1. ENS Jodie Knox, USCG Office of Search and Rescue (CG-534)

2. What is DSC? Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Digital transfer of information between radios Instantly sends an automatically formatted distress alert to the Coast Guard and other vessels nearby

3. Provides a non- experienced boater a one-touch button for distress Privately hails other DSC equipped vessels or shore stations* Decreases non- emergency radio traffic on emergency channels* Prevents missed distress calls with continuous transmission* Transmits Maritime Mobile Service Identities Transmits GPS location of caller* Notifies boater of a call and automatically switches to the channel caller is waiting on* What does DSC do?

4. How DSC Works DSC Alert Signal DSC Alert Signal Relayed Acknowledgment sent

5. Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSI) DSC radios MUST receive an MMSI to function properly Uniquely encoded nine digit number with vessel/owner’s information (like a phone number) Stores vessel information, owner, etc… Identifies and helps find boater in a distress situation Coast Guard maintains database for distress information retrieval Store other vessels MMSI’s into your radio (like a ‘contact list’) You have to know a boater’s MMSI to call them What is MMSI?

6. It is FREE Only takes a few minutes Once you obtain your MMSI, enter it into your DSC radio Some radios only give you two chances; however, a boater can obtain a manufacturer ‘re-set’ Getting a MMSI

7. BoatUS: http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/instruct.htm SeaTow: http://seatow.com/boating_safety/mmsi.asp U.S. Power Squadrons: http://www.usps4mmsi.com FCC Online Licensing System: (for international voyages) https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp U.S. Coast Guard Background on MMSI numbers: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/Gmdss/mmsi.htm Obtaining an MMSI

8. What can you do to help?

9. ENS Jodie Knox, USCG Office of Search and Rescue (CG-534)