Mike,
I own a marine band radio with built in GPS and an emergency strobe which I carry on dives in a McMurdo dive canister. I was told by the U.S. Coast Guard that this radio could not be registered to me as a person but only to a vessel as a paying customer on a dive vessel I am not considered part of the crew and therefore my equipment is not part of the vessel. Besides the size difference how does your product differ and how can it be registered when a similar product can't?
Doubler. Thank you for the opportunity to address this. I'll address features and benefits of the Lifeline in post following.
There are 3 separate issues involved regarding registration; (i) radio station registration (ii) operator certification (iii) MMSI registration. There is no requirement to register or licence a portable marine VHF radio if it's being used wholly in the U.S. Neither is there any requirement for operator licencing. I've pasted in more information bottom of this post. Regulations do currently vary from country to country but everything is in flux right now as all signatory countries to ITU (International Telecommunications Union) are in the process of harmonizing requirements to be same around the world. The United States has been leading the way and other countries are switching over to the same requirements. That being said, you do not need a licence or registration to BUY a vhf marine radio in any country in the world with the exception of certain parts of the Middle East. Regulations only govern the USE of the radio. The legal opinion that we commissioned on that particular question is that any diver can legally buy a Lifeline almost anywhere in the world. The issues mentioned above only come into play when the diver uses the radio -- perhaps to make a distress call that they have drifted away from their boat!!
MMSI - the identification number of the radio - is also a situation that is in flux. The last ITU meeting in June 2011 specifically addressed the issue of handheld portable radios using DSC technology and MMSI numbers. A resolution was promulgated that a specific unique number - or protocol for issuing separate numbers for handhelds - be designated by member countries. Our understanding is that this is in process and has already been implemented in certain countries ie. Australia. The beauty of this resolution is that we will be able supply Lifelines with a pre-programmed MMSI number as soon as the new regulations are enacted. And responders will see right away that it is a person in the water in distress. Note that when you press the distress button, EVERY modern radio within 10 - 12 miles reverts to CH 16, alarms sound, lights flash on their radio and your GPS position will show up on the screen of every single one of those radios on every ship. One of the cool things about the Lifeline is that I designed it to be a peripheral computing device. It has a micro-USB port and can be plugged into your PC or MAC with full support // software upgrades // user interface // etc. on our website
Nautilus Lifeline Diver Radio and GPS. So you can connect online and enter the MMSI number of the diveboat that you are going out on. Almost all diveboats have MMSI numbers and that information is readily available online. I'm aware that you can also log onto boatusa and register for an MMSI even if you don't have a boat. I know a number of people who have done that.
IMPORTANT NOTE is that the Lifeline is a fully functional marine vhf radio and gps regardless of whether you have entered an MMSI or not. For example if you have a problem with your ear in the first 5 minutes of your dive and surface unexpectedly off-site, all you have to do is open the cap of your Lifeline and call the diveboat on their normal working channel with the green "CHAT" button. end of situation. Or if they don't answer or can't answer, you can call every boat around you up to 4 - 5 miles away (depending on their type of radio and antenna) with the orange "HAIL and DISTRESS" button. Easy for them to find you because you can read your gps coordinates accurate to 4 decimal points off the LCD screen. DSC calls with an MMSI are the icing on the cake.
I hope this information is helpful. features and benefits to follow per your request. Sincerely. Mike
******* 3rd party info follows ***********
Do I need a radio license? (back to top)
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits recreational boaters to have and use a VHF marine radio, EPIRB, and marine radar without having an FCC ship station license. Boaters traveling on international voyages, having an HF single sideband radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal, or required to carry a marine radio under any other regulation must still carry an FCC ship station license.
Those not exempted by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 must still have an FCC ship station license. A ship station license application is made on FCC Form 605, available from local FCC Field Offices, by writing to the FCC, P.O. Box 1050, Gettysburg PA 17326, or by calling the FCC Forms Distribution Center at (202)418-3676 or the toll-free number (800) 418-FORM. Forms can also be obtained from most marine electronics dealers.
Radios can be used immediately upon license application. The license is not transferable if a boat is sold or if the installed radio equipment is moved from one boat to another.
If you wish to purchase a portable radio for use on more than one boat, only one license is necessary. When completing an FCC Application for Ship Station License (form 506), check "Portable" in block 10, "Type of License".
Do I need a permit to operate a radio? (back to top)
The FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit is required for boaters having an HF radiotelephone, for boaters having a VHF transceiver and traveling in foreign waters, or where fitting of a marine radio is required by law (e.g. on boats 20m long or larger). There is a fee for this lifetime permit, but no tests are required in applying for this license. An application is made on FCC Form 753, available from local FCC Field Offices or by writing to the FCC, P.O. Box 1050, Gettysburg PA 17326.
