Nautilus Lifeline Radio

[Dogbowl]

Did you need to reprogram your MRG MMSI according to the procedure for the country you were diving at that time, as described in the Nautilus MRG manual, and coordinate with the dive operator DSC prior to going diving with them so they can identify your MRG distress signal when you are lost at sea?

The more I read this thread, and I’ve been reading it over and over, the less convinced I am that the Nautilus is not useful in certain cases. While reprogramming to different countries seems annoying at first, it’s really just 3 easy steps: 1) Enter your device’s serial number, 2) enter your region for this trip (i.e., Canada, US, Europe or International), and finally 3) enter your ship’s MMSI. Doesn’t seem that onerous to me. Kinda like installing a new app. Sure I have questions whether this programming can be done at home cause I’ll need wifi, or must it be done on the ship. And I also question the categories, but I can call Nautilus and get clarification.

Other barriers include: will the ship give you their MMSI to do the programming and will the Captain allow a test, like me setting it off on my first dive and see if he receives the distress signal?

I do agree with @Dan_T that cooperation by the captain is paramount for the Nautilus Lifeline to work well. I would “think” that he’d be cooperative.

 

[Dan]

Yes, I was a bit overwhelmed when I read the Nautilus MRG manual about reprogramming it every time you are in new area / country / resort/ liveaboard. To begin with, what the hey is MMSI? This link describes a little bit on MMSI:
Maritime Mobile Service Identity

“MMSI Overview
Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSIs) are nine digit numbers used by maritime digital selective calling (DSC), automatic identification systems (AIS) and certain other equipment to uniquely identify a ship or a coast radio station. MMSIs are regulated and managed internationally by the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva, Switzerland, just as radio call signs are regulated. The MMSI format and use is documented in Article 19 of the ITU Radio Regulations and ITU-R Recommendation M.585-6, available from the ITU.”

So, I said to myself: “Forget about it & stick with the eagle-eye & bio-GPS dive guide & my PLB1”.

 

[Ankush Mittal]

The more I read this thread, and I’ve been reading it over and over, the less convinced I am that the Nautilus is not useful in certain cases. While reprogramming to different countries seems annoying at first, it’s really just 3 easy steps: 1) Enter your device’s serial number, 2) enter your region for this trip (i.e., Canada, US, Europe or International), and finally 3) enter your ship’s MMSI. Doesn’t seem that onerous to me. Kinda like installing a new app. Sure I have questions whether this programming can be done at home cause I’ll need wifi, or must it be done on the ship. And I also question the categories, but I can call Nautilus and get clarification.

Other barriers include: will the ship give you their MMSI to do the programming and will the Captain allow a test, like me setting it off on my first dive and see if he receives the distress signal?

I do agree with @Dan_T that cooperation by the captain is paramount for the Nautilus Lifeline to work well. I would “think” that he’d be cooperative.

Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS: Official Website

As per their website their new device doesnt need to be registered with MMSI and in fact you only need to change the region and don't need to enter the ships MMSI. Though optional,y You can enter the ships MMSI and the first attempt by the device will be to contact your ship else all other ships in the region, which I am ok with. I am ok to dive everytime without the MMSI programmed in as the purpose of this device is emergency only.

I am very interested to know if anyone has dived with the Marine GPS anywhere in Asia and asked around whether the ships they were on had the capability to receive the signal from it. It would be a waste to buy it if most places I dive with don't have the capability to receive this signal the point would become moot to own it.

 

[Dogbowl]

Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS: Official Website

As per their website their new device doesnt need to be registered with MMSI and in fact you only need to change the region and don't need to enter the ships MMSI. Though optional,y You can enter the ships MMSI and the first attempt by the device will be to contact your ship else all other ships in the region, which I am ok with. I am ok to dive everytime without the MMSI programmed in as the purpose of this device is emergency only.

I am very interested to know if anyone has dived with the Marine GPS anywhere in Asia and asked around whether the ships they were on had the capability to receive the signal from it. It would be a waste to buy it if most places I dive with don't have the capability to receive this signal the point would become moot to own it.

Yes, while you do not NEED your ship’s MMSI, I think it would be useful.

I suppose your question is how common are boats equipped with the AIS or DSC technology so that that particular boat can receive the distress signal from the Nautilus. That’s a good question in regards to Asia, but I would also like to know for Caribbean destinations as well.

 

[billt4sf]

Mine is registered to NOAA. So, “I guess” NOAA would verify my whereabouts with my emergency contact, then the US embassy in Jakarta, whom will coordinate with local SAR agency (BaSARnas) and US Navy to search for me. I hope it’ll never happen to me (knock on wood), but if it did & I were rescued, I’d post the news here.

Hopefully we would never see such a post

 

[CWK]

@Dan_T
I have the MRG and I programmed it once as per the manual. A MMSI is not required according to the Nautilus website.

Different programmings are required because there are 2 different marine radio systems in operation (DSC and AIS) and different regions have different regulations regarding their use. I have programmed my MRG to international which will broadcast on both DCS and AIS. According to the manual:
• Canada: Only AIS will be transmitted. DSC not permitted due to local regulations.
• Europe: Only AIS will be transmitted. DSC not permitted due to local regulations.
• USA: Full AIS alert will be transmitted. DSC alert will be sent first to your programmed
ship MMSI. After 30 minutes, transmission will switch to your programmed group MMSI.
Refer to steps 4 and 5 for details on MMSI programming.
• International: Full distress alerting with AIS and DSC.
If a ship MMSI has been programmed, DSC will first be sent to your own ship.
After 30 mins., DSC will be sent to all ships.

I do not re-program my unit when I travel as I do not dive in Canada or Europe where DSC is not permitted for the MRG. My unit is set to 'international' and will transmit in both DSC and AIS.

The way I rationalise the MMSI situation is that it is a unique identifier for a marine radios therefore ships as well as coast stations that have a marine radio require a MMSI in order for them to talk to each other without bothering everyone else in broadcast range. The initial Nautilus Lifeline was a 2-way radio, therefore it required a MMSI which was a pain to obtain in some places. The MRG is not a 2-way radio (it only broadcast a SOS and does not have a receive functionality to facilitate 2-way conversation) therefore it does not need a MMSI.

You can program a ship's MMSI into your MRG. If you do this, when the MRG is activated, it will immediately send DSC distress call to the MMSI that was programmed (provided that your MRG has been programmed for DSC). After 30 minutes, it will send a general broadcast to all marine radios in the area (I believe that this is via AIS).

I presume that if you do not program a ship's MMSI into your MRG, it will only send a general broadcast to all marine radios in the area (presumably via AIS). I am uncertain whether this will be done immediately or after a 30 minute delay.

My take is that as long as you are in an area where there are marine radios, then the MRG will offer some utility in the event of boat seperation.

Perhaps Nautilus could clarify the situation.

 

[Ankush Mittal]

@Dan_T
I have the MRG and I programmed it once as per the manual. A MMSI is not required according to the Nautilus website.

You are right on the money and my thoughts exactly. I see your location is set to Malaysia. Where do you dive in Malaysia? Do they have the necessary device to receive the signal from the MRG?

 

[Dan]

@Dan_T
I have the MRG and I programmed it once as per the manual. A MMSI is not required according to the Nautilus website.

Different programmings are required because there are 2 different marine radio systems in operation (DSC and AIS) and different regions have different regulations regarding their use. I have programmed my MRG to international which will broadcast on both DCS and AIS. According to the manual:
• Canada: Only AIS will be transmitted. DSC not permitted due to local regulations.
• Europe: Only AIS will be transmitted. DSC not permitted due to local regulations.
• USA: Full AIS alert will be transmitted. DSC alert will be sent first to your programmed
ship MMSI. After 30 minutes, transmission will switch to your programmed group MMSI.
Refer to steps 4 and 5 for details on MMSI programming.
• International: Full distress alerting with AIS and DSC.
If a ship MMSI has been programmed, DSC will first be sent to your own ship.
After 30 mins., DSC will be sent to all ships.

I do not re-program my unit when I travel as I do not dive in Canada or Europe where DSC is not permitted for the MRG. My unit is set to 'international' and will transmit in both DSC and AIS.

The way I rationalise the MMSI situation is that it is a unique identifier for a marine radios therefore ships as well as coast stations that have a marine radio require a MMSI in order for them to talk to each other without bothering everyone else in broadcast range. The initial Nautilus Lifeline was a 2-way radio, therefore it required a MMSI which was a pain to obtain in some places. The MRG is not a 2-way radio (it only broadcast a SOS and does not have a receive functionality to facilitate 2-way conversation) therefore it does not need a MMSI.

You can program a ship's MMSI into your MRG. If you do this, when the MRG is activated, it will immediately send DSC distress call to the MMSI that was programmed (provided that your MRG has been programmed for DSC). After 30 minutes, it will send a general broadcast to all marine radios in the area (I believe that this is via AIS).

I presume that if you do not program a ship's MMSI into your MRG, it will only send a general broadcast to all marine radios in the area (presumably via AIS). I am uncertain whether this will be done immediately or after a 30 minute delay.

My take is that as long as you are in an area where there are marine radios, then the MRG will offer some utility in the event of boat seperation.

Perhaps Nautilus could clarify the situation.

Thanks for the clarification.

I was told that the old Nautilus Lifeline only broadcasts DSC. MRG will broadcast both DSC & AIS.

Those liveaboards that lend divers MRGs enter their boat MMSI to each of their MRGs to take advantage of the first crucial 30 minutes to search and find the diver who activates the MRG.

Hopefully the following will never happen to you. By not reprogramming the ship’s MMSI, then, if I understand it correctly, they will not know who you are. You HOPE, any boat passing by, have DSC and / or AIS and monitor it to receive your signal and search and locate you (a lot of “ands”).

Do you ask the dive resorts / liveaboards if they have DSC and / or AIS? What are the percentage of them don’t have such marine radio system?

 

[Dogbowl]

I would think that entering your own boat’s MMSI is important as it is your own boat who is the most anxious to look for you if you go missing.

It would be nice if @Nautilus Lifeline could answer some of our queries. Looks like they haven’t been seen on this board since 2016.

Update: I changed my mind about entering your own vessel’s MMSI. I now think it should not be entered because entering it would delay the transmission of a universal distress signal for 30 minutes. I think in an emergency situation, where there are not many boats around, you shouldn’t delay in sending out a distress signal to ALL boats.

I will be purchasing 2 of these, one for me and one for hubby for our next trip. We will, however, follow-up with purchasing a PLB plus canister.

 

[CWK]

@Ankush Mittal
I live in KL. Within Malaysia, I will mainly dive Sipadan/Mabul. I have seen boats with marine radios there and there is a visible marine police/military presence that may be monitoring marine radio.

@Dan_T
Even if you program a ship's MMSI into the MRG, the ship will not know the identity of the person broadcasting the distress signal because the MRG does not capture and broadcast information about who you are. All the boat will see is the man overboard distress signal with a GPS position. They will have to deduce that that the distress signal is from their missing diver.

I don't ask resorts/liveaboards if they have DSC or AIS. In case of need I will activate my MRG and if the situation is not resolved I will activate my PLB. The MRG is but one of a number of signalling devices that I carry. Hopefully the SMB, air horn, signal mirror and torch will resolve the situation without the need to call the MRG or PLB into service.

The MRG is small enough and cheap enough for me to keep in a pocket and not worry about it too much about continually re-programming MMSI. If the MRG works, all is good. If it doesn't, I still have the PLB to fall back on.

@Dogbowl
I was thinking of re-programming my MRG to Canada/Europe whereby it will broadcast only on AIS. I am not certain whether there is a 30 min delay when it is set in this mode. I am also uncertain as to the percentage of marine radios that are AIS enabled. AIS is a positioning system to help prevent collisions between ships. Whilst large craft such as supertankers may be expected to enable AIS, I am not certain that small speedboats would do so.