DSC for sure.
DSC "distress alerts", are simple "push of a button" transmissions. When you push the "Distress Button" on your DSC equipped radio, a preformatted distress alert is transmitted. Your MMSI number is encoded in the message allowing rescue agencies to obtain valuable information about you and your vessel.
If your radio is properly installed and coupled to a GPS unit, your vessel’s current position is automatically sent. When a DSC distress alert is sent, it will repeat itself every 3½ to 4½ minutes until it has been acknowledged. Your distress signal will also be picked up by other boats around you if they have a DSC equipped radio.
A Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a series of nine digits which are sent in digital form over a radio frequency channel in order to uniquely identify your boat. Emergency personnel know who you are, what your boat looks like, and where you are when responding to an emergency situation. In the US, we can register our radios and get a MMSI number at no cost.
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