Identification number for VHF DSC hand held radios
Handheld VHF radios with DSC need a unique MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity - DSC ID number) format to differentiate them from ship and shore station DSC systems.
This issue has been extensively discussed at ITU, and a new distinctive number format has been agreed on:
8MIDXXXXX
Where:
MID = Maritime Identification Digits - the DSC system country code; and
XXXXX = Individual radio number.
So for example, an Australian VHF handheld radio with DSC would have a number of:
850300001
DUNSTAN AND ASSOCIATES
The GMDSS specialists