Larry W4CSC wrote:

To operate GMDSS/DSC, you are required to be a licensed GMDSS OPERATOR,
having passed elements 1 and 7 of the General Radio Operator's License
examinations (GROL).

http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/do.html

(I'll probably get slammed for pointing this out, but you can read it for
yourself on the webpages.) Radio salesmen selling GMDSS equipment to
yachties never mention any of this, of course, as it would stop sales of
expensive equipment. It's NOT a cellphone.

Larry, where do you get the stuff you post? Is there an exhaust leak on
your old bread truck or something?

For American recreational vessels under 20 meters operating only in
American waters, no license of any sort is required to operate a DSC
equipped VHF radio. For those who travel abroad a simple no test
Restricted ticket and a ship station license is still all that is needed.

Just because a VHF with DSC is part of the suite of equipment that makes
up a GMDSS installation does not mean that a GMDSS operator's ticket is
needed to own or use one. Perhaps you should read your own links.Those
radio salesmen know more than you do about their customers and their needs.

There is not even a requirement for a ship station license for that
vessel. The MMSI will be issued without a station or operators license.

I am sure we are all impressed to no end that you hold GMDSS operator
and maintainer tickets but that obviously has no bearing on how much you
know about the rules for using them. Besides, 99.999 percent of small
boaters probably could care less about "maintaining" their DSC radios.

Rick