Can one reply to one's own e-mail? Let's see...
Looking over my original message, I found a couple of omissions: the FCC
license is for Marine Single Side Band station in or out of the US, and for
VHF outside the US. It is also for anything else you may broadcast from your
boat - EPIRB, radar, etc - EXCEPT Ham radio, which is licensed thru a
different agency of the FCC. When you renew (or get a new license if the six
month grace period has expired for your old license) you check everything
you have or think you may add to your boat to have it covered. You don't
need to have it onboard and are not making a commitment to get it if you
check it for the license - this just prevents you from having to file for a
new license if you do add something later. It is this - the Marine SSB
license - that the Gordon West link is for in the Sailmail web page. For
contrast, a Ham license is for the operator and is independant of the
station, vessel, facility, whatever... (Also needs renewing every ten years,
$6.)
For perspective, we have never been asked by officialdom if we had a marine
SSB license (or Ham license) in Mexico, but I guess it could happen. If you
do use Sailmail, they WILL check to see that you have a current SSB license,
and it's the same for Winlink - they WILL check to see if you have a Ham
license...
Michael
S/V Cambria
Sonora, MX

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Received on Tue Oct 24 19:30:07 2006