Jack Painter wrote:

Unfortunately, the entire database maintained by BoatUS/West etc turned out
to be useless. It was a great idea and encouraged boaters to be instantly
registered with an MMSI. But that database went nowhere and is of no use to
a Rescue Coordination Center. I do not know what went wrong with that plan,
but only the FCC issued MMSI are considered international, and we certainly
can't maintain dual-systems. If a boater already has a BoatUS MMSI they
should apply to the FCC for a new one.

It must have seemed like a good idea to someone (in WM marketing
probably) but I agree that unless the info is maintained by one
governmental entity it is difficult to see how the system can work properly.

GMDSS has been a bit of a mess since day one in many ways but I cannot
fault the FCC for making the issuance of an MMSI part of the vessel
station license.

It seems like many users do not bother to license a voluntary ship
station so perhaps the manufacturer should preprogram the MMSI in each
unit and the seller would then mail in a card with the purchaser's
information to the FCC.

Rick

"Rick" wrote
Jack Painter wrote:

Unfortunately, the entire database maintained by BoatUS/West etc turned
out
to be useless. It was a great idea and encouraged boaters to be
instantly
registered with an MMSI. But that database went nowhere and is of no use
to
a Rescue Coordination Center. I do not know what went wrong with that
plan,
but only the FCC issued MMSI are considered international, and we
certainly
can't maintain dual-systems. If a boater already has a BoatUS MMSI they
should apply to the FCC for a new one.

It must have seemed like a good idea to someone (in WM marketing
probably) but I agree that unless the info is maintained by one
governmental entity it is difficult to see how the system can work
properly.

GMDSS has been a bit of a mess since day one in many ways but I cannot
fault the FCC for making the issuance of an MMSI part of the vessel
station license.

It seems like many users do not bother to license a voluntary ship
station so perhaps the manufacturer should preprogram the MMSI in each
unit and the seller would then mail in a card with the purchaser's
information to the FCC.

That's the best idea I agree. And it's so simple that it must confuse the
FCC. Along with that, should be a preventer to retain that MMSI in the
radio, changeable only if the radio was no longer on that registered vessel.
At least a maintainer could be required to seal and date his entry into the
unit, and log why he was there. That might discourage some of the
unauthorized mods to a transmitted MMSI.

It is a common trick for ships to alter the number (for whatever reason we
do not know) and inundate the HF distress frequencies with safety tests (and
USCG reply requested) using all zeroes or 23456789 etc as their ID. If
pleasure boaters on VHF behave anywhere near as badly as professionals have
on HF, then the GMDSS system may be doomed.

Jack

I think current radios will shut down that function if you enter an MMSI
number more than three times. It just won't let you enter it the fourth
time.

--


Keith
__
"Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't, they'd be
married too." - H. L. Mencken
"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news0gHc.498$sj.110@lakeread02...

"Rick" wrote
Jack Painter wrote:

Unfortunately, the entire database maintained by BoatUS/West etc
turned
out
to be useless. It was a great idea and encouraged boaters to be
instantly
registered with an MMSI. But that database went nowhere and is of no
use
to
a Rescue Coordination Center. I do not know what went wrong with that
plan,
but only the FCC issued MMSI are considered international, and we
certainly
can't maintain dual-systems. If a boater already has a BoatUS MMSI
they
should apply to the FCC for a new one.

It must have seemed like a good idea to someone (in WM marketing
probably) but I agree that unless the info is maintained by one
governmental entity it is difficult to see how the system can work
properly.

GMDSS has been a bit of a mess since day one in many ways but I cannot
fault the FCC for making the issuance of an MMSI part of the vessel
station license.

It seems like many users do not bother to license a voluntary ship
station so perhaps the manufacturer should preprogram the MMSI in each
unit and the seller would then mail in a card with the purchaser's
information to the FCC.

That's the best idea I agree. And it's so simple that it must confuse the
FCC. Along with that, should be a preventer to retain that MMSI in the
radio, changeable only if the radio was no longer on that registered
vessel.
At least a maintainer could be required to seal and date his entry into
the
unit, and log why he was there. That might discourage some of the
unauthorized mods to a transmitted MMSI.

It is a common trick for ships to alter the number (for whatever reason we
do not know) and inundate the HF distress frequencies with safety tests
(and
USCG reply requested) using all zeroes or 23456789 etc as their ID. If
pleasure boaters on VHF behave anywhere near as badly as professionals
have
on HF, then the GMDSS system may be doomed.

Jack

On Thu, 8 Jul 2004 12:56:58 -0400, "Jack Painter"
wrote:

inundate the HF distress frequencies with safety tests

Which reminds me to ask...is there any way to test the distress button
capability on my VHF? I mean a legal way...

"Dick Locke" wrote
Which reminds me to ask...is there any way to test the distress button
capability on my VHF? I mean a legal way...

Hi Dick,

The one word answer is Never. But when Rescue-21 is fully implemented, there
may be a way to send a safety test message w/reply requested to a particular
MMSI (ie: USCG, or any ID) on VHF. But pressing and holding the "DISTRESS"
button alone will never be allowed for "testing". That will initiate
callouts on Ch-16 and start a SAR case rolling. It already happens in my
local area once or twice a month, and the operator inevitably claims "the
thing just went off, sorry". The thing will go off when the plastic cover
is lifted, and the distress button held down for at least three seconds. I
guess we wll always here about how guns "just went off" too... ;-)

Best regards,

Jack