MMSI #'s and tracking

I know we all have agreed on the channel 71 thing, but for those of us with DSC radios, we could take it a step further. My chartplotter, as I'm sure most others are as well, is connected to my VHF radio through the NMEA 0183 network. This will allow tracking of people on your radios "buddy list" if you know their MMSI # and their radio is set up to automatically answer position polling calls. This could be a huge advantage to walleye.com members in my opinion. It would be possible to see each members boat on your plotter screen. We would not have to give coordinates to were the fish are active over the radio as we would already know each others position. A simple "how you doing in your spot" would work and not give away great locations to people who are just listening to walleye.com's agreed radio channel. I would be glad to give anyone my MMSI #, though I will only give it out through a private message. What are all your opinions on this?

I will give mine up to anyone that gives me one that works. This is a great idea..

Thanks Skipper9! I will PM you with my MMSI # in the morning when I get to my boat. I used to have it in my wallet but just got a new wallet and can't remember it offhand.

Island Runner, dsc is a great tool but if #71 is truly for sharing info why the privacy, when i used to guide every marina had their private channels,Erie Dearie Team, Lakefront, Fisherman's Warf, Herl's Harbor ect, we even took it a step further by installing scramblers that garbled the privates....just a thought'' the plotter sounds cool though.....Ed

I'm not against sharing info openly to the public but I'm sure some are. It gives us the option. Plus its something I've always wanted to do, but don't have any friends on the water to track yet. I just think its a useful tool and I need all the help I can get!

I think its a great reason for me to get a new radio. I never bothered before because I didn't have anyone to use it with and the coast guard is not ready for it in our area.

I just might have to buy a new vhf radio now. Never hurts to have two of them.

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Originally Posted by eriepro

Island Runner, dsc is a great tool but if #71 is truly for sharing info why the privacy, when i used to guide every marina had their private channels,Erie Dearie Team, Lakefront, Fisherman's Warf, Herl's Harbor ect, we even took it a step further by installing scramblers that garbled the privates....just a thought'' the plotter sounds cool though.....Ed

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What I am saying is I don't want it one way... Track me but not let me track them. Otherwise I am willing to share with anyone. I have had this technology for a couple years now. It is very cool.

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Originally Posted by Island Runner

I know we all have agreed on the channel 71 thing, but for those of us with DSC radios, we could take it a step further. My chartplotter, as I'm sure most others are as well, is connected to my VHF radio through the NMEA 0183 network. This will allow tracking of people on your radios "buddy list" if you know their MMSI # and their radio is set up to automatically answer position polling calls. This could be a huge advantage to walleye.com members in my opinion. It would be possible to see each members boat on your plotter screen. We would not have to give coordinates to were the fish are active over the radio as we would already know each others position. A simple "how you doing in your spot" would work and not give away great locations to people who are just listening to walleye.com's agreed radio channel. I would be glad to give anyone my MMSI #, though I will only give it out through a private message. What are all your opinions on this?

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I think it's an awesome idea. I'd need the expetise of y'all to tell me the ins and outs of buying the right radio and proper setup.

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chiefho70 I think its a great reason for me to get a new radio. I never bothered before because I didn't have anyone to use it with and the coast guard is not ready for it in our area.

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http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/resc...nationwide.jpg

According to this USCG website, the Rescue 21 System is operational in all U.S. water of Lake Erie.

With the Lowrance line of GPS do you need to network your electronics in order to hook your VHS Radio to your GPS or is it just a simple connection?

I can not say definitively how Lowrance networks are connected but would have to think its a fairly simple setup. I can tell you with my Northstar equipment, there are 2 wires in the power cable that are for NMEA 0183 networking. The DSC VHF radio also has two wires for NMEA 0183 networking. Basically there is a + 0183 wire and a - 0183 wire on each piece of equipment you want to network. The positive goes to the positive and negetive to negetive. This can be accomplished with a terminal block to add to later or as simply as wire nutting them together. I don't recommend wire nuts in marine environments, but you get the idea. Butt connectors will do fine.
Once you have the connections made, its a matter of reading your radios manual on how to turn on the network and what network you are using. As in my situation, I can pick from NavBus (Navico), NMEA 2000, or NMEA 0183. NavBus is a proprietary network for Navico units, Raymarine has SeaTalk, your equipment may have its own proprietary network that can be used if all components are of the same manufacturer. The NMEA networks are a standardized network that is capable of networking components of different manufactures.
So to answer your question, yes it is a simple two wire connection. Going through the menus on your GPS and radio and finding where to turn the networks on is the hardest part, which should be easy if you have you users manual.

Any vhf radio sold now will be able to nmea 0183 network. Your Lowrance will work fine. There are two wires that you will connect from your HDS or any other chartplotter directly to your vhf radio. My vhf radio is an older model so I am getting a new one. Its also a good safety feature. When you make a distress call your GPS coordinates will automatically be sent.

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Originally Posted by wakina

With the Lowrance line of GPS do you need to network your electronics in order to hook your VHS Radio to your GPS or is it just a simple connection?

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Just hook up thru neama 2000 and search for new hardware.

Just upgraded my vhf this year. This thread made me get my manual out.
My radio ( cobra f45) dsc function says you can make a group mmsi number.
this may be something we should look into. With this feature we could know the gps position of anyone on that group. We all may want to learn the capabilities of our vhf radios. I for one will be using these features.

These numbers are really not secret. Some internet searching can find these numbers, FYI.

Maybe I'm not real internet saavy but I looked for two days on the internet for my MMSI number with no luck. I was trying to find it ti give out if anyone wanted it. I could go to BoatU.S. and look it up but I needed the email and password I registered with it at the time 4-5 years ago. I could find databases with MMSI #'s for ships with FCC licenses but that was it. I called a friend at the marina and had him go to my boat and get my number from my radio. He did get it for me but no one has asked for it or wanted to trade #'s.
And as far as the group MMSI #, I'm not sure how that works. And my Northstar equipment only allows you to track up to 3 "buddies" at once. If any one wants to trade #'s for tracking purposes, please PM me. I still would like to give it a go.