How do you use a vhf radio

Are you VHF ready? VHF marine radios save lives. Cellphones are fair-weather friends Cellphones are great for checking the weather, callings friends and using marine apps.

Related information:. VHF channels. This sticker lists the major VHF channels. Radio distress calling. This sticker outlines the radio procedure for distress calls. The Coast Guard is in the business of saving lives and property, not providing a service to check your radio.

Tip: To Test your radio on the air, monitor one of the ship-to-ship channels and listen for radio traffic. After two parties conclude a conversation, call one of them by name and request a radio check. Sea Tow also provides automated radio checks on VHF channel Simply key your mike and speak, and the system will play back your message so you can check clarity of the message.

FCC regulations require that each party identify himself by either radio call sign or boat name at the beginning and at the end of a radio communication. That said, a pleasure craft is required to have a radio station license and call sign only if the boat is 65 feet or more, is engaged in transporting six or more paying passengers, has a single sideband radio aboard or visits a foreign port including Canada, Mexico or the Bahamas.

Channel 16 is reserved primarily for emergency and boating safety communications. Keep your on-air conversations short. Wait for reply or confirmation from the station being called, switch to the working channel and repeat the process.

When done speaking and leaving a specific channel use the word " OUT " at the end. What about in an emergency situation like mayday? Transmit in this order: Tune your radio to Channel Name of vessel in distress spoken three times.

Give position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by bearing true or magnetic, state which and distance to a well-known landmark such as a navigational aid or small island, or in any terms which will assist a responding station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any information on vessel movement such as course, speed and destination.

Provide nature of distress sinking, fire etc. Indicate number of persons onboard. Provide kind of assistance desired. Any other information which might facilitate rescue, such as length or tonnage of vessel, number of persons needing medical attention, color hull, cabin, masts, etc. Repeat at intervals until an answer is received.

It is used when the safety of a vessel or person is in jeopardy. For example to report a submerged log in a particular vicinity. Avoid Using Cellular Phones! What do you do if you hear a distress call? How do I know if there are storm warnings?

Most VHFs also include the weather channels. How do I know if my radio is transmitting? You can request a radio check. Do so on Channel 9 or another working channel. Not on Channel Recommendations and Warnings Turn your radio on and listen for a while to hear how other people use it. Always listen before you transmit to make sure you are not "stepping" on someone.

Use plain English on the VHF.