Standard HORIZON GX1255S User Guide

QUEST GX1255S

25 Watt VHF/FM

Marine Transceiver

Owner's Manual

l RTCM SC-101 DSC Distress call with your exact posi-

tion when connected to a GPS

l Compact and Simple Operation
l 3 year waterproof warranty
l Backlit Keypad and LCD displays latitude/longitude

when connected to a GPS

l Channel Name, GPS Time or GPS Position Repeating

shown on the display

l NOAA Weather Alert
l One-button access to Channel 16 and 9
l Access to all US, Canadian and International Channels
l Versatile User-programmable Scan, Priority Scan and

Dual Watch

l Microphone with Channel Slection.

GX1255S

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY/WARNING INFORMATION ........................................................... 2

FCC RADIO LICENSE INFORMATION .......................................................3

STATION LICENSE..................................................................................................................................

RADIO CALL SIGN .................................................................................................................................

CANADIAN SHIP STATION LICENSING .............................................................................................

FCC NOTICE ................................................................................................. 4

1 GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................... 5

1.1 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................

1.2 FCC/INDUSTRY CANADA INFORMATION ..................................................................................

2 ACCESSORIES ....................................................................................... 6

2.1 PACKING LIST .................................................................................................................................

2.2 OPTIONS ...........................................................................................................................................

3 INSTALLATION ....................................................................................... 7

3.1 LOCATION .........................................................................................................................................

3.2 ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS .......................................................................................................

3.3 ACCESSORY CABLE ......................................................................................................................

3.4 OPTIONAL CMB16 FLUSH MOUNT INSTALLATION .................................................................

4 CONTROLS AND INDICATORS .......................................................... 10

4.1 CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS .............................................................................................

5 BASIC OPERATION..............................................................................15

5.1 RECEPTION ...................................................................................................................................

5.2 TRANSMISSION.............................................................................................................................

5.3 TRANSMIT TIME-OUT TIMER (TOT) .........................................................................................

5.4 SIMPLEX/DUPLEX CHANNEL USE ...........................................................................................

5.5 USA, CANADA, AND INTERNATIONAL MODE .........................................................................

5.6 NOAA WEATHER CHANNELS ...................................................................................................

5.7 NOAA WEATHER ALERT ............................................................................................................

5.8 MEMORY SCANNING (M-SCAN) ................................................................................................

5.9 PRIORITY SCANNING (P-SCAN) ................................................................................................

5.10 POSITION INDICATION .............................................................................................................

5.11 TIME INDICATION .......................................................................................................................

5.12 RESETTING THE TRANSCEIVER’S MICROPROCESSOR .................................................

6 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING .......................................................... 20

6.1 GENERAL .......................................................................................................................................

6.1.1 Digital Selective Calling (DSC) .................................................................................................

6.1.2 Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) ................................................................................

6.2 SENDING A DISTRESS CALL ...................................................................................................

6.3 SENDING AN INDIVIDUAL CALL ..............................................................................................

6.4 SENDING AN ALL SHIPS CALL ...............................................................................................

6.5 RECEIVING DSC CALLS ............................................................................................................

6.5.1 Receiving a distress call ..........................................................................................................

6.5.2 Receiving a distress relay call ................................................................................................

6.5.3 Receiving an all ships call .......................................................................................................

6.5.4 Receiving a geographical area call ........................................................................................

6.5.5 Receiving an individual call ......................................................................................................

6.5.6 Receiving a position request ...................................................................................................

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GX1255S

TABLE OF CONTENTS

7 DSC / RADIO SETUP MODE ............................................................... 28

7.1 LAMP ADJUSTING ........................................................................................................................

7.2 LCD CONTRAST ADJUSTING ....................................................................................................

7.3 KEY BEEP (ON OR OFF) .............................................................................................................

7.4 WEATHER ALERT (ON OR OFF) ................................................................................................

7.5 CHANNEL NAME CHANGE ........................................................................................................

7.6 TIME OFFSET ...............................................................................................................................

7.7 INDIVIDUAL DIRECTORY SETUP (DSC) .................................................................................

7.8 INDIVIDUAL REPLY ......................................................................................................................

7.9 INDIVIDUAL ACK ..........................................................................................................................

7.10 INDIVIDUAL RING ......................................................................................................................

7.11 POSITION REQUEST REPLY ...................................................................................................

7.12 DSC SCANNING .........................................................................................................................

7.13 USER MMSI INPUT ....................................................................................................................

8 OPERATING PRACTICES.................................................................... 37

8.1 EMERGENCY (CHANNEL 16 USE) .............................................................................................

8.2 CALLING ANOTHER VESSEL (CHANNEL 16 OR 9) ................................................................

8.3 MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS ...................................................................................................

8.4 OPERATING ON CHANNELS 13 AND 67 ..............................................................................

8.5 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS .............................................................................................

8.6 NOAA WEATHER ALERT TESTING ..........................................................................................

8.7 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) ......................................................................................

8.7.1 USCG DSC Watch ....................................................................................................................

8.8 MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE IDENTITY (MMSI) ...................................................................

8.8.1 What is a MMSI? ......................................................................................................................

8.9 USING DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING FEATURES ..............................................................

8.9.1 Distress Call ................................................................................................................................

8.9.2 Individual Call .............................................................................................................................

8.9.3 Urgency Call ...............................................................................................................................

8.9.4 Safety Call ...................................................................................................................................

8.10 ADDITIONAL DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING INFORMATION ...........................................

8.11 ABOUT VHF RADIO ...................................................................................................................

8.12 SELECTING AN ANTENNA ........................................................................................................

8.13 COAXIAL CABLE ........................................................................................................................

9 MAINTENANCE..................................................................................... 43

9.1 REPLACEMENT PARTS ...............................................................................................................

9.2 FACTORY SERVICE .....................................................................................................................

9.3 TROUBLESHOOTING CHART ....................................................................................................

9.4 CONNECTION OF GPS WITH NMEA OUTPUT .....................................................................

10 CHANNEL ASSIGNMENTS.................................................................. 47

11 WARRANTY ........................................................................................... 51

12 SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................. 55

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GX1255S Page 1

Safety/Warning Information

This radio is restricted to occupational use, work related operations only
where the radio operator must have the knowledge to control the exposure
conditions of its passengers and bystanders by maintaining the minimum
separation distance of 0.6 m (2 feet).

Failure to observe these restrictions will result in exceeding the FCC RF
exposure limits.

Antenna Installation:

The antenna must be located at least 0.6 m (2 feet) away from passengers
in order to comply with the FCC RF exposure requirements.

For roof top installation, the antenna must be placed in the center of the
roof.

ON-LINE WARRANTY REGISTRATION

Please visit www.standardhorizon.com to register the QUEST Marine
VHF. It should be noted that visiting the Web site from time to time may
be beneficial to you, as new products are released they will appear on
the STANDARD HORIZON Web site.

PRODUCT SUPPORT INQUIRIES

If you have any questions or comments regarding the use of the QUEST,
you can visit the STANDARD HORIZON Web site to send an E-Mail or
contact the Product Support team at 800-767-2450 M-F 7:00-5:00PST.

GX1255SPage 2

FCC RADIO LICENSE INFORMATION

Standard Horizon radios comply with the Federal Communication Commis­sion (FCC) requirements that regulate the Maritime Radio Service.

STATION LICENSE

An FCC ship station license is no longer required for any vessel traveling in
U.S. waters which is under 20 meters in length. However, any vessel re­quired to carry a marine radio on an international voyage, carrying a HF
single side band radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal is required to
have a ship station license. FCC license forms, including applications for
ship (506) and land station licenses can be downloaded via the Internet at
www.fcc.gov/forms. To obtain a form from the FCC, call [phone].

RADIO CALL SIGN

Currently the FCC does not require recreational boaters to have a Ship Radio
Station License. The USCG recommends the boats registration number and
the state to be used.

CANADIAN SHIP STATION LICENSING

You may need a license when traveling in Canada.. If you do need a license
contact their nearest field office or regional office or write:

Industry Canada

Radio Regulatory Branch
Attn: DOSP
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, KIA 0C8

GX1255S Page 3

FCC NOTICE

NOTICE

Unauthorized changes or modifications to this equipment may void com­pliance with FCC Rules. Any change or modification must be approved
in writing by STANDARD HORIZON.

NOTICE

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be de­termined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.

- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

GX1255SPage 4

1 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The STANDARD HORIZON QUEST is a VHF/FM transceiver designed for
use in the frequency range of 156.025 to 163.275 MHz. The GX1255S re­quires 13.8V for operation and has a switchable RF output power of 1 watt
or 25 watts.

The transceiver is capable of RTCM SC101 DSC (Digital Selective Calling)
operation.

The transceiver operates on all currently-allocated marine channels which
are switchable for use with either USA, International, or Canadian regula­tions. It has an emergency channel 16 which can be immediately selected
from any channel by pressing the red 16/9 key. NOAA Weather channels
can also be accessed immediately by pressing the WX key.

Other features of the transceiver include: scanning, priority scanning, sub­mersible mic, high and low voltage warning, and GPS repeatability.

1.2 FCC/ INDUSTRY CANADA INFORMATION

The following data pertaining to the transceiver is necessary to fill out the
license application.

Type Acceptance ........................................................................ FCC Part 80

Output Power ............................................. 1 Watt (low) and 25 Watts (high)

Emission........................................................................ 16K0G3E, 16K0G2B

Frequency Range ................................................... 156.025 to 163.275 MHz

FCC Type Number.................................................................... K66GX1255S

Industry Canada Type Approval.........................................511B-GX1255S V

GX1255S Page 5

2 ACCESSORIES

2.1 PACKING LIST

When the package containing the transceiver is first opened, please check
it for the following contents:

• GX1255S QUEST Transceiver (with White/Black Microphone)

• Mounting Bracket (with attaching hardware and hanger kit)

• Owner’s Manual

• Quick-Reference Card

• Power Cord

• Dust Cover

2.2 OPTIONS

CMB16........................................................................... Flush-Mount Bracket

101S .......................................................................... Mini Extension Speaker

201SW....................................................................White Extension Speaker

201SW2 ........................................... White Flush Mount Extension Speaker

201SBK .................................................................. Black Extension Speaker

201SBKZ ...........................................Flush Mount Black Extension Speaker

GX1255SPage 6

3 INSTALLATION

GPS Navigation Receiver

Power Source

3.1 LOCATION

The radio can be mounted at any angle. Choose a mounting location that:

• is far enough from any compass to avoid any deviation in compass
reading due to the speaker magnet

• provides accessibility to the front panel controls

• allows connection to a power source and an antenna

• has nearby space for installation of a microphone hanger

• the antenna must be mounted at least 3 feet from radio

3.2 ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

CAUTION

Reverse polarity connections will damage the radio!

Connect the power cord and antenna to the radio. Antenna and Power Sup­ply connections are as follows (see Figure 1):

Antenna

Red

1. Mount the antenna at least 3 feet away from the radio. At the rear of the
radio, connect the antenna cable. It must have a PL259 connector. RG­8/U coaxial cable must be used if the antenna is 25 feet or more from the
radio. RG58 cable can be used for distances less than 25 feet.

2. Connect the red power wire to a 13.8 VDC ±20% power source. Connect
the black power wire to a negative ground.

3. If an optional remote extension speaker is to be used, refer to section

4.3 for connections.

4. It is advisable to have a Certified Marine Technician check the power
output and the standing wave ratio of the antenna after installation.

GX1255S

Water proof
Deck Outlet

Fuse

Black

Figure 1. General Installation

Optional Speaker

Accessory Cable

Page 7

3.3 ACCESSORY CABLE

External Speaker

White: External speaker (+)
Shield: External speaker (–)
Blue: NMEA IN (+) from GPS navigation receiver
Green: NMEA IN (–) from GPS navigation receiver
Purple: Test port (for the Service Technician)

When connecting the external speaker or GPS navigation receiver, strip off
about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the specified wire’s insulation.

Green

Green

Blue

Brown
Shield
White

Page 8

Wire Color/Description

WHITE - External Speaker (+
SHILED - External Speaker
GREEN - NMEA Ground
BLUE- NMEA Input (+)

Connection Examples

)

Connect to external 4 Ohm audio speaker

(–)

Connect to external 4 Ohm audio speaker
Connect to NMEA
Connect to NMEA (+) output of GPS

(–)

connection of GPS

GX1255S

3.4 OPTIONAL CMB16 FLUSH MOUNT INSTALLATION

Bracket

Adjusting Screw

Lock-washer nut combination

1. Make a rectangular template for the flush mount measuring 2” H x
5-5/16” W.

2. Use the template to mark the location where the rectangular hole is to be
cut. Confirm the space behind the dash or panel is deep enough to ac­commodate the transceiver (at least 6 inches deep).
There should be at least 1/2 inch between the transceiver’s heatsink and
any wiring, cables or structures.

3. Cut out the rectangular hole and insert the transceiver.

4. Fasten the brackets to the sides of the transceiver with the lock washer
nut combination, so that the mounting screw base faces the mounting
surface (see Figure 2).

5. Turn the adjusting screw to adjust the tension so that the transceiver is
tight against the mounting surface.

Figure 2. CMB16 Flush Mount Instllation

GX1255S

Page 9

4 CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

NOTE

This section defines each control of the transceiver. See Figure 3 for
location of controls. For detailed operating instructions refer to chapter
5 of this manual.

4.1 CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS

POWER SWITCH/VOLUME CONTROL

Turns the transceiver on and off as well as adjusts the audio volume.
Turn this control clockwise to turn the radio on and to increase the vol­ume.
Turn fully counterclockwise to turn the radio off.

Secondary Use

When the transceiver is turned on while the SCAN and WX keys are
held down, the internal microprocessor is reset. This clears the memory
and all user-programmed settings, such as scan memory. This condition
is known as the default condition, the same as when shipped from the
factory. For a list of these defaults, see the section on Resetting the
Transceiver’s Microprocessor.

NOTE

Resetting the microprocessor will not erase DSC MMSI and Direc­tory Call information.

SQUELCH CONTROL (SQL)

Sets the point at which random noise on the channel does not activate
the audio circuits but a received signal does. This point is called the
squelch threshold. Further adjustment of the squelch control will degrade
reception of wanted transmissions.

KEYPAD
16/9 Key

Immediately recalls channel 16 from any channel location. Holding down
this key recalls channel 9. Pressing the 16/9 key again reverts to the
previous selected working channel.

Secondary use

Please see secondary use for the WX key.

GX1255SPage 10

Figure 3. Controls and Connectors

GX1255S

Page 11

WX Key
Immediately recalls the previously selected NOAA weather channel from
any channel location.

Secondary use

1. Holding down the 16/9 key while pressing the WX key changes the
mode from USA to International or Canadian.

2. Holding down the WX and SCAN key while turning the power on
resets the microprocessor and erases scan channels from memory.
This clears the memory and establishes the factory-set defaults. For
a list of these defaults, see the section on Resetting the Transceiver’s
Microprocessor.

DW Key
Watches for a transmission on CH16 and another selected channel until
either signal is received. (Dual watch)
NOTE: When the DSC SCANNING feature is enabled(see section 7.10
DSC SCANNING), the radio watches for a transmission on CH16, an­other selected channel, and CH70 until either signal is received (Triple
watch).

H/L Key
Toggles between high and low power. When the H/L key is pressed while
the transceiver is on channel 13 or 67, the power will temporarily switch
from LO to HI power until the PTT is released. The H/L key does not
function on transmit inhibited and low power only channels.

Secondary use

Press and hold the H/L key to display the Position Data on the LCD,
when connected to the GPS receiver.

SCAN Key

1. Starts and stops scanning of programmed channels.

2. If held while the UP or DOWN key on the microphone are pressed or
UP or DOWN key on radio are pressed, the radio will show the chan­nels programmed in scan memory. This function will not work if the
unit is scanning.

NOTE: The priority channel is channel 16 only.

GX1255SPage 12

CALL/SET Key
The CALL/SET key functions as the enter key.

Secondary use

Press the CALL/SET key to access the DSC OPERATION menu. The
INDIVIDUAL and ALL SHIPS CALLS functions can be accessed from
the DSC OPERATION menu.
Press and hold the CALL/SET key to access the RADIO or DSC setup
menu. The following functions can be accessed in the menu.

RADIO SETUP MENU

DSC SETUP MENU

DISTRESS Key

Used to send a DSC Distress Call. To send the distress call see section

6.2 (Sending a Distress Call).
UP and DOWN Keys

The UP and DOWN keys are used to select a desired channel and to
select items in the DSC OPERATION and SETUP menus. The UP or
DOWN key on the microphone can also be used to select channels.

GX1255S

Page 13

ACCESSORY CONNECTION CABLE

Connects the radio to a GPS, and an external speaker.

DC INPUT CABLE

Connects the radio to a DC power supply of 13.8V

ANTENNA JACK

Connects an antenna to the transceiver. Use a marine VHF antenna with
an impedance of 50 ohms.

PTT (Push-To-Talk) SWITCH

Keys the transmitter.
MICROPHONE

Transmits the voice message with reduction of background noise.
UP(p) and DOWN(q) KEYS

The UP(p) and DOWN(q) on the microphone function the same as the

UP and DOWN key on the front panel of the transceiver.
16/9 Key

Pressing the 16/9 key Immediately recalls channel 16 from any location.
Press and hold the 16/9 key to recall channel 9. Pressing the 16/9 key
again revert the radio to the previous select channel.

GX1255SPage 14

5 BASIC OPERATION

5.1 RECEPTION

1. After the transceiver has been installed, ensure that the power supply
and antenna are properly connected.

2. Turn the VOL/PWR knob clockwise to turn on the radio.

3. Turn the SQL knob fully counterclockwise. This state is known as “squelch
off”.

4. Turn up the VOL/PWR knob until noise or audio from the speaker is at a
comfortable level.

5. Turn the SQL knob clockwise until the random noise disappears. This
state is known as the “squelch threshold.”

6. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the desired channel. Refer to the
channel chart on page 48 for available channels.

7. When a message is received, adjust the volume to the desired listening
level. The “BUSY” indicator in the LCD is displayed indicating that the
channel is being used.

5.2 TRANSMISSION

1. Perform steps 1 through 6 of RECEPTION.

2. Before transmitting, monitor the channel to ensure it is clear. THIS IS AN
FCC REQUIREMENT!

3. Press the PTT (push-to-talk) switch. The TX indicator on the LCD is dis­played.

4. Speak slowly and clearly into the microphone.

5. When the transmission is finished, release the PTT switch.

NOTE

This is a noise-canceling microphone. The oval slot on the bottom of
microphone should be positioned within 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the
mouth for optimum performance.

6. Refer to page 38 for operating practices.

5.3 TRANSMIT TIME - OUT TIMER (TOT)

When the PTT switch on the microphone is held down, transmit time is limited
to 5 minutes. This limits unintentional transmissions due to a stuck micro­phone. About 10 seconds before automatic transmitter shutdown, a warning
beep will be heard from the speaker(s). The transceiver will automatically go
to receive mode, even if the PTT switch is continually held down. Before trans­mitting again, the PTT switch must first be released and then pressed again.

GX1255S

Page 15

5.4 SIMPLEX/DUPLEX CHANNEL USE

Refer to the VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART (page 49) for instructions on
use of simplex and duplex channels.

NOTE

All channels are factory-programmed in accordance with FCC (USA),
Industry Canada (Canada), and International regulations. Mode of op­eration cannot be altered from simplex to duplex or vice-versa.

5.5 USA, CANADA, AND INTERNATIONAL MODE

1. To change the modes, hold the 16/9 key and press the WX key. The
mode changes from USA to International to Canadian with each press of
the WX key.

2. “U” will be displayed on the LCD for USA mode, “I” will be displayed for
International mode, and “C” will be displayed for Canadian mode.

3. Refer to the VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART (page 49 ) for allocated
channels in each mode.

5.6 NOAA WEATHER CHANNELS

1. To receive a NOAA weather channel, press the WX key from any chan­nel. The transceiver will go to the last selected weather channel.

2. Press the UP or DOWN key on the microphone or on front panel to
select a different NOAA weather channel.

3. To exit from the NOAA weather channels, press the WX key. The trans­ceiver returns to the channel it was on prior to a weather channel.

GX1255SPage 16

5.7 NOAA WEATHER ALERT

In the event of extreme weather disturbances, such as storms and hurri­canes, the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) sends
a weather alert accompanied by a 1050 Hz tone and subsequent weather
report on one of the NOAA weather channels. When the Weater Aleart fea­ture is enabled (see section 7.4 WEATER ALERT), the transceiver is ca­pable of receiving this alert if the following is performed:

1. Program NOAA weather channels into the transceiver’s memory for scan­ning. Follow the same procedure as for regular channels under Section

5.8.

2. Press the SCAN key once to start memory scanning or hold down the
SCAN key during memory scanning to start priority scanning.

3. The programmed NOAA weather channels will be scanned along with
the regular-programmed channels. However, scanning will not stop on a
normal weather broadcast unless a NOAA alert is received.

4. When an alert is received on a NOAA weather channel, scanning will
stop and the transceiver will emit a loud beep to alert the user of a NOAA
broadcast.

5. Press the WX key to stop the alert tone and receive the weather report.

NOTE

If the WX key is not pressed the alert tone will be emitted for 5 minutes
and then the weather report will be received.

NOTE

The Weather Aleart feature is also engaged while the transceiver is
received on the one of the NOAA weather channel.

GX1255S

Page 17

5.8 MEMORY SCANNING (M-SCAN)

NOTE

• During scanning, the dot matrix area of the LCD will show M-SCAN or
P-SCAN depending on the scan mode selected.

• If GPS position is displayed this icon will be hidden.

1. Adjust the SQL knob until background noise disappears.

2. Select a desired channel to be scanned using the UP or DOWN key.
Press and hold the SCAN key, MEM will appear on the
LCD which indicates the channel has been programmed
into the transceivers memory.

3. Repeat step 2 for all the desired channels to be scanned.

4. To DELETE a channel from the transceiver’s memory, press and hold
the SCAN key, MEM will disappear in the LCD.

5. To start scanning, press the SCAN key. Scanning will
proceed from the lowest to the highest programmed
channel number and will stop on a channel when a trans­mission is received.

6. The channel number will blink during reception.

7. To stop scanning, press the SCAN, 16/9, WX, or PTT key.

5.9 PRIORITY SCANNING (P-SCAN)

1. The priority channel is set to channel 16.

2. For priority scanning during M-SCAN, press and hold
the SCAN key, until P-SCAN appears in the LCD. Scan­ning will proceed between the memorized channels and
the priority channel. The priority channel will be scanned
after each programmed channel.

MEM CH. CH. 16

ø

CH. 70 MEM CH. CH. 16

ø

CH. 70

ø: When DSC Scanning method is enabled. Default is DSC scan is ON.

3. The scanning will be performed while receiving the MEM
CH (memorized channel).

4. To stop scanning, press the SCAN , 16/9, WX, or PTT
key.

NOTE

Triple watch (T/W) means the radio is watching CH70 for DSC Calls.
Dual watch (D/W) means the radio is not watching CH70 for DSC Calls.

GX1255SPage 18

5.10 POSITION INDICATION

The transceiver has the ability to display the vessel’s position (LAT/LON) for
Confirmation of the data, if connected to a GPS receiver.

1. Press and hold the H/L key, displays
“LAT” and “LON” information alternately
every two seconds.
If the GPS receiver receives no signal,
the display will be as shown in the illus-

(Latitude) (Longitude)

tration.

2. To hide the position information, press and hold the H/L
key again.

(No GPS Signal)

5.11 TIME INDICATION

When press and hold the 16/9 and H/L keys while turn the
transceiver on, the transceiver will display the TIME on the
upper side, if connected to a GPS receiver.

NOTE

The TIME OFFSET should be set to local time in the DSC/RADIO setup
mode when the radio is connected the GPS navigation receiver. To ad­just TIME OFFSET to your local time, refer to section 7.6 TIME OFF­SET.

5.12 RESETTING THE TRANSCEIVER’S MICROPROCESSOR

Resetting the microprocessor restores the initial, factory supplied conditions
in the transceiver. These are called the default conditions.
To reset the microprocessor, first turn the transceiver off. Then while press­ing the WX and SCAN keys, turn the transceiver on. The default conditions
are:

• No channels in SCAN memory.

• Channel 16 will be selected when the transceiver is turned on.

• WX channel 01 will be recalled when the WX key is pressed.

• Key beep will be on.

NOTE

Resetting the microprocessor will not erase DSC MMSI and Directory
information.

GX1255S

Page 19

6 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING

6.1 GENERAL

6.1.1 Digital Selective Calling (DSC

Digital Selective Calling is a semi-automated method of establishing a radio
call, it has been designated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
as an international standard for establishing VHF, MF and HF radio calls. It
had also been designated as part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS). It is planned that DSC will eventually replace aural watches
on distress frequencies and will be used to announce routine and urgent
maritime safety information broadcasts.

This new system will allow mariners to instantly send a distress call with
GPS position (when connected to the transceiver) to the US Coast Guard
and other vessels within range of the transmission. DSC will also allow mari­ners to initiate or receive distress, urgency, safety routine, POS Request,
POS Send and Group calls to or from another vessel equipped with a DSC
transceiver.

6.1.2 Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
What is an MMSI?

An MMSI is a nine digit number used on Marine Transceiver capable of
using Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone
number to selectively call other vessels. Refer to section 7.9 (USER MMSI
INPUT).

How can I obtain a MMSI assignment?

Contact your dealer, or Standard Horizon for details.

This radio is designed to generate a digital maritime distress and safety
call to facilitate search and rescue. To be effective as a safety device,
this equipment must be used only within communication range of a shore­based VHF marine channel 70 distress and safety watch system. The
range of signal may vary but under normal conditions should be ap­proximately 20 nautical miles.

)

WARNING

GX1255SPage 20

6.2 SENDING A DISTRESS CALL

The distress call automatically includes the vessel’s DSC MMSI and Lat/
Lon position. Refer to section 7.9 (USER MMSI INPUT). The vessel’s posi­tion can be sent only if the transceiver is properly connected to an operating
GPS receiver.

1. Lift the red spring loaded DISTRESS cover and press
the DISTRESS key. The “DISTRESS” icon will appear
on the LCD.

2. Press and hold the DISTRESS key. The LCD will count
down (3, 2, 1) following this the QUEST will transmit the Distress Call.

3. When the distress signal is sent, “TX” icon will appear
on the LCD. After the message has been sent, the Dis­tress Alarm will sound.

4. The transceiver “shadow-watches” for a transmission
between CH16 and CH70 until an acknowledgment sig­nal is received. “RECEIVED ACK” will scroll on the LCD.

5. If no acknowledgment is received, the distress call is
repeated in 3.5 to 4.5 minute intervals until an acknowl­edgment is received.

6. To cancel a Distress Call

1) Press the 16/9 key

2) Press the WX key

3) Turn off the radio

4) Press the DISTRESS key, then press the UP or

DOWN key until “CANCEL” is shown on the LCD.
Press the CALL/SET key.

7. When a distress acknowledgment is received, a distress
alarm sounds and channel 16 is automatically selected.

8. To cancel the alarm, press any key.

NOTE

When a GPS receiver with NMEA output is connected, the vessel’s po­sition is automatically transmitted with the distress call.

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6.3 SENDING AN INDIVIDUAL CALL

This feature allows the user to contact another user vessel DSC and to
automatically switch the receiving DSC radio to a desired working channel.
This feature is similar to calling a vessel on CH16 and requesting to go to a
another channel. To send an individual call, see section 7.5 INDIVIDUAL
DIRECTORY SETUP and 7.11 USER MMSI INPUT. The individual call func­tion allows you to transmit a DSC signal to a specific party only, prompting
communication on a voice channel.

1. Select the traffic channel for voice communication.

2. Press the CALL/SET key. The “INDIVIDUAL” icon will
appear on the LCD.

3. Press the CALL/SET key again. The individual address
will appear.

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the individual you
want to contact.

5. To cancel, if needed, press the UP or DOWN key until
the “EXIT” icon appear. Then press the CALL/SET key.
This procedure can be also canceled by pressing the WX or 16/9 key.

6. Press the CALL/SET key to transmit the individual DSC signal.

7. After an INDIVIDUAL CALL is transmitted, the transceiver will wait 8 sec­onds for the acknowledgment. If the reply signal is not received, the
transceiver will transmit again.

8. After the second INDIVIDUAL CALL is transmitted, if the
reply signal is not received, “NO REPLY” icon will ap­pear on the LCD to prompt the user to send the call
again or exit the mode.

9. When an individual call acknowledgment “able to comply” is received,
the established channel is automatically selected and an alarm sounds.

10.When an individual call acknowledgment with “unable to comply” is re­ceived, the established channel is automatically selected.

GX1255SPage 22

6.4 SENDING AN ALL SHIPS CALL

The All Ships Call function allows contact to be established with other vessel
stations without having their ID in the individual calling directory.

Also, priority for the call can be designated as Urgency, Safety or Routine.
URGENCY Call:This type of call is used when a vessel may not truly be in

distress, but have a potential problem that may lead to a
distress situation (PAN, PAN,Call Type).

SAFETY Call: Used to transmit boating safety information to other ves-

sels (Security Call Type) .
This message usually contains information about an overdue boat, debris in
the water. Loss of a navigation aid or an important meteorological message.

1. Select the traffic channel (for voice communication).

2. Press the CALL/SET key. The “INDIVIDUAL” icon will

appear on the LCD.

3. Press the DOWN key to select the “ALL SHIPS.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key again.

5. Press the DOWN key to select the nature of call (“UR-

GENCY,” “SAFETY” or “ROUTINE”).

6. Press the CALL/SET key to transmit the selected type

of ALL SHIPS DSC call. When “ROUTINE” is selected,
the signal is transmitted then the transceiver will wait on
the channel selected in step 1.

7. After the ALL SHIPS CALL is transmitted, the transceiver

will wait on CH16 except when a ROUTINE. Call has
been transmited.

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6.5 RECEIVING DSC CALLS

Several types of DSC transmissions can be received. The required action
depends on the particular DSC type as outlined in the following examples.

NOTE

If the radio is receiving on a working channel or transmitting on a work­ing channel, DSC calls will not be received.

6.5.1 Receiving a distress call

1. A distress call is received. “RECEIVED DISTRESS” will
appear on the LCD, and an emergency alarm will be
heard.
Channel 16 is automatically selected.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm.

3. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the receiving dis­tress data:

• MMSI or Station Name • TIME (UTC)

• Latitude • Longitude

NOTE

• If the received distress data does not include the position data, “NO
POSITION DATA” will scroll on the LCD.

• You must continue monitoring channel 16 as a coast station may re­quire assistance in any rescue attempt.

6.5.2 Receiving a distress relay call

1. A distress relay call is received. “RECEIVED RLY” will
appear on the LCD, and an emergency alarm will be
heard.
Channel 16 is automatically selected.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm.

3. Press the DOWN key to appear the receiving distress
data (MMSI or Station Name).

NOTE

You must continue monitoring channel 16 as a coast station may re­quire assistance in any rescue attempt.

GX1255SPage 24

6.5.3 Receiving an all ships call

1. An all ships call is received. “RECEIVED ALL SHIPS”
will appear on the LCD, and an emergency alarm will be
heard.
Channel 16 is automatically selected.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm.

3. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the receiving dis­tress data:

• MMSI or Station Name

4. Monitor channel 16 or traffic channel until the communi­cation is completed.

6.5.4 Receiving a geographical area call

1. A geographical call is received. “RECEIVED GEO­GRAPHIC” will appear on the LCD, and an emergency
alarm will be heard (different from DISTRESS). Then
the requested channel from the other ship is automati­cally selected.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm.

3. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the receiving dis­tress data:

• MMSI or Station Name

4. Monitor the traffic channel for an announcement from
the calling ship.

NOTE

This feature is only available when a GPS receiver is connected.

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6.5.5 Receiving an individual call

When receiving an individual call, an acknowledgment must be sent back to
the calling station. Please refer to a selection in the 7.DSC/RADIO SETUP
MODE that allows the acknowledgment to be transmitted manually or auto­matically. Refer to 7.8 INDIVIDUAL REPLY and 7.9 INDIVIDUAL ACK sec­tions for details.

Automatic Reply:

1. An individual call is received. “RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL”
will appear on the LCD, and an individual call alarm
sounds. Then the radio automatically switches to the
requested channel.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm, then acknowledgment is transmitted
automatically.

4. Press the PTT on the microphone and talk to the calling ship.

Manual Reply:

1. An individual call is received. “RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL”
will appear on the LCD, and an individual call alarm
sounds. Then the radio automatically switches to the
requested channel.

2. Press any key to stop the alarm.

3. Select type of reply function “ABLE” or “UNABLE” by
using the UP or DOWN key. In the Automatic mode ,
the acknowledgment is transmitted automatically.

4. Press the PTT on the microphone and talk to the calling ship.

GX1255SPage 26

6.5.6 Receiving a position request

When position request call is received from another vessel, a calling alarm
will sound. Please refer to section 7.DSC/RADIO SETUP MODE that allows
the position request to be transmitted manually or automatically. Refer to

7.11 POSITION REQUEST REPLY section for details.

Automatic Reply:

1. When a position request call is received, “RECEIVED
POS REQUEST” will appear on the LCD, and a calling
alarm will sound.

2. Press the any key to disable the calling alarm, then the
requested position coordinates will be transmitted.

5. To exit from position request display, press any key.

Manual Reply:

1. When a position request call is received, “RECEIVED
POS REQUEST” will appear on the LCD, and a calling
alarm will sound.

2. Press the any key to disable the calling alarm.

3. Select type of reply function ABLE or EXIT by using the
UP or DOWN key.

4. When ABLE is selected, press the CALL/SET key. And
the requested position coordinates will be transmitted.

5. To exit from position request display, press any key.

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7. DSC / RADIO SETUP MODE

7.1 LAMP ADJUSTING

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key to select “LAMP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item
(The number in the display will flash).

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the desired level.
3: High
2: Mid
1: Low
0: OFF

5. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected level.

6. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

7. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the

CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

7.2 LCD CONTRAST ADJUSTING

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “CONTRAST.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item
(The number in the display will flash).

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to adjust the contrast. Avail­able values are 7 “dark” through 0 “light.”

5. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected level.

6. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

7. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

GX1255SPage 28

7.3 KEY BEEP (ON or OFF)

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “KEY BEEP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item
(The number in the display will flash).

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “on” or “oF (off).”

5. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

6. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

7. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the

CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

7.4 WEATHER ALERT (ON or OFF)

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key, then press DOWN key to se­lect “WX ALT.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item
(The number in the display will flash).

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “on” or “oF (off).”

5. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

6. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

6. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

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7.5 CHANNEL NAME CHANGE

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key, then press DOWN key to se­lect “CH NAME.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select the channel on which you wish to change
a name.

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item.

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the first character
(letter, number, or symbol) in the name you wish to store,
the press the CALL/SET key to move to the next char­acter.

6. If you make a mistake, press the H/L key to move back,
then re-select the correct letter, number, or symbol.

7. Repeat step 5 as many times as necessary to complete
the name tag (up to 12 characters).

8. Press and hold the CALL/SET key to store the new
name.

9. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

10.Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

GX1255SPage 30

7.6 TIME OFFSET

Sets the time difference between local time and UTC (Universal Time Coor­dinated or GMT Greenwich Mean Time). Time is displayed, if connected a
GPS receiver.

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key until “RADIO
SETUP” appears.

2. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the DOWN key to
select “TIME.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key to enable adjusting this item
(The number in the display will flash).

4. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “Time Offset” from
UTC. Be sure that when selecting the offset that the
display shows “TIME –” for negative offset, or “TIME +”
for a positive offset. Refer to Offset Time Table.
See illustration below to find your offset time from UTC.
If 0:0 is assigned, the time is the same as UTC.

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the time offset.
Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

7. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the

CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

OFFSET TIME TABLE

NOTE

During Daylight Saving time subtract 1 hour from the offset shown above
and enter this offset in step 4 above.

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Page 31

7.7 INDIVIDUAL DIRECTORY SETUP (DSC)

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP”.

3. Press the CALL/SET key to select “IN­DIVIDUAL DIRECTORY.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to select
“ADD.”

5. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item.

6. Press the UP or DOWN key to select a first character of
the Station Name, then press the CALL/SET key to move
to next character.

7. Repeat step 6 as many times as necessary to complete
the Station Name (up to 12 characters).

8. Press and hold the CALL/SET key to store the Station
Name and enable setting the MMSI ID code.

9. Press the UP or DOWN key to select the first digit of the
MMSI ID code, the press the CALL/SET key to move to
next character.

10.Repeat step 9 as many times as necessary to complete
the MMSI ID code (9 digits).

11.Press and hold the CALL/SET key to store the MMSI ID
code.

12.Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

13.Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

GX1255SPage 32

7.8 INDIVIDUAL REPLY

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “INDIVIDUAL REPLY.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item.

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “AU (Automatic)”
or “oF (off).”

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

7. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

7.9 INDIVIDUAL ACK

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “INDIVIDUAL ACK.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item.

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “Ab (Able)” or “Un
(Unable).”

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

7. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

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Page 33

7.10 INDIVIDUAL RING

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “INDIVIDUAL RINGER.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item.

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select ringing time of a
INDIVIDUAL CALL.
4:3 minutes continuously
3:15 times
2:10 times
1:5 times

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected ringing
time.

7. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the CALL/SET
key to return to the normal operation.

7.11 POSITION REQUEST REPLY

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the UP or DOWN
key to select “POS REQUEST REPLY.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item.

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “AU (Automatic)”
or “oF (off).”

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

7. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

GX1255SPage 34

7.12 DSC SCANNING

When the radio is shipped from the factory it is programmed so CH70 (the
DSC channel) is scanned at all times. There is a selection in the SETUP
MENU to disable the DSC SCAN. However, turning off DSC SCAN will dis­able the radio from receiving DSC calls i.e.: Individual Call, All Ships Call,
Distress Call and Position Requests. If you want to use any of the functions
the selection must be left ON.

TO CHANGE DSC SCAN METHOD:

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SETUP.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the
UP or DOWN key to select “DSC SCAN.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item (The
number in the display will flash).

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “on” or “oF (off).”

6. Press the CALL/SET key to store the selected setting.

7. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press
the CALL/SET key to return to the normal operation.

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Page 35

7.13 USER MMSI INPUT

1. Press and hold down the CALL/SET key
until “RADIO SETUP” appears.

2. Press the DOWN key to select “DSC
SET.”

3. Press the CALL/SET key, then press the DOWN key to
select “USER MMSI.”

4. Press the CALL/SET key to enable setting this item (The
number in the display will flash).

5. Press the UP or DOWN key to select first number of
your MMSI, then press the CALL/SET key to define the
setting.

6. Repeat above step to set your MMSI (up to 9 digits).
When the last number of your MMSI is in place, press
and hold the CALL/SET key to store your MMSI.

7. Press the DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the
CALL/SET key.

8. Press the UP or DOWN key to select “EXIT,” then press the CALL/SET
key to return to the normal operation.

WARNING

If the user MMSI is enabled more than 2 times, the LCD will show “ER­ROR TOO MANY ENTRIES.” The radio will have to be sent back to
Standard Horizon factory Service in order to be able to program in an­other MMSI.

GX1255SPage 36

8 OPERATING PRACTICES

8.1 EMERGENCY (CHANNEL 16 USE)

Channel 16 is known as the Hail and Distress Channel. An emergency may
be defined as a threat to life or property. In such instances, be sure the
transceiver is on and set to CHANNEL 16. Then use the following proce­dure:

1. Press the microphone push-to-talk switch and say “Mayday, Mayday,
Mayday. This is , , ” (your vessel’s name).

2. Then repeat once: “Mayday, ” (your vessel’s name).

3. Now report your position in latitude/longitude, or by giving a true or mag­netic bearing (state which) to a well-known landmark such as a naviga­tion aid or geographic feature such as an island or harbor entry.

4. Explain the nature of your distress (sinking, collision, aground, fire, heart
attack, life-threatening injury, etc.).

5. State the kind of assistance your desire (pumps, medical aid, etc.).

6. Report the number of persons aboard and condition of any injured.

7. Estimate the present seaworthiness and condition of your vessel.

8. Give your vessel’s description: length, design (power or sail), color and
other distinguishing marks. The total transmission should not exceed 1
minute.

9. End the message by saying “OVER”. Release the microphone button
and listen.

10.If there is no answer, repeat the above procedure. If there is still no
response, try another channel.

8.2 CALLING ANOTHER VESSEL (CHANNEL 16 OR 9)

Channel 16 may be used for initial contact (hailing) with another vessel.
However, its most important use is for emergency messages. This channel
must be monitored at all times except when actually using another channel.
It is monitored by the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards and by other ves­sels. Use of channel 16 for hailing must be limited to initial contact
only. Calling should not exceed 30 seconds, but may be repeated 3 times at
2-minute intervals. In areas of heavy radio traffic, congestion on channel 16
resulting from its use as a hailing channel can be reduced significantly in
U.S. waters by using channel 9 as the initial contact (hailing) channel for
non-emergency communications. Here, also, calling time should not exceed
30 seconds but may be repeated 3 times at 2-minute intervals.

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Page 37

Prior to making contact with another vessel, refer to the channel charts in
this manual, and select an appropriate channel for communications after
initial contact. For example, Channels 68 and 69 of the U.S. VHF Charts are
some of the channels available to non-commercial (recreational) boaters.
Monitor your desired channel in advance to make sure you will not be inter­rupting other traffic, and then go back to either channel 16 or 9 for your initial
contact.

When the hailing channel (16 or 9) is clear, state the name of the other
vessel you wish to call and then “this is” followed by the name of your
vessel and your Station License (Call Sign). When the other vessel returns
your call, immediately request another channel by saying “go to,” the num­ber of the other channel, and “over.” Then switch to the new channel. When
the new channel is not busy, call the other vessel.

After a transmission, say “over,” and release the microphone’s push-to-talk
(PTT) switch. When all communication with the other vessel is completed,
end the last transmission by stating your Call Sign and the word “out.” Note
that it is not necessary to state your Call Sign with each transmission, only
at the beginning and end of the contact.

Remember to return to Channel 16 when not using another channel. Some
radios automatically monitor Channel 16 even when set to other channels
or when scanning; see your Owner’s Manual.

8.3 MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS

To make a radiotelephone call, use a channel designated for this purpose,
The fastest way to learn which channels are used for radiotelephone traffic
is to ask at a local marina. Channels available for such traffic are designated
Public Correspondence channels on the channel charts in this manual.
Some examples for USA use are Channels 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 84, 85, 86,
and 87. Call the marine operator and identify yourself by your vessel’s name,
The marine operator will then ask you how you will pay for the call (tele­phone credit card, collect, etc.) and then link your radio transmission to the
telephone lines.

The marine telephone company managing the VHF channel you are using
may charge a link-up fee in addition to the cost of the call.

GX1255SPage 38

8.4 OPERATING ON CHANNELS 13 AND 67

Channel 13 is used at docks and bridges and by vessels maneuvering in
port. Messages on this channel must concern navigation only, such as meet­ing and passing in restricted waters.

Channel 67 is used for navigational traffic between vessels.
By regulation, power is normally limited to 1 Watt on these channels. Your

radio is programmed to automatically reduce power to this limit on these
channels. However, in certain situations it may be necessary to temporarily
use a higher power. See page 7 (H/L key) for means to temporarily override
the low-power limit on these two channels.

8.5 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS

The FCC prohibits the following communications:

• False distress or emergency messages:

• Messages to “any boat” except in emergencies and radio tests;

• Messages to or from a vessel on land;

• Transmission while on land;

• Obscene, indecent, or profane language (potential fine of $10,000).

8.6 NOAA WEATHER ALERT TESTING

In the event of a major storm or other appreciable weather condition requir­ing vessels at sea or other bodies of water to be notified, the NOAA (Na­tional Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) broadcasts a 1050
Hz tone that some marine VHF radios can detect. (Refer to Section 5.7
“NOAA WEATER ALERT” on how to use this feature.) This tone, when de­tected, will produce a loud beep from the radio speaker to signal that a
weather alert is being broadcast.

In order to test this system, the NOAA broadcasts the 1050 Hz tone every
Wednesday, sometime between 11 AM and 1 PM. Any marine VHF radio
that can detect the weather alert tone, may use this test to verify that this
feature is functioning properly.

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Page 39

8.7 DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC)

Digital Selective Calling is a semi-automated method of establishing a radio
call, it has been designated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
as an international standard for establishing VHF, MF and HF radio calls. It
has also been designated part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS) and it is planned that DSC will eventually replace aural
watches on distress frequencies and will be used to announce routine and
urgent maritime safety information broadcasts.

This new service will allow mariners to instantly send a distress call with
GPS position (when connected to the transceiver) to the US Coast Guard
and other vessels within range of the transmission. DSC will also allow mari­ners to initiate or receive distress, urgency, safety and routine calls to or
from another vessel equipped with a DSC transceiver.

8.7.1 USCG DSC Watch

The USCG has plans to upgrade its VHF National Distress System (expected
by 2005), so at the time of printing only larger vessels that are required to
carry VHF DSC radios will be able to hear your distress transmission.

8.8 MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE IDENTITY (MMSI)

8.8.1 What is a MMSI?

A MMSI is a nine digit number used on Marine Transceivers capable of
using Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone
number to selectively call other vessels.

8.9 USING DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING FEATURES

8.9.1 Distress Call

Transmits a DSC Distress message to all radios equipped to receive a DSC
Distress call. Some Standard Horizon radios may be connected to a GPS to
also transmit the Latitude, Longitude of the vessel.

8.9.2 Individual Call

This feature allows the user to contact another vessel capable of using DSC
and automatically switch the radio to a desired working channel. This fea­ture is similar to calling a desired vessel on CH16 and requesting them to go
to another channel.

8.9.3 Urgency Call

This call should be used when a vessel may not be truly in distress, but have
a potential problem that might lead to a distress situation.

GX1255SPage 40

8.9.4 Safety Call

Used to transmit boating safety information to other vessels. This message
usually contains information about an overdue boat, a derelict afloat, loss of
a navigation aid or an important meteorological message.

8.10 ADDITIONAL DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING INFORMATION

For additional information the USCG has an excellent site that should be
visited at www.navcen.uscg.mil/marcoms/gmdss/dsc.html.

8.11 ABOUT VHF RADIO

The radio frequencies used in the VHF marine band lie between 156 and
158 MHz with some shore stations available between 161 and 163 MHz.
The marine VHF band provides communications over distances that are
essentially “line of sight” (VHF signals do not travel well through objects
such as buildings, hills or trees). Actual transmission range depends much
more on antenna type, gain and height than on the power output of the
transmitter. On a fixed mount 25W radio transmission expected distances
can be greater than 15 miles, for a portable 5W radio transmission the ex­pected distance can be greater than 5 miles in “line of sight”.

8.12 SELECTING AN ANTENNA

Marine antennas are made to radiate signals equally in all horizontal direc­tions, but not straight up. The objective of a marine antenna is to enhance
the signal toward the horizon. The degree to which this is accomplished is
called the antenna’s gain. It is measured in decibels (dB) and is one of the
major factors in choosing an antenna. In terms of effective radiated power
(ERP), antennas are rated on the basis of how much gain they have over a
theoretical antenna with zero gain. A 3 foot, 3dB gain antenna represents
twice as much gain over the imaginary antenna. The length of the antenna
you choose, however, must also be related to the size of your boat.

Typically a 3 foot 3dB gain stainless steel whip is used on a sailboat mast.
The longer 8 foot 6dB fiberglass whip is primarily used on power boats that
require the additional gain.

GX1255S

Page 41

8.13 COAXIAL CABLE

1/8''

Adapter

VHF antennas are connected to the transceiver by means of a coaxial cable
– a shielded transmission line. Coaxial cable is specified by it’s diameter
and construction.

For runs less than 20 feet, RG-58/U, about 1/4 inch in diameter is a good
choice. For runs over 20 feet but less than 50 feet, the larger RG-8 or RG­213/U should be used for cable runs over 50 feet RG-8 should be used. For
installation of the connector onto the coaxial cable refer to the figure below.

1/16''

3/4''

1 1/8''

3/4''

5/8''3/8''

To get your coax cable through a fitting and into your boat’s interior, you
may have to cut off the end plug and reattach it later. You can do this if
you follow the directions that come with the connector. Be sure to make
good soldered connections.

GX1255SPage 42

9 MAINTENANCE

The inherent quality of the solid-state components used in this transceiver
will provide many years of continuous use. Taking the following precautions
will prevent damage to the transceiver.

• Keep the microphone connected or the jack covered at all times to pre­vent corrosion of electrical contacts;

• Never key the microphone unless an antenna or suitable dummy load is
connected to the transceiver.

• Ensure that the supply voltage to the transceiver does not exceed 16
VDC or fall below 11 VDC.

• Use only STANDARD HORIZON-approved accessories and replacement
parts.

In the unlikely event of serious problems, please contact your Dealer or our
repair facility. Address and phone numbers for this facility, as well as war­ranty information, are contained in section 11 WARRANTY.

9.1 REPLACEMENT PARTS

Occasionally an owner needs a replacement mounting bracket or knob.
These can be ordered from our Parts Department by writing or calling:

Marine Division of Vertex Standard

US Headquarters
10900 Walker Street, Cypress, CA 90630, U.S.A.
Telephone [phone]

Commonly requested parts, and their part numbers are listed below.

• Power Code: T9023306

• Dust Cover: RA0437900

• VOL/SQL Knob Assy: RA0422200

• Mounting Braket (White): RA0448900

• Microphone Hanger: RA0436000

GX1255S

Page 43

9.2 FACTORY SERVICE

In the unlikely event that the radio fails to perform or needs servicing,
please contact the following:

Standard Horizon Factory Service

115 North Wright Brothers Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84116-2838
Telephone [phone]
Fax No. [phone]

An “RA” Return Authorization number is not necessary to send a product in
for service. Include a brief note describing the problem along with your name,
return address, phone number, and proof of purchase.

GX1255SPage 44

9.3 TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

TROBLESHOOTING CHART

SYMPTON
Transceiver fails to

power up.

Transceiver blows
fuse when connected
to power supply.

Popping or whining
noise from the
speaker while engine
runs.

Sound is not emitted
from the external
speaker.

Receiving station re­port low transmit
power, even with
transceiver set to HI
power.

“HI BATTERY” or
“LOW BATTERY”
message is scrolled
when the power is
turned on.

Your position is not
displayed.

PROBABLE CAUSE
No DC voltage to the

transceiver, or blown
fuse.

Reversed power
wires.

Engine noise.

External cable.

Antenna.

The power supply volt­age is too high or too
low.

External cable.

Setting of the GPS
navigation receiver.

REMEDY
Rotate the VOL/PWR knob clock-

wise to turn on the transceiver.

Check the power cable for DC volt­age, or replace the fuse (6A 250V).
Make sure the red wire is con­nected to the positive (+) battery
post, and the black wire is con­nected to the negative (-) battery
post. If the fuse still blows, con­tact your Dealer.

Reroute the DC power cables
away from the engine. Add noise
suppressor on power cable.
Change to resistive spark plug
wires and/or add an alternator
whine filter.

Check the polarity of the con­nected external cable.

Have the antenna checked or test
the transceiver with another an­tenna. If the problem persists, con­tact your Dealer for servicing.

Confirm that the connected power
supply voltage is not 17 volts or
lower than 10 volts. Confirm that
the generator has not malfunc­tioned.

Check the polarity of the con­nected external cable.
Some GPS use the battery ground
line for NMEA connection.

Check the output signal format of
the GPS navigation receiver. This
radio requires NMEA0183 format
with GLL sentence as an output
signal. If the GPS has a baud rate
setting make sure to select 4800
and parity to NONE.

GX1255S

Page 45

9.4 CONNECTION OF GPS WITH NMEA OUTPUT

Manufacturer/Model

STANDARD HORIZON
CP150, CP160 and
CP-170C

Furuno GP30, 36

Furuno GP1650, 1850

Garmin Fixed Mounts

Garmin Portables

JRC GPS500

JRC 100 SERIES

JRC 200 SERIES

Lowrance Fixed Mount

Wires

Green
Brown
White

Blue

White

Black

Blue

Black (GND)

Brown

Black (GND)

Yellow
Green
Green

Black

White

Black

White

Black (GND)

QUEST

Green

Blue
Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Manufacturer/Model

Lowrance Portable

Magellan Fixed Mount

Magellan Portable

Northstar

Raytheon 420

Raytheon 520 / 620

Raytheon RL SERIES

Simrad

Sitex Neptune, Nautilus

Additional Information:

• The GPS must have the NMEA Output turned on and set to 4800 Baud
in the setup menu. If there is a selection for parity select none.

• For further information on interfacing /setting up your GPS. Please con­tact the manufacturer of the GPS receiver.

• QUEST is corresponded with following NMEA sentence:

• NMEA-0183 version 2.0 or higher

• GLL, GGA, RMC and GNS (RMC sentence is recommended)

Wires

Orange

Black (GND)

Gray

Black (GND)

Orange

Black (GND)

Yellow

Black (GND)

Yellow
Brown

Blue
Brown
White
Brown
White
Brown

Gray

Brown

QUEST

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

Blue

Green

If you have further inquires, please feel free to contact us at:

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web site: standardhorizon.com
Email: [e-mail]

GX1255SPage 46

10. CHANNEL ASSIGNMENTS

Tables on the following columns list the VHF Marine Channel assignments
for U.S.A. and International use. Below are listed some data about the charts.

1. VTS. Where indicated, these channels are part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s
Vessel Traffic System.

2. Alpha channel numbers, that is, channel numbers followed by the letter
A (such as Channel 07A) are simplex channels on the U.S.A. or Cana­dian channel assignments whose counterparts in the International as­signments are duplex channels. International channels do not use “al­pha” numbers. If you call the Coast Guard on Channel 16, they will some­times ask you to “go to channel 22 Alpha.” This is a channel assigned
to U.S.A, and Canadian Coast Guards for handling distress and other
calls. If your radio is set for International operation you will go to Chan-
nel 22 instead of 22A, and will not be able to communicate with the
Coast Guard. To use Channel 22A, your radio must be set for USA or
Canada operation, usually by a U/I/C (USA/International/Canada) con­trol or combination of controls. Channel 22 (without an “A”) is an Inter-
national duplex channel for port operations. Some radios indicate an
“A” adjacent to the alpha channels on the display; on others “alpha” is
not indicated but the proper channel is selected based on the U/I/C set­ting.

3. Bridge-to-Bridge channels (for example, Channel 13) are for use by bridge
operators on intercoastal waterways and rivers. It is also used by marine
vessels in the vicinity of these bridges for navigation and for communi­cating with the bridge operators. Note that a limit of 1 Watt is specified
for these channels. See page xx for additional information.

4. The S/D column on the chart indicates either S (simplex) or D (duplex).
Simplex means transmitting and receiving on the same frequency. Only
one party at a time can talk, unlike a telephone. Be sure to say “over”
and release your microphone push-to-talk switch at the end of each trans­mission. Duplex operation involves the use of one frequency for trans­mitting and a separate frequency for receiving. On channels specified
as duplex on the charts, correct mode of operation is established auto­matically by your radio when you select a channel; you cannot change
the mode. And you still must release the push-to-talk switch after each
transmission in order to listen to the radio.

GX1255S

Page 47

5. Channels normally used by recreational boaters are those that include
the term “non-commercial” in the Channel Use column of the chart. Some
of these are shared with other users and some are used only in certain
geographic regions.

6. Marine vessels equipped with VHF radios are required to monitor
Channel 16.

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

01 X X D 156.050 160.650 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

01A X S 156.050 Port Operation and Commercial. VTS in selected areas

02 X X D 156.100 160.700 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
03 X X D 156.150 160.750 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

03A X S 156.150 US Government only, Coast Guard

04 X D 156.200 160.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

04A X S 156.200 Pacific coast: Coast Guard, East Coast:

05 X D 156.250 160.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

05A X X S 156.250 Port operation. VTS in Seattle

06 X X X S 156.300 Inter-ship Sefety
07 X D 156.350 160.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

07A X X S 156.350 Commercial

08 X X X S 156.400 Commercial (Inter-ship only
09 X X X S 156.450 Boater Calling channel, Commercial & Non-commercial

10 X X X S 156.500 Commercial
11 X X X S 156.550 Commercial. VTS in selected areas.
12 X X X S 156.600 Port operation. VTS in selected areas.
13 X X X S 156.650 Inter-ship Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge
14 X X X S 156.700 Port operation. VTS in selected areas.
15 X S - - - 156.750 Environmental (Receive only
15 X X S 156.750 Commercial, non-commercial, ship movement (1 W
16 X X X S 156.800 International Distress, Safety and Calling
17 X X X S 156.850 State Controlled (1 W
18 X D 156.900 161.500 Port operation, ship movement

18A X X S 156.900 Commercial

19 X D 156.950 161.550 Port operation, ship movement
19A X S 156.950 US: Commercial
19A X S 156.950 Coast Guard

20 X X X D 157.000 161.600 Canadian Coast Guard Only,
20A X S 157.000 Port operation

21 X D 157.050 161.650 Port operation, ship movement

21A X X S 157.050 U.S. Government Only, Canadian Coast Guard

22 X D 157.100 161.700 Port operation, ship movement
22A X X S 157.100 US and Canadian Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

Port operation, ship movement
Commercial fishing
Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

(

Recreational

International: port operations and shipment

Safety Information Broadcasts announced on channel 16

)

)

)

)
)

)

)

)

)

GX1255SPage 48

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

23 X X D 157.150 161.750 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

23A X S 157.150 U.S. Government Only

24 X X X D 157.200 161.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
25 X X X D 157.250 161.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
26 X X X D 157.300 161.900 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
27 X X X D 157.350 161.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
28 X X X D 157.400 162.000 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
60 X X D 156.025 160.625 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator
61 X D 156.075 160.675 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

61A X X S 156.075 U.S. Govermrnt Only, Canadian Coast Guard-Pacific

62 X D 156.125 160.725 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

62A X S 156.125 Public Coast: Coast Guard;

63 X D 156.175 160.775 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

63A X S 156.175 Port Operation and Commercial. VTS in selected areas.

64 X X D 156.225 160.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

64A X X S 156.225 U.S. Government Only, Canadian Commercial Fishing

65 X D 156.275 160.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

65A X X S 156.275 Port Opeations

66 X D 156.325 160.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

66A X X S 156.325 Port Operations

67 X X X S 156.375 US: Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communi-

68 X X X S 156.425 Non-commercial (Recreational
69 X X X S 156.475 US: Non-commercial (Recreational),

70 X X X S 156.525 Digital selective calling (voice communications not allowed
71 X X X S 156.575 US, Canada: Non-commercial (Recreational),

72 X X X S 156.625 Non-commercial (Inter-ship only
73 X X X S 156.675 US: Port Operations, Canada: Commercial fishing only,

74 X X X S 156.725 US: Port Operations, Canada: Commercial fishing only,
75 X S 156.775 Port Operations (Inter-ship only

76 X S 156.825
77 X X S 156.875 Port Operations (Inter-ship only
77 X S 156.875 Port Operations (Inter-ship only
78 X D 156.925 161.525 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

78A X X S 156.925 Non-commercial (Recreational

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

Port operation, ship movement

Coast, Commercial Fishing-East Coast

Port operation, ship movement
East Coast: commercial fishing only
Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

Port operation, ship movement

cations in lower Mississippi River. Inter-ship only,
Canada: Commercial fishing, S&R

Canada: Commercial fishing only,
International: Inter-ship, Port opertions and Ship movement

International: Port opertions and Ship movement

International: Inter-ship, Port opertions and Ship movement
International: Inter-ship, Port opertions and Ship movement

Port Operations (Inter-ship only

Port operation, ship-movement

)

)
)
)
)
)
)

)

)

) (1W)
) (1W)
) (1W)
)

)

)

GX1255S

Page 49

CH U C I S/D TX RX CHANNEL USE

79 X D 156.975 161.575 Port operation and Ship movement
79A X X S 156.975 Commercial

80 X D 157.025 161.625 Port operation, ship movement
80A X X S 157.025 Commercial

81 X D 157.075 161.675 Port operation, ship movement

81A X X S 157.075 U.S. Government Only -

82 X D 157.125 161.725 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator),

82A X X S 157.125 U.S. Government Only, Canadian Coast Guard Only

83 X X D 157.175 161.775 Canadian Coast Guard Only

83A X X S 157.175 U.S. Government Only, Canadian Coast Guard Only

83 X X D 157.175 161.775 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

84 X X X D 157.225 161.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

85 X X X D 157.275 161.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

86 X X X D 157.325 161.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

87 X X X D 157.375 161.975 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator

88 X X X D 157.425 162.025 Public Correspondence (ship-to-coast
88A X S 157.425 Commercial, Inter-ship Only

WX01

X X X D - - - 162.550 Weather (receive only

WX02

X X X D - - - 162.400 Weather (receive only

WX03

X X X D - - - 162.475 Weather (receive only

WX04

X X X D - - - 162.425 Weather (receive only

WX05

X X X D - - - 162.450 Weather (receive only

WX06

X X X D - - - 162.500 Weather (receive only

WX07

X X X D - - - 162.525 Weather (receive only

WX08

X X X D - - - 161.650 Weather (receive only

WX09

X X X D - - - 161.775 Weather (receive only

WX10

X X X D - - - 163.275 Weather (receive only

The above BOLD channels are not for use of the general public in U.S. waters, unless proper
authorization is given.

VHF MARINE CHANNEL CHART

Environmental protection operations.

Port operation, ship movement

)
)
)
)
)

)

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

GX1255SPage 50

11. WARRANTY

Marine Products Limited Warranty
STANDARD HORIZON (a division of VERTEX STANDARD) warrants, to the

original purchaser only, each new Marine Communications Product (“Prod­uct”) manufactured and/or supplied by STANDARD HORIZON against de­fects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a
period of time from the date of purchase as follows:

Fixed Mount and Portable Transceivers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased between 01/01/91 and 01/01/94
3 years Waterproof - if purchased after 01/01/94

Loud hailers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased after 01/01/91

Associated Chargers

1 year - if purchased before 01/01/91
3 years - if purchased after 01/01/91

Associated Batteries - 18 months. Note: Batteries will be deemed deflec-

tive only if storage capacity drops below 80% of rated capacity or if leakage
develops.

Associated Accessories - 1 year. Includes: Microphones/Handsets, Exter­nal Speakers, Antennas, Carrying Accessories, Power Supplies, and Sig­naling Boards.

To receive warranty service, the purchaser must deliver the Product, trans­portation and insurance prepaid, to STANDARD HORIZON (a division of
VERTEX STANDARD), 115 North Wright Brothers Dr, Salt Lake City, Utah
84116-2838. Include proof of purchase indicating model. serial number, and
date of purchase. STANDARD HORIZON will return the Product to the pur­chaser freight prepaid. Products purchased prior to January 1, 1991 will
bear the STANDARD HORIZON warranty terms in effect prior to that date.

In the event of a defect, malfunction or failure of the Product during the
warranty period, STANDARD HORIZON’s liability for any breach of contract
or any breach of express or implied warranties in connection with the sale of
Products shall be limited solely to repair or replacement, at its option, of the
Product or part(s) therein which, upon examination by STANDARD HORI-

GX1255S

Page 51

ZON, appear to be defective or not up to factory specifications. STANDARD
HORIZON may, at its option, repair or replace parts or subassemblies with
new or reconditioned parts and subassemblies. Parts thus repaired or re­placed are warranted for the balance of the original applicable warranty.

STANDARD HORIZON will not warrant installation, maintenance or service
of the Products. In all instances, STANDARD HORIZON’s liability for dam­ages shall not exceed the purchase price of the defective Product.

This warranty only extends to Products sold within the 50 States of the United
States of America and the District of Columbia.

STANDARD HORIZON will pay all labor to repair the product and replace­ment parts charges incurred in providing the warranty service except where
purchaser abuse or other qualifying exceptions exist. The purchaser must
pay any transportation expenses incurred in returning the Product to STAN­DARD HORIZON for service.

This limited warranty does not extend to any Product which has been sub­jected to misuse, neglect, accident, incorrect wiring by anyone other than
STANDARD HORIZON, improper installation, or subjected to use in viola­tion of instructions furnished by STANDARD HORIZON, nor does this war­ranty extend to Products on which the serial number has been removed,
defaced, or changed. STANDARD HORIZON cannot be responsible in any
way for ancillary equipment not furnished by STANDARD HORIZON which
is attached to or used in connection with STANDARD HORIZON’s Products,
or for the operation of the Product with any ancillary equipment, and all such
equipment is expressly excluded from this warranty. STANDARD HORIZON
disclaims liability for range, coverage, or operation of the Product and ancil­lary equipment as a whole under this warranty. STANDARD HORIZON re­serves the right to make changes or improvements in Products, during sub­sequent production, without incurring the obligation to install such changes
or improvements on previously manufactured Products.

The implied warranties which the law imposes on the sale of this Product
are expressly LIMITED, in duration, to the time period specified above. STAN­DARD HORIZON shall not be liable under any circumstances for conse­quential damages resulting from the use and operation of this Product, or
from the breach of this LIMITED WARRANTY, any implied warranties, or
any contract with STANDARD HORIZON. IN CONNECTION WITH THE
SALE OF ITS PRODUCTS, STANDARD HORIZON MAKES NO WARRAN-

GX1255SPage 52

TIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AS TO THE MERCHANTABILITY OR FIT­NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE, EXCEPT AS
EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or conse­quential damages, or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so
the above limitations or exclusions may not apply. This warranty gives spe­cific legal rights, and there may be other rights which may vary from state to
state.

ONLY PRODUCTS SOLD ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1991 ARE COV­ERED UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY.

GX1255S

Page 53

ON-LINE WARRANTY REGISTRATION

THANK YOU for buying STANDARD HORIZON (a division of Vertex Stan­dard) products! We are confident your new radio will serve your needs for
many years!

Please visit www.standardhorizon.com to register the QUEST Marine VHF.
It should be noted that visiting the Web site from time to time may be benefi­cial to you, as new products are released they will appear on the STAN­DARD HORIZON Web site. Also a statement regarding product support
should be added to the manual.

Product Support Inquiries
If you have any questions or comments regarding the use of the QUEST,

you can visit the STANDARD HORIZON Web site to send an E-Mail or con­tact the Product Support team at [phone] or [phone] M-F
7:00-5:00PST.

In addition to the warranty, STANDARD HORIZON includes a lifetime “flat
rate” program to provide service after the warranty period has expired. If you
wish to obtain the flat rate price for out-of-warranty repair, you must include
the information on the Owner’s Record with the unit when you return it to
your Dealer or to STANDARD HORIZON.

Lifetime Flat Rate Service Program: For the original Owner only, for the
lifetime of the unit, STANDARD HORIZON will repair the unit to original speci­fications.

Note: The flat rate amount is payable by the Owner only if STANDARD HO­RIZON or the STANDARD HORIZON Dealer determines that a repair is
needed. After the repair, a 90-day warranty will be in effect from the date of
return of the unit to the Owner.

This service program is not available for equipment which has failed as a
result of neglect, accident, breakage, misuse, improper installation or modi­fication, or water damage (depending on the product).

GX1255SPage 54

12 SPECIFICATIONS

Performance specifications are nominal, unless otherwise indicated, and
are subject to change without notice.

12.1 GENERAL

Channels ..............................................All USA, International and Canadian

Input Voltage ......................................................................... 13.8 VDC ±20%

Current Drain

Standby...............................................................................................0.5 A

Receive...............................................................................................1.5 A

Transmit.................................................................... 5.0 A (Hi); 1.5 A (Lo)

Dimensions ................................................ 2-1/2” H x 6-5/16” W x 6-5/16” D

(64 H x 160 W x 160 D mm)

Flush-Mount Dimensions ................................... 2” H x 5-5/16” W x 5-1/8” D

(50 H x 136 W x 130 D mm)

Weight ........................................................................................ 2.2 lbs (1 kg)

12.2 TRANSMITTER

Frequency Range ................................................... 156.025 to 157.425 MHz

RF Output........................................................................ 25 W (Hi); 1 W (Lo)

Conducted Spurious Emissions..................................80 dB (Hi); 60 dB (Lo)

Audio Response ...............................................within +1/-3 of a 6 dB/octave

pre-emphasis characteristic at 300 to 3000 Hz

Audio Distortion .........................................................................................5 %

Modulation....................................................... 16K0G3E, for DSC 16K0G2B

Frequency Stability (-20°C to +50°C) ............................................ ±0.0005%

FM Hum and Noise................................................................................ 50 dB

12.3 RECEIVER

Frequency Range ................................................... 156.050 to 163.275 MHz

Sensitivity

20 dB Quieting .............................................................................. 0.35 µV

12 dB SINAD................................................................................. 0.25 µV

Squelch Sensitivity (Threshold) ................................................... 0.13 µV

Modulation Acceptance Bandwidth.................................................. ±7.5 kHz

Selectivity

Spurious and Image Rejection....................................................... -70 dB

Intermodulation and Rejection at 12 dB SINAD ........................... -70 dB

Audio Output ............................................................................................. 4 W

Audio Response .............................................within + 2/–8 of a 6 dB/octave

de-emphasis characteristic at 300 to 3000 Hz

Frequency Stability (-20°C to +50°C) ........................................... ±0.0005 %

Channel Spacing ................................................................................. 25 kHz

DSC Format ............................................................................... RTCMSC101

GX1255S Page 55

MEMO

GX1255SPage 56

MEMO

GX1255S Page 57

Marine Division of VERTEX STANDARD

US Headquarters

10900 Walker Street, Cypress, CA 90630, U.S.A.

WWW. standardhorizon.com

0206u-0K

Copyright 2002
VERTEX STANDARD CO., LTD.
All rights reserved.

No portion of this manual
may be reproduced
without the permission of
VERTEX STANDARD CO., LTD.

E M 0 0 1 N 1 0 0

GX1255S