Used DSC VHF - How can I find out if it's registered?

Corky

Corky

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I bought a DSC VHF from a friend who bought it 5 yrs ago second hand to use on his boat but never fitted it. He doesn't know if it's been registered after so long. I bought it to upgrade from my non-DSC radio and would like to use the same MMSI number. How can I tell if it's been registered or does nothing carry over with the hardware?
 
Look up the name of his boat here http://www.itu.int/online/mms/mars/ship_search.sh
If it is registered it should be there showing the MMSI.

If it has been registered then you need to get your own MMSI and that should be programmed into the radio. You can't just change the name and details of the boat it was bought for. Some radios have to sent to the makers for reprogramming
 
Thanks but he didn't actually use it on his boat (the boat was never finished) and he can't remember if he got any details with it when he bought it. I already have my own MMSI number and was hoping to register this radio with it.
Thanks for the reply.
 
If you can get 12V to it and turn it on you'll know immediately because if it hasn't had the MMSI put in the first thing it will do is ask you to do just that.
 
It isn't actually the radio that is registered.
It is the MMSI that is registered.
All DSC radios are supplied from the factory with no MMSI installed.
All the first owner has to do is enter his registered MMSI.
Once an MMSI is set into the radio, you cannot change it without sending it back to the manufacture or his agent.

So, in your case, the set probably hasn't had an MMSI ever entered into it.
I which case, you can enter your MMSI.
If the set does have an MMSI already entered, it should be a simple matter of sending it back to the manufacture or his agent.
In that case, the manufacturer or his agent will ask for proof of your MMSI and maybe proof that you obtained the set legally.

Question though
Do you already have a set with an MMSI?
If so, you may prefer to have another MMSI allocated - that way you could used the DSC features between the sets (maybe they are on different boats)
 
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For the avoidance of doubt - the mmsi number is for the boat - not for the person .
If the boat already has a mmsi you should not be given a new number.
If the boat is sold the mmsi number stays with the boat.
 
There are ways of changing mmsi between boats but it's not meant to be done, when I sold my old boat I had a nice simple 4 letter call sign and wanted to keep my standard horizon vhf so I changed all the details on the licence to the new boat details and reregistered my old boat and fitted my previous vhf to it to sell, so I still have my old callsign and mmsi and it's all done on the mars database and ofcom licence with correct details, cg66 was updated with new boat details, old boat went with new number/callsign and the login details for the new owner to put it their name (it was about 5 or 6 digits with mix of number and letters that I'd never remember).
On the navman I had (that comes under different names) you could reset with a hidden menu but as said some need to go to an agent for resetting.
 
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