MMSI Directory

The words below are from the draft of the next Airwaves newsletter due to go out to licensees in August. However, as the consultation has already begun I thought Forumites might like to get in first.

Mike

Quote
In response to requests made by the RYA and some pleasure boat users the Agency and the MCA have been investigating the possibility of producing a Directory of UK vessels with MMSI numbers. It has been decided that MCA is better placed (due to its emphasis on Sea Safety) to take such a project forward and it is now looking into the viability of producing one. To this end, a consultation exercise has been set up in order to judge how useful such a Directory would be and who will buy it if it is produced.

The Directory would be unlikely to carry any personal detail other than the surname of the vessel’s owner and would focus on visual identification of the craft. It is therefore not going to be open to abuse by “direct marketing”companies etc.

However, it is only fair to mention that there have been concerns raised by Maritime professionals as to the realistic usefulness of such a publication in a safety or a collision situation. Issues have also been raised around how often such a publication would need to be up-dated (as Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipment becomes more commonplace on pleasure craft) and how expensive the updates will be.

I would very strongly urge everyone either carrying or ready to upgrade to DSC equipment to participate in the consultation by visiting the MCA Website at http://www.mcga.gov.uk/aboutus/Comms_Innov/mmsi.htm in order to ensure that your opinion is taken into account. As the general mood seems to be in favour of such a resource, “no feedback” will be assumed to indicate assent.
End quote


<hr width=100% size=1>Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Services Section,
Radiocommunications Agency
 

Twister_Ken

Well-known member
Joined
31 May 2001
Messages
27,584
Location
'ang on a mo, I'll just take some bearings
Visit site
I'm with Claymore on this. We ought to make it our responsibility to get to know the MMSI of friends we might want to contact at sea. For this we don't need a directory.

What would we do with such a directory? By the time you get close enough to read a vessel's name, and confirm that decide she is the white GRP sloop named SeaGal that we are looking at in the directory, it would be easier to shout to her.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 

Observer

Active member
Joined
21 Nov 2002
Messages
2,782
Location
Bucks
Visit site
This post keeps moving. It was on mobochat just now.

Anyway, to add a second comment (my first one seems to have disappeared) - what is this new technique in market research by which "no feedback" about a potential new product is taken to mean there is a an unfulfilled demand for it? Doesn't quite look like a sure winner to me - but I'm no marketing expert.




<hr width=100% size=1>
 

petery

New member
Joined
9 Jul 2002
Messages
496
Location
Boat in Redon, France
Visit site
I have all my friends and club members in the radio's directory.

The only situation where I would find an MMSI directory useful is to call up a marina or yacht club just prior to entry/berthing - when you're busy doing other things and don't want to hang around the radio waiting for a reply - but can this kind of shore station make use of DSC with its limited licence.

Do they even get MMSI numbers allocated?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Gunfleet

New member
Joined
1 Jan 2002
Messages
4,523
Location
Orwell
Visit site
I expect it would work much like the jolly old CA directory. You had a couple of drinks with the couple off 'Rubydoo' in a foreign marina early in the season, late in the season you look them up in the CA directory so you can send a postcard carrying some friendly comment. If I ever find myself in the solent (fat chance) I'll look one or two of you up on the old mmsi directory- if it ever comes to pass - on the same basis. Where's the harm? Well, I might get a bit miffed if someone used it for marketing, but then I'd get miffed if someone used the CA directory for marketing.
j


<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Mike2822425

New member
Joined
24 May 2003
Messages
130
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Mike,

It is unusual for Scuttlebuters to bury their heads in the sand, but today seems an exception, explain to them the pros. and the cons. Pointing them to a Gov. site does not seem to work. It realy is a good system guys., give it a try, its a bit like life jacket. (There when you need it). Remember what was asked "Can the prime minister regain the trust of the people". The answer was no its like virginity, once gone allways gone". Not my quote but one I will remember for some time.

Mike




<hr width=100% size=1>
 

BrendanS

Well-known member
Joined
11 Jun 2002
Messages
64,521
Location
Tesla in Space
Visit site
Re: Practicalities

So many points here I don't really know where to start.

Can't see many paying for such a directory. The only real use is to look up friends, club members, and other people you 'boat' with on a regular basis, so that you can pre program DSC set with known numbers.

If you want to contact someone in a hurry, not many people will have a computer on board, so internet and cd versions are out for the vast majority of leisure boaters on board.

Paper based version. I can just see it now. Rusty hulk bearing down on you, mid channel, name barely legible..

'pass me the 26" thick directory, and the last three years of 2" updates, I'll hail them. Now, should that be under the category of just rusting hulk just over 300m registered in Philippines, or is it a rapidly rusting hulk of over 250m registered in Antartica. Can anyone see the name? I can look it up in the alphabetical section? Starts with Sc. Damn, too late, they've already hit us.'

or the 'white grp boat of between 35' and 40' who is gesticulating at us 3m off our starboard bow... look up their MMSI number in the directory will you'

I think most people will want to grab a mic and talk to someone pretty rapidly under these conditions, which is what Ch16 currently allows you to do.I know that boat names etc don't really figure in these scenarios, but people usually manage to find someway to convey to the other vessel the circumstances....'vessels in the vicinity of <location>' etc.

Also understand that not all commercial vessels respond to Ch16 hails now


OK, but being sensible, would you really want to be powering up a laptop, or doing a paper based search of a vessels identity to even get the number of a boat in the marina you want to call, when the directory might hold numerous boats of the same name worldwide. At the moment you just call their name on Ch16 (which limits it to boats near you, so removing the numerous boats of the same name worldwide), then give tell them which channel you want to talk to them on.

really can't see this working




<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
 

Gunfleet

New member
Joined
1 Jan 2002
Messages
4,523
Location
Orwell
Visit site
Re: Practicalities

<<Also understand that not all commercial vessels respond to Ch16 hails now>>
It won't be a Ch 16 call. It will be channel 70 and an electronic 'bell' will ring while the screen offers the vessel you're calling a working channel.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 

BrendanS

Well-known member
Joined
11 Jun 2002
Messages
64,521
Location
Tesla in Space
Visit site
Re: Practicalities

Seems to be a lot of confusion here. You need to read rest of post you responded to?

I was talking about real Ch16 calls as they happen now. Call big hulk in English Channel on Ch16, and there is less than a fair to middling chance they will be monitoring. That's why big hulks manage to hit already sunk ships even when buoyed and patrols out and yelling at them.

When we go to DSC, everything changes. If you can't call them on Ch16, and everything goes DSC on 70,will anyone know which channel you can call and cuss them on? How exactly do you manage to hail them on Ch70 if you don't know who they are?

Think about this in some detail. Huge rusting hulk bearing down on you. Hit red panic button? Look them up in directory? Go to another channel?

Quick, it's an emergency, Ch13, Ch77? Which one? Your crew are yelling, everything is going crazy. You're sinking and you have 30 secs before you lose your electrics, and you're out of range for backup portable. Which channel are you going to use?

<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
 

Observer

Active member
Joined
21 Nov 2002
Messages
2,782
Location
Bucks
Visit site
Re: Practicalities

Looks like they're going to do it anyway. As I mentioned above, all non-responses are going to be assumed to be an indication of positive demand!!!

>>As the general mood seems to be in favour of such a resource, “no feedback” will be assumed to indicate assent.>> (Or "let's invent a product and if only a few people tell us they don't want it we'll assume the rest of the population do want it and will pay for it")

Absolutely crazy and an almost guaranteed waste of taxpayers' money.


<hr width=100% size=1>
 

Gunfleet

New member
Joined
1 Jan 2002
Messages
4,523
Location
Orwell
Visit site
Re: Practicalities

DSC is compulsory for commercial ships Brendan. If you have DSC the calling channel is 70

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
All,

I'm sorry but I'm not going to field flak on this one.

This idea is being driven by the RYA as the UK's boating representative body and I am very (very, very) against it as I can see no real safety benefits.

I admit it, the bit about "assent" is a bit of a red herring (mine) intended to spur people into action.

Mike


<hr width=100% size=1>Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Services Section,
Radiocommunications Agency
 
Top