How often have you been called using your MMSI?

[prv]

several people have said that they've never dared enter their MMSI number into their radio as they've heard if they mistype it they'll have to send it back to the manufacturer/dealer to get it corrected. True or urban legend?

True, but many radios have some system to help prevent this. My Standard Horizon requires you to enter the number twice, and only locks it in if both attempts are the same. It hides the first attempt while you do the second, to make sure you're copying off the bit of paper and not off the one you just entered. Another brand (Icom?) doesn't lock the number in until the first time you turn it off. So after entering it you can check it as many times as you want, and change if necessary, before it becomes permanent.

Pete

 

[dunedin]

Never bothered to put the MMSI in, and never missed it.

Keep on listening watch on Ch 16, particularly in winter when few boats on the move in case any assistance requested (here Coastguard requests for "vessels in vicinity" quite often, but often the location quoted is so vague, with no Lat / Long, can't work out where it was), but very rarely transmit other than radio check perhaps once per season

 

[30boat]

My Simrad was binned after repeated failures and I've been using a (very good) Sailor since but as I'm thinking of fitting an AIS set I'll get a DSC VHF.That's where they shine.Being able to call a specific ship that's bearing on you can save your life.

 

[Roberto]

I "Have been called", not many times

OTOH I used the DSC a lot when sailing in company with other boats: just swap numbers, then send a DSC call if you want to talk or a simple position request if you just want to know where they are.
If you sail in area where you think you friends may be, a DSC is a lot less intrusive than a ch16 call over 40 miles .
Also, used quite a few times to call other ships for collision avoidance: the combined AIS/VHF is quite handy; besides, I think (?) a DSC call is recorded on the ship black box, so maybe they have some more incentive in replying to the call, maybe.

 

[chrishelen]

Use it all the time at work, once you have all your contacts in its like like using a mobile phone.

 

[lustyd]

Once again a DSC thread ignoring all of the other functionality. I have been called once on my DSC. My position has been checked numerous times, and I have used my h/h DSC to check the position of other boats. If I use the DSC for Mayday or PanPan the coastguard can poll my position to find me even if I have moved since the alert. If someone else sends an alert on their boat, the coastguard can do a broadcast position request and use their various databases to determine which is the closest vessel able to offer useful assistance and call them directly, this will likely not be me as they would immediately know I'm only a 20 foot sailboat.

FWIW I rarely receive calls on my iPhone and never on my 3G iPad. Neither of these were a waste of money either because they also do other things. Sadly, you need to read the manual to find these things out.

Last summer Russel and I tested his 3Com (I think?) set from my Standard Horizon h/h. The results showed clearly that choice of manufacturer is important if you want to use such features. Even with the manual it was not obvious how he could answer a call yet the other direction was easy as pie.