Programing GME MT403FF EPIRB

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Cuza

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Hy all, i bought an Epirb GME MT403FF and i don't know how program it.

What software program i need? and programmer?

Kind regards!
 
Cuza said:
Hy all, i bought an Epirb GME MT403FF and i don't know how program it.

What software program i need? and programmer?

Kind regards!
Click to expand...

Different flag states have different requirements so depends where you are as to what is inserted in the programmable field. Usually the MMSI and Call sign are put in however most folk just register the makers ID codes.

Programming is NOT a user function but done by supplier.
 
Rogershaw said:
Your supplier should program it with your MMSI number. Epirb's are not user programmable.
Click to expand...

I didn't realise that the COSPAS-SARSAT 406 messages had any programmable fields like that.

In the UK at least, EPIRBs aren't programmed with any custom data. Each one has its own ID assigned by the manufacturer, and we register that with MRCC Falmouth so that they know whose beacon it is when they receive the signal. The information about the vessel, owner, etc then comes out of the MCA's own database on shore, not from the beacon message.

Registration form here: https://forms.dft.gov.uk/mca-sar-epirb/

Pete
 
When I purchased my GME epirb from a UK company it had to have the MMSI prefix programmed for South Africa as each country has a different MMSI prefix. If you are buying in the UK for use in the UK it may be pre-programmed with the UK MMSI prefix.

I also had to have my old EPIRB programmed by SARTECH with the South African MMSI prefix during the battery change and testing last time I was in the UK.r

It is the MMSI prefix that tells the system where to the message to, to get the info from the DB.

Its no good sending the info from my EPIRB to MRCC Falmouth it must go to MRCC Cape Town where my EPIRB is registered and the info is stored.
 
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prv said:
In the UK at least, EPIRBs aren't programmed with any custom data. Each one has its own ID assigned by the manufacturer, and we register that with MRCC Falmouth so that they know whose beacon it is when they receive the signal. The information about the vessel, owner, etc then comes out of the MCA's own database on shore, not from the beacon message.

Registration form here: https://forms.dft.gov.uk/mca-sar-epirb/

Pete
Click to expand...

Correct, there's nothing to do except register the EPIRB's Hex ID. which is on the EPIRB label.
 
Rogershaw said:
When I purchased my GME epirb from a UK company it had to have the MMSI prefix programmed for South Africa as each country has a different MMSI prefix. If you are buying in the UK for use in the UK it may be pre-programmed with the UK MMSI prefix.
Click to expand...

It doesn't contain an MMSI. The beacon ID (often slightly erroneously called a "hex ID" because it's commonly written in hexadecimal) is a different thing entirely.

(If there are programmable general-purpose data fields in there, then maybe South African procedure is to also program the vessel's MMSI into that slot. But that's not a general practise.)

Pete
 
Rogershaw said:
When I purchased my GME epirb from a UK company it had to have the MMSI prefix programmed for South Africa as each country has a different MMSI prefix. If you are buying in the UK for use in the UK it may be pre-programmed with the UK MMSI prefix.

I also had to have my old EPIRB programmed by ARTECH with the South African MMSI prefix during the battery change and testing last time I was in the UK.
Click to expand...

Not quite the case. EPRIBs and PLBs have a unique HEX code number that is built into them: the code is country specific, so a UK bought beacon can only be registered with the UK authorities. If a beacon is bought in UK and you want to register it with say the South African authorities, then it will have to go back to either a dealer with the right equipment and software or to the manufacturer for that code to be changed to match the SA requirements. It has nothing to do with the MMSI.
 
So If there is no indication of where the EPIRB is registered how does the system know which MRCC to send the emergency signal to verify the details of the vessel and to check with next of kin if the vessel could be in a real emergency or just a false alarm.

Have a look here

http://www.epirbstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=50077830

and here

http://www.cactusnav.com/epirb-programming-flagged-boats-p-9518.html

and a discussion here

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f2/epirb-registration-49563.html

This explains the country code in the message

https://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en/country-code

And here

https://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en/message-formats
 
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Rogershaw said:
So If there is no indication of where the EPIRB is registered how does the system know which MRCC to send the emergency signal to verify the details of the vessel and to check with next of kin if the vessel could be in a real emergency or just a false alarm.
Click to expand...

As Duncan says, there are a few bits of the beacon ID that indicate the country it should be registered with. That'll be set by the manufacturer based on where each batch is destined to be sold. And potentially needs updating if a boat is reflagged or a beacon bought second-hand or overseas. But for the normal case we assume the OP falls into, it will all have been handled for him before he even picks the beacon up off the shelf, and there's nothing about him or his boat that needs to be programmed into it.

Pete
 
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prv said:
I didn't realise that the COSPAS-SARSAT 406 messages had any programmable fields like that.

In the UK at least, EPIRBs aren't programmed with any custom data. Each one has its own ID assigned by the manufacturer, and we register that with MRCC Falmouth so that they know whose beacon it is when they receive the signal. The information about the vessel, owner, etc then comes out of the MCA's own database on shore, not from the beacon message.

Registration form here: https://forms.dft.gov.uk/mca-sar-epirb/

Pete
Click to expand...

Not exactly so; the programmed 15Hex code "includes" the MMSI (but not the shore contact for the MCA, which is indicated by the user at the registration).

The cospas sarsat web site has a section allowing the user to "decode" any 15hex code.
For example, this is what I obtain when I decode my Epirb 15Hex, some fields are related to position (in this case with gps), one is the country code 227 for France and the MID is the rest of my MMSI number. All is registered inside the beacon by the manufacturer before any registration is made by the user with the national authority mca etc. That is why if one sells the epirb to another user with a different MMSI, the beacon has to be sent back to the manufacturer for re-programming, it is not enough to change the registration details at the MCA.
Actually, when one user has the option of registrering through the internet, at the first input of the 15hex all the beacon characteristics appear.

15hex.JPG

regards
 
Hy all, ițm technician and i have to program it. I send an email to GME but i gave no response.

I don't know what software i have to use, and an programmer compatible.

Best regards!
 
Roberto said:
Not exactly so; the programmed 15Hex code "includes" the MMSI (but not the shore contact for the MCA, which is indicated by the user at the registration).

The cospas sarsat web site has a section allowing the user to "decode" any 15hex code.
For example, this is what I obtain when I decode my Epirb 15Hex, some fields are related to position (in this case with gps), one is the country code 227 for France and the MID is the rest of my MMSI number. All is registered inside the beacon by the manufacturer before any registration is made by the user with the national authority mca etc. That is why if one sells the epirb to another user with a different MMSI, the beacon has to be sent back to the manufacturer for re-programming, it is not enough to change the registration details at the MCA.
Actually, when one user has the option of registrering through the internet, at the first input of the 15hex all the beacon characteristics appear.

View attachment 48647

regards
Click to expand...

Not so. The beacon is identified only by means of the 15 digit country specific code entered by the manufacturer, at least in so far as the US and UK are concerned. I have re-registered a second hand beacon with the US coastguard who were happy to accept the registration albeit with the warning that the contact details supplied were for an overseas address. In addition, now that you can use PLBs inland in both UK and US, there is no MMSI associated with them in any case. So, whilst France may be insisting on including the MMSI in the signal from the beacon, this is not the case for US and UK.
 
duncan99210 said:
Not so. The beacon is identified only by means of the 15 digit country specific code entered by the manufacturer, at least in so far as the US and UK are concerned. I have re-registered a second hand beacon with the US coastguard who were happy to accept the registration albeit with the warning that the contact details supplied were for an overseas address. In addition, now that you can use PLBs inland in both UK and US, there is no MMSI associated with them in any case. So, whilst France may be insisting on including the MMSI in the signal from the beacon, this is not the case for US and UK.
Click to expand...

By "beacon" you mean Epirb I suppose? I was specifically talking about epirb, no MMSI for PLB of course (which is not perfectly true, as some specific plb can now be coded with the mmsi) .

Anyway, try your 15hex here and post what comes out, it's interesting to see if there are differences between countries on a system which should be global by definition

https://www.cospas-sarsat.int/en/beacon-decode-program

add. Of course if anyone (UK registered or outside) has its Epirb 15Hex handy, it would be interesting to see what comes out from the decoding

regards
 
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Cuza said:
I have just to write the hex code to the epirb, but how i can do that for this epirb.

Best regards!
Click to expand...

Cuza,

not sure if it is of any help, but just as info: on a group purchase from a French web site we made a tender for over 150 epirb/plb, among the offers we had, a non-french manufacturer offered the physical beacons *and* for a modest fee the software which must be used to program the 15hex inside each beacon, saying "it's very straightforward".

I guess an option is to try and find someone with the software to program the code, most probably a distributor...

regards
 
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