| GMDSS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can ships fitted for Sea Area A1 meet GMDSS carriage requirements if
they stay within 20 nm of the U.S. shore? Can ships fitted for Sea
Area A2 meet the requirements of they stay within 70-100 nm of the U.S.
shore? Is the Gulf of Mexico a Sea Area A2?
No. GMDSS Sea Areas A1 and A2 are defined by shore radio coverage,
not by distance offshore. The Gulf of Mexico should
never be a Sea Area A2 because of 2 MHz propagation limitations.
Except for some very limited MF DSC coverage around our Communications
Stations, the U.S. currently has no operational Sea Areas
A1 or A2. Until these areas are in place, ships must
fit for GMDSS Area A3, or request a waiver from the FCC.
For more information, see the GMDSS Area webpage
Do commercial fishing vessels have to fit GMDSS equipment?
The GMDSS does not apply to most commercial fishing vessels.
However, the Communications Act as implemented by FCC regulations
does require U.S. fishing vessels 300 gross tons or heavier
to carry GMDSS equipment. The temporary waiver for certain
GMDSS equipment in effect since 1998 no longer applies. Unless
the ship always remains within VHF and 2 MHz range of USCG
coast stations, US fishing vessels 300 gross tons and heavier
will now have to comply with the GMDSS for Sea Area A3. This
change is a result of Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
WT Docket No. 00-48, FCC No. 02-102 adopted 27 March 2002,
released 9 April 2002, and in force effective 5 November 2003.
See http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ADO/LeaveSite.asp?http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-102A1.pdf
Do small passenger vessels have to carry GMDSS equipment?
The GMDSS does not apply to U.S. passenger ships which carry
12 passengers or less. Passenger ships on international
voyages required to carry SOLAS certification have to carry
GMDSS equipment, regardless of size. The FCC, in an
order released November 20, 1998, has temporarily waived the
requirement for certain GMDSS equipment to be carried on small
passenger vessels less than 100 gross tons subject to FCC
regulation 47 CFR 80.933. This waiver will be terminated
once the Coast Guard has notified the Commission that Sea
Area A1 and A2 is established, at which time, small passenger
vessels will be required to fully comply with the Commission's
FCC rules. The Commission intends to provide at least
six months notice before terminating this waiver.
I just purchased a VHF marine radio equipped with digital
selective calling. Will the U.S. Coast Guard receive my DSC
distress alert? If not, who will?
The Coast Guard is currently upgrading it's VHF system to
use DSC, but it has limited coverage and has not declared
a Sea Area 1 yet. The areas that have limited coverage, but
can't be guarantee it yet are listed on the Rescue
21 MSSI page. Additionally, the Coast Guard Cutters that
have equipment installed have some ability to receive DSC
calls. Last, seagoing cargo and passenger vessels fitted with
DSC radios should also be capable of receiving an alert. The
Coast Guard has limited ability to receive a distress alert
from a DSC-equipped MF marine radio.
How can I obtain Coast Guard approval for my GMDSS training
course?
See the information in the Coast Guard's Global Maritime
Distress & Safety System Bibliography.
How can I have a say in the way GMDSS decisions are made?
Most GMDSS decisions are made by two international organizations,
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Radiocommunications
and Search & Rescue Subcommittee (COMSAR), and the International
Telecommunications Union Sector for Radiocommunications (ITU-R)
Working Party 8B. COMSAR meets approximately every 12-16
months, and ITU-R meets approximately every 6 - 18 months.
Any U.S. citizen can attend federal advisory committees established
to prepare U.S. positions at either of these conferences.
Those who cannot attend meetings in Washington DC can participate
by mail in the ITU-R Working party 8B advisory committee,
by email in the GMDSS Task Force, or by Internet in IMO COMSAR's
advisory committee. For information concerning the GMDSS
Task Force, contact Capt
Fuechsel. For information concerning IMO COMSAR,
see the USCG Navigation Center's IMO
webpage.
I just bought a DSC-equipped VHF marine radio and was
told I need to get an MMSI number before I can use it.
As arecreational boater, I don't need an FCC license.
How do I get my MMSI assignment?
If you are recreational boater who operates only within U.S.
waters, you can obtain an MMSI from BOAT
US, SEATOW , or Shine Micro . If you
plan to make a foreign voyage you will have to contact the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to get a
radio license for your vessel and that license will have an
MMSI that you can use to program you radios. For more information,
see the Coast Guard's MMSI Webpage.
If you are a commercial vessel you will need to contact the
FCC to obtain a radio license for your vessel and you may
be required to take a test for a radio operator's license.
Answers about who needs a radio license can be found at the
FCC internet
site .
I sent a request to the FCC for an MMSI number (DSC number)
for my DSC radio and was sent back a note advising that the
FCC was not assigning MMSI numbers, but instead assigning
Ship Station Identity numbers which are 12 characters long.
The number they assigned is 366123450000. Should I assume
that I should program in all numbers except the last 3 "0's"
(366123450)?
Yes. The Federal Communications Commission database requires
12 digits but the MMSI is only 9 digits so use the first 9
numbers.
I own a small fleet of boats, each equipped with DSC-equipped
VHF radios. I have already programmed each with an individual
MMSI number. These radios also allow programming with
a vessel group MMSI, which I need for calling all of my vessels.
How do I obtain a vessel group MMSI assignment?
Your individual MMSI assigned by the FCC should end in a
zero. To obtain a vessel group identity, take any one
of your individual MMSI numbers, remove the zero at the end
of the number, and add a zero at the beginning. That
new number will be your vessel group identity. For example,
if your individual identity is 366123450, your vessel group
identity is 036612345. If your individual identity does
not end in a zero, you will need to obtain a group identity
from the FCC or the agency which assigned you your individual
identity. See the MMSI Webpage.
Is it necessary to take an approved GMDSS course?
If so, what is the deadline?
Attendance at a GMDSS school is recommended, but not mandatory,
for obtaining a GMDSS license. Your FCC License as GMDSS
operator is good until 1 Feb 2002. At that time masters and
mates must have the Coast Guard's STCW-95 Certification which
requires completion of a Coast Guard approved 70 hour course
and completion of certain other STCW requirements.
Is there a list of suppliers or manufacturers of GMDSS
equipment?
We know of no list of GMDSS suppliers. However, the
FCC has made their database of type accepted equipment, including
GMDSS equipment, available by Internet. The FCC
OET Generic Search Report provides a listing of GMDSS-approved
and other marine electronics equipment. To obtain this
list, search on Equipment Class.
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