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Navagear brings us info on Standard’s new floating handheld VHF:

Standard Horizon HX850S VHF/GPS DSC Floating RadioNot that I spend a lot of waking OR sleeping hours dreaming about handheld VHF radios, mind you. Still, this thing is pretty dang cool.

Behold the Standard Horizon HX850S VHF/GPS DSC Floating Submersible Radio. I’d link to the manufacturer’s site, but there isn’t any info about this model up there yet?!

Apparently, there’s actually a good reason for this. After berating Standard-Horizon for their lack of a press release about this new product, Panbo learned that Standard-Horizon is still awaiting final FCC certification for the product. Oh golly, not another cool product in limbo because of the FCC!!

Thanks Tim.

Kurt Schwehr, UNH Professor and author of Kurt’s weblog point us to this quick tip;

Fred Pot pointed me to the ability of an AIS device to assist in making a VHF DSC call. Nice!

6.10 Making a DSC Call (In map mode)

To make a DSC call, the unit must be connected to a SimNet compatible

DSC VHF radio.

.

In Display Mode highlight a vessel icon then press and hold the

HOME/DSC key, the AI50 will format a Routine Individual DSC call.  A

"Creating DSC Call" window opens showing the MMSI number and name of

the vessel you intend to call.

.

If this is correct and you wish to continue, press Ret MENU or > to

send the call. The "Routine DSC Call" window opens confirming that the

call has been created and sent to the VHF radio.

Read the full post HERE.