MMSI update to new vessel
- Thread starter Peahead
- Start date
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
Exactly right again. I did mine in 2011 or 2012. While boat details are certainly really helpful, I think the GPS coordinates will be the critical piece to the search.
Peahead
Well-Known Member
That would be funny if it was the same woman but somehow I doubt it - THANKS very much that's awesome. You have provided more info than she did !!
I will contact Lesley on Monday because I may decide to go that route now that I can see there is a form specifically for a handheld VHF if that radio is not to be associated with any particular vessel. If a person uses a portable handheld mostly on their own one vessel I'd suggest it probably be best to just keep the same MMSI that is associated to that vessel but I can see now if I am doing trips on multiple vessels I'll likely go the same route as you and get a separate MMSI for the handheld with no vessel associated to that MMSI.
With a MMSI not being associated to a vessel, I can only assume that in a distress situation/ search CCG is now looking for a much more vague/broader target details (with less known details and very possibly a very small target.) Eg. person in the water, possibly near a boat or not at all near a boat, possibly on an overturned boat, or maybe stranded on a beach.... or on any vessel type or any length.
BTW, the form I was directed to originally was form CPC-2-3-07 ANNEX A which is the MMSI form ( associated to a specific vessel)
Peahead
Well-Known Member
True however if you are in the water drifting and can no longer transmit your changing position, CG is now relying more on visuals to locate you.....
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
As I said, a description is very helpful. But the GPS position from the DSC distress signal, even if it is broadcast only once, is what will give a location, even if approximate. Without a position or location, they will not know where to begin to look, in which case boat description is completely irrelevant. As such, I think that it makes sense that they allow (or should, if they don't anymore) for handheld MMSI registration without a vessel description.
More importantly, without an MMSI number, the DSC function does not work. So if you haven't programmed an MMSI number into your radio, the DSC function will not work.
What is even more important is that without the radio being connected to a GPS/chartplotter, even if you have an MMSI, your GPS coordinates would not be transmitted in the event of a distress (or any other) DSC call, unless you have one of the new DSC radio with built-in GPS. The USCG put out a bulletin some time ago that apparently a large majority of DSC radio are not connected to any GPS or plotter, so any DSC distress call from these radios will not send out a GPS position. This leaves only the possibility of the Coast Guard using equipment to try to get a location based on the VHF signal, which is not always accurate or even possible.
So to really take advantage of the pretty incredible safety feature of DSC, you need an MMSI AND A GPS/PLOTTER CONNECTION TO THE RADIO. I don't know why anyone who has a DSC radio and a chartplotter (I'll bet it's most of us) would not do this. Otherwise that red button on the radio is much less useful or useless.
Some of the newer 25 watt DSC VHF's have built in GPS and GPS antenna and non chart plotter basic navigation, way points etc. Currently you pay a premium for these but we all know the electronic technology drops quickly in price and I would not be surprized that in a few years most all marine VHF's will have this around the hundred dollar price point. I believe you can still hook them up to a separate chart plotter but if you don't or don't even have one you will still have DSC through the VHF alone. There is even some handhelds that have this feature now that you can take into the water if your boat burns up or sinks under you. The radio also becomes another navigation backup once set up to get you home in the fog with way points if other navigaton units fail.
You could make it mandatory to build GPS into all VHF's just like DSC and then all boats with a VHF will have DSC capacity, then make it a good size fine not to set up your MMSi when stop by the RCMP for a safety check and for that matter make it a requirement for all boats in the ocean to have a DSC capable radio even if only a portable for the very small boats and problem solved as all boats will be DSC capable.
You could make it mandatory to build GPS into all VHF's just like DSC and then all boats with a VHF will have DSC capacity, then make it a good size fine not to set up your MMSi when stop by the RCMP for a safety check and for that matter make it a requirement for all boats in the ocean to have a DSC capable radio even if only a portable for the very small boats and problem solved as all boats will be DSC capable.
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Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
That's all true. While a handheld with DSC and GPS is a useful backup navigation tool and will be really useful if you get separated from your boat because of its ability to transmit a GPS position (that's why I've got one), they are very limited in their ability to get a signal out. A tiny antenna only a few feet off the water and 6 watts maximum transmit power mean that there are risks the distress call will not be heard. That's why DSC/GPS/MMSI is so important on the fixed VHF. Even if the battery dies at some point, if the distress signal reached out and was heard by somebody and relayed hopefully to the CG, chances are better someone will come to help.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Yah I have my handheld standard horizon hx851 has those functions. But you are right I had to pay 150 more for all that stuff than standard 100 VHF. Reason again was just in case I had to ditch my boat or navigation went down....
Another reason why I paid extra is it really is immersion proof and does float. Most of them are water resistant only and sink like a rock....
Another reason why I paid extra is it really is immersion proof and does float. Most of them are water resistant only and sink like a rock....
Peahead
Well-Known Member
All correct, yep...but just in case you haven't read all the posts here, the process of acquiring of an MMSI, the programming of it into your VHF and the connecting of VHF to GPS have all been pointed out earlier in this thread - I suppose emphasizing that fact again may be helpful since you are very correct that many people either don't have an MMSI registered yet ( as I found out in my search results of vessels that I mentioned earlier) or haven't programmed it yet - or have yet to network their fixed VHF with their chartplotters/GPS either.
As far as my personal situation with my new handheld VHF and deciding to have it programmed with an additional MMSI # separately or decide to use the same one as my fixed VHF , I think I summed it in my other post. For me it will likely be an advantage to my situation to keep the MMSI # the same as my fixed radio ( to be associated to my vessel ) as I use the handheld mainly from my own one vessel. If I was to fall out and drift from the vessel they still will have my personal floating position anyway and if my position stopped transmitting from the handheld, they'd have the visual target of the correctly described vessel nearby in addition to the last transmitted coordinates. If I think I'm going to use my handheld a lot from other vessels this year ( hop from vessel to vessel regularly and want to have my handheld) I will get another MMSI # that is not associated to any vessel. I think that sums it up for me quite nicely .
Thanks for all the advice/info from Saxe P and SpringVelocity on this as its helped make this more clear for my situation .
casper5280
Crew Member
Could you not have a separate MMSI# for the Handheld and in the box marked "Additional Information and/or Instructions" just give that exact info that you have just described. Just a thought may save you from buying a new radio.
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
If you are "seeing boats" on your GPS, you must be using AIS, probably just a receiver. Commercial vessels over a certain size (all of the big ones) must use AIS (Automatic Identification System). Few pleasure boats, except for the really big ones, have transponders, which is why you are seeing the commercial traffic.
jeffywestcoast
Well-Known Member
my printer is broke.. is there a number I can call to get an mmsi # all I am finding is a form to print out and send in??
sly_karma
Crew Member
Jeffy I did the MMSI thing a couple of months ago. I looked up Industry Canada website and got their local office phone number, the nice lady went over it with me and gave me an email address to send the form to. Filled out the form online, saved as pdf, emailed to IC. Got an email response a few days later with my MMSI numer, followed by a written form in the mail a while later.
jeffywestcoast
Well-Known Member
Thanks SK . Just off the phone with them , have it all figured out now.. Should have an Mmsi number soon , It's official .. KEEPIN IT REEL has an MMSI #[emoji41]
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