McMurdo F1 DSC Marine VHF Radio with DSC Installation Manual
Introduction McMurdo McMurdo has supplied the maritime market for many years with communication products of high quality and excellent design, and considers it of utmost importance that all products are safe and easy to operate. The product The McMurdo F1 DSC VHF Radiotelephone (radio transceiver) is designed to meet the high quality standard required for a product that plays an important role in the safety of the ship and its crew.
Maintenance The F1 DSC Radiotelephone is an essential part of the ship’s emergency system. As the radio is a vital component for the safety of the ship and its crew it is very important to maintain the radio and its installation to a very high standard. The design of the radio ensures that maintenance can be kept to a minimum, however it is good practice to perform a functional check at least once every month. This functional check is described in this manual and takes only a few minutes to carry out.
Installing and Using the Transceiver Safely Installation WARNING: Do not connect the transceiver to a mains (line) AC electrical supply, as an electric shock or fire hazard could result. CAUTION: Do not connect the transceiver to a DC supply exceeding 16V or reverse the supply polarity. Damage to the transceiver can result. CAUTION: Do not bypass the power cable inline fuse (such as cutting the cable shorter). CAUTION: The transceiver is designed for operation in the temperature range –15°C to +55°C.
Radio Frequency Exposure Warning To meet the current requirements for Radio Frequency Exposure it is necessary to install the antenna mast correctly and operate the equipment according to the instructions. WARNING: The antenna mast must be mounted at a minimum distance (vertical separation) of 3 metres from the head of any person standing on deck to meet international safety directives on Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) / Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).
Contents Installing the MMSI number................................................................1 Applying for a MMSI number ................................................................................ 1 How to install the MMSI number ........................................................................... 1 Mounting options ................................................................................3 Introduction ...............................................................................
Installing the MMSI number To ensure full performance of the F1 DSC Radiotelephone it is essential that the MMSI number is installed in the radio. WARNING: If no MMSI number is installed the radio will be unable to transmit a DSC call including the transmission of a DSC distress alert. Applying for a MMSI number It is necessary to apply for a radio licence and a MMSI number to the national authority, which in most cases has a standard form to be completed.
IMPORTANT: If the wrong MMSI number has been entered, it is possible to re-enter (correct) the MMSI number once more only. However, after one hour from the time of entering the first MMSI number the radio will inhibit changing the MMSI number. If this happens, the radio must be returned to McMurdo (via the supplier) for reprogramming to allow entering another MMSI number.
Mounting options Introduction To ensure high performance of the F1 DSC Radiotelephone it is very important that the installation guidelines described in this book are followed. When installed make sure the radio is fixed to a solid surface. The mounting surface to which the radio is fixed must be as solid and as free of vibrations from the ship's engine or other vibration generating sources as possible.
Tabletop or ceiling installation The F1 DSC Radiotelephone can be mounted on top of a table or on the ceiling. The supplied bracket is used to mount the radio in these positions. The mounting bracket is supplied with 6 installation screws; it is recommended to use all 6 screws. (See ‘Drilling guides; on page 9.) Before the bracket is fixed to the table or the ceiling make sure that there will be enough room for the radio and the cables. The main dimensions are shown in the figures below.
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Bulkhead or panel mounting For bulkhead or panel mounting of the F1 DSC Radiotelephone two mounting kits are available: a flush mounting kit and a simple bulkhead/panel mounting kit. Flush mount kit (kit number 84-412) The flush mounting kit when installed properly provides a watertight installation of the radio in a bulkhead or instrument panel.
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Bulkhead and instrument panel mounting kit (kit number 84-413) Use of the bulkhead and instrument panel mounting kit is a simple way to build in the F1 DSC Radiotelephone. Screws are provided with this mounting kit. Before the hole is cut in the bulkhead or the instrument panel, make sure that the space behind the bulkhead or instrument panel is sufficient to accommodate the radio and connecting cables. The dimensions of the required space are shown in the illustrations below.
Drilling guides Table top bracket drilling guide Page 9
Flush mount kit cutting guide Bulkhead and instrument panel mount kit cutting guide A full size template is provided with each mount kit.
Electrical connections It is recommended that this guideline for electrical connection of the F1 DSC Radiotelephone is followed as carefully as possible. A careless installation is likely to degrade performance of the radio and cause difficulties for the operator. Most radio installations will be undisturbed for many years so it is therefore important that the materials chosen are suitable for use onboard ship where they will be in contact with the harsh environment onboard.
Table 1 Supply 12 VDC 12 VDC Page 12 Recommended wire size for connection of power supply From Battery Battery To F1 DSC F1 DSC Wire mm2 2.5 5.0 Maximum length 1.5m 3.
Connection of external loudspeaker An external loudspeaker may be connected to the F1 DSC Radiotelephone. The external speaker is connected to the two wires in the power plug intended for this use. If it is necessary to extend the wires to the external loudspeaker, wire dimensions as specified should be used. Table 2 Speaker 4 ohm 4 ohm Recommended wire size for connection of external speaker From F1 DSC F1 DSC To Speaker Speaker Wire mm2 0.75 1.5 Maximum length 3.0m 6.
Connection of GPS for position information The position information used in the DSC distress message can be entered manually from the keyboard, but to ensure that the position information is valid at all times a GPS can be connected to the radio. The information transmitted from a GPS uses a standard interface, designated NMEA 0183. The F1 DSC Radiotelephone can be connected to this GPS interface directly via the two wires to the 15 pin D-sub connector.
Connection of fist mike to the rear D-sub connector (socket) When the flush mounting kit is used for bulkhead or instrument panel installation of the F1 DSC Radiotelephone it is necessary to connect the fist mike to the D-sub connector at the rear of the radio. A wire loom is provided to connect the fist mike to the rear of the radio. The illustration below shows how this loom is connected.
Connection of fist mike to the D-sub plug If for a particular installation the attachment of the fist mike to the front of the radio is inconvenient, the mike can be connected to the D-sub connector at the rear of the radio, as shown. Table 6 Connection of fist mike to D-sub connector FISTMIC REAR CONN.
Connection of antenna The antenna and the antenna cable are a very important part of the radio installation and it is therefore very important to use good quality materials. The antenna must be marked as a VHF antenna covering at least the frequency band from 153MHz to 163MHz. VHF antennas for use on leisure ships typically have 0dB or 3dB gain (although specialised antennas may have gains as high as 9dB).
Table 4 Coax cable signal losses Typical cable losses for two common types of coaxial cable. Cable type RG 58 RG 214 Cable loss per meter for VHF channels 2.0 dB/10 meter cable 0.8 dB/10 meter cable Line of sight As a general rule the VHF communication range is the same as the line of sight distance, which means that the receiver antenna must be able to see the transmitter antenna. Line of sight depends on eye height above water level of the transmitter and of the receiver.
Performance check To make sure that the radio performance is satisfactory, it is advisable to carry out a performance check of the radio installation at regular intervals. • Installation, cables, connectors and antenna should be visually inspected at least once a year. • A performance check as detailed below should be carried out at least every month. • A performance check as given below should be carried out after installation or repair. Performance check 1. Turn the radio on. 2.
Technical Specifications The McMurdo F1 DSC Radiotelephone conforms to all relevant international requirements agreed for a VHF DSC class D radiotelephone by ETSI, IEC, ITU and IMO. These specifications include ETSI 301 025, IEC 62238, IEC 60945, ITU-R M.493-10 and ITU-R M.
Transmitter RF output power Adjacent ch. power Spurious radiation Cabinet radiation AF response Signal/noise ratio DSC Facilities DSC operation DSC protocol Navigator interface Symbol error rate Modulation Frequency error Residual DSC-mod. High 25W +0dB, –2dB Low 1W +0dB, –3dB < 70dBc < 0.25mW < 0.25mW +6dB/octave > 40dB According to Rec. ITU-R M.541-8 According to Rec. ITU-R M.
McMurdo Limited Product Warranty Subject to the provisions set out below McMurdo Limited warrants that this product will be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 24 months from the date of purchase.
Declaration of Conformity Page 23
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FCC Compliance Statement This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. 2. This device may not cause harmful interference, and this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Record Serial No.: MMSI: Date of Purchase: Dealer Stamp McMurdo Ltd Silver Point Airport Service Road Portsmouth Hampshire United Kingdom PO3 5PB A member of Chemring Group PLC www.mcmurdo.co.
