Do you need a vhf radio on a boat

Its far more than just a glorified walkie-talkie and your cell phone is no substitute. Brush up your VHF skills and learn all the features that modern VHFs have with VHF Radios.

They are more effective for marine communications than CB radios or mobile phones.

Do you need a vhf radio on a boat. The short answer is yes you most definitely need a VHF radio or 2-way radio particularly if you boat any significant distance from the shore. If you get into trouble you can simply call the authorities on your cell phone right. Wellmaybe and maybe is not the answer you want in an emergency.

Should you have a VHF radio on your boat. The answer depends upon where and how you boat. Knowing how a VHF operates and how it can increase your safety and ability to communicate on the water might make it a wise addition to your boat.

It really makes no sense that boat manufacturers are not required to put a VHF radio on a boat longer than 20 ft My Bucket List and conquered waters. Bimini Bahamas - Lake Cumberland KY. Answer 1 of 5.

No you dont need a license to operate one however the installation requires a license. If the Coast Guard requires that you have a VHF marine radio on your boat you must obtain a license. If the Coast Guard does not require that you have a VHF marine radio on your boat.

Whether used for communicating with marinas and locks or when making a mayday call VHF radios are a necessary piece of boating gear. Manufacturers now offer a wide range of unique innovative and sometimes lifesaving features on their units. I am a firm believer in all boats having a reliable VHF radio.

This radio should be tied into your GPS unit or some have their own built in GPS for not that much more. You should also register and program your MMSI into this radio. Check the operation of the radio frequently.

I dont like handhelds because of forgetting to charge the batteries. Why do you need a VHF radio. In an age where everybody has a mobile phone a dedicated marine radio might seem like overkill.

But marine radios have many advantages over mobile phones. They are more rugged and sea-worthy. They wont run out of battery.

If youre new to living on a boat or cruising you might not know what all your VHF can do for you. Its far more than just a glorified walkie-talkie and your cell phone is no substitute. Brush up your VHF skills and learn all the features that modern VHFs have with VHF Radios.

Everything You Need To Know. Anywhere there is a Coast Guard unit they will monitor VHF CH 16. Most local water cops state county municipal also monitor VHF.

So the best thing is ask your local marine patrol. If you do your boating on a lake that is under the Corps of Engineers National Park Service Forest Service etc they also monitor VHF. Everything you need to know about VHF radios but were afraid to ask by Bill Springer.

When it comes to communicating on a marine VHF very high frequency radio there are no Good buddies and no Breaker 1-9s. Smokey and the Bandit movies may have made CB radio jargon hip for a time but a marine VHF is defiantly not a CB radio. A VHF marine radio is a very important tool on any boat and especially if you plan on taking it offshore.

Having one on board and knowing how to use it could mean saving your life and that of your passengers. You need to know some of the most important details in operating a VHF radio while youâre underway. If you have a fixed VHF radio on your boat you need to license it.

When you make your application to OFCOM you are required to share basic information about your vessel and your safety equipment which means that when you get your licence with your unique call sign made up of a mixture of numbers and letters the Coastguard can quickly match your boat to. So people who frequently visit or travel on ship or boat or vessels are significantly in need of Marine VHF radio for their safety and security. There are various types of VHF radios.

Among them Amateur Radio Service Ham Radio Aviation Service Air Band Citizens Band Radio Service CB Family Radio Service FRS General Mobile Radio Service GMRS Marine Radio Service. 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. Here are a few other key VHF concerns you need to be familiar with.

VHF is line-of-sight so range depends on how tall your antenna is and how tall the receiving antenna is. On an average 20-something powerboat with an eight-foot antenna you. Do I need a licence to operate a Marine VHF radio.

The Marine Radio Short Range Certificate remains a legal requirement for the use of marine VHF. All radios require the user and the vessel to hold a relevant licence. The increased use of cell phones has decreased use of VHF radios by boaters who dont venture too far offshore.

But for those who like to do some long-range cruising a VHF radio is a necessity. If you run into an emergency you dont want to take the chance that you. VHF marine radios are increasingly popular with boaters for good reasons.

They save lives and are easy to use. They are more effective for marine communications than CB radios or mobile phones. VHF radios have more consistent reception than mobile phones.

No license is needed when used in recreational boats. They withstand rough weather. You do not need a license to operate a marine VHF radio radar or EPIRBs aboard voluntary ships operating domestically.

The term voluntary ships refers to ships that are not required by law to carry a radio. Generally this term applies to recreation or pleasure craft. The term voluntary ships does not apply to the following.

You can use a maritime VHF radio to signal distress by. Using maritime VHF Channel 16 and repeating Pan Pan three times to signal your need for assistance. Using VHF Channel 16 and repeating Mayday three times to signal imminent danger or a life-threatening situation.

Maritime VHF channel 16 is used for emergency purposes onlyOnce you contact another boat. But before you can operate a ships radio you have to finish a VHF Radio course. You can apply for a VHF radio license through an online portal.

If you already have your MMSI number in your boat or ships DSC-VHF radio the US. Coast Guard can use it to search and rescue your boat should it get lost at sea as long as it is within the Rescue 21 service areas. Under federal regulations you need an operating certificate to use a VHF and HF radio.

Many volunteer marine rescue stations provide radio courses or can tell you where a local course is available. More information about licensing of radios and operators can be found at the Australian Communications and Media Authority website.