Ausfish Members Call Sign & Radio Register

[Sea-Dog]

I only noticed one MMSI number in this thread.

I have even looked for callsigns and boat names in the register of MMSIs that are listed here.
http://www.amsa.gov.au/search_and_re...MSI_number.asp
(Just leave the fields empty to get a list of ALL Australian MMSIs)


How many of you have a MMSI?
I don't have one yet - but (hopefully) will do after attending Lloyd's course later this month. (Feb '07)

My radio Navman 7200 will store 20 individual MMSIs and 3 Groups.

Not sure how to setup groups yet - the manual is a bit lacking. It does mention a group MMSI though. Does this mean another MMSI has to be applied for, or is it just an internal thing with the radio?

Does anyone use this sort of function on their radio?

( I suppose that these Q's will be answered at Lloyd's course anyhoo)

Sea-Dog

[subzero]

SeaDog, just an internal thing, I cant speak for every model and every radio but generaly imagine it as 3 seperate telephone books.

1 for say "Friends", 2 "Ausfish Members", 3 is for the "Fishing Fleet" that you belong too.

Example of groups,
You want to talk to a mate or a group of mates, just like text messaging you can select 1 person from that group or all persons in that group.

Usage, if you belonged to a fishing fleet and you ran aground on the GBR through negligence, illegal fishing etc, you should put out a DSC alert to "All Stations". The priority would normally be a "Mayday" DSC alert which is implicitly and automaticly addressed to all stations by default. (The vessel would be in grave and immenent danger) if they were to start transmitting using voice as it would not take the authorities long to pick up on it one way or another.
Now this alert would get the Master and the company in some serious Shite, big fines comming their way for parking on the reef!!!
What they can do, is select the group 3 that they require being "Fishing Fleet". Only the members of the group would get the message (Routine DSC, all though it's not routine), requesting assistance to get them off the reef without anyone else outside the group seeing or knowing that they have run in to bother.

Hope the info helped
See you on the 24th
Cheers Lloyd

[seatime]

trueblue

maybe VMR and other rescue groups, and rec vessels don't have the required systems to receive all stations alerts, commercial shipping does.

99% of commercial shipping transiting Australian waters are GMDSS equipped, their VHF DSC transceivers are capable of receiving all alerts, decoding may be needed for the attached message, tho the initial alert, position and MMSI of the sender will be received.
if this is incorrect, I'll investigate further.

regards
Steve

[Marlin_Mike]

yes, you must investigate further Gelsec........that is your punishment for going out fishing yesterday, while I had to keep the wheels turning at work.

Mike

PS, never did put the boat in the water after seeing you yesterday..

[subzero]

Gidday trueblue, I am a bit bewildered by your 2 previous posts???
So much so that I made a couple of calls today, 1 being to AMSA and also 1 to Icom Australia to see if in fact you were right in your comments just in case I had the wrong end of the stick.
I can confirm the following

• ANY DSC equipped radio that has the 9 digit MMSI number installed will recieve a DSC Alert if within range of the transmitting station including those such as the standard and very popular Icom 402's straight of the shop shelf. (I love Icoms)
• The feature in a DSC capable equipped radio is NOT ACTIVATED untill that 9 digit MMSI number is installed.
• Many VHF radios consequently have the decoder already fitted, but people dont think it works because they have NOT installed the MMSI number. (Requires a cert to get one such as MROCP or MROVCP).
• DSC, being brief bursts of information travel further than voice modulated or spoken radio telephony because voice requires a far better signal, hence it starts to break up and you cant get reliable transmission/reception. Atmospherics and other users can interfere with your Radiotelephony transmission. This is similar to text messaging on your mobile phone to the extent that where as your phone may drop out, in most cases a text message will get through. Of course, the most reliable method of long range communication for the purist is morse code.
• Many VMR's, Coastguards, RCP DO in fact monitor DSC, see the list at the3 bottom of the page.
• For those Rescue Groups that have not yet obtained MMSI numbers and therefore not activated the MMSI function, hopefully a suitably equipped Rec Boater will pick up the DSC alert and use Voice Radiotelephony to contact a Coast or Limited Coast Station on channel 16, as you say.
• DSC is not and has not been designed to replace standard Radio Communications for the Rec Boater in particular. It is desighned to add another method to alert people as to your problem. It can be semi-automated and relay your possition via DSC to any DSC enabled radio within range if connected to your GPS. It will continue to update your possition automaticly every 4 minutes untill the set can no longer physicly transmit an updated message. It will display on your screen the time that this message was last updated. This will display using UTC
• Many commertcial vessels, particulaly those over 300 Gross Registered Tonnes no longer have to monitor VHF Ch16 (Voice) IF they have a DSC equipped radio. This removes the need for them to "keep a listening watch"
• In the event of vessel abandonmeant, activation of a DSC alert may take as little as 3 seconds upon raising the little red flap to hit the panic button. Normally after holding in the button for the required time, a list of priority calls will display. Select the appropriate level, push enter and away it go's. In certain curcumstances this may be all the time you have and if it is a "Mayday" DSC alert then off go's your vessels MMSI, GPS co-ordinates etc etc. (If its connected to the GPS).
• Where ever possible, once a DSC alert has been activated, you should follow up with your Mayday voice call on Ch16 or any other channel you choose if you feel that you have a better chance of being heard. No silence periods apply if you are making a Mayday call!!! You can not transmit a voice message on Channel 70, soley reserved for DSC including ROUTINE communications.

Hopefully I have remembered to cover all the important bits.

If you were referring to the fact that neither State nor Federal Gov have any plans to force Rescue Groups etc to monitor DSC for the next 10 years, or 100 years for that matter, we are in 100% agreeance.
If they tried to force us to upgrade, then their would be calls to them to fund the replacement of ageing radios. This is why it is not mandatory for Rescue Groups to monitor MF/HF radio. The Gov would have to fork out the dough so they dont force the issue. Our Codan cost $7,000.00 when we purchase it and had it installed. Fortunately this was as a result of a community grant from Jupiters.

If the comments were meaning that very few VMR's and Coastguards in Qld monitor DSC, I would also have to agree 100%. And I think thats pretty poor that we dont yet!

Is DSC missunderstood yes, very much so.... as you say, in Australia its still in its infancy, hasnt caught on very well here at all..... it is so badly missunderstood that of the first 1000 DSC alerts in the Sydney area, 997 of them were false activations..... unfortunately I cant remember where I found this info, it was a couple of years ago now.

Last point, DSC has a place, I would imagine that when VHF Marine Radio first came on the scene their was a lot of negativity and distrust. Untill we start to use the DSC properly and we get used to it, it will in many cases be more of a hinderance than a help, given time it will be very benificial to all.

This has taken me 2 1/2 hours to type, I hope not to have to respond again, especially if its going to turn in to more long winded dramas.

trueblue, Keep up the good work at your local VMR Coastguard
Kind Regards
Lloyd

[subzero]

I cant see any way of coppying and pasting in to the doc so I have added the list of Aust Wide MMSI numbers for Rescue Groups.

I find it interesting to note that by far the Royal Coastal Patrol is far more akin to the times than VMR and Coastguards.
Cheers Lloyd

[seatime]

trueblue,

are you saying a VHF DSC distress transmitted from a rec boat can't be received by a GMDSS equipped ship?
doesn't sound right.
why can't the ship relay the details to the relevant SAR organisation, aren't all distress's required to be logged.

It's been 3.5 yrs since I came ashore, and my GMDSS cert expires this year, has it changed that much?

[trueblue]

I cant see any way of coppying and pasting in to the doc so I have added the list of Aust Wide MMSI numbers for Rescue Groups.

I find it interesting to note that by far the Royal Coastal Patrol is far more akin to the times than VMR and Coastguards.
Cheers Lloyd

Thats a great document Lloyd. Thanks very much for tracking that down. This clearly shows the deficiencies in DSC capability for our VMR's and Coast Guards.

Thats exactly what I meant by saying" call up your local coast guard and ask if they can recieve your DSC distress call".

VMR's and Coast Guards need more funding to fix it.

Cheers

Mick

[rubba]

serenity vhf 73

[longtail]

call sign - ' need-a-feed '
27 mhz - 91

vhf - 73

boat - 480 allycraft challenger

home port - logan river / jacobs well

area - anywhere between the goldy and hervey bay



cheers
Jason.

[DazSamFishing]

Dazsamfishing,

Call sign: Quick Release
VHF 73
Makocraft Canyon Runner 610
Home port: Southport

[Sea-Dog]

Call Sign: Sea-Dog
VHF: Always monitor 16,67,73
MMSI: 503152100
New 4.85M SeaJay Territory unpainted open tinnie. (picking it up today 01/11/08)
60Hp Yamaha tiller steer.
Usual Port: Southern Bay - anywhere that you find no fish apparently.



Anyone else got an MMSI?

[wags on the water]

Member : Wags
Call sign : Its all good
VHF : 73
27meg : 91
Stacer 519 Searunner

[roz]

Member name - Roz
Call sign - VC3
27meg (not for long)
Seafarer VC 4.74 fibreglass white, orange & blue
70 Johnson
Registeration - GV584N
Coffs Harbour up to 1770/Agnes Water.

[Fat Chilli]

Member name - Fat Chilli
Call sign - Intrepid
VHF - 73
MMSI - 503131700
Boat - Haines Signature 500C - White, blue bimini, 90 hp Mariner
Home port: Southport / Jacobs Well