The ABCs of VHF radio.
Example of an emergency call to the U.S.C.G.:
| A TYPICAL CALL |
EXPLANATION |
| U.S. Coast Guard
- U.S. Coast Guard - this is Happy Fish, Happy Fish -
Over |
Replace Happy Fish with the name of your boat.End your statement with the term
OVER, if you expect a response; if
you are going to end the conversation, use the term OUT instead. |
|
Wait 2 minutes before you call again if you do
not receive a response right way! |
|
Samples of VHF radios |
| Hand
Held Radio |
Fixed
Radio |
 |
 |
Keep in mind that most people may not by
the radio all the time, or that the channels may be busy. Respect
should be the watch word with all radio operations.
A.
Always take your Marine radio on your boat.
In this day and age
people have a false sense of security in their cell phones will
always be a life line and will keep them in contact.
This simply not the
case! Your Marine
radio will put you in direct contact with the Coast Guard, or
other boaters. In
order for your cell phone to do that you will need to have the
phone numbers of every other boater on the coast or lake, or
the phone number of the Coast Guard unit in your area.
Other reasons to
have your Marine radio are to have weather warnings and other
safety broadcasts provided to you in real time. Again, this is
something you can not get with a cell phone.
B.
Battery power.
You should carry two
(2) radios on your boat. You
may have
a Marine radio
mounted on your boat connected to the Boat's electrical system,
but it is a good idea to keep a spare hand held unit in case
that system fail.
You should check
your battery power in that emergency radio at least once before you get underway. Another good idea is to
insure that radio is charged or has fresh batteries the night
before you sail.
C.
Channels.
There seem to be
lots of Marine VHF and SSB (Single
SideBand) channels and each is used for a different
purpose. Here are
some of the most important.
Channel 16:
This channel is used for distress, and calling. This channel is what
you will use to call another vessel and the channel you will
use to contact the Coast Guard.
It is NOT for use to have a chat.
Channel 22:
This channel is used to receive safety broadcasts from the
Coast Guard or other information from the Coast Guard to the
public. You may
also be asked to move to this channel by the Coast Guard after
you make contact on channel 16.
Channel 9:
This channel is used by recreational boaters to call other
boaters. Sometimes it is used as a calling channel to keep
channel 16 clear for emergency traffic.
For a complete list of
Marine channels, check out this link: Marine
Channels Listing by
the USCG.
D.
Do not abuse the radio!
Although the radio may
seems like a CB or walky-talky, it is used for a very different
reason. If someone
makes a false distress call, they place the men and women of the
Coast Guard at risk, and can cost tax payers thousands of
dollars. You will also
face federal criminal charges.
If
you have any further questions, contact
Robert Dittman, our Division
Officer of Communication.
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