VHF License

[Monster]

Question,

Do you need a VHF Licence to use a radio on a Rib (Or any Boat for those Pendantic enough to post that one), reason i ask is this, My dive club uses a Rib for its locall dives which is basically 1 to 2 K from its Club house (Situated on the beach) since i have been with the club it has not used a radio, just mobile phones (we do inform the JOCC that we are divng, with numbers location etc), however a new DO has taken over and wanted the Rib rigged with a radio, we had a few in the maint room but the connectors are US (Broken), i have now repaired one with connectors etc and have fitted it and tested it on the boat, also installed one to the clubhouse with Antenna etc, which also works.

Now that is done (Bar a distance trial) using, say Channel 17 as a Chat net from boat to clubhouse (to order Bacon Butties etc!: after the dive on the return journey :D ) is it law to have a licence to use it.

with regards to Chanell 16 if i had a MAYDY or PAN PAN, License or no License sod the consequences i would use it!

just wanted to know so if it is required by law then we need to get people on the VHF Course.

We are not located in the UK it is abroad, (Millitary, BSAC 107S), therefore i know we also need to look at the Local Maritime law on the use of radios for that specifac country.

Any thoughts?


P.S i know my spellings Sh*&e :D :D

[Tristan Green]

We are not located in the UK it is abroad, (Millitary, BSAC 107S), therefore i know we also need to look at the Local Maritime law on the use of radios for that specifac country.

Any thoughts?
If you are not in the UK then it's hard to see how UK legislation will apply. If you let us know where you are then maybe someone can advise if they are aware of the local laws.

Regards,
Tristan

ps - In Hong Kong you are required by law to have a radio license if you have a radio in addition to a masters ticket to operate a boat.

[Monster]

Sunny Cyprus :D or not as the case now is :(

[Ed Howarth]

I really am not an expert, but AFAIK in UK you need a licence except in an emergency. Use of marine frequencies from a land station is not allowed, but I'm sure that the proliferation of hand helds (maybe used on the low power setting) means that this is not always observed.

Ed

[Steve Grrr]

I really am not an expert, but AFAIK in UK you need a licence except in an emergency. Use of marine frequencies from a land station is not allowed, but I'm sure that the proliferation of hand helds (maybe used on the low power setting) means that this is not always observed.

Ed

I'm doing a RYA Day Skipper course at the moment and they told us that you don't need a license to use a VHF under direct supervision of someone who is qualified, but you do need a license to use GMDSS (http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/gmdss.pdf). To be honest I was struggling to understand why you need a special license to press the red button, but not to make a fool of yourself on a voice channel.

It seems to me that, around the Solent at least, VHF is used more like CB radio with chatter on all the channels except 16 and 70.

Steve

[Adrian Kelland]

Ideally the user should have a licence. Also if the radio is fixed in the boat, the radio has a licence too.

Adrian

[Gareth]

If it is a GMDSS radio it is registered independently, even if a portable, otherwise you don't have a GMDSS unique code!

[NickMcV]

Well, in the UK you need a Certificate of Competence to be allowed to use a VHF (or be under the under the supervision of someone who has one). Each radio has to be licenced yearly.

If you have the old VHF 'CofC', you need to update it to use the GMDSS (Global Marine Distress Signalling System - I think) system - all new 'CofC's include GMDSS.

Along with GMDSS is the DSC (Digital Select Calling) feature that allows you to 'ring' the number of another radio. The 'phone number' of the radio - it's MMSI (Marine Mobile Service Identifier (?)) is assigned when you buy a licence. As all this newfangled digital signalling uses what used to be a vox channel, all you really need to know is stay off Ch70.

A special licence is needed if you want to use a marine band VHF from a land based station (e.g. marinas etc.)

I have been told - unofficially - by someone who should know - that the Coastguard would not take any action on an 'unlicenced' person or radio being used for a genuine distress situation.

This is what I know for the UK, but as you are in Cyprus, a lot won't apply in the same way. However, if you are in a Joint Services diving club - and I would assume most members are serving personnel - surely you would come under the umbrella of the forces for certification and licencing etc..

Cyprus not so sunny now? Try a cold wet soggy Monday morning in Devon.....
Merry Diving, and save one of those bacon butties for me!

[David Walker]

UK legislation is irrelevant. However even if it isn't law to have it over there, it would be good practice to get them on a course anyway (or if its not law then at least a good, in-depth lesson from a competent user). Someone misusing the radio (either accidentally, because they don't know it's wrong, or because they don't appreciate the consequences of doing so) could end up drowning out a distress signal... obviously something you want to avoid, and for the few ££ a VHF course costs there's little reason not to.

David

[Monster]

Qoute from NickyV:
Cyprus not so sunny now? Try a cold wet soggy Monday morning in Devon.....
Merry Diving, and save one of those bacon butties for me! Unqoute:

Im from Dorset ,meself ... used to be an Armoured Farmer (Devon and Dorset ..now Devon and Dorset Light Infantry!!!)).. and have spent many a time ON THEM MOORS! always stayed of the path and never got bit ...by a Were Wolf any way!

Been told by 417 Maritime Sqn, that it is OK to use Channel 17, as the radio itself is MMSI (dont know the code as it was there before i joined the club) and all the channels less 16 (Coast Gaurd) and 17 which it can transmit on ...does not transmitt on any other Channel ... also as per the FCC website a rib comes under Voluntary Ships

WHICH SHIPS ARE VOLUNTARY?

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. In any event, the term "voluntary ships" does not apply to the following:


Cargo ships over 300 gross tons navigating in the open sea;
Ships certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry more than 6 passengers for hire in the open sea or tidewaters of the U.S.;
Power driven ships over 20 meters in length on navigable waterways;
Ships of more than 100 gross tons certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry at least one passenger on navigable waterways;
Tow boats of more than 7.8 meters in length on navigable waterways; and,
Uninspected commercial fishing industry vessels required to carry a VHF radio.

Therefore a Diving Vessel comes under that law (I would assume) .... also as David Walker mentions, IT IS AN OFFENCE TO TRANSMITT A FAKE DISTRESS CALL, also profanities as well and most people who dive in the club have had some form of Radio training in there Millitary carreer (not saying Squadies are infallible to the odd joke) and i will mention in our next meeting that due to the boat and the clubhouse now having a radio that we put people (who are intrested) on to a VHF Course.

So thanks for all the replys Guys and Gals :D :D :D

[David Walker]

also as David Walker mentions, IT IS AN OFFENCE TO TRANSMITT A FAKE DISTRESS CALL

Its not that specifically that's the problem, but general inappropriate use of C16 - if they don't understand the radio they might not realise they're transmitting at all, or might not realise they shouldn't use it for general chatter. It might be intentional faking, but more likely its accidental by people who don't know what they're doing. If they're near another boat in distress then there's a very real chance that their transmission could out-power their genuine distress signal - result is that the coastguard simply don't know that there is a boat out in distress, because your broadcast out-powered it.

David

[Phil Laughton]

All you need to know about VHF/DSC and GMDSS can be found in the RYA handbook G22 (VHF Radio inc GMDSS).
The BSAC now run VHF/DSC (short range certificate) courses.

Phil

[Phil Laughton]

Further good reading can be found in Reed's VHF/DSC Handbook, ISBN 0 901281 73 5. It can be purchased through any good book shop.
When I bought mine it cost £10.
Have fun with your radio. :)

Phil

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