondence.
They are scheduled to meet again in Geneva after the IMO Comsar meeting in 2003. Due to the nature
of the ITU committee system, proposed revisions can only be communicated officially to the committee
via Government Radio Authorities, or national committees appointed by same.

Operations
DSC is used to establish initial contact between stations.
Following an alert by DSC, communications are normally carried out by radiotelephone or Narrow Band
Direct Printing (NBDP - radio telex).
DSC can be considered as a replacement for the radiotelephone and radiotelegraph (Morse) alarm
signals.
Rather than just indicate that the sending station is in distress, the DSC system allows a great deal more
information to be transmitted, including:

the priority of the call - DISTRESS, URGENCY, SAFETY or ROUTINE;

the address - ie: all ships or a single ship/station;
the identification of the ship in distress;
the position of the ship in distress; and

the nature of the distress.

DSC channels
The ITU has allocated a DSC distress and safety channel in the MF, each of the HF and the VHF marine
radio bands.
These are:

MF/HF DSC
DISTRESS AND SAFETY CHANNELS
2187.5 4207.5 6312.0 8414.5 12577.0 16804.5 (kHz)
VHF DSC
DISTRESS AND SAFETY CHANNEL
VHF marine channel 70
Note that voice transmissions are PROHIBITED on the DSC channels.
The MF/HF channels are restricted to distress, urgency and safety traffic only because of the relatively
low speeds of transmission of 100 baud. If too many calls were permitted on the MF/HF channels, the
channels would quickly become overloaded to the point where a distress call may be blocked.
VHF DSC operates at 12 times the speed of MF/HF - accordingly, all priorities of call are allowed on the
VHF channels.
The ITU has also allocated a suite of HF channels dedicated to DSC commercial operations. These may
be found in the ITU DSC operational specification (the link is at the bottom of this page).

DSC call categories

The DSC system supports a number of call categories. These categories mirror the standard maritime
prioritisation of message traffic, ie:
DISTRESS
URGENCY
SAFETY
ROUTINE

Distress alerts are automatically addressed to all stations.

Urgency, safety and routine calls can be addressed to all stations, an individual station, or a group of
stations.

Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSI)

All DSC equipment is programmed with a unique nine digit identification number, known as a Maritime
Mobile Service Identity (MMSI).
The MMSI is sent automatically with each and every DSC transmission made.

Maritime Identification Digits (MID)

The first three digits of the MMSI are known as the Maritime Identification Digits (MID). The MID
represents the country of registration of the vessel, or the country in which the DSC shore station is
located. MID's are allocated on an international basis by the ITU, in much the same way as a callsign
prefix.

Formation of MMSI's
MMSI's allocated to merchant vessels are normally allocated with three trailing zero's. Those allocated to
recreational craft have two or one trailing zero, and Coast Station MMSI's are formed with two leading
zero's.
For example:

Typical Australian merchant vessel MMSI- 503001000

where:
503 is the Australian MID;
and
01000 is the individual ship number

Typical Australian recreational vessel MMSI - 503000100

where:
503 is the Australian MID;
and
000100 is the individual ship number

Coast Station MMSI - 005030001

where:
503 is the Australian MID; and
0001 is the individual Coast Station number
The ITU operate an international web-based data base of MMSI's, known as the Maritime Mobile Access

and Retrieval System (MARS).

View: MID List | Australian MMSI List

Download (doc format): MID List | Australian MMSI List

DSC equipment
GMDSS DSC equipment is normally comprised of a stand alone control unit, with an alpha-numeric
display screen and a keyboard on which to compose messages.

Typical VHF DSC controller - note display screen and keyboard.

The control unit controls the actions of the DSC modem (modulator demodulator). The modem is
interfaced to a DSC watchkeeping receiver - this receiver is fixed tuned to either the VHF DSC channel
(ch. 70), the 2 MHz DSC channel, or the HF DSC channels.
HF DSC watchkeeping receivers are designed to scan the 6 MF/HF DSC channels in rapid sequence (2
seconds or less).
DSC watchkeeping receivers are fitted with their own dedicated antennas.
The DSC modem decodes all calls on the frequency to which the watchkeeping receiver is tuned. If calls
are received addressed to all ships, or to the particular ship on which the DSC system is fitted, the DSC
controller sounds an alarm, and displays the decoded information on the alpha-numeric display.

MF/HF DSC operator control unit and modem(s)

The DSC modem is also connected to an associated MF/HF or VHF transceiver to allow the
transmission of DSC calls.
To transmit a DSC call, a GMDSS operator enters the required commands to identify the station (or
stations) with which communication is desired, the priority (DISTRESS, URGENT, SAFETY or

ROUTINE) and the purpose of the call.

Once the call is composed, the CALL button is pressed on the DSC controller, and the information is
sent to the associated transmitter for transmission.
All DSC systems provide complete remote control of the associated transmitter - the selected DSC
frequency information is fed to the transmitter over a serial control link from the DSC controller.
The whole process is automated - the DSC system instructs the transmitter to change to the required
DSC channel, the transmitter changes channel and (in the case of MF/HF systems) tunes its antenna
system. The transmitter then signals a ready command to the DSC controller, which sends the
information for broadcasting. The entire process takes only 3 to 5 seconds.
DSC controllers are also required to be interfaced to GPS receivers for automatic updating of position
and time information. This information is automatically included in distress calls.
DSC controllers are also required to be equipped with a DISTRESS button, which allows the
transmission of a distress call with minimum delay. The button is required to be protected by a cover,
and also can only be activated after "2 separate and independent actions".

Distress button at upper left

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
The official guide to DSC procedures is contained in ITU recommendation ITU-R M.541-8.
The complete text of the recommendation may be found here.

IMO DSC flow charts

The IMO have (finally) issued flow charts to provide guidance to users of DSC systems:
(These files require Adobe Acrobat reader - get acrobat reader)
IMO flow chart - Actions on receipt of a VHF DSC call
IMO flow chart - Actions on receipt of a MF DSC call
IMO flow chart - Actions on receipt of a HF DSC call.