New VHF with GPS and DSC

Horizon is now making a VHF with both GPS and DSC. Has anyone tried one and any thoughts about the usefulness of the GPS and DSC ability all in one unit. If reliable I may consider one.



Thanks

HX850S Floating 6W Handheld VHF with Integral GPS



link



http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/308977/377%20710%201398/712/vhf/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/Most%20Popular|1?N=377%20710%201398&Ne=712&Ntt=vhf&Ntk=Primary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=Most%20Popular|1&keyword=vhf&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5003&subdeptNum=3&classNum=542

Interesting
Tiny URL’d link here for those who don’t want to cut and paste:



http://tinyurl.com/nm2fwj



Interested to see how this one reviews.

DSC
I am not familiar with DSC. If I am reading right, basically you push a button and it sends your GPS coordinates over the radio? Are they sent as some signal that a machine needs to decode? Or are they converted to a human voice such that other boaters can hear them?

DSC
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/MARCOMMS/gmdss/dsc.htm

looks great!
DSC has been standard on fixed-mount radios for a few years now, and promises to be a real improvement over voice-transmitted distress calls as the radios are phased in.



A DSC radio has to be connected to a GPS reciever (or have one inside the radio). When you press the DSC distress button, a digital message is sent to any radios within range, displaying your coordinates on those radios’ screens. So instead of trying to read your position from a pitching kayak, and be heard correctly, you can now just press a button to transmit that vital information to any vessels in the area, and the CG.