MMSI number for your local lifeboat

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NorthRising

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Whilst servicing winches on my boat at Inverness Marina in the bitter wind yesterday afternoon a Severn class RNLB, "THE WILL" 17-02 arrived. I think this is one of the relief fleet, which are oft present in Inverness Marina. Later, curious as to her route to Inverness, I ventured onto various AIS websites, and struggled to track her down, so I thought search on her MMSI number, and so to find that I went to http://www.itu.int/online/mms/mars/ship_search.sh I searched against the following names "The Will" (returned single non-relevant result), "RNLB" (returned a single non-relevant result). I then had a general google and interestingly I did while googling around read that many of the RNLBs are not AIS enabled which surprised me (but explained why I couldn't locate her track on any ais website), but given I don't have AIS reception/ chart plotter that doesn't bother me.

But having failed to find an MMSI for any of the following RNLBs: The Will, Christopher Pearce, The Taylors, Moray Dolphin, Robert and Violet, Mora Edith MacDonald I was even more suprised - I can't believe given the push toward DSC and VHF registration requirements that MMSI numbers don't exist for RNLBs? And it's got me thinking, sceptical as I am as to the practical use of DSC radio while single/ short handing (excepting the obvious red button useage) I'd have thought that one useful MMSI to programme into the radio might be that of the local lifeboat?

Anyone know where to find a list of lifeboat MMSI numbers - have I just missed an obvious source? Or is there any good reason why RNLB MMSI's are restricted?
 
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Lenseman is spot on - thank you. Lifeboat certainly brings them all up in the iTU search; I just need to identify which is my local boat and am done.

Interestingly though LIFEBOAT B-771 (callsign MDGF4), the Moray Dolphin, stationed at North Kessock across the water from Inverness, does not have an MMSI number listed on its . Only 8 of the 170 ITU search returns for B class lifeboats list an MMSI, which perhaps suggests the radio equipment is not DSC compatible; given the propaganda being peddled around re the value of DSC it is very interesting to note that a key player in the emergency services does not seemingly equip its smaller vessels with DSC [not I'm not making any judgement on the wisdom of this].
 
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I am just trying to imagine the circumstances in which having my 'local' (wherever the boat was at the time) lifeboat's MMSI would be useful. Unless the LB is on a shout or training I would imagine the VHF will be turned off. When involved in a rescue or similar I should not think random calls from other vessels were particularly welcome. Why do you think the CG use Channel 0 for talking to the LB?

Much more useful to have the CG MMSI I would have thought.
 
Would a lifeboat respond to a direct call and intervene directly, without RCC mission orders ?

I think calling the MRCC and letting them handle all the lifeboats, choppers etc they have available is a technically (and legally) better way; I personally have recorded on the radio all the MMSI numbers of relevant coastal stations
 
Roberto said:
Would a lifeboat respond to a direct call and intervene directly, without RCC mission orders ?
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I believe the theory is that each lifeboat station has a person (plus a deputy or two) designated as Launch Authority. This isn't someone who will go out on the boat; the ones I've seen appear to be older, possibly former coxswains. The boat only goes out with their say-so, and it is they that receive the initial request from the Coastguard. I think a Launch Authority can order a launch without being asked; presumably they would inform the CG so that they're aware the boat is busy. I don't think it's common to do this.

Either way, DSC-calling a lifeboat that is lying to its mooring with noone on board and the radio turned off is not going to achieve very much. I assume the OP was envisaging talking to them while one day being rescued - but I'm not sure what DSC really adds in that scenario. It's a way of getting people's attention - if you're the casualty then their attention is already on you!

Pete
 
prv said:
I believe the theory is that each lifeboat station has a person (plus a deputy or two) designated as Launch Authority. This isn't someone who will go out on the boat; the ones I've seen appear to be older, possibly former coxswains. The boat only goes out with their say-so, and it is they that receive the initial request from the Coastguard. I think a Launch Authority can order a launch without being asked; presumably they would inform the CG so that they're aware the boat is busy. I don't think it's common to do this.
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Thanks, indeed it must be a similar organization to France SNSM which I guess was inspired from the RNLI, one sometimes hears the lifeboat calling the CG saying "we inform you we are leaving the mooring for trials, be back in X minutes, etc etc", though usually there is no one onboard and the crew is sipping a coffee on the port waterfront

:)
 
Would a lifeboat need a red button? If they were sinking and pushed it, who would come anyway ... they are already there!!! :-)

(I know, I know, you don't have to tell me, it was only a joke!!)
 
JamesDargie said:
I'd have thought that one useful MMSI to programme into the radio might be that of the local lifeboat?
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No way. If you are being burgled do you dial 999 or the phone number of your local police station?

Messing around with MMSI numbers for the lifeboat in an emergency situation would complicate things rather than simplify them,. For example, unless you were listening on 16 , how would you know which oif several local lifeboats had been sent to help you. And since your rescue would be being handled by the coast guard on 16, with the lifeboat listening on 16, why would you need to call them using MMSI?
 
RNLI MMSI

I thought:

The first thing the lifeboat crew organise; is to give you a dedicated RNLI VHF when they arrive alongside and CH16 contact with CG keeps everyone in the loop until they arrive.

Cheers
 
Aurai said:
The first thing the lifeboat crew organise; is to give you a dedicated RNLI VHF when they arrive alongside
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Never heard of such a thing. I'm sure they have a spare handheld they could lend you if your own radio was out of action, but I don't believe it's routine to hand over some kind of special radio.

From what I overhear, they seem to mostly operate on 16, possibly switching to a working channel if they have a lot to discuss.

Pete
 
I agree with having and indeed have the relevant CG MMSI programed into the VHF set.

I was not envisaging DSC communications with the LB while being rescued. There could be circumstances where a number of vesels (likely including the local lifeboat) search an area for person(s) or vessel(s) and might find it helpful to communicates as to each others intentions, and (if the DSC propaganda is to be believed) the conversation is best initiated by DSC (especially if there is significant search or rescue traffic) - the DSC presumably gives the Skipper a heads up that communication is requested and allows selection of suggested channel and opportunity to callback when convenient. Pre-programming the number of a likely SAR participant's MMSI into the index seems sensible as trying to do it at the time will frankly be simply a destraction.

Presumably Channel 0 is used by CG & LB (and other SAR operatives) so they have a dedicated un-interrupted channel to themselves; with the added benefit of privacy wrt things they don't want a wider audience to hear - perhaps a slightly different point?

Alpha22's point about whether a lifeboat would need a red button is fairly pertinent, lifeboats are themselves not immune to tradgedy... hence my suprise at the apparent absence of MMSI numbers for many lifeboats and therefore presumbed absence of red buttons on these vessels.

To point out that the OP never suggested:

- that random calls to a lifeboat engaged in rescue would be a good idea
- that calling the lifeboat rather than issuing a distress call on DSC or and Channel 16 would be a good idea

;-)
 
JamesDargie said:
II was not envisaging DSC communications with the LB while being rescued. There could be circumstances where a number of vesels (likely including the local lifeboat) search an area for person(s) or vessel(s) and might find it helpful to communicates as to each others intentions, and (if the DSC propaganda is to be believed) the conversation is best initiated by DSC (especially if there is significant search or rescue traffic) - the DSC presumably gives the Skipper a heads up that communication is requested and allows selection of suggested channel and opportunity to callback when convenient. Pre-programming the number of a likely SAR participant's MMSI into the index seems sensible as trying to do it at the time will frankly be simply a destraction.
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Can't see how that would occurr.

If you're helping in a search, you'll be talking to us (CG) anyway - and other search units will be carrying out their allocated tasks. If we've appointed an on-scene commander (usually an ALB) they'll be coordinating vessels by voice on either 16 or 10.

Either way, calling them first by DSC would just put a dogleg into the situation.
 
B- & D- class ILBs generally are not DSC enabled (Sailor RT2048 in a DS Developments box!) so no MMSIs.

Can't see the benefit of DSC during any search scenario - there's normally enough R/T traffic without adding beeps and more buttons....
 
Good, pretty much confirms my suspicion that (red button excepted) DSC is a waste of time, various posters will be delighted to learn I won't be programming the local RNLB's MMSI into my DSC as it doesnae have one.
 
The all weather l/boats have dsc vhf & mf sets , the majority of ILB's dont have dsc - when were out on exercise or service we do an ops normal check with the CG every 15mins (ILB's) , every 30 or 60 mins (ALB's)

Issuing MMSI's to the gen public wouldnt be of much use as we dual watch ch 16 & 0 as a a matter of course when at sea
 
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