Jack Painter wrote:

Anyway, the new operator licenses do "imply" that any equipment volutarily
carried (radar, HF, VHF, etc) does NOT have to be listed, therefore no
license mods are required when equipment is added. THAT implies GMDSS could
be part of the license-suite w/o special GMDSS quals.It is an interesting
issue that salesman and yachtsman alike should be very clear on before
selling owning or operating the equipment.

An MMSI is an integral part of DSC and the GMDSS, it is kind of hard to
work without a unique indentifier and any vessel will get one for the
asking, licensed, cumpulsory, voluntary, or just a Bayliner with a VHF
DSC unit on an inland lake in Kansas. It will hardly be a Global system
if all vessels are not similarly equipped and any requirement for
commercial licensing would negate all of the benefits of such a valuable
system as GMDSS.

There is no requirement by the FCC or the CG for an operator to hold an
FCC license to operate GMDSS equipment on noncompulsary vessels.

For vessels which are compelled by IMO regulations to carry GMDSS
equipment there is a parallel requirement that watchtstanding officers
aretrained and certified as GMDSS operators. That training is documented
by an endorsement on the officer's STCW certificate.

There are no such rules for pleasure boaters regardless of the type of
equipment installed.

Larry has no clue what he is talking about. The FCC, the only American
authority to issue GMDSS licenses does not list him as a licensed
operator other than in the amateur radio service.

Rick