Importing a Boat to Australia

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Simply not true. All EPIRBS / PLBS / ELTS use the same frequencies (406 MHz & 121.5 MHz); Actually there are several 406 frequencies in use but the Satellite receivers are tuned to all of them.

Based on what i have read on the McMurdo website there is something stopping some epirbs from being registered in Aus



IMPORTANT NOTE: The Fast Find 211 and 201 (for registration in Australia and New Zealand) should be purchased from approved suppliers and the equipment should bear the Ctick approval mark on the box. This will ensure that the unit has been properly programmed for registration and is compliant with AMSA regulations.

We do not recommend the purchase of Fast find 210 or 200 as these models are not approved for registration in either Australia or New Zealand.

[Mr B]

I know what I am talking about.

The boat I am buying is USA Epirb Registered, Has a P designation,

I cannot register that USA Epirb in Australia, For My now Australian Registered boat,

Mine is a 503 designation, For Australia,

It was also registered to me with AMSA, Today, So I am using todays information,

And Yes, I did try to reregister the existing USA Epirb on my new boat in Australia,

AMSA Stated to me that it was illegal and does have severe penaltys.

I will go with AMSA's response to my Inquiry, They do make the rules.

I now have a USA Epirb For sale,

If you have a USA boat, You only need to change the registration to you, Its a phone call to the USA governing Authority for Epirbs,

Its just had a new battery fitted,

My new 406 Mhz Epirb is a McMurdo Smart Find A5, AMSA has approved it and sent me the documentation verifying it,

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I know what I am talking about.

The boat I am buying is USA Epirb Registered, Has a P designation,

I cannot register that USA Epirb in Australia, For My now Australian Registered boat,

Mine is a 503 designation, For Australia,

It was also registered to me with AMSA, Today, So I am using todays information,

And Yes, I did try to reregister the existing USA Epirb on my new boat in Australia,

AMSA Stated to me that it was illegal and does have severe penaltys.

I will go with AMSA's response to my Inquiry, They do make the rules.

I now have a USA Epirb For sale,

If you have a USA boat, You only need to change the registration to you, Its a phone call to the USA governing Authority for Epirbs,

Its just had a new battery fitted,

Did they say why it is illegal? It does not seem like it is illegal to have a Epirb that can transmit at 121.5 mhz, it's just that they must have 406mhz. I had my UK Epirb reprogrammed so that it could be registered in Sweden, so the MMSI & hex should i guess not be a problem.

I just wonder if the problem is that you may neef to take the US epirb to Australia, reprogram it and then return it to your boat ???? This however does not explain why McMurdo has a different model for Aus.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I know what I am talking about.

The boat I am buying is USA Epirb Registered, Has a P designation,
US EPIRB's/PLB's are required to transmit morse "P" over the 121.5 MHz homing frequency, this has nothing to do with country designation. The Maritime Identification Digit (MID) is the countrys designation number, the USA has four 366,367,368,369....
I cannot register that USA Epirb in Australia, For My now Australian Registered boat,
That's correct if the EPIRB/PLB is permanently fixed with the US country code and Morse "P", if the EPIRB/PLB is able to be recoded and meets all other requirements, you can recode it and save some money....
Mine is a 503 designation, For Australia,

It was also registered to me with AMSA, Today, So I am using todays information,

And Yes, I did try to reregister the existing USA Epirb on my new boat in Australia,

AMSA Stated to me that it was illegal and does have severe penaltys.


I will go with AMSA's response to my Inquiry, They do make the rules.

I now have a USA Epirb For sale,

If you have a USA boat, You only need to change the registration to you, Its a phone call to the USA governing Authority for Epirbs,

Its just had a new battery fitted,

My new 406 Mhz Epirb is a McMurdo Smart Find A5, AMSA has approved it and sent me the documentation verifying it,

AMSA web site AMSA Beacons Information all the info is there...

[Surfer Girl]

The US body for EPIRB rego is NOAA. There is a lot of confusion here and people getting heated for no reason...

You need to remember why you have bought an EPIRB - it is to save your bacon and get rescued out at sea when all other options have been exhausted. And it doesn't matter where or with whom you registered it when in the middle of the ocean (anywhere on the planet) - all marine rescue centres worldwide work together. Tony Bullimore's EPIRB was registered with MCA (UK), they received the signal and then within minutes of receiving it, contacted AMSA to coordinate the rescue. We bought our EPIRB new in St Martin and registered it with NOAA for the cruise home knowing that even within 10NM of Australia, if we flicked the switch, rescue would come. The important thing is that it is registered.

Yes, of course, once you are living back home you probably need to transfer rego to AMSA (and it seems they are 'insisting' on that now, reading the above posts) but understanding how EPIRB's work world wide is more important - your life may depend on it.

EPIRBS are very cheap now for the service they provide and a hell of a lot cheaper than most other gear you'll buy for your yacht! As cheap as $299 with a sealed 6 year battery! Compare that with the cost of an HF system (6K ++) which these days is not really a necessity, unless you think you must have an internet connection at sea... personally, I go to sea to get away from all that crap!

[savoir]

EPIRB's sure have come down in price. I bought a manual McMurdo 406 with GPS in 2006 for $1100 and now you can get one for $650.

[Wotname]

Let's remember some basics (pertaining to Oz).

While a EPIRB is registered with AMSA, it is ACMA who decides what transmitters (of any sort) can and can't be used in Australia. To be precise, the controlling document is the The Radiocommunications Act 1992.

Simply put, all transmitters in Oz are required to have a "C Tick" of approval. The manufacturers have to jump through certain hoops to be allowed to display the "C Tick" on their product. Even if the equipment might meet the requirements, unless the "hoops" are jumped through, the right to use the "C Tick" is not approved.

So some manufacturers don't bother to have all their products approved for Aussie use and it is an offense to import or use radio apparatus without this "C Tick". Notwithstanding the right to use any frequency / equipment in an emergency, AMSA ain't going to register non-approved EPIRBs.

[Wotname]

FWIW, the "C Tick" looks like this, google for more info.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Let's remember some basics (pertaining to Oz).

While a EPIRB is registered with AMSA, it is ACMA who decides what transmitters (of any sort) can and can't be used in Australia. To be precise, the controlling document is the The Radiocommunications Act 1992.

Simply put, all transmitters in Oz are required to have a "C Tick" of approval. The manufacturers have to jump through certain hoops to be allowed to display the "C Tick" on their product. Even if the equipment might meet the requirements, unless the "hoops" are jumped through, the right to use the "C Tick" is not approved.

So some manufacturers don't bother to have all their products approved for Aussie use and it is an offense to import or use radio apparatus without this "C Tick". Notwithstanding the right to use any frequency / equipment in an emergency, AMSA ain't going to register non-approved EPIRBs.

Thanks for that info,

I just wanted my Epirb registered to me,

I am not going to argue with any Govt department.

My new Epirb cost me $289-00 AUD, My life is worth it. 406 and 121

The issue is not about them saving you any where in the world as All Epirbs are come and help me any where in the world by any one close enough to help,

The issue was about different country Epirbs being registered in different countrys,

As Wotname above clearly put it,

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Let's remember some basics (pertaining to Oz).

While a EPIRB is registered with AMSA, it is ACMA who decides what transmitters (of any sort) can and can't be used in Australia. To be precise, the controlling document is the The Radiocommunications Act 1992.

Simply put, all transmitters in Oz are required to have a "C Tick" of approval. The manufacturers have to jump through certain hoops to be allowed to display the "C Tick" on their product. Even if the equipment might meet the requirements, unless the "hoops" are jumped through, the right to use the "C Tick" is not approved.

So some manufacturers don't bother to have all their products approved for Aussie use and it is an offense to import or use radio apparatus without this "C Tick". Notwithstanding the right to use any frequency / equipment in an emergency, AMSA ain't going to register non-approved EPIRBs.

Again, all the above can be found at AMSA Beacons Information if people can be bothered looking....

One of my jobs is as a sub contractor to AMSA doing Radio/GMDSS Survey's, so far i have not issued any infringements to any Australian registered vessels carrying the incorrect EPIRB, mainly because it is not against the law to be in the possession of one....
All i do is inform them of the mandatory carriage requirements, (a copy of which i give them) give them thirty days to get the correct one, (which is the max i am aloud to give) after that it is out of my hands....
With things like this individuals need to go to the correct authority, while forums are good for getting pointed in the right direction, taking advice on legalities off an open forum is just inviting ill informed individuals to give their own interpretations, and while all info give may not be wrong, for those looking for the correct answers it can be a minefield....

Disclaimer: The above is not aimed at anyone in particular even though i used Wotname’s quote, it is just a bit of freely offered friendly advice....

[dennisail]

Wow I cant believe the huge argument about epirbs. Bottom line is it is an emergency device, probably wont be used. And if it is your signal will be heard no matter where you purchased it!

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by dennisail

Wow I cant believe the huge argument about epirbs. Bottom line is it is an emergency device, probably wont be used. And if it is your signal will be heard no matter where you purchased it!

What huge argument are you going on about mate ?? i can't see one....

A little bit of drama here me thinks....

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

What huge argument are you going on about mate ?? i can't see one....

A little bit of drama here me thinks....

Unsubscribed....

[Dragon Lady]

I'm pretty certain my ARC EPIRP can be reprogramed as an OZ unit by an authorized battery replacement centre, I'd be surprised if other brands weren't the same.
This tick thing has me intrigued, if you have a tick sticker you're legal if not you an't.
What happens when the sticker falls off.
Please don't tell me they will check your serial number or that they can tell by your transmisions?
Time to get a grip fellas.

[savoir]

The people who write the rules about these things are bureaucrats not sailors.