MMSI best practice for handheld VHF DSC radio?

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by Stewie12

In all my cruising years in and out of the UK,I never even thought of licensing my hand portable. I do not think that anyone else did either.

Aren't handheld DSC capable radios a relatively new thing. I don't really recall seeing them in the past.

I just use the same MMSI as the boat but I guess OP idea of different MMSI to make DSC calls between dinghy and mothership is useful.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by Stewie12

In all my cruising years in and out of the UK,I never even thought of licensing my hand portable. I do not think that anyone else did either.

Ah, but we know have portables with AIS and linked auto DSC calling.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Statistical

Aren't handheld DSC capable radios a relatively new thing. I don't really recall seeing them in the past.

I just use the same MMSI as the boat but I guess OP idea of different MMSI to make DSC calls between dinghy and mothership is useful.

Been around for at least 15 years, early ones did not have GPS built in and would report the last position before they were removed from the cradle. Registration authorities had a major problem with these. Later ones have GPS and having a individual MMSI makes the distress function much more useful as it is identified as a portable, life raft, dinghy incident away from mother ship, diver support, etc etc.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by Statistical

Aren't handheld DSC capable radios a relatively new thing. I don't really recall seeing them in the past.

I just use the same MMSI as the boat but I guess OP idea of different MMSI to make DSC calls between dinghy and mothership is useful.

I would imagine folks spending big money on something like an ICOM 1C-94 want to do more that dinghy to mothership. They need a Ships Portable License, separate from their Ships License to use it for DSC calls from other vessels.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by goeasy123

I would imagine folks spending big money on something like an ICOM 1C-94 want to do more that dinghy to mothership. They need a Ships Portable License, separate from their Ships License to use it for DSC calls from other vessels.

Why? If the device is used on board the mothership for DSC calls the fact that it is portable is irrelevant. Portable licenses are a relatively new thing the radios have predated them for a while.

Pretty sure there are tens of thousands of ICOM IC-904 being used right now with the motherships MMSI programmed in.

Now there are some niche applications where the radio will move between multiple vessels and those should have a portable license. An example would be a delivery captain who brings his own radio because he doesn't trust the client's gear. A portable radio programmed with one specific mothership would make no sense in that usage. Another example would be a sailing club where there are 20 vessels and no onboard radio, club members just grab any portable and use it with any vessel. Portable license is a perfect fit there.