MMSI formats, call signs, VHF channels and a glossary of abbreviations on one page.
Always 9 digits. The MID is the 3-digit country code; Israel is 428. What comes before the MID tells you what kind of station it is.
Starts with the MID. Example 428123456
00 + MID. Example 004281234
Single 0 + MID. Example 042812345
111 + MID. Example 111428123
99 + MID. Example 994281234
970, no MID. Example 970721234
972, no MID. Example 972721234
974, no MID. Example 974721234
Memory hook for the 97x devices: 0 = SART, 2 = MOB, 4 = EPIRB.
Call signs and identification tell you the type of station. A call sign is made of letters and numbers. The first two characters are the country (two letters, a letter and a number, or a number and a letter); Israel is 4X or 4Y.
Country code 4Y/4X + XXX digits (other than 1 or 0) + X additional letter. Example 4XO (RCC Haifa)
Country code 4Y/4X + XX additional letters + X digit. Example 4XBG8
Mothership identification + XX additional digits. Example 4XBG857
Country code 4Y/4X + XXX additional letters. Example 4XGSK
Aircraft identification + X additional digit. Example 4XGSK6
The digits 1 and 0 are never used, because they are easily confused with the letters I and O. So in a call sign, that shape is always the letter I or O.
Lifeboats take their parent's call sign and add digits: ship 4XBG8 → lifeboat 4XBG857; aircraft 4XGSK → aircraft lifeboat 4XGSK6.
International distress, urgency, safety and calling156.800 MHz
DSC for distress, safety and routine alerts. No voice.156.525 MHz
First choice: ship-to-ship and ship-to-aircraft SAR156.300 MHz
Second choice for ship-to-ship
Vessel movements in Israel (Israeli Navy)
Port operations and talking to ports
Bridge-to-bridge safety
On-board communications1 W only
Public correspondence / radiotelephone callsduplex
Between fishing vessels
Guard bands either side of Ch 161 W only
AIS 1 and AIS 2 dataCh 87B / 88B