FCC Advisory on MMSI

[continuouswave]

There are several concurrent threads discussing assignment or modification of MMSI identification. In May 2016 the FCC issued Enforcement Advisory No. 2016-04 for Marine Radios on the topic of their MMSI registration and use.

This document can be downloaded from

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-16-513A1.pdf

The document explains the situation for boaters in the USA for obtaining an MMSI and which issuing-agency can be used for which types of boats.

The document explains in plain text several procedures involving sale of a boat, use of the MMSI, transfer of authorization, and so on.

The FCC document is written rather plain language (considering it came from a government bureaucracy) and will answer many questions.

The document also notes that the U.S. Coast Guard estimates approximately 10,000 vessels send inaccurate MMSI identification on any given day.

[Dogscout]

While all that is nice news to read. Is there any recommendation to boaters, cruisers or yachties on how to select whether to obtain one form the FCC or another source that will BEST meet their needs for sailing coastal or internationally.

Or what is the purpose of this thread? Could this have been stated in one of those other threads?

Whats the point

[gonesail]

Mine is one that sends inaccurate MMSI identification. if the VHF manufacturers would not have used such archaic ways of encoding the MMSI into their radios .. it might be a different story

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by gonesail

Mine is one that sends inaccurate MMSI identification. if the VHF manufacturers would not have used such archaic ways of encoding the MMSI into their radios .. it might be a different story

Talk to you Congresspeople:

47 CFR § 80.231 - Technical Requirements for Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment.

The entry of static data into a Class B AIS device shall be performed by the vendor of the device or by an appropriately qualified person in the business of installing marine communications equipment on board vessels. In no event shall the entry of static data into a Class B AIS device be performed by the user of the device or the licensee of a ship station using the device.

.
There are similar regulations for other equipment that use an MMSI. Much of the rest of the world is not so picky.

The USCG says there are 10,000 units transmitting improper information, so it seems this approach didn’t work. Of course, 5 of those 10 thousand are fishing boats that are underway with their status set to “anchored” or “engaged in fishing” when in fact they are steaming towards port at 8-10 knots.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by gonesail

Mine is one that sends inaccurate MMSI identification.

As the advisory cautions, there are FCC fines that can be imposed.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

Is there any recommendation to boaters, cruisers or yachties on how to select whether to obtain one form the FCC or another source that will BEST meet their needs for sailing coastal or internationally.

Please read the cited document to find the answer.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

Whats [sic] the point[sic]

The purpose of my post to mention the cited document was to bring awareness of that document to readers of the post.

I will now ask you the same question: what was your point in asking me what was the purpose of my post?

I find that discussion that begin to discuss themselves are usually a waste of time

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

Could this have been stated in one of those other threads?

I choose to post the information I was contributing in its own thread rather than post it to four or five threads.

[scherzoja]

Continuouswave,

Thank you for posting the link to that PDF, the information is very helpful and it has links to more detailed information.

Thanks again for posting it.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by gonesail

...if the VHF manufacturers would not have used such archaic ways of encoding the MMSI into their radios .. it might be a different story

The FCC advisory regarding use of incorrect MMSI data in a DSC radio does not discuss the "archaic ways" that "VHF manufacturers have used" for "encoding the MMSI into [DSC] radios."

One can reasonably assume that if a particular manufacturer uses a method of entry of the MMSI identity into their DSC radio that the method used must be in compliance with the requirements for a DSC radio.

If you want to discuss that new topic, perhaps you can start a new thread on that topic and let this thread remain on its topic.

Again, the thread is pointing to a very informative document issued by the FCC several years ago that provides useful information regarding the registration of a vessel for a ship station license, an MMSI, and how to handle changes such as the sale of the ship and transfer of the license to a new owner.

The topic of the FCC advisory is not about how the user interface of a DSC radio should have been designed or what behaviors for a DSC radio should have been required in the ITU recommendation that defines the behavior of a DSC radio. Those are quite different topics.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by continuouswave

... If you want to discuss that new topic, perhaps you can start a new thread on that topic and let this thread remain on its topic.
Again, the thread is pointing to a very informative document issued by the FCC several years ago that provides useful information regarding the registration of a vessel for a ship station license, an MMSI, and how to handle changes such as the sale of the ship and transfer of the license to a new owner...
FCC ☞ https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-16-513A1.pdf

Thanks!

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

...[5,000] of those [10,000 errors in MMSI] are fishing boats that are underway with their status set to “anchored” or “engaged in fishing” when in fact they are steaming towards port at 8-10 knots.

You are confusing problems with MMSI with problems in AIS transmissions of vessel status.

Problems in AIS transmission of vessel status are not covered in the FCC Enforcement Advisory that is the topic of this thread.

The USCG has published a USCG AIS ENCODING GUIDE. See

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/AIS/AISGuide.pdf

The topic of errors in vessel status in their AIS transmission would be a useful topic for its own discussion thread.

The USCG AIS ENCODING GUIDE has already been the topic of discussion at:

https://www2.vespermarine.com/news/uscg

and at

https://www.milltechmarine.com/US-Co...rors_b_29.html

as well as already being discussed on this forum at

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ce-227611.html

and at

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...tn-199779.html

I don't see any particular advantage to turning this thread into a discussion of errors in vessel status in AIS transmissions.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Talk to you Congresspeople:

.
There are similar regulations for other equipment that use an MMSI. Much of the rest of the world is not so picky.

The USCG says there are 10,000 units transmitting improper information, so it seems this approach didn’t work. Of course, 5 of those 10 thousand are fishing boats that are underway with their status set to “anchored” or “engaged in fishing” when in fact they are steaming towards port at 8-10 knots.

Which is crazy as the aeronautical equivalent (ADSB-out transponder, mandated from Jan 1 this year) is entirely user-configurable. I upgraded in Jan and did it all myself including toggling in aircraft tail number, dimensions, and so on.

[continuouswave]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

[That an AIS transmitter must be preconfigured with an MMSI by the vendor] is crazy...

Configuration of automatic identification system (AIS) transmitters is regulated in the USA.

The topic of configuration of AIS transmitters is not discussed in the FCC Advisory on MMSI registration and transfer.

ASIDE: A reasonable inference for the reason behind the FCC regulation that AIS transmitters must be pre-configured by the vendor for sale to USA boaters with the buyer's MMSI is the experience gained by having allowed recreational boaters to self-configure their DSC radios with MMSI information. This produced a undesirable outcome: the existence of many boats with improper MMSI data.

The existence of boats with improper MMSI data is a topic in the FCC Advisory on MMSI registration, use, and transfer.

Originally Posted by flightlead404

...the aeronautical equivalent (ADSB-out transponder, mandated from Jan 1 this year) is entirely user-configurable.

The FCC Advisory on MMSI does not discuss configuration of ADSB transponders in aircraft.

Please note that entry of MMSI information into DSC radios is accomplished by the end user.

[jbinbi]

Friend of mine programmed my number in himself(US). He wrote 100ks lines of code for gov, figured he could enter in the number. You need a laptop, USB cable, and the SW. You can download the SW if you look for it as other countries allow users to do this. Takes all of 5 minutes. He bought his boat new and dealer did not setup it. Local electronic guy wanted $100 to do this.