call signs.....how do you find yours?

[Tim O]

on my boat i have this slightly confusing sticker which gives two different call signs....



Alpha Venture is the old name of the boat, so i suspect the top one is defunct and the other one MRHVZ? is current....

but how do i know?

 

[[70521]]

It is on your Ships Licence downloadable from the Ofcom website.

 

[Bru]

Your current registration details on the MARS ITU database ...

Vessel name: Rhiannon
Call Sign: MRHV2
etc.

Amazin' wot you can do with the t'interweb

 

[Bru]

That's MIKE ROMEO HOTEL VICTOR TWO by the way, (2 on the end, not Z)

 

[Tim O]

wow....cheers

never even heard of the MARS ITU database!

 

[lpdsn]

but how do i know?

Is the licence on the MARS database in your name? If not, worthwhile contacting Ofcom to transfer it. I've found them helpful and efficient. You should have a printed copy of the licence on board in case anyone ever asks, but they supply it as a PDF so doddle to print off.

I made up my own sticker with call sign & MMSI (in case it is the crew making a Mayday call) and got it printed off via an on-line site.

 

[Bru]

Owner is JENKINS

 

[Bru]

Last updated 05/07/2016

 

[Bru]

For the avoidance of confusion, the MARS ITU database entry is not the Ship's Radio Licence, it is a copy of some of the information from said licence. For the licence, you need to go to the OfCom website and log in

 

[Tim O]

turns out i dont
have a license either so applynig now

 

[Bru]

turns out i dont
have a license either so applynig now

From which I deduce that you are not Tim Jenkins

Sherlock Holmes has nowt on me

 

[Tim O]

Richard Jenkins was previous owner.

license app asks for SSR NUMBER.....how do i know if its on the SSR??

 

[elton]

turns out i dont
have a license either so applynig now

Just so you know, you need a licence for the radio plus a licence to use it, which entails an exam. If the coastguard catches you using it without both, they'll sink your boat with you aboard.

 

[Tim O]

Just so you know, you need a licence for the radio plus a licence to use it, which entails an exam. If the coastguard catches you using it without both, they'll sink your boat with you aboard.

i have a RYA vhf radiotelephony license from 30 years ago!....tbat'll do nicely surely....pre dsc of course but legal??

 

[lpdsn]

Richard Jenkins was previous owner.

license app asks for SSR NUMBER.....how do i know if its on the SSR??

Usually SSR number is on the side. If there is one you should transfer that too.

I had no difficulty getting a licence unregistered though.

Make sure you transfer the callsign and MMSI if at all possible as there's a cost involved in re-programming the radio with a new MMSI.

And as Elton says you should have a licence to operate too. Only exception is if you can babble rapidly in Russian or Polish. I don't know how he found out the coastguard sink boats without a licence as they usually shoot the witnesses too. No doubt they'll be back to find him.

 

[Bru]

Richard Jenkins was previous owner.

license app asks for SSR NUMBER.....how do i know if its on the SSR??

Not so easy to find out if the previous owner didn't pass on his SSR registration

But it doesn't actually matter, you don't have to be on the SSR and you can leave that field blank

 

[Bru]

i have a RYA vhf radiotelephony license from 30 years ago!....tbat'll do nicely surely....pre dsc of course but legal??

The legality or otherwise is a bit of a moot point 'cos nobody is really that interested!!!

However, you might well benefit from doing the up to date course at some point

 

[elton]

i have a RYA vhf radiotelephony license from 30 years ago!....tbat'll do nicely surely....pre dsc of course but legal??

It should be fine, but I would look it up on the OFCOM site, and get a printout. I believe you can add DSC to it on the OFCOM site.

 

[lpdsn]

It should be fine, but I would look it up on the OFCOM site, and get a printout. I believe you can add DSC to it on the OFCOM site.

Aren't you confusing the two licences there? Easy to add DSC to the Ship's Licence by ticking a box but you need an exam to get a modern SRC covering DSC.

 

[Daydream believer]

The legality or otherwise is a bit of a moot point 'cos nobody is really that interested!!!

Might be if you go foreign. - SSR No & VHF licence always get checked if customs come aboard in France & Belgium
Well they do with me, but quite often they just visit me, search the boat, & ignore everyone else- No idea why, but has happened a couple of times recently in Boulogne