DSC vhf radios & MMSI numbers necesarry ?

[CampCook]

Sumner said

I got one from the GPS Store a week ago for $120 and notice that now they have them for $125...

http://www.thegpsstore.com/Standard-Hor ... fgodFhIAVw

I snagged one on a gift card my daughter gave me for christmas
Thanks for the lead

Dave

[Sumner]

LOL..... Now I really wonder if all the boat traffic ,seadoo's jet skis etc etc that zip over to bimini on the weekends has all this stuff Ron

It be nice if my S went that fast . If I go it will be way past Bimini as I don't have any real desire to go there except to check in there ,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[kadet]

Hi, I have an MMSI in Windsong and my DSC Radio is networked to my plotter. The reason I installed it is that I often have my Gks and my non nautical Admiral on board. In the event of something happening to me they can just push the DSC emergency button and it would send immediately the coordinates as well as a MayDay call to the nearest VMR as well as the national distress call centre in Canberra. In Australia there is no cost to it and your EPIRB needs a MMSI to get registered.

For my sailing it is probably overkill but when you need it it is there.

BB

What he said, if you go more than 2 nautical miles offshore here you must have an EPIRB by law

[Sumner]

..... if you go more than 2 nautical miles offshore here you must have an EPIRB by law

They would sure sell a lot here if that was the case. In Florida at times you need to be 2+ miles out just so you aren't running aground and to legally dump the head, if one does that, you need to be over 3 miles out. An EPIRB came with the Eneavour but I haven't looked into getting the info on it changed so that I could use it,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Tomfoolery]

I had one in my last boat, but the radio stayed with it when I sold it. Don't have the capability now, in either of the three radios (2 fixed, 1 hand-held) that I have with this boat.

Oh, and I never needed to use any of that functionality. Just used it as a plain-vanilla UHF.

Don't let my original response encourage you to not bother with DSC and MMSI capability. I've never needed to use the functions, but that's a good thing. If I was going to buy another radio, including hand-held, I'd buy units with that capability, and connect it to GPS if possible.

I've never needed my life buoys, PFDs, flares, fire extinguishers, and so on, but aside from being required by law, I wouldn't leave home without them. When you need it, you need it. An older gentleman lost his life up here almost ten years ago when sailing in what I believe was protected water, with folks reporting faint mayday calls (from a handheld), but they couldn't find him until morning. I don't know if a handheld with GPS capability and the little red button would have helped, but I can't think it would hurt, and might have given him a better chance of rescue.

[mrron_tx]

LOL..... Now I really wonder if all the boat traffic ,seadoo's jet skis etc etc that zip over to bimini on the weekends has all this stuff Ron

It be nice if my S went that fast . If I go it will be way past Bimini as I don't have any real desire to go there except to check in there ,

Sumner

============================ Sumner.... I want to go far and stay long Myself..... But... I'm still doing the small steps Then I'll do the big leaps Ron.
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[mrron_tx]

I had one in my last boat, but the radio stayed with it when I sold it. Don't have the capability now, in either of the three radios (2 fixed, 1 hand-held) that I have with this boat.

Oh, and I never needed to use any of that functionality. Just used it as a plain-vanilla UHF.

Don't let my original response encourage you to not bother with DSC and MMSI capability. I've never needed to use the functions, but that's a good thing. If I was going to buy another radio, including hand-held, I'd buy units with that capability, and connect it to GPS if possible.

I've never needed my life buoys, PFDs, flares, fire extinguishers, and so on, but aside from being required by law, I wouldn't leave home without them. When you need it, you need it. An older gentleman lost his life up here almost ten years ago when sailing in what I believe was protected water, with folks reporting faint mayday calls (from a handheld), but they couldn't find him until morning. I don't know if a handheld with GPS capability and the little red button would have helped, but I can't think it would hurt, and might have given him a better chance of rescue.

From I read in the manual ( radio ) I just need to buy the "optional" cord from WM , install it and input the info What the heck.... Sound like a great thing with minimal money and work Sounds like a plan. Ron.

[Y.B.Normal]

I received this email last week:

Dear BoatUS MMSI Registrant #:

Please take a moment to log in, review and update your MMSI Registration!

Your MMSI is the nine-digit number programmed into the FIXED MOUNT VHF W/DSC radio on board your vessel. When the emergency button is activated the Coast Guard will use this information to locate and identify your vessel.
1. Your registration must accurately reflect your current information:
• Address and phone numbers
• Emergency contacts ashore
• Identifying characteristics of boat (length, hull type, color or things that may differentiate it from vessels nearby)

2. If you have sold the boat with the programmed radio, log in and choose "Cancel MMSI Registration." Notify the new owner, if possible, to contact MMSI@BoatUS.com with the MMSI# to request transfer and reactivation of the account.
3.If you If you have sold the boat but retained the programmed radio for use in a new boat, log in, choose "Update MMSI Registration," and update with the new boat information.
4. If you have begun taking your boat into international waters, you must log in and choose "Cancel MMSI Registration." Once cancelled, contact the FCC at (877) 480-3201 to obtain the appropriate FCC assigned MMSI. BoatUS MMSI registrations are NOT in the International ITU database.

To View or Edit your registration go to BoatUS.com/MMSI and log in. If you do not have your MMSI log in and password, retrieve them from the database at: BoatUS.com/MMSI/Main.asp?Action=EmailPassword

BoatUS provides MMSI registration, in accordance with guidelines from the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard, as a service to the boating community.

With more than 500,000 members, BoatUS is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters. Join us at BoatUS.com.

[Sumner]

..............If you have begun taking your boat into international waters, you must log in and choose "Cancel MMSI Registration." Once cancelled, contact the FCC at (877) 480-3201 to obtain the appropriate FCC assigned MMSI. BoatUS MMSI registrations are NOT in the International ITU database. [/u][/b].....

Yep, that is what we are suppose to do and I might have done it if it was last fall and I was going out this spring but that isn't the case for me and it sounds complicated ...

http://www.offshoreblue.com/communicati ... icense.php''

.... so I hope I just don't have to push the 'little red button' and then I'll look into it in the future. If someone has the time I'd recommend they do the right thing and get the FCC number. They tell you to cancel your current number but don't warn you that you will probably have to send the radio in before you can put the FCC number in .

We need to remember that in an emergency other boaters with DSC radios that are turned on that can hear ours will also know we are in trouble and in some places they might be about your only hope anyway.

I think I will call that number though tomorrow to see how long it does take, so thanks for posting that,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[RobertB]

The big problem with cancelling the MMSI number and applying for a new one is that at least on Standard Horizen radios, this is a one time deal, I think the radio needs to be returned to the factory to enter a new number. A shame the CONUS MMSI registration cannot be just transferred to the international database.

[Sumner]

The big problem with cancelling the MMSI number and applying for a new one is that at least on Standard Horizen radios, this is a one time deal, I think the radio needs to be returned to the factory to enter a new number. A shame the CONUS MMSI registration cannot be just transferred to the international database.

The new ship's radio and the new handheld have not been programmed at this point so not a problem. As I understand it the international number end in a zero to differentiate them,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Sumner]

Well bit the bullet this afternoon/evening and applied for the Ship's Station Lic. and the Restricted Radio Operators license and it was complicated but now that I went through it all and understand it isn't that bad. If someone wants the steps I'll lay them out before I forget them.

The total cost was $280, not cheap, but if I need it I sure won't complain then. It is $215 for the ship's lic. which will also get you the international MMSI number and $65 for the Restricted Radio Operators license.

I was thinking that if I didn't get a MMSI number and got into a bind I could still push the panic button and it would at least send out my location but read twice that until that number is in the radio the radio won't broadcast using the 'distress button'. The following was on the Coast Guard's site..

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) RADIOS IN USE DO NOT HAVE AN MMSI NUMBER.

The DSC radio “distress alert” transmit features will not work without the MMSI number properly programmed into the radio

Also on the BoatUS site ( http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/) the same thing...

Without an MMSI, the digital functions on a DSC-equipped VHF radio will not function.

.... so get a number. It is easy and free if you stay in your own waters. Only gets complicated/expensive if you go outside of them.

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links