When do you have your VHF switched on?

[ash]

Thinking on from Sahona's recent mishap during the night. I'm sure that there were plenty of boats around, but they would have have no idea of Sahona's dilemma if they were in their bunks with the VHF switched off.

We have a non DSC and it get switched off when we go to bed.

Can a DSC be set to be quiet unless it in range of an alert or a mmsi ping, so could be left on all night?

Ash

[Nick]

.
We switch off most evenings - not as soon as we anchor up, but at some random point.

[NorthUp2]

Can a DSC be set to be quiet unless it in range of an alert or a mmsi ping, so could be left on all night?

Yes, just leave it switched on with the volume control at minimum.

[Telo]

Can a DSC be set to be quiet unless it in range of an alert or a mmsi ping, so could be left on all night?

You may turn down the traffic speaker volume, but, as far as I know, the DSC alert volume cannot be adjusted; ours certainly cannot. That could be a problem for you and others in an anchorage as it is unlikely (OK, but not completely impossible) that the DSC will be immediately relevant to you or your neighbours.

[Arghiro]

I use it on passage - generally. But as I am often solo & cannot hear or respond if on the helm, sometimes I don't bother. Occasionally I will have it on at anchor oe even aground if I think there may be a forecast or a mate around somewhere.

But the airwaves are generally pretty quiet apart from Ch 0 which seems to be constantly invoked on exercises & the odd ship calling for pilotage into Liverpool.

[sahona]

We put ours off - and it's associated GPS unit (for DSC data) because of the power implication, at night.
The alarm isn't ignorable, which is right and proper, so if you want to leave it on all night, you have to be prepared to accept alarms from areas outwith your circle of influence - but, there again, you could possibly be the difference.....
As for the OP, I don't think any boat within reasonable distance would have had a 4" pump available at 0600... or any time of day.
Ye canny beat the fire-brigade for speedy response!

[ubergeekian]

I switch the VHF on if I want to use it, either to transmit or to listen to a weather broadcast. I can't hear or use it at the helm and I don't waste battery capacity on it when I'm anchored or moored.

[mm5aho]

The current draw on most VHF sets while receiving only is very small. Probably a fraction of your masthead anchor light.

I turn mine off at night so that chatter doesn't wake me up. I don't fancy getting the coastguard forecast in the small hours!

[ubergeekian]

The current draw on most VHF sets while receiving only is very small. Probably a fraction of your masthead anchor light.

My ... what?

Hurricane lamp at the crosstrees, that's me!

[mm5aho]

"Hurricane lamp at the crosstrees, that's me!"

Surely a VHF set will use less parafin than a Hurricane Lamp too. They're very economical!

[ash]

I don't fancy getting the coastguard forecast in the small hours!

If I wake up in the earlyish hours, then I will sometimes get up, switch the VHF on and set to ch 86 and go back to my bunk to be re awakened by the 08.10 forecast.

Ash

[mm5aho]

I usually have to turn up the volume to hear the 0810 forecast, to hear it over the noise of sailing!
Its the ones in the small hours that might wake me. (0210, 0510).