Re: Choosing a VHF Radio
In my opinion first radio should be a Fixed mount with 25 watts and a 6db gain 8 foot antenna.
You no longer need a license but are still required to follow all the rules.
Yes Channel 16 is the calling and distress channel and you are required to monitor it when the radio is not being use. The reason for this is it is the calling and distress channel and if someone put out a MayDay call and your not on 16 what good does it do.
As far as brand I like ICom they seem to be closer to the full 25 watts out of any of the radios I have seen test on. However today I do not think you can buy a bad radio.
As for price if money is short buy a cheaper radio and get a good antenna Like a Shakespears 5225. A good antenna will do more for range than a higher priced radio.
On the antenna get one that is stiff and does not flex very easy. Also the antenna should have a metal 1 inch screw on base. Nylon bases work for a while but when out in the sun will crack and break with time.
Range with a 8 foot 6db antenna mounted 2 feet above the water is a littles less than 5 miles so talking to another boat set up the same then boat to boat is about 10 miles. Talking to the Coast Guard with high mounted antennas the range can be 80 miles or more.
All of the new radios are required to have DSC and if tied to a GPS and you have MMSI number then it can send a automatic distress signal with your postion and boat information.
CG National Distress System
Digital Selective Calling
U.S. VHF Channels & Freqs
Marine Safety Broadcasts
Radio Info For Boaters
U.S. VHF CHANNELS
Channel Number Ship Transmit MHz Ship Receive MHz Use
01A 156.050 156.050 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
05A 156.250 156.250 Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and Seattle areas.
06 156.300 156.300 Intership Safety
07A 156.350 156.350 Commercial
08 156.400 156.400 Commercial (Intership only)
09 156.450 156.450 Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial.
10 156.500 156.500 Commercial
11 156.550 156.550 Commercial. VTS in selected areas.
12 156.600 156.600 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
13 156.650 156.650 Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.
14 156.700 156.700 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
15 -- 156.750 Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs.
16 156.800 156.800 International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.
17 156.850 156.850 State Control
18A 156.900 156.900 Commercial
19A 156.950 156.950 Commercial
20 157.000 161.600 Port Operations (duplex)
20A 157.000 157.000 Port Operations
21A 157.050 157.050 U.S. Coast Guard only
22A 157.100 157.100 Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16.
23A 157.150 157.150 U.S. Coast Guard only
24 157.200 161.800 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
25 157.250 161.850 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
26 157.300 161.900 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
27 157.350 161.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
28 157.400 162.000 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
63A 156.175 156.175 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
65A 156.275 156.275 Port Operations
66A 156.325 156.325 Port Operations
67 156.375 156.375 Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only.
68 156.425 156.425 Non-Commercial
69 156.475 156.475 Non-Commercial
70 156.525 156.525 Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed)
71 156.575 156.575 Non-Commercial
72 156.625 156.625 Non-Commercial (Intership only)
73 156.675 156.675 Port Operations
74 156.725 156.725 Port Operations
77 156.875 156.875 Port Operations (Intership only)
78A 156.925 156.925 Non-Commercial
79A 156.975 156.975 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only
80A 157.025 157.025 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only
81A 157.075 157.075 U.S. Government only - Environmental protection operations.
82A 157.125 157.125 U.S. Government only
83A 157.175 157.175 U.S. Coast Guard only
84 157.225 161.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
85 157.275 161.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
86 157.325 161.925 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
AIS 1 161.975 161.975 Automatic Identification System (AIS)
AIS 2 162.025 162.025 Automatic Identification System (AIS)
88A 157.425 157.425 Commercial, Intership only.
(This chart is also available in text or Excel versions)
VHF Maritime Spectrum Chart
NOAA Weather Radio Frequencies
Channel Frequency (MHz)
WX1 162.550
WX2 162.400
WX3 162.475
WX4 162.425
WX5 162.450
WX6 162.500
WX7 162.525
