An infuriating national obsession- radio checks

[Leighb]

I have very rarely asked for a radio check, however a radio can fail in odd ways. We were going from Harwich to Chatham a few years ago. I could hear Harwich VTS clearly on Ch71 as we passed down river, once clear of their patch I switched to Ch16. It seemed remarkably quiet, but it was early in the morning, however after we missed the Inshore waters broadcast twice I began to wonder if we had a problem. I could receive Medway VTS OK and on arrival at Chatham Ch 80 worked both ways. I decide that a radio check was in order. I tried calling on Ch16 and received no reply, then tried a DSC call to Thames CG, still no reply. I finally called them on my mobile and they confirmed that they had received both my calls and replied, but clearly I had not received anything on Ch16.
I spoke to Standard Horizon and they said it was possible for one or more channels to fail in this way and would I send in the radio, this I did in due course and they confirmed there was a fault, but I had decided to get a new radio fitted in Chatham as we were on our way to London and I was unhappy not have a fully functioning VHF.

This could mean that one should check send and receive on every Channel you are likely to need on every trip , but I continue to expect that it will work unless I have any reason to believe otherwise. I do have a H/H as a backup.

 

[Benny257]

Thought I would re-kindle this thread after hearing a request for a radio check on Ch16 about every 3-5 minutes in the Solent yesterday afternoon. Probably all to do with the RTI. NCI listen on 65 and positvely encourage anyone who feels the need for a radio check to use their service rather than coastguard.

https://www.nci.org.uk/stations/solent-marine-vhf

It struck me as particularly ironic that on a day when there are literally thousands of extra vessels in the area, people clog up 16. In amongst the radio check chatter were a number of Pan Pan and maydays.

 

[Kukri]

We actually fitted a new VHF last week. Didn’t do a radio check with NCI as the propagation was so good. Ought perhaps to do one some time, but imho it’s only worth it if you are actually testing the range on 25watts

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I recently did one for the first time in 30 years. We had tried to contact a port authority but they said they could not hear us well. I was using my new backup aerial on the stern arch which I had installed to supplement the 5 year old mast head aerial and cable which has peculiarities. Both pick up AIS over similar range.

So when we had finished talking to port I swapped over to the suspect mast head rig and asked CG for Radio check. Weak but readable. A result !

I now suspect poor aerial 12m up is better offshore than good aerial 3m up, but I am glad I checked. If I get mast down in next 5 years and replace the aerial I will check again

 

[Allan]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I was reminded of it recently. Last September we sailed out of the Solent and started an Atlantic circuit. On our way back we stopped for a couple of days in L'Aberwach, Brittany. Just after we left, 150nm from the Needles, we heard "station calling Solent coastguard for a radio check, you are weak but readable". This was the first radio check we'd heard since leaving and there was a little cheer that went up from both of us!
Allan

 

[Blue Sunray]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I was reminded of it recently. Last September we sailed out of the Solent and started an Atlantic circuit. On our way back we stopped for a couple of days in L'Aberwach, Brittany. Just after we left, 150nm from the Needles, we heard "station calling Solent coastguard for a radio check, you are weak but readable". This was the first radio check we'd heard since leaving and there was a little cheer that went up from both of us!
Allan

Similar experience in the vicinity of Jersey recently, however a fortnight or so ago Solent Coastguard were responding with "Loud and clear (or as appropriate), for future reference in daylight hours please consider calling National Coastwatch on channel 65 for radiochecks". However by this weekend they seemed to have dropped this addition.

 

[Allan]

Similar experience in the vicinity of Jersey recently, however a fortnight or so ago Solent Coastguard were responding with "Loud and clear (or as appropriate), for future reference in daylight hours please consider calling National Coastwatch on channel 65 for radiochecks". However by this weekend they seemed to have dropped this addition.

While reading through the interesting thread about AIS/VHF aerials, I thought that, if I were to need a radio check, I would call NCI. As the aerial should be optimised for channel 16 using a suboptimal channel (65), would be a better check.
Allan

 

[photodog]

I’d rather drown a watery death screaming into a dead mic than suffer the indignity of making a radio check.

Which is why I always use another boats name and fake Scottish accent when making them.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

While reading through the interesting thread about AIS/VHF aerials, I thought that, if I were to need a radio check, I would call NCI. As the aerial should be optimised for channel 16 using a suboptimal channel (65), would be a better check.
Allan

In practice it won't make any difference which channel you use, 'suboptimal' or otherwise.

 

[rotrax]

I’d rather drown a watery death screaming into a dead mic than suffer the indignity of making a radio check.

Which is why I always use another boats name and fake Scottish accent when making them.

AH! So you are the one....................................................

 

[Kukri]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I was reminded of it recently. Last September we sailed out of the Solent and started an Atlantic circuit. On our way back we stopped for a couple of days in L'Aberwach, Brittany. Just after we left, 150nm from the Needles, we heard "station calling Solent coastguard for a radio check, you are weak but readable". This was the first radio check we'd heard since leaving and there was a little cheer that went up from both of us!
Allan

Classic!

I think that is the winning post on this thread!

 

[[70521]]

Thought I would re-kindle this thread after hearing a request for a radio check on Ch16 about every 3-5 minutes in the Solent yesterday afternoon. Probably all to do with the RTI. NCI listen on 65 and positvely encourage anyone who feels the need for a radio check to use their service rather than coastguard.

https://www.nci.org.uk/stations/solent-marine-vhf

It struck me as particularly ironic that on a day when there are literally thousands of extra vessels in the area, people clog up 16. In amongst the radio check chatter were a number of Pan Pan and maydays.

I've always found the NCI very good. If you are on AIS they can check you are on the internet; not sure if they have a receiving set; must visit Rame Head one day.

 

[Tamar]

When leaving port it is good practice to inform coasties of your intentions, compliment, ETA. Saves the interminable radio check request.

 

[beermonkey]

Seems to me it's a bit like middle-lane driving on the motorway - bad form brought on by insecurity and/or inexperience. Having said that, given the sheer volume of day-sailors within range of Solent Coastguard, it's hardly surprising!

 

[JumbleDuck]

I’d rather drown a watery death screaming into a dead mic than suffer the indignity of making a radio check.

Which is why I always use another boats name and fake Scottish accent when making them.

Hmm. The one radio check request I heard in a month on the west coast was - as they normally are - in a plummy English accent. Perhaps it was one of my fellow countrymen disguising himself in the other direction.

 

[capnsensible]

Hmm. The one radio check request I heard in a month on the west coast was - as they normally are - in a plummy English accent. Perhaps it was one of my fellow countrymen disguising himself in the other direction.

Why would they do that?

 

[kayenox]

Incredible that there are 14 pages of comments on this topic.

The basic question is - does my VHF transmit and does it receive? Easily answered by calling your local marina, NCI (as mentioned many times), in our case - the club tender that ferries us to and from our swinging mooring or indeed taking a portable handset and walking 500m away and calling back to someone on the boat.

This is a nice clear explanation for testing more up-to-date DSC radios: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z826TdXCan8

 

[Kukri]

Very useful. I’ve got a 93D and I didn’t know it could do that.

(Read the manual.. moi?)

 

[photodog]

Hmm. The one radio check request I heard in a month on the west coast was - as they normally are - in a plummy English accent. Perhaps it was one of my fellow countrymen disguising himself in the other direction.

Possibly. Or it could just be one of the Solent escapees reverting to type.

 

[Dan Tribe]

Whenever I hear the coastguard reporting to a rado check request with "station calling for radio check, you are weak but readable" I always hope the are going to say" weak and pathetic"