A Canadian buying a New Zealand AIS from the U.S.

[S/V Alchemy]

I just got off the phone with Defender.com, who seem a decent outfit. I'm considering buying the Vesper XB-8000 Class B AIS transceiver from them. On the page, I noticed that they won't sell them without inputting an MMSI number and that some sort of FCC compliant must be filled out, along with a fax of one's MMSI number. Fair enough, and they said they could input my Canadian-issued MMSI at their end, as they are required for American reasons to do.

But, needless to say, I can see a number of ways for this to screw up.

Has anyone in Canada actually bought an AIS from Defender and had it arrive with the correctly input Canadian MMSI number? This would reassure me, as the operator on their 1-800 customer service line had not had the question posed to her before and had to "call the president" (of Defender, I assume, not Mr. Trump) to answer my question in the affirmative. So anyone out there try this yet? Thanks.

[Triumphant]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I just got off the phone with Defender.com, who seem a decent outfit. I'm considering buying the Vesper XB-8000 Class B AIS transceiver from them. On the page, I noticed that they won't sell them without inputting an MMSI number and that some sort of FCC compliant must be filled out, along with a fax of one's MMSI number. Fair enough, and they said they could input my Canadian-issued MMSI at their end, as they are required for American reasons to do.

But, needless to say, I can see a number of ways for this to screw up.

Has anyone in Canada actually bought an AIS from Defender and had it arrive with the correctly input Canadian MMSI number? This would reassure me, as the operator on their 1-800 customer service line had not had the question posed to her before and had to "call the president" (of Defender, I assume, not Mr. Trump) to answer my question in the affirmative. So anyone out there try this yet? Thanks.

I cannot help you with your specific query but can confirm you are right to be cautious.

An Australian friend of mine tried to buy an AIS in the USA and the company he was talking to refused to enter a non USA MMSI number into the unit as apparently “it was against the law” and told him to source one in Australia

[Paul L]

If Defender says they will program the Canadian MMSI number then send it to them. If for any reason they can't, Defender will stand behind the products they sell. It's a good outfit.

[lamadriver]

I bought a Vesper from Milltech in Seattle , and he programmed my Malaysian mmsi with out issue .

Plus he's cheaper than defender

[Jim Cate]

Further, the guys at Vesper are great, and will help out if there are difficulties. It is not a difficult procedure to change the MMSI with their aid... I just did it here in Australia with an American MMSI.

Jim

[Laughing Buddha]

Defender is a great outfit - and the Vesper XB-8000 a great product! They (Vesper) have a means to "get you into the system" if it gets screwed up -- but I doubt it will. Have a read of the Installation instructions - should be there as I recall - may involve contacting Vesper - but they are very responsive.

I've been in contact with them regarding using the XB-8000 as a NMEA "converter" of sorts. It seems you can attach a NMEA 0183 device and it will broadcast the message over the N2K net if you are attached via the N2K port. Pretty cool. Haven't tried it just yet - but as an added feature you get with their product.

cheers - Jim

[Gmcgyvr]

Why go through all the hassle of dealing with a U.S. Supplier?
I got mine from the Canadian distributor in Calgary. Haig is great to work with.
I also got the legal MMSI number within a couple of days from Gov't. of Canada website/Spectrum Management & Communications. You need CPC-2-3-07 Annex B for MMSI.
Graham
Vancouver

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Gmcgyvr

Why go through all the hassle of dealing with a U.S. Supplier?
I got mine from the Canadian distributor in Calgary. Haig is great to work with.
I also got the legal MMSI number within a couple of days from Gov't. of Canada website/Spectrum Management & Communications. You need CPC-2-3-07 Annex B for MMSI.
Graham
Vancouver

I have had the MMSI for a while for my SH GX-2200 base VHF and a handful of handies.

I'm in the "good problem to have" situation of having more U.S. than Canadian currency at the moment to buy nice boat things.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Laughing Buddha

Defender is a great outfit - and the Vesper XB-8000 a great product! They (Vesper) have a means to "get you into the system" if it gets screwed up -- but I doubt it will. Have a read of the Installation instructions - should be there as I recall - may involve contacting Vesper - but they are very responsive.

I've been in contact with them regarding using the XB-8000 as a NMEA "converter" of sorts. It seems you can attach a NMEA 0183 device and it will broadcast the message over the N2K net if you are attached via the N2K port. Pretty cool. Haven't tried it just yet - but as an added feature you get with their product.

cheers - Jim

That's the sort of tip I appreciate. Thank you.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by lamadriver

I bought a Vesper from Milltech in Seattle , and he programmed my Malaysian mmsi with out issue .

Plus he's cheaper than defender

Thanks to all for your collective suggestions and the opinion that Defender will support this if it goes wrong.

I will check out Miltech. Thanks.

[onavegador]

Hi
bought my Vesper AIS during my vacation in Florida from an US retailer. I confirmed him that I will leave US Territory w/o using AIS nor mounting it into my boat.

After I left the US waters I entered the MMSI of my boat into the AIS. You can do that just once. When I sold my boat a few years later I sent Vesper Marinean e-mail about and told them that the boat will fly an other National flag. They have been verry helpful and let the new owner change MMSI to his own one.
(Provided outside US and not US or CG flagged).

May be that helps you, try to buy w/o entered MMSI.

Good Luck

James

[Hyrdflyr]

Originally Posted by lamadriver

I bought a Vesper from Milltech in Seattle , and he programmed my Malaysian mmsi with out issue .

Plus he's cheaper than defender

I recommend Milltech, they have gone above and beyond on service for me multiple times.....

You won't regret calling them for a quote.

John

[Cabo Jim]

I have a Canadian flagged vessel with a Canadian MMSI # and keep the boat in the US. I purchased an AIS transponder from defender and they configured it with my MMSI# with no problem.
good luck
Jim

[Capella]

Hi

Why not buy directly from Vesper? Then you can enter the MMSI yourself.

As for the product, it is great! It is the N2K hub on my boat, connects the 183 VHS to the network, and allows OpenCPN to talk to the instruments, allows me to do anchor watch on my phone. Can't stop loving it :-)

Regards
Michael

[kryg]

Hi, I am a Fellow Canadian living in Australia, I bought directly from the manufacturer in NZ. I found the Vesper, be a great product, best buy directly from NZ manufacture and put in your own MMSI Number. Or ask if they have a distributor in Canada.

The American imposing bureaucratic system has no right to cross borders. Full stop!

All the best,

PS Only if you have to, let the NZ manufacturer know the reason your ordering from directly and not the US they should understand.

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I just got off the phone with Defender.com, who seem a decent outfit. I'm considering buying the Vesper XB-8000 Class B AIS transceiver from them. On the page, I noticed that they won't sell them without inputting an MMSI number and that some sort of FCC compliant must be filled out, along with a fax of one's MMSI number. Fair enough, and they said they could input my Canadian-issued MMSI at their end, as they are required for American reasons to do.

But, needless to say, I can see a number of ways for this to screw up.

Has anyone in Canada actually bought an AIS from Defender and had it arrive with the correctly input Canadian MMSI number? This would reassure me, as the operator on their 1-800 customer service line had not had the question posed to her before and had to "call the president" (of Defender, I assume, not Mr. Trump) to answer my question in the affirmative. So anyone out there try this yet? Thanks.