Do you have DSC / GPS / MMSI configured?

Do you have DSC / GPS / MMSI configured?

  • Sounds complicated, what are you talking about?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I know what it is, but I don't have it or have it configured

    Votes: 4 9.1%

  • I have some parts, but not all

    Votes: 3 6.8%

  • My boat is fully configured for DSC with GPS and an MMSI

    Votes: 35 79.5%

  • That's old-school. I use full-blown AIS.

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • Total voters
    44
  • Poll closed .
About 5 years ago, I took my daughter (24 yrs old) for a cruise about 5 miles off the coast in my old 310 Sundancer. I stopped the boat for a moment to check on something and without warning a wave hit the starboard side of the boat. I was thrown into the side window and slammed my forehead on the metal window frame. It stunned me for a moment and took me a minute or two before my head cleared up to think clearly. Afterward, I asked her what she would have done if I had passed out. She had no idea. She did not know anything about the boat, radio, or even where we were. I do have an MMSI number and EPIRB. You could have the finest equipment available, but if nobody onboard knows anything about it, then it is of litttle or no help. I realized at this point I had failed miserably. It was my job to ensure people onboard at least understood the basic fundamentals of how to communicate and summon assistance in an emergency situation. Soon after, I convinced her to take the boater safety course and I spent time explaining to her what she needed to know about the boat and the equipment on it.
 
Stee6043 said:
Hmm....well I'm going to try this tomorrow so I'll provide an update.

I know it would not be desirable to have an MMSI # in two devices not on the same boat. But if the new owner of a radio had no interest in getting their own MMSI, and I end up having my existing MMSI in two radios, I'm not necessarily at risk?

If I hit that button the most critical information is the GPS location of the VHF doing the transmitting. If they have the wrong owner name...I don't think that's going to materially impact their ability to perform a quick rescue? Perhaps I'm way off on this.
Click to expand...
I just did this wih BoatUS, 25 buck fee
Q: I have purchased a boat & radio with an MMSI number programmed into it. Can the MMSI number be transferred over to me?
If the MMSI number was assigned by BoatUS and the previous owner has cancelled their registration, BoatUS can transfer the MMSI number to the new owner. If the previous owner has not closed the account, we will attempt to contact them to verify that they are not still using the number in another radio. If the previous owner cannot be contacted or is still improperly using the MMSI you will need to reprogram the radio with a new number. To check if your MMSI was assigned through BoatUS, email mmsi@boatus.com.
 
Stee6043 said:
The form at USPS.org leads me to believe the owner information is about the only thing that remains the same which is why I made this statement. It's very easy to change the MMSI number in the radio and very little changes on the USPS form. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong :)
Click to expand...

After the initial registration, my Icom BB400 does not allow for the MMSI to be changed by the user.

From the manual:
upload_2018-6-28_11-20-50.png



My hand-held Standard Horizon hx870 is the same:

upload_2018-6-28_11-19-5.png
 
i just emailed BoatUS about this earlier this morning as we are selling our boat today. Their response was to cancel my subscription to that MMSI and they can transfer it to the new owner then I will have to register for a new MMSI when we get our next boat. They also said it would be unlikely that I could delete my MMSI# from that radio.

Here is the response (edited to leave out my personal info):

"It’s unlikely that you could clear the existing MMSI from the radio.




The proper procedure is to cancel the current MMSI, thus making it eligible for reassignment to the control of the new owners.




Then, assuming this is the MMSI number in question,"
 
yes , the mmsi can be programmed only one time . it stays with the boat/vhf even when the boat is sold to a new owner .
 
Not that I need it where I boat, but when I installed my new iCom VHF, it had that feature so I obtained an MMSI, programmed it in, and connected up to my C80.
 
Just to reiterate my point earlier about water temps and dangers. I just got an alert that Lake Ontario is unseasonably cold. Here we are coming into July, air temps are forecasted to be 96+*F this week, yet the surface temperature is barely touching 61*. That doesn’t sound cold until you’re floating in it. The hypothermia estimates for 50-60* water is loss of dexterity in 10-15 Minutes and a survival time of 1-6 hours. Taking that into account my investment in the PLB and MMSI seem like money well spent, I even like having the dinghy hanging off the back as added insurance for longer runs
 
If you are authorized to operate a boat, you really should take a VHF radio certification course with your local power squadron.
 
Last edited:
Why anyone purchasing a new radio not taking advantage of the safety features of this service Is beyond sensible.
 
Boat is sold. New owners picked it up tonight. Cancelled my MMSI as per BoatUS recommendation.
 
M Prod said:
If you are authorized to operate a boat, you really should take a VHF radio certification course with your local power squadron.
Click to expand...

In Canada you are required to have that certificate if you want to transmit on your radio. You don't need one if you have a radio and only listen on it, but its really not much good then.

I have my radio and GPS connected and have an MMSI number registered. I also carry a PLB with me. The first thing I show a new person on board is how to send out the distress call using the radio.
 
So, the poll closed with an amazing 84% of responders having DSC or even AIS.

It’s not very scientific of course. Dockside discussions suggest that a fair number of boaters would’ve responded with “What are we talking about”, but still!

This gives me hope that after all these years, DSC is finally gaining some momentum.

I’ve begun to nag the local CG Auxiliaries to incorporate DSC discussions into their inspections. No luck so far, but I’ll keep trying.
 
When I got my 2005 390 Motor Yacht it had a Raymarine VHF with an MMSI from the previous owner. The radio seemed to have some problems transmitting too, so I sent it to Raymarine. They fixed the transmitter problem and also lobotomized it to remove the old MMSI. I got an FCC radio station license (in case I ever cruise to a foreign country), which gave me an MMSI and call sign. Then I programmed the Raymarine VHF with the MMSI, and also bought a handheld VHF w/ DSC and entered the same MMSI as a backup.
 
Press the DSC button, then arrow to MMSI.

You’ll also want to look for “GPS” in the display. If you don’t see it, then you’ll need to connect a source of GPS data to the radio.
 
Joel_MD said:
...and also bought a handheld VHF w/ DSC and entered the same MMSI as a backup.
Click to expand...

Which model did you get, and what do you think of it? My handheld is over 12 years old. Aside from questionable battery health, it isn’t DSC capable.
 
Westie said:
In Canada you are required to have that certificate if you want to transmit on your radio. You don't need one if you have a radio and only listen on it, but its really not much good then.

I have my radio and GPS connected and have an MMSI number registered. I also carry a PLB with me. The first thing I show a new person on board is how to send out the distress call using the radio.
Click to expand...


https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf01775.html

Incorrect....

Ship Radio Station Licensing
Licensing Requirements
Do I need a licence for the marine radio equipment on board my vessel?

You will not require a licence if you meet both of the following criteria:

  • the vessel is not operated in the sovereign waters of a country other than Canada.
  • the radio equipment on board the vessel is only capable of operating on frequencies that are allocated for maritime mobile communications or marine radio navigation. You can verify whether the frequencies you use are in the maritime mobile band by referring to Regulation by Reference RBR-2.
 
Black Valkyrie said:
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf01775.html

Incorrect....

Ship Radio Station Licensing
Licensing Requirements
Do I need a licence for the marine radio equipment on board my vessel?

You will not require a licence if you meet both of the following criteria:

  • the vessel is not operated in the sovereign waters of a country other than Canada.
  • the radio equipment on board the vessel is only capable of operating on frequencies that are allocated for maritime mobile communications or marine radio navigation. You can verify whether the frequencies you use are in the maritime mobile band by referring to Regulation by Reference RBR-2.
Click to expand...

No, he is correct. A station license is different from a Radio Operator's Certificate (ROC-M) ..which you do need to legally operate a marine VHF radio in Canadian waters.

Scroll down to #3:

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-navigation-radiocomms-faqs-1489.htm
 
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