Getting MMSI for Boat with AIS, VHF, and Handheld VHF

[DragonflyBob]

Originally Posted by dlj

I got an email the next day with links to download the document. it took less that 24 hours.i was surprised how fast it was.

dj

I got the same this morning after I submitted and paid for my application 24 hours earlier.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Bobby Lex

I guess I didn't make myself clear. My bad. If was referring to use of a handheld VHF on the mothership (..."one boat name, one owner, one mmsi"...) If you envision the handheld being used on multiple vessels (e.g. a delivery captain or crew bringing his own portable VHF) it would make sense for the VHF to have its own mmsi#.

Bob

The dinghy is also a vessel.


What's the point of the handheld if you only ever use it onboard?


You want a separate MMSI unless you never take the handheld off the mother ship.

[DragonflyBob]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The dinghy is also a vessel.


What's the point of the handheld if you only ever use it onboard?


You want a separate MMSI unless you never take the handheld off the mother ship.

OP here.

On our Dragonfly 32, our B&G panel mounted VHF is inside the cabin right by the companionway. The mic is convenient if you are standing in the cabin by the radio or in the companionway. We also have a handheld and I find it much more convenient to use when I am up on deck and need to move around. That handheld is DSC/GPS configured (no AIS receive) and an MMSI can be configured to it also. That was the basis of my original question in that once I receive my ship station license and associated MMSI. I use that MMSI for not only the B&G VHF and our AIS transponder, but also for the handheld. At that point the MMSI is associated with all the comm devices used on a single boat.

The handheld might also be taken off the boat to be used on a J/80 we own that we race locally. We use the VHF for monitoring race committee communications on that boat.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by Sam Woodbridge

Doesn’t boatusa let you get a mmsi number free?

Correct, as a member, it's free. That's how I did it
They will do it for a 25.00 fee, but you get a yr membership as a result.

[Bobby Lex]

Originally Posted by JBsurfin

Correct, as a member, it's free. That's how I did it
They will do it for a 25.00 fee, but you get a yr membership as a result.

But if you plan to ever use your radio internationally (Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Carribean, etc.) the Boat US MMSI# is not valid. You MUST obtain your # through the FCC.

Bob

[rls8r]

The information that continuouswave provided in message #15 is what the FCC page still says. However, it seems that Schedule B and the attachment are no longer needed to accompany Form 605 for a Handheld VHF license. Since I already have an MMSI for my boat I went through the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) to apply for the license for my handheld.

It used to be that Schedule B was the place that the FCC asked about the type of license being applied for - but that has changed so that Item 6 of the on-line 605 application gives "Portable" as a choice for "License Type." Apparently, when "P" is chosen, the application is streamlined to eliminate all the ship-specific information and to automatically issue a Handheld VHF license and an appropriately-formatted MMSI (at least, that's what I was told by FCC's "Aaron").

[SpiritofGlenans]

If your handheld VHF is non-DSC, an MMSI number does not apply.