who is monitoring the radio

[wolfe1974]

I had a friend call me to come "rescue" him. his fresh water pump broke and left him stranded. he got towed by another boater to the closest marina. but his truck was 10mi away. long story short he had a vhf radio and tried raising someone to help him. he says he tried the emergency channels and several others but never got a response. we are in the upstate of SC. lakes,hartwell,keowee, and jocassee. he was on keowee close to jocasee. I guess my question is what is protocall and when it isnt a life and death situation what to do, and is there anyone monitoring or is it a waste of time to have a vhf radio on a lake. by the way he did try the radio on a previous trip and was able to talk to other boaters so the radio works.

 

[mpdive]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

Good reason to have a cell with you. We boat Clarks Hill and never heard a radio all this year. I did hear some at Murray this year. My wife laughed when I put a VHF on the boat but it sure came in handy calling the lock operator to drop us in the Cooper. I always have it on when I'm on the water. Even though it may not be officially monitered there may be others like me out there that do run them. I thought I heard the Army Corp monitered but I guess not. I know DNR on Clarks hill doesn't.

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

in short, no one!

well not really but it seems that way.

a few years ago the locks along the ohio river were monitoring for call aheads but couldnt tell you if they still do.

i actually just sold my vhf radio a few weeks ago. i can get more help with my cell phone (that is on inland lakes)

 

[seaboo]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

Yeah, I boat inland lakes and unless it is wildlife enforcement NOONE monitors a radio (The marina's say they monitor ch. 7 but many times I have grabbed my cell phone to let them know I'm at the gas pump (no luck on channel 7).

 

[jigngrub]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

VHF are for coastal waters and the great lakes as far as I know.

On inland lakes you'll get more help with a cell phone or a CB radio.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

We monitor 16 on the inland lake I work. There used to be a few sailboats that would chat now and then but I haven't heard any traffic on it in about five years now. Once or twice a year I may see a transient boat with an antenna but never hear any calls.

 

[Raystownboater]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

There was a similar thread started on what to do if you were stranded on a body of water and one suggestion was to call 911. If you have cell service, on the water, that's not a bad idea.

 

[ToemanDoug]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

On Lake Champlain the Coast Guard out of Burlington VT and most of the marina's on the lake monitor the VHF frequencies (ch 16).

Many boaters, including me, do as well.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

You are correct, nobody! On an inland lake, you are far better with a good cell phone booster and bigger antenna.

(i've got a wilson signalbooster + 12 inch dual band antenna. I can get reception through that when my phone would have zero signal otherwise)

 

[phenrichs]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

You could certainly benefit from spending a few bucks for cell boost. Go to a local amateur (ham) radio shop and get the right antenna and connection for your phone (providing your phone is compatible and can connect to one). If you have cell service you will do better. I live in South Dakota and unless you are a trucker with a CB you would be looking at cell service. No CG here. You might pick up Game&Fish officers but unless you can track one down to find out what channel they monitor I bid you good luck. You could check into your cell provider to see if they have a cheap phone that is more powerful for signal that you could use just for the boat.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: who is monitoring the radio

Keep in mind, too, that a handlheld VHF has very limited effective range. each other on a direct line. While a hand-held should have a 5 mile range, I know from experience that it's less, effectively.
Also, each unit's antenna has to be able to "see" the other. A base station on a tower or antenna on a mast or superstructure has the advantage. A point of land between your boat and the base, however, blocks you.

Don't call 911 unless you are in danger. Before you leave, write down the phone number of someone who could help (such as a towing company) or a non-emergency number for sheriff, marine patrol, etc.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

Keep in mind, too, that a handlheld VHF has very limited effective range. each other on a direct line. While a hand-held should have a 5 mile range, I know from experience that it's less, effectively.
Also, each unit's antenna has to be able to "see" the other.

Its even worse than that. Its entirely possible you could see the other radio tower with binoculars, but still have lots of interference. At 156mhz and 5 miles, the fresnel zone is +/- 101.5 feet at the centerpoint. Any obstruction in that area will affect signal.


http://www.wirelessconnections.net/calcs/FresnelZone.asp

 

[shrew]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

It would be more appropriate to assume that nobody uses or actively monitors on specific lakes and bodies of water. To assume that just because nobody uses them or monitors on a specific lake or inland freshwater bodies where you boat, doesn't mean that NOBODY does. There are plenty of freshwater lakes and rivers where VHF is actively used and monitored. It is dangerous to make gross assumptions and advise accordingly.

Lake Winnipesaukee (NH)
CT. River (CT)
All parts of the Intracoastal Waterway

These are examples of places where they are actively used and monitored. Sure there are many many which are not, but the world isn't black and white.

 

[beason]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

I have been thinking about getting a radio, but im unsure if it is worth it. I thought, like CB radios, they have kind of went away. I normally boat on clear lake, which is connected to galveston bay and then to the gulf. Im not sure how many boats in clear lake or on the bay use the radios.

i have a scanner and input the freq for the main uhf channels, and i dont normally hear much on them. That does not mean however that no one is listening.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

On Lake Champlain the Coast Guard out of Burlington VT and most of the marina's on the lake monitor the VHF frequencies (ch 16).

Many boaters, including me, do as well.

+1

Radio is on anytime I'm under way, and in the case of Irene, where I just waited out the storm on the boat, I had the radio on the entire time in case anyone near me needed help.

I posted pretty much the full story in my hurricane preparations thread earlier this week, but in short, the only one I heard that needed help was a 70ft 3 deck cruise ship. Broke her dock lines, and lost a transmission, and was adrift heading toward moored boats and a very rocky island.

If everybody says they're not going to get a VHF because nobody uses them, then you'll all be SOL when you need serious help, and have to call 911, have them transfer you to a marine unit, then try to describe where exactly you are, rather than the boat 1/2 a mile from you that could help you in minutes.
Start the trend, get one, convince others to get them. Its a safety thing more than a convenience thing.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

VHF radios are certainly used on the Ohio River. I've cruised 950 of the 981 miles of it and transited all locks except two. Towboat crews and locks monitor Ch 13. I have hailed other boats on Ch 16 and then moved another working channel, Ch 68 being a popular one. I have heard MANY others doing the same.

 

[wolfe1974]

Re: who is monitoring the radio

I agree I was just surprised that no one responded. it was a nice sunny sunday and I am sure plenty of boats were on the water at the time. I plan on getting a vhf for my new to me boat (cant decide on handheld or installed), and to use it. I too wish more boats would use them or at least monitor.