Identification numbers for AIS SARTs, Man Overboard Devices and AIS EPIRB homing transmitters
The International Telecommunications Union (the radio arm of the United Nations) has recently standardised identities (numbers) for Man Overboard Devices, AIS SARTs and also for AIS homing beacons fitted to 406 EPIRBs.
The new numbering formats are detailed below:
970XXYYYY AIS-SART
972XXYYYY Man Overboard devices - using DSC and/or AIS
974XXYYYY AIS homing transmitters on EPIRBs
Where:
XX = manufacturer ID of 00-99
YYYY = beacon serial number (sequence number of 0000-9999)
So, if you receive a DSC alert or see an AIS target with three leading digits of 972 in its identity number, it will be from a man overboard device.
DUNSTAN AND ASSOCIATES
The GMDSS specialists