VHF Radios : Clear MMSI before selling / giving away?

dolabriform

dolabriform

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Hi all

As the title says, I have two VHF DSC Radios to get rid of and I wondering what to do.
I could pay to have the MMSI cleared and then stick them up for sale, and I might make a tenner on each, or I would happily give them to someone who can use them on the understanding that they remove the MMSI.
One is an ICOM IC-M411 and the other a Raymarine 54E, so not the most recent of models but they do both work.

What would you do? Thoughts?

Thanks

David

EDIT: I'd rather not chuck them in landfill.
 
If it was me and the MMSI number was being used by me on my own boat, I would pay to have the MMSI removed as I would not want my ID being used by others on different vessels. By doing that I am in control as opposed to trusting someone else.
 
The problem of "fixed" once only mmsi's come up on here fairly regularly and its clearly a problem when the time comes to replace or upgrade and you want to sell on your old equipment.
I'm just wondering why the manufacturers have taken this route with their equipment. There seems no reason to having this restriction on the equipment.
The only thing I can think of is theft, but there are many other expensive things on a boat that can be stolen that don't have this fixed identity.
 
It may be based on US FCC rules. Eg an end user cannot program an AIS transceiver over there. Perhaps too much trouble to have two different setups. Some models used to have obscure key press combinations to reset.
It would be helpful if you were allowed at least one user-accessible reset though.
 
MMSI rules are based on international agreements, focused on commercial shipping. In order to prevent unscrupulous shipowners switching ship identities, MMSI entry is a once only user entry. If you have a legitimate reason to change the MMSI on a bit of kit, it has to go to an authorised entity to make the change (the authorised entity usually being the maker or their agents). All contained in the ITU rules, changes to which can take many years...
If I were disposing of a radio or AIS programmed with my MMSI, I’d simply tell the buyer that the MMSI needs changing. If the buyer doesn’t bother changing it, then the red button will still work, the coastguard will still react which is after all what you want to happen. May be some questions after the event but that’s not my problem.
Final point. Some older sets did have some ”dealer only” button pushes to delete the old MMSI rather than the normal method now of hooking it up to a computer. Search the interweb to see if you can find a work round for the sets you’re trying to shift.
 
greeny said:
The problem of "fixed" once only mmsi's come up on here fairly regularly and its clearly a problem when the time comes to replace or upgrade and you want to sell on your old equipment.
I'm just wondering why the manufacturers have taken this route with their equipment. There seems no reason to having this restriction on the equipment.
The only thing I can think of is theft, but there are many other expensive things on a boat that can be stolen that don't have this fixed identity.
Click to expand...
Perhaps it's to prevent misrepresentation of a vessel's identity.
 
I wouldn't bother clearing it. If the new owner doesn't get and have programmed their own MMSI then they're being stupid or dishonest. But I really wouldn't worry that there might be any number of boats wrongly using my boat's MMSI. I never use DSC calling and if ever I do a 'red button' Mayday, my VHF will give my position and my boat's MMSI.

There are enough people around that don't do the necessary VHF courses and either don't know or care about DSC calls and MMSI numbers that I can well believe there will be people who install secondhand VHFs with the old owner's boat's MMSI. That doesn't stop me doing the right thing with my own VHF.

I'm not concerned about anyone impersonating me by using my boat's MMSI. They could do that anyway if they really wanted to by just programming my boat's MMSI into any VHF. They don't need to buy my old VHF to do that.
 
I've just poked around the Ofcom site and it seems to bear out what I thought to be true for fixed radios. You can't change the license details, it stays with the boat and a new owner applies for a new license using the same MMSI and call sign.

For portables then, I'd make the dangerous assumption that you could apply for a license in the new owner's name and send it on to them.

Mainly though I agree with those that say don't worry about it, especially since Ofcom don't seem to care that an MMSI might be licensed to string of successive owners.
 
anoccasionalyachtsman said:
I've just poked around the Ofcom site and it seems to bear out what I thought to be true for fixed radios. You can't change the license details, it stays with the boat and a new owner applies for a new license using the same MMSI and call sign.

For portables then, I'd make the dangerous assumption that you could apply for a license in the new owner's name and send it on to them.

Mainly though I agree with those that say don't worry about it, especially since Ofcom don't seem to care that an MMSI might be licensed to string of successive owners.
Click to expand...

As I understand it this isn't Ofcom not caring. It's intentional, as the MMSI applies to the boat (or other radios station) not the owner or operator.

That's why some people are concerned that if they sell their old VHF it could end up on another boat but still be giving out the original boat's MMSI.
 
greeny said:
The problem of "fixed" once only mmsi's come up on here fairly regularly and its clearly a problem when the time comes to replace or upgrade and you want to sell on your old equipment.
I'm just wondering why the manufacturers have taken this route with their equipment. There seems no reason to having this restriction on the equipment.
The only thing I can think of is theft, but there are many other expensive things on a boat that can be stolen that don't have this fixed identity.
Click to expand...
They take this route in order to get compliance. Blame the authorities. Many radios have a route in via buttons if you can find it . Sometimes Googling helps and I recently found the route and the password for a radio on a distributors web site.
 
jbweston said:
As I understand it this isn't Ofcom not caring. It's intentional, as the MMSI applies to the boat (or other radios station) not the owner or operator.

That's why some people are concerned that if they sell their old VHF it could end up on another boat but still be giving out the original boat's MMSI.
Click to expand...

I need to apologise, for some reason I thought the OP was selling two portables, and my logic was skewed in that direction.
 
An mmsi number should be used in any pan pan or mayday call, and on the dsc this is part of the VHF course, I appreciate that there are those that did therescin 1940 but times move on and you need to follow protocol, the mmsi needs to be wiped and the new owner re programme their number in which the boat has been allocated , allowing the emergency services a better understanding of what they are dealing with
I'm my opinion it is the seller that would need this cleared as you have no idea that the buyer will do this and if the dsc button got pressed by the new owner the emergency services could be looking for a 45 ft yatch rather than a small fishing boat.
 
JBJag27 said:
The 54E is a post back to Raymarine job.
Click to expand...

Some dealers can also do it.

Same with the Icom, back to Icon, or some dealers.

Same with every recent DSC VHF or AIS.

Some manufacturers may do it for free, so it only costs the post. Dealers will likely make a small charge, but there'll be no post if they are local.
 
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