VHF Radio Tips?

[hostage]

Just purchased a HX280S Handheld VHF Radio. I have read over the manual and looked at somethings online and I was wondering if anyone had any tips?

1) I know Chan 16 is for Emergencies and you use it in the possible case of Loss of life and/or property. Use "mayday x 3" boat details, location, and situation. This should also be monitored.

2) Chan 13 should be used @ 1 watt for lock/bridge, etc. operators.

3) Use "over" for when your are done speaking and awaiting a response. Use "out" when you are terminating a conversation.

Any other suggestions, tips, or experiences? I also love the NOAA weather.

Thanks,

Hostage

 

[Lrider]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Some lite reading and common sense

Basically the radio is a tool and not a cell phone, you should always use your boat ID (not the name, unless you are very large and have it registered) when using it

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/20.htm
http://www.marine-surveyor.com/newsletters/9707.html
http://madmariner.com/blogs/alan_hugenot/407
http://www.marine-movers.com/VHFRadioUsage.html

 

[hostage]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

When you say "Boat ID' Are you talking about the HIN or the Registration number that is on bow? i.e NY 134567

Sites are good, I took a look at a couple of them before I posted.

Thanks,
Hostage

 

[hostage]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Hrmm...Some of these guides are annoying me. They called DSC, DCS, then another one kept referring to the Mic as "Mike". Good basic information, I may be a little OCD. I am dyslexic myself, but I would proof read a guide before I would post it.

-Hostage

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Ive never heard of using the "Boat ID" in leau of the boat name. Where is this recommended?

 

[Lrider]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Boat registration number

You folks with 40 footers don't have them

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

I have never heard someone calling this is FL 34256 calling FL 12536 and I've been boating for thirty years.......

Most boaters dont know their numbers without hanging over the bow!

 

[jhebert]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

The notion that you use your recreational boat state registration numbers is particularly off-planet. I have no idea where that came from. The FCC and the USCG provide the best advice about marine radiotelephone procedures. I would ignore most of what you've been told here. See

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/boater.htm

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=operations&id=ship_stations

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Hmm ... The USCG site says to identify the boat by name spoken three times and call sign or boat registration number, spoken once.

Everyone ... please be aware of the proper uses of Mayday, Pan-Pan (pronounced pon-pon), and Securite (securi-tay):
Mayday is used for life-threatening issues and grave and imminent danger to the vessel.
Pan-Pan is used for urgent, yet non-life-threatening medical and mechanical issues.
Securite is used to broadcast hazards and other safety-related information (weather, navigation, etc).

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

That satisfies me

Thank you! Still have never heard it used.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

Back when I was 10-12 yrs old and fishing for salmon and trout in Lake Michigan we'd chat with a Charter captain out of Petoskey whose rig was named the "Ruddy Duck" and he would always ID his vessel using the registration numbers.

It always sounded more professional and I started doing the same when my dad would let me talk to him(slow fishing days). Other than that gentleman I've never heard anyone use anything other than the boat's name.

One trick on a VHF is to have pre-programmed codes in case you don't want eavesdroppers overcrowding the spot where you found some fish. We'd hail our buddies on 68 and then say "switch" so we could go to another channel unknown to other boats and discuss candidly where the salmon were.

This was helpful during fishing tourneys but if folks have their scanners on they could still pick it up.

 

[gss036]

Re: VHF Radio Tips?

We don't hear a lot of radio chatter anymore, everyone seems to use CELL phones. I sometimes wonder how effective the radio is, the last time I called the U.S. Coast Guard, I had lost my engine and was on a kicker 15 miles from the harbor and wanted to alert them in case I got into trouble with a big tide. I gave up and then a few minutes later, they came on the air and told me that Victoria B.C. Canada Coast Guard was trying to contact me. No told them I was wanting to talk with them, their response was simple, do you want us to send out a commercial tow service to help, go tell!