Letters

Red button on the radio

I really enjoyed your article about making the most of the DSC functions available in many modern VHF radios (PBO February 2020) but the headline stretches the truth slightly since you’re not really testing the DSC Distress Alert button – more the DSC function of the set. That’s not a bad thing since at least you then know the DSC is working should you ever have to press the Distress button.

However, you forgot to mention that perhaps the easiest way to check DSC is working is simply by making an individual/routine DSC call to another station. This could be done as a radio check but using DSC to make the initial contact instead of a voice call on Ch16. Of course,