VHF Radios : Clear MMSI before selling / giving away?

[andsarkit]

Some years ago I got an early Simrad DSC handheld VHF from my brother and had no problem getting the same number allocated to me. As a handheld is registered to a person rather than a boat I think this should still be possible. Obviously different with a fixed VHF MMSI which is permanently linked to a boat.

 

[[163233]]

Some dealers can also do it.

Wasn't what RM told me, but I guess there must be one in each region at least.

 

[EugeneR]

The 54E can be reprogrammed by the user. I did mine many years ago. I believe you need to turn the unit on by pressing and holding SCAN/MEM + 16/9 key simultaneously. This will result in an audible beep sound and “CL” being displayed.

 

[dolabriform]

The 54E can be reprogrammed by the user. I did mine many years ago. I believe you need to turn the unit on by pressing and holding SCAN/MEM + 16/9 key simultaneously. This will result in an audible beep sound and “CL” being displayed.

Thanks, I tried that but no luck unfortunately

 

[MikeCC]

Thanks, I tried that but no luck unfortunately

Quite possible they changed the firmware in later models to prevent that.

 

[PeeBee]

I've recently purchased a Standard Horizon VHF DSC/GPS radio. Interestingly there is a bold print message on the MMSI entry page which says... "The MMSI can be input only once. If the MMSI number needs to be reset please contact Standard Horizon to obtain the required reset code." Never seen that before.

 

[Yngmar]

It's rather annoying. They all have a way to reset them, on some you solder in wire bridges, resistors or just know the secret key combination. Others you need a programming interface and software.

I did it for a Simrad RD68 (wire bridge - different revisions have totally different circuit boards!) and for a Ray 240 (tiny SMD resistors soldered into a handset). For your Ray54 it seems to be done with a serial programming interface box that plugs into the NMEA connector and some software that unlocks the MMSI. The software is around, but the programming box isn't documented anywhere and seems to have so

Problem is, the kit is from 2005 and most dealers have probably binned/lost/broken their special programming box and the computer with the Windows 98 programming software is long dead.

I wouldn't spend any money on sending them anywhere, you'd be supporting a ridiculous system and risk end up losing money. Just sell them with the requirement that the owner must get the MMSI reset and hope they will.

 

[[70521]]

Sadly, I sispec

I've recently purchased a Standard Horizon VHF DSC/GPS radio. Interestingly there is a bold print message on the MMSI entry page which says... "The MMSI can be input only once. If the MMSI number needs to be reset please contact Standard Horizon to obtain the required reset code." Never seen that before.

It is pretty standard.

 

[mikegunn]

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.

Talk to the respective manufacturers. They will advise the most cost effective way of removing their MMSI identities. In my opinion it would be morally wrong to sell the radios on with their existing settings. For example, should one of the radios be used to make a distress call, the authorities would receive conflicting information. The rescue services, like most of us, use facilities such as Marinetraffic to locate ships making distress calls. That information would conflict with the lat/long being transmitted by the radio at the time of the distress call. Lives could be endangered.
Mike

 

[EugeneR]

Thanks, I tried that but no luck unfortunately

Apologies. You could also try switching it on while holding in other combinations... there are only so many.

The trick I used was is to identify the equivalent US model at the time. Their channel configurations are slightly different etc. Also they were (maybe still are) allowed to reset the ID so it was covered in their manuals how to do it.

 

[dolabriform]

Apologies. You could also try switching it on while holding in other combinations... there are only so many.

The trick I used was is to identify the equivalent US model at the time. Their channel configurations are slightly different etc. Also they were (maybe still are) allowed to reset the ID so it was covered in their manuals how to do it.

No problem, thanks for your help!

I've found the US manual and that also says "one time only" unfortunately. I'm going to take them to Foxes and see how much they want to reset them. I'll try some bargaining as I bought a new VHF from them recently

 

[duncan99210]

The rescue services, like most of us, use facilities such as Marinetraffic to locate ships making distress calls. That information would conflict with the lat/long being transmitted by the radio at the time of the distress call.

The rescue services do not use Marine Traffic to locate vessels: they use their own AIS receivers which paint data onto their systems. Don‘t confuse AIS data with DSC distress call data, which is what the kit the OP was talking about transmits.

 

[[163233]]

The 54E can be reprogrammed by the user. I did mine many years ago. I believe you need to turn the unit on by pressing and holding SCAN/MEM + 16/9 key simultaneously. This will result in an audible beep sound and “CL” being displayed.

Tried that as well. Are you sure yours was a 54e as the SCAN/MEM button is labelled SCAN/SAVE and the 16/9 button is "16 Plus"?