VHF Use ?

[ICC]

I have a VHF radio in my boat and although I have never had to use it to hail the coast guard, would like to know the proper way to communicate with another boater. For instance, I and a friend are out on the water and want to call him, do I use Ch 16 ? Also what is the proper manner for calling the other boat, I realize that if the other boat had a name, I would use that for calling.

 

[Belchy]

Re: VHF Use ?

I know that in Canada you are required to have a VHF operators card to operate one. Check with local organizations or Power Squadron...they usually run courses that explain how to properally use one..<br /><br />Belchy

 

[KRS]

Re: VHF Use ?

I agree, and I *believe* the rules differ when you are in Coast Guard patrolled waters (coastal vs inland).<br /><br />Just open google and type VHF marine communication or some such thing and see what you get. Also try the coast guard web site.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[KRS]

Re: VHF Use ?

Okay, just found a link, it seems that channel 9 is the boater calling frequency.... this questions piqued my interest, I am a licensed HAM radio operator, and I never considered the requirements for marine radio operation.<br /><br />See here for the navcen.com, it includes a paragraph or two on "procedures for calling another boat".

 

[KRS]

Re: VHF Use ?

Boater Calling Channel (VHF Channel 9)<br />The Federal Communications Commission established VHF-FM channel 9 as a supplementary calling channel for noncommercial vessels (recreational boaters) at the request of the Coast Guard. A ship or shore unit wishing to call a boater would do so on channel 9, and anyone (boaters included) wishing to call a commercial ship or shore activity would continue to do so on channel 16. Recreational boaters would continue to call the Coast Guard and any commercial facility on channel 16. <br /><br />The purpose of the FCC regulation was to relieve congestion on VHF channel 16, the distress, safety and calling frequency. FCC regulations require boaters having VHF radios to maintain a watch on either VHF channel 9 or channel 16, whenever the radio is turned on and not communicating with another station. <br /><br />Since the Coast Guard generally does not have the capability of announcing an urgent marine information broadcast or weather warning on channel 9, use of channel 9 is optional. We recommend boaters normally keep tuned to and use channel 16 in those waters unless otherwise notified by the Coast Guard. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Procedure for Calling A Ship by Radio<br />You may use channel 16 to call a ship or shore station, but if you do so, you must, must be brief! We recommend this same procedure be used over channel 9, if channel 9 is used as a calling channel. <br /><br />For example: <br />Blue Duck: "Mary Jane, this is Blue Duck" (the name of the vessel or MMSI being called may be said 2 or 3 times if conditions warrant) <br /><br />Mary Jane: "Blue Duck, this is Mary Jane. Reply 68" (or some other proper working channel) <br /><br />Blue Duck: "68" or "Roger" <br /><br />*******************<br /><br />Radio Checks<br />Radio checks with the Coast Guard Communications Stations on DSC and HF radiotelephone are allowed. <br /><br />Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio License Information<br />An FCC ship station radio license is no longer required for any vessel travelling in U.S. waters which uses a VHF marine radio, radar or EPIRB, and which is not required to carry radio equipment. A license is necessary however for any vessel required to carry a marine radio, on an international voyage, or carrying an HF single sideband radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal. FCC license forms, including applications for ship and land station radio licenses, can now be downloaded from the FCC website.

 

[phantoms]

Re: VHF Use ?

Around here 16 is usually the hailing channel with a lot of bridges starting to use 9. They still monitor 16 though. Hail the other party, if the other party acknowledges, then they should either state a channel to go to, or you would after their acknowledgment.

 

[ICC]

Re: VHF Use ?

Thanks to all for the information, that answers all my questions that I had. And it raisesanother question though, what is an "MMSI" ?<br /><br />I am assuming that recreational boaters would simply agree on call signs such as "Blue Duck" etc?

 

[Boatist]

Re: VHF Use ?

In the past you had to have a operator license and a ship station licence. License was very cheap 5 or 10 bucks for 10 years. Operator licence never expired. Then FCC raised the price so high people stopped buying licenses. About 5 year later FCC stopped requireing licenses. I was worried it would turn into CB but it really has not. Out here in the west you are still required to monitor channel 16 the calling and distress channel. Channel 9 is a alternate calling channel.<br />The reason everyone must monitor channel 16 is in case of a mayday. Sure the Coast Guard will handle the call if they here it. However if your 1/4 mile from a sinking vessel and Coast Guard is 35 miles you will be able to assist the vessel and save people. If you here a Mayday You are required to record information you here. If Coast Guard does not respond then you should respond to the vessel. You can Relay to the Coast Guard and must Assist if you can do so without endangering your vessel and crew.<br /><br />Some VHF radios a few year back had a button that would send out a Electronic SOS over and over. Problem was the signal did not identify the vessel or give any information. Kids and drunks liked to hit the button as a joke or game. Coast Guard had to treat as a MayDay but often they could get no information as to location. Often they would put out a request for any vessel that herd the SOS to respond. This would give them about a 20 mile range of the vessel. If lots of vessel herd the SOS and gave Coast Guard a report of there location and strength of the signal then they could narrow the possible position of the Transmiting vessel. This system was not very good for finding the vessel in distress or the one playing games.<br /><br />To correct this problem all new type accepted radios must have DSC. DSC will transmit a distress signal on channel 70 but for it to work It must have a GPS or Loran position and a MMSI. The GPS or Loran give the position and the MMSI tell the Coast Guard who is sending the distress signal. So they know where you are to send a vessel and if someone is playing games they know who you are so they can ticket and fine.<br /><br />Some better radios also have a way to use DSC to tell your fishing buddies your position with out telling the rest of the fishing fleet. So you can call your buddy and tell him your loading the boat with fish and he can see your position with out everyone knowing where you are.<br /><br /><br /> http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/

 

[phantoms]

Re: VHF Use ?

DSC (which requires a registered MMSI number<br />) is a little more than that. It will relay your position if you have a GPS tied to it. But it will also let you hail friends, etc., by their MMSI number. In an emergency, it will contact the Coast Guard, relay your position (if you have a GPS tied to it), etc. When you register for a MMSI number, you also register your home port, vessel size and description, color and your name. All this is still used even if you don't have a GPS for the exact location. All new VHF radios are reuired to have DSC. The coast guard isn't officially using it yet, but unofficially, most already are.

 

[jhebert]

Re: VHF Use ?

A DSC radio can transmit position information without a GPS attached. The operator has to enter the position information manually, along with the time of that position.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: VHF Use ?

Breaker one six, breaker one six, this is red baron, hey red eagle, ya got ya ears on?