Registering a ships radio

[vseager]

I'm just going through the process of registering my ships radio with OfCom, it's the first time I've done this and have a few questions I'm hoping somebody can shed some light on...

Type of vessel - I have a Cobra 750, it's a 25ft sailing boat, it has a sloop rig so as far as I can tell I should fill this in as SLO - Sloop, or YAT Yacht, but not sure which one?

Selcall number - How do I tell if my boat has one of these?

IMO number - What is this and how do I know if I have one?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[VicS]

YAT is usual I think. I am sure thats what i put in. Select sloop if you feel so inclined .. It's only info for SAR purposes

The Selcal number can be left blank but unless you know a number the answer is No

the IMO is the official number ... if the boat is registered on part 1 of the register of shipping. Again I think you can leave the whole section blank.


You can leave fields that are not marked with red asterisk blank but you will have to fill in something for those fields so marked.

Gross tonnage is problem if the boat is not registered. I asked for guidance and was told to estimate a figure

 

[chanelyacht]

YAT is usual I think. I am sure thats what i put in. Select sloop if you feel so inclined .. It's only info for SAR purposes

The Selcal number can be left blank but unless you know a number the answer is No

the IMO is the official number ... if the boat is registered on part 1 of the register of shipping. Again I think you can leave the whole section blank.


You can leave fields that are not marked with red asterisk blank but you will have to fill in something for those fields so marked.

Gross tonnage is problem if the boat is not registered. I asked for guidance and was told to estimate a figure

Selcall has long since died in UK waters - it was the old coast radio accounting agreement number in the days of coastal link calls/

IMO number is a build number allocated to commercial vessels, and unlike the name, the never changes during the vessel's lifetime. Very, very unlikely to be on a pleasure craft.

 

[prv]

In summary, to the OP: this database is the same one that holds the radio details of cruise ships and supertankers. Don't worry that lots of it is irrelevant to a 25-foot yacht. If things don't apply, just leave them blank.

Pete

 

[Jacana]

I tried to add an old DSC portable without built in GPS to my record 3 months ago and it is still sitting in the pending tray.

For the record you retain your fixed MMSI No in those circumstances and no new number is issued to the portable. It is however registered to your vessel.

 

[prv]

I tried to add an old DSC portable without built in GPS to my record 3 months ago and it is still sitting in the pending tray.

For the record you retain your fixed MMSI No in those circumstances and no new number is issued to the portable. It is however registered to your vessel.

...although for modern DSC handhelds which *do* have GPS, I believe they *do* assign a new MMSI.

Pete

 

[vseager]

Thanks for the replies, I think that clears it up. I've just left most of those blank. The gross tonnage I guessed at around 5.

 

[VicS]

Selcall has long since died in UK waters - it was the old coast radio accounting agreement number in the days of coastal link calls/

IMO number is a build number allocated to commercial vessels, and unlike the name, the never changes during the vessel's lifetime. Very, very unlikely to be on a pleasure craft.

The Secall number is a selective calling number. The accounting code is something different.

They still ask for both where applicable.

Does the vessel have a selective calling (selcall) number?
Yes | No
If Yes, please state the selcall number
MRAA
If you have an agreement with a Maritime Radio Accounting Authority (MRAA), please give its Accounting Authority Identification Code (AAIC)​

From the Ofcom website

What is selective calling?

A selective calling number is a means by which a mobile radio can be uniquely contacted. Apart from the required radio, all other receivers within the system will remain silent.
A unique group or sequence of numbers are transmitted as tones over the radio. One mobile set within the system has been preset to react to this unique number sequence; when the train of tones is received by that set it will effectively switch on.

What is a Maritime Radio Accounting Authority?

The purpose of Maritime Radio Accounting Authorities is to facilitate the effective collection and distribution of telecommunications charges for non-emergency radio telephone and telex calls from ships into the international subscriber networks.​

I had an accounting code at one time but not a Selcall number as my radio was not Selcall enabled.

Confused about the IMO number because they ask for the "Official number (IMO)" along with other registration details if the vessel is registered. Official number implies the Official number on the Register of Shipping.:

Vessel registry details
Please supply the following details if applicable:

Port of registry​

Official number (IMO number)​

Small Ship Registry (SSR) number

Fishing vessel identification number​

 

[chanelyacht]

But Selcall was pre DSC, now every (DSC) radio can be called individually (by MMSI). Selcall was never available as ship-to-ship radio calling, it was (and still is elsewhere in the world) for coast station link call use only.

IMO number does not apply to pleasure vessels.

 

[KevO]

I did the online thing about an hour ago... it was easy enough although I pondered over the same questions. No IMO, No Selcal, tick YAT, enter SSR, callsign and MMSI no and Robert is yer proverbial close family relative.

 

[VicS]

But Selcall was pre DSC, now every (DSC) radio can be called individually (by MMSI). Selcall was never available as ship-to-ship radio calling, it was (and still is elsewhere in the world) for coast station link call use only.

But they still ask for the number if the vessel has one.
Also for the accounting authority code if there is a agreement with an accounting authority

IMO number does not apply to pleasure vessels.

True but they do refer to the "Official number". Having just asked for the Port of Registration it's logical for a reference to " official number" to mean the Official number on the register of shipping.
Next question is to ask for the SSR number for vessels on the SSR.

 

[KevO]

I just ignored the questions that I couldn't answer and left them blank and entered the SSR where required. It all worked fine.

 

[VicS]

I just ignored the questions that I couldn't answer and left them blank and entered the SSR where required. It all worked fine.

You only have to answer the questions marked with a red asterisk. It wont let you proceed if you try to ignore any of those!
Not being registered I do not know the gross tonnage but I had to put something in the box ( I notice they do now give some guidance on estimating a figure but they did not originally)

You should have tried filling in the original on line application when they first introduced the "new " system. It was not impossible but it came pretty close to it! There was a constant stream of pleas for help on these forums although the people at Ofcom always seemed to be helpful when contacted by phone.