US begins issuing and registering VHF handheld MMSIs

[joehersey]

Originally Posted by Brian.D

Isn't the MMSI assigned to a physical vessel? So moving the radio around will no longer be valid for that vessel. Has there been a change in the requirement?

No change in the requirement. It’s the ship station MMSI (MIDxxxxxx), the type of MMSI BOAT US assigns, that is assigned to a physical vessel and prevents the radio using that identity from moving to another vessel. Since VHF handhelds commonly move among different vessels, a different identity was developed for them, the 8MIDxxxxx VHF handheld MMSI.

Getting the identity right helps the rescue authorities too. If the distress button on a radio encoded with a ship station MMSI is pressed, the Coast Guard will search for the boat registered under that identity. If the distress button on a handheld encoded with a VHF Handheld MMSI is pressed, the Coast Guard will reach out to the emergency contacts registered under that identity.

If your VHF handheld always stays on the boat it is registered with, there’s little benefit in having this new type of MMSI.

[team karst]

Originally Posted by joehersey

No change in the requirement. ….Since VHF handhelds commonly move among different vessels, a different identity was developed for them, the 8MIDxxxxx VHF handheld ….MMSI.

Ok. I have a FCC ships license. Do i take that MMSI, add the 8, delete the last digit, and program the HH radios thusly? Or, use the 98 prefix and drop the last 2 digits?

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by team karst

Ok. I have a FCC ships license. Do i take that MMSI, add the 8, delete the last digit, and program the HH radios thusly? Or, use the 98 prefix and drop the last 2 digits?

Based on information currently available, I don't think you can do that, except for a group MMSI. But the idea does make sense for a VHF where the owner holds another ship station license.

[joehersey]

Nope, you cannot add an 8 and drop the last digit of a ship station MMSI to get a handheld identity. Not sure why that would be much benefit, since those needing a handheld identity may not have or need a ship identity too. Nor can you add a 98 to a ship station identity to get a daughter craft identity.

In the US, you can add a 0 and drop the trailing 0 of an FCC-assigned ship identity to get a group identity, but that’s only a workaround to the fact that it’s the only way to get a group identity in the US. I don’t know of any other country allowing that. It’s only allowed for group identities for FCC-licensed vessels.

[team karst]

Lots of ways it doesnt work. Let me ask if there is a way for it to work.

I have a fishing boat with 5 smaller boats in tow. Small boats have HH radios. Same owner. Is there a way to provide for unique radio mmsi for each? Is the answer different for US vs ROW?

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by team karst

Lots of ways it doesnt work. Let me ask if there is a way for it to work.

I have a fishing boat with 5 smaller boats in tow. Small boats have HH radios. Same owner. Is there a way to provide for unique radio mmsi for each? Is the answer different for US vs ROW?

Get 5 separate licenses. You might not like that answer because of the cost, but that is the answer. If you have 5 boats "in tow" that later separate to each go fishing on their own, you can't even consider them tenders to the mother ship. Each is its own vessel, would need its own registration fees paid, etc. so getting separate licenses really is the correct answer.

In the US, you can get MMSI numbers from BoatUS or Power Squadron. That would work too, as long as you stay in US waters.

[joehersey]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Get 5 separate licenses. You might not like that answer because of the cost, but that is the answer. If you have 5 boats "in tow" that later separate to each go fishing on their own, you can't even consider them tenders to the mother ship. Each is its own vessel, would need its own registration fees paid, etc. so getting separate licenses really is the correct answer.



In the US, you can get MMSI numbers from BoatUS or Power Squadron. That would work too, as long as you stay in US waters.

Non U.S. vessels can obtain “daughter craft” MMSIs, craft associated with a parent ship, for each of those in towed boats: 98MIDxxxx. US does not recognize daughter craft MMSIs. US vessels should be able to get individual “licensed by rule” MMSIs for each of those craft from US Power Squadrons or BOAT US, even if the fishing vessel is FCC licensed. Those towed boats are covered by the ships FCC station license, so they arguably are licensed by rule. USPS provided MMSIs are free.

There is a warning about using daughter craft MMSIs: make sure you never encode your EPIRB with such an MMSI if your launch has an EPIRB. COSPAS SARSAT will not recognize its alert!

[SailRN]

Hmmmm, I've had a portable license on my VHF for many years...

[Slovak]

Originally Posted by SailRN

Hmmmm, I've had a portable license on my VHF for many years...

Same here as FCC has been issuing "Portable" designations for some time. But the MMSI (issued by FCC) does not begin with 8MID. Still works, but seems this brings the US more in line with ITU / world practices?

I'm guessing the FCC will want another fee if I were to request a new MMSI assignment with the updated 8MID convention?

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by joehersey

There is a warning about using daughter craft MMSIs: make sure you never encode your EPIRB with such an MMSI if your launch has an EPIRB. COSPAS SARSAT will not recognize its alert!

I'm not entirely sure this is even possible. I have never bought an EPIRB new, so I don't have direct experience. However, my boat came with an EPIRB, which I've registered in my name. It does not have an MMSI, it has no way to enter one, and I am not sure what it would do if it had one.


Am I missing something? What does an EPIRB do with an MMSI?

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

I'm not entirely sure this is even possible. I have never bought an EPIRB new, so I don't have direct experience. However, my boat came with an EPIRB, which I've registered in my name. It does not have an MMSI, it has no way to enter one, and I am not sure what it would do if it had one.


Am I missing something? What does an EPIRB do with an MMSI?

The MMSI is entered with your registration information. I think it is optional to enter it, but highly recommended. PLB's, which are essentially the same thing do not have an MMSI field on the form. An MMSI is not programmed into the EPIRB.

I cannot speak to if SARSAT or COSPAS would ignore the activation or not. I would assume not, as it would be very negligent to ignore an activation. 100% positive, they would receive the activation, they would look up the EPIRB registration, and see all your registration information and the MMSI, or no MMSI if you didn't enter one.

[joehersey]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

I'm not entirely sure this is even possible. I have never bought an EPIRB new, so I don't have direct experience. However, my boat came with an EPIRB, which I've registered in my name. It does not have an MMSI, it has no way to enter one, and I am not sure what it would do if it had one.


Am I missing something? What does an EPIRB do with an MMSI?

This UK MCA Safety Bulletin explains the problem. It's a serious one: Distress alerts from EPIRBs programmed this way will be discarded. But it won't affect EPIRBs programmed in the US, since the US only allows serial registration of EPIRBs.

Countries affected are those that allow MMSI registration of EPIRBs and require it be programmed with an MMSI as its identity.

COSPAS SARSAT is aware of the problem, but it will take several years to correct.

[Dani-lu]

Originally Posted by wholybee

In the US, you can get MMSI numbers from BoatUS or Power Squadron. That would work too, as long as you stay in US waters.

Please explain the above statement. I got my MMSI from BoatUS. Does this mean my VHF distress button does not work in the bahamas? Or it will only communicate with other VHF’s that got the “US only” MMSI numbers?

If this is the case, BoatUS should have let me know this, considering I am only 50 miles from the Bahamas.

[Be Free]

Originally Posted by Dani-lu

Please explain the above statement. I got my MMSI from BoatUS. Does this mean my VHF distress button does not work in the bahamas? Or it will only communicate with other VHF’s that got the “US only” MMSI numbers?

If this is the case, BoatUS should have let me know this, considering I am only 50 miles from the Bahamas.

"BoatUS has been authorized by both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Coast Guard to assign MMSI numbers to vessels with DSC capable radios that are not required by law to carry a radio, and do not make international voyages or communications. BoatUS is responsible for relaying the MMSI registration information to the U.S. Coast Guard for search and rescue purposes."


https://www.boatus.com/products-and-...embership/mmsi

[Plumbean]

Originally Posted by Dani-lu

Please explain the above statement. I got my MMSI from BoatUS. Does this mean my VHF distress button does not work in the bahamas? Or it will only communicate with other VHF’s that got the “US only” MMSI numbers?

If this is the case, BoatUS should have let me know this, considering I am only 50 miles from the Bahamas.

My understanding is:


1. They will hear you but may not have any identifying information to know who you are or what vessel you are in.


2. Transmitting on your VHF internationally without an FCC issued ship station license and MMSI is not legal.