steve yates
Well-Known Member
Need to get a licence and no physical courses nearby soon enough. Anyone gone down this route?
Any recommendations?
Thx.
Any recommendations?
Thx.
Any decent VHF radio courses online?
- Thread starter steve yates
- Start date
maby
Well-Known Member
Ocean Training used to do one, but I don't think they do any more. The problem is that even if you study on-line, you still need to attend a centre to do the test - for access to the equipment - so it was a bit pointless. The entire course including exam used to take a day - has that changed recently?
EU_Cruiser
Well-Known Member
Not sure where you will get a VHF licence without practical training on the equipment being a legal requirement but the RYA VHF on-line course is pretty good and they seem to have training centers in your part of the world.
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steve yates
Well-Known Member
yup, its kinda catch 22, cant use the kit without a licence. But need to speak to the harbourmaster for permission to leave and enter the dock by vhf. I can obviously sail without using it, but getting out and in poses a little conundrum. I figure the least I can do is learn how to use it properly online, so if I need to use it I dont cause any problems, and then get the 1st available test slot that I can make as it comes up. They seem to be a winter thing mainly I have noticed before.
EU_Cruiser
Well-Known Member
You are aware no doubt that you need an operators license to operate the radio and the boat needs a separate licence to have the radio installed?
maby
Well-Known Member
From the study point of view, get the course book and syllabus from the RYA web bookshop - they are well enough written and anyone of reasonable intelligence will have no difficulty in reading and understanding it all in a few hours.
As noted above, you do need to have the operators licence to use the radio legally, and that will require attendance at a test centre to do the practical and take the exam. While I'm certainly not trying to promote law breaking, if you read the books and follow the suggested procedures to the letter, the chances of getting caught are close to zero. I hear plenty of idiots completely breaking the rules every day and they are not getting prosecuted. You need to get a ships radio licence for your boat - and that is recorded on the OFCOM databases and could, presumably, be checked upon by the harbourmaster or CG - but that is free of charge and is not in any way dependent on you having a legal operators licence.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
The old one day course and assessment is gone.
2 choices now, do the course at a sea school and take assessment second day. Or, as most people are now doing, the alternative:
Still has to be done via a school. Sign up and receive the course book, application form for licence and password for access to online course. Full instructions included.
Once you have completed the interactive modules, there is a pre exam knowledge test that must be completed with minimum 80% answered correctly. Average time about 8 hours.
Arrange with school a suitable time for written and practical assessment. Time about 2 hours. That's it for life.
Don't shoot the messenger or the RYA. These are the new rules and many have passed successfully.
:encouragement:
2 choices now, do the course at a sea school and take assessment second day. Or, as most people are now doing, the alternative:
Still has to be done via a school. Sign up and receive the course book, application form for licence and password for access to online course. Full instructions included.
Once you have completed the interactive modules, there is a pre exam knowledge test that must be completed with minimum 80% answered correctly. Average time about 8 hours.
Arrange with school a suitable time for written and practical assessment. Time about 2 hours. That's it for life.
Don't shoot the messenger or the RYA. These are the new rules and many have passed successfully.
:encouragement:
Daedelus
Well-Known Member
Licence for the radio is free IF you apply online. Something like £10 or £20 if you want a human being to get involved.
steve yates
Well-Known Member
I knew I needed a licence, hence the question, but I never knew the boat needed one, that's really useful thx.
If the choice is wait till October to sit an assessment, and not go sailing. Or use the VHF to get in and out of the marina and break the law until I can get an assessment booked in, I'll do the latter in a heartbeat. I will do the online coursework first so I'm not a liability, but I won't be sitting idly on the quay just because I don't have a bit of paper.
If the choice is wait till October to sit an assessment, and not go sailing. Or use the VHF to get in and out of the marina and break the law until I can get an assessment booked in, I'll do the latter in a heartbeat. I will do the online coursework first so I'm not a liability, but I won't be sitting idly on the quay just because I don't have a bit of paper.
maby
Well-Known Member
There's no requirement to identify yourself when you use the radio, just the boat. Read the book, spend a few hours listing to others using the radio and stick to the rules without question, and you'll be ok. In an emergency, the rules are relaxed and anyone can use the radio. Get your license as soon as possible.
Melody
Well-Known Member
To get an RYA Marine Radio Operators Licence you must be examined by a qualified Assessor, even if you take the online course. The online course is very good and you download it so you don't have to actually be online to complete it.
Mctavish
Well-Known Member
I noticed that firstclasssailing.com, who do RYA etc. sailing courses do the online VHF course and won an award for it (an elearning award). I've been doing that course and find it good. It's £75 for the online part. You still have to do the assessment in person.
maby
Well-Known Member
I think we are talking at cross-purposes here - Daedelus was referring to the Ship's Radio Licence which is free if you apply on-line and does not require any qualifications from the applicant. You need both that and your Operator's Licence to use the radio legally.
Melody
Well-Known Member
Melody
Well-Known Member
It was the RYA who won the award for the course, not a specific sailing centre. It's the same course that is offered by all RYA Training Centres that are recognized to run it.
steve yates
Well-Known Member
Thx all, found a place in Lancashire that does the online course and should have an assessment day on the 29th, I'll go for that in the morning.
Mctavish
Well-Known Member
was in a hurry to get the licence, didn't look closely enough maby
Well-Known Member
Good luck! Read the book from cover to cover a couple of times, get a friend or family member to be the coastguard reading from a script a few times to give you practice, and you'll pass with no difficulty!
Dave_Seager
Well-Known Member
The best preparation is to learn the phonetic alphabet before you take the course.
steve yates
Well-Known Member
I know most of that anyway dave, as no one can understand my accent on the phone, so its essential for dealing with indian call centres 
