USCG Seeking Comments on Ceasing HF distress voice watch-keeping

[joehersey]

USCG is seeking comments on discontinuing HF voice watchkeeping as announced in the attached Federal Register.** Since DSC-equipped radios are uncommon (I think only the Icom M802 has that capability), the amateur radio HF maritime network frequency 14.300 MHz may be the best HF voice substitute for ships in distress.*

Current USCG HF watch keeping frequencies are posted on he Coast guard's Navigation Center (NAVCEN) website.
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Monitoring of Certain High Frequency Voice-Distress Frequencies
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to cease monitoring four, High Frequency (HF) voice distress frequencies within the contiguous United States and Hawaii because they are rarely used. We would continue to monitor HF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) distress alerting for all existing regions and voice distress and hailing from Kodiak, Alaska and Guam. We invite your comments on this proposed action.
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DATES: Comments must be submitted to the online docket on or before January 19, 2021.

Docket No. USCG–2020–0668
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[Brian.D]

Sounds like some engineers out there need to start building an off-line DSC programmable device that will plug into your radio. Maybe even software driven.

[goboatingnow]

Furuno has HF DSC as do several manufacturers of commercial Marine HF sets