Ships License for AIS?

[hellosailor]

"I traveled to the Bahamas and didn't seem to need"
Some times, some places, the words "Island time" come to mind. Some times, some backsheesh must be paid. Other times, same places, a nice man just says "No problem, have a nice visit."


So you can rely on things being casual, or you can make sure to do everything up to full legal requirements, just in case the nice man in the uniform had a nasty fight with his wife that morning and is looking for someone to take out his anger on. Or, if his boss said "Go make some money today, we need more!"


Happens here in the Colonies, too.

[theway]

Here is what I get on the summary page after I fill out all the info, does this look about right? I just have a feeling its not the right form, or I'm missing something, or for some reason I won't get a new international MMSI.

Has anyone been through this, does this look familiar?

[Dave Lochner]

The Radio Service you want is SA. That's what it says.

Don't forget your Restricted Radiotelephone Operator's license. :big grin:

I can understand a guy in a uniform who is having a bad day because of a domestic dispute or even if his boss said go raise some more money. Such as life. But if the guy in a uniform is having a bad day because one of us cruisers gave him some grief, then I have a real issue with that cruiser.

[theway]

The RR says $65 too...

Are you sure that its different from the one with the SA under $65 - PASM?
If its not, why does it show 2 different things in the SA? ($65 and $150)


I just looked again, and I'm thinking it might be different because in the details of the RR it shows "Payment Type" as PARR. Damn, now I'm up to $280... really?


Payment Type Quantity Purpose Subtotal
PARR 1 NE $65.00

Total Due $65.00

[Dave Lochner]

Just remember that guy in a uniform having a bad day.......

[theway]

Haha
But isn't that guy gonna give me a hard time and make me pay for something anyway


I'll call the FCC when I get a chance, just to make sure I have all my ducks in a row with these online forms.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

[basssears]

Well, I just did this today and that's what I ended up with... not sure about the RadioTelephone part I guess we'll wait and see.

For anyone else browsing this thread, as mentioned the FCC website is all you'd expect (and more) from a government site.

The biggest tip I can give is to *NOT* worry about Form 159... I spent 1/2 an hour trying to figure out filing that online. Form 159 is (appears to be, no expert here) a generic payment form that is used to pay for lots of different fees... if you create an account and fill out form 605 *THAT* is your actual application form... once you complete that form you get to the screens shown below and then you go through the online payment process... when you pay online a form 159 is created for you, you don't have to initiate one.

Hope that helps, and hope I'm right!

-- Bass

Originally Posted by theway

Here is what I get on the summary page after I fill out all the info, does this look about right? I just have a feeling its not the right form, or I'm missing something, or for some reason I won't get a new international MMSI.

Has anyone been through this, does this look familiar?

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by basssears

For anyone else browsing this thread, as mentioned the FCC website is all you'd expect (and more) from a government site.


-- Bass

Certainly not our government's best efforts at web design. Then again, the FCC is probably the geekiest agency we have, aside from the NSA and their colleagues.

[btrayfors]

The $215 is correct. It includes both the Ship Station License (good for 10 years) and the Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Permit (good for life).

Yes, the FCC site is a mess.

What's more, the whole "domestic" MMSI numbering thing is a mess. It came about not so much because the USG didn't want to license all those new VHFs and DSC radios, but because of political pressure from the millions of folks in small boats who now had VHF/DSC radios, either fixed or handheld, and who didn't want to pay to use them. So, for what is now the paltry sum of $20 per year this bloody mess has been created, and there's no easy way for the government to back out of it.

My advice: go ahead and get the license. Check all the boxes (for SSB, radar, satellite, etc.) even if you don't have the equipment. That will keep you covered in the event you do add equipment in the future, or go abroad, or talk to a foreign-flagged ship.

Bill

[basssears]

I think that's solid advice Bill... with how convoluted this seems like it can get the last thing I'd want to be doing would be trying to do this on short notice... I'm months out from needing the license or having a new VHF / AIS programmed... -- Bass

Originally Posted by btrayfors

My advice: go ahead and get the license. Check all the boxes (for SSB, radar, satellite, etc.) even if you don't have the equipment. That will keep you covered in the event you do add equipment in the future, or go abroad, or talk to a foreign-flagged ship.

Bill

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by basssears

I think that's solid advice Bill... with how convoluted this seems like it can get the last thing I'd want to be doing would be trying to do this on short notice... I'm months out from needing the license or having a new VHF / AIS programmed... -- Bass

You're lucky. You can go ahead now and avoid any problems as you move forward.

Bill

[Dave Lochner]

Checking my records, I paid the $215 and only received a "Radio Station Authorization" no Restricted Radiotelegraph Operators License.

In stark contrast to the website, the FCC was extremely quick in processing the application. I applied on Sunday November 1, 2015 and received the station license by email on November 3, 2015.

[Dave Lochner]

Went back to the FCC site and applied for a Restricted Radio Operators License. The payment code is PARR. They took my $65.

On another note, there are searchable databases on the site. Any license can be found. Interestingly, my father's license is still listed as active. He's only been dead for 14 years.

[basssears]

They do take your money efficiently don't they!

I followed the same steps and have my Radio Station Authorization, suprisingly quickly.

Again for anyone else who might peruse this thread, I THINK I have determined that having a General Class amateur radio license means I don't have to pay for the Radiotelephone Operators License:
Offshore Store - FCC License

Thanks for everyone's help, I now have an international ready (well really just Canada for me) MMSI!

-- Bass

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

Went back to the FCC site and applied for a Restricted Radio Operators License. The payment code is PARR. They took my $65.

On another note, there are searchable databases on the site. Any license can be found. Interestingly, my father's license is still listed as active. He's only been dead for 14 years.

[Dave Lochner]

The FCC is very quick at issuing the licenses. I applied for the Restricted license late yesterday and it was in my mail box this morning.

You are correct in that there is a hierarchical structure to FCC licenses. More advanced licenses have access to different frequencies than lower licenses. The advanced licenses usually have experience and test requirements. A higher class of license can use frequencies available to lower classes, but not vice versa.

For Marine SSB all you need is a RR license, but to access the SSB Ham bands you need an Amateur Radio license of some class.