MMSI confusion. (So what else is new)?

[Bill Roosa]

Ham radios do in fact have to be certified by the FCC.
the MMSI technology is not new, it was pioneered by the ham community
basicly a combination of souped up PL (the transmission preamble, ship to ship, ship to everybody etc) and Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) (the MMSI data format is almost identical to APRS.) Any ham worth his salt will be using APRS instead of MMSI as the APRS has pretty much world wide connectivity on HF and even a web site so friends and relatives can follow you and read your short text posts.
An observation I've made is that there are lots more folks looking at the APRS data and your likelihood of getting to somebody in an emergency is much higher than MMSI. Just another thing to think about.

 

[Bill Roosa]

And what about those marine HF radios that can use MMSI numbers?

 

[windward54]

And what about those marine HF radios that can use MMSI numbers?

Hey Bill,

I figured you would be jumping in at any moment!

Since you need a ship license for an SSB, you have your MMSI number from the FCC.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Hmm. The plot gets thicker. I bought a little Standard 280 HT awhile back, and did see on the charger Vertex. I asked, (evidently the wrong guy), about this 'merger' it seemed, and he said no, they did not. Well, there being little special about wall-wart chargers, I figured they just used Vertex/Yaesu stock, why not. Wrong again. Oh well, I'm getting used to it..

The truly aggravating thing about it all is I used to build and repair computers, I grew up with them. (If you ever help anyone with their home computer even just once, you become tech support for life)! But comms were my forte, and professionally, (and unethically), the dark side pays a lot of money for this black-hearted kind of individual. Was VERY good at it. About '04 I had to go underground again, and this time it was several years before I stuck my head out again. (I've even lied to people and told them I went to prison for a plausible excuse, geez). And buddy when I started into the nuts and volts of the situation again, I am now the biggest moron alive about it. I think it's the same as the saying, 'Guy knows just enough to be dangerous'?

So thanks for bearing with me here folks. That's my excuse, don't know why I was compelled to tell it. It's just infuriating at times trying to catch up with something I used to be the man about.

Nuff crying, sniffle, sniffle..

 

[Bill Roosa]

that is correct windward. If you go to another country you have to have a ships license to operate your VHF (and HF) radio so you will have an MMSI number.
if it was my boat and I thought I might be leaving the country ever I'd get the FCC ships license to aquire the MMSI number. A ships license is good for 10 years so plan accordingly.

 

[windward54]

Every year it gets more confusing with company ownerships these days. Yaesu is part of Vertex Standard. And a few years ago, Vertex Standard was bought by Motorola. So it all goes in circles these days.

 

[windward54]

that is correct windward. If you go to another country you have to have a ships license to operate your VHF (and HF) radio so you will have an MMSI number.

And don't forget the requirement for a license if you communicate with foreign flagged vessels! Another topic for another time.

 

[chuckwayne]

The difference in the FCC vs BoatUS is only in the handling of the databases: FCC database data is shared internationally, BoatUS data is only used by US agencies. The VHF and AIS numbers on your boat must match. In additon, Windward's statement is not correct; AIS class B transponders can use the BoatUS issued numbers in the US. You simply provide a copy of the BoatUS MMSI number form to your AIS supplier and they program it in.
Class A transponders for large commercial vessels use the FCC numbers - but they already have to have a station license.

 

[windward54]

The difference in the FCC vs BoatUS is only in the handling of the databases: FCC database data is shared internationally, BoatUS data is only used by US agencies. The VHF and AIS numbers on your boat must match. In additon, Windward's statement is not correct; AIS class B transponders can use the BoatUS issued numbers in the US. You simply provide a copy of the BoatUS MMSI number form to your AIS supplier and they program it in.
Class A transponders for large commercial vessels use the FCC numbers - but they already have to have a station license.

My bad, I went back in and checked and you are right. Some retailers will only program MMSI's from the FCC and require a copy of your ship's radio license and some just require you provide a number. The sources that I had looked at when I was thinking of adding a class B transponder all required me to send in a ship's license as proof of having the MMSI assigned to me. I made the mistake of assuming that it was required. As it is a one shot programming strictly by the manufacturer, seems to make more sense in getting an FCC issued number. Never know if you want to take that long trip!