How to get a Private VHF Frequency

[st599]

You can get a private PMR private use duplex frequency licence for a 50km2 grid square, but it'll cost nearly £10k.

Similarly, you can get a Coastal Station licence, the cost depends on the population density of the area you're in.

 

[oldgit]

The Baofeng radios (and many similar brands) are worth considering for inexpensive general communication. The rules vary depending on the country you are using them in and whether or not you hold a ham licence, but they are considerably more powerful than simple PMR walkie talkies and many will even transmit on marine VHF bands (perhaps in an emergency).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BaoFeng-8-Watt-Two-Way-144MHz-146MHz-430MHz-440MHz/dp/B0C99TZQP3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2I5C045Y2OO67&keywords=baofeng+uv5r&qid=1702318078&sprefix=beafoeng+uv5r,aps,367&sr=8-1
View attachment 169038

Both the frequencies listed in this advert ie 2m and 70 cms are only for holders of amateur radio licences.

The Seventy Centimetre (70cm) band within the UK is 10MHz wide commencing at 430MHz and extending through to 440MHz. The band is allocated to the Amateur Service with Secondary status and includes additional restrictions in parts of the band.
The 2m band is also only for the use of licensed radio amatuers.
You will not get a licence to use those in the UK on those frequencies .

 

[noelex]

Both the frequencies listed in this advert ie 2m and 70 cms are only for holders of amateur radio licences.

The Seventy Centimetre (70cm) band within the UK is 10MHz wide commencing at 430MHz and extending through to 440MHz. The band is allocated to the Amateur Service with Secondary status and includes additional restrictions in parts of the band.
The 2m band is also only for the use of licensed radio amatuers.
You will not get a licence to use those in the UK on those frequencies .

One of the advantages of these chep Chinese radios (Beofeng and similar) is that there is a multitute of models available with various frequencies depending on your licence status and country of use.

For example if want to transmit on the PMR frequencies (around 446 MHz) this model may be better. This is on UK ebay:

Baofeng UV-5R Upgraded Legal Version Dual Band Walkie Talkies Two Way Radio | eBay

Note It will transmit at 4w (or 1w) which is higher than the legal 0.5w permitted in the UK on PMR frequencies.

 

[Mark-1]

You sound like you want a Coastal Radio License (U.K.) - not cheap but not ridiculous cost either. Apply for or vary a maritime radio licence

You would need to talk to ICOM and Raymarine about reprogramming. Not likely to be cheap even if it is possible on your sets.

However customers could not call you on your private channel and so you might consider a marina license, although other boat users and marinas in the viscinity will hear your chat.

If it’s just yard chatter then PMR will be cheaper, if you have company mobiles there are various apps which will effectively turn them into handheld radios with press to talk (PTT) and broadcast to all your neighbouring radios (will need signal), as the data goes via the internet not direct from phone to phone.

I reckon the OP can get a Coastal License (Marina) and just use M1 and M2 to his heart's content on and off land without any need for radio modifications or personal VHF licenses. No need to use a working channel or 80. (Obvs if M1 and M2 are busy in the area that might be inconvenient.)

Apply for or vary a maritime radio licence

Somebody who knows better might be able to correct me.

 

[M Hill]

I’m not sure how you make an application but there are frequencies available for the use you want, if there is availability in your area is another question.
Take a look at the last few pages on this document under all the xx Chanel’s that have various uses in The Solent, https://www.traconed.com/files/pub/29702960_TDS.pdf

 

[Alicatt]

One of the advantages of these chep Chinese radios (Beofeng and similar) is that there is a multitute of models available with various frequencies depending on your licence status and country of use.

For example if want to transmit on the PMR frequencies (around 446 MHz) this model may be better. This is on UK ebay:

Baofeng UV-5R Upgraded Legal Version Dual Band Walkie Talkies Two Way Radio | eBay

Note It will transmit at 4w (or 1w) which is higher than the legal 0.5w permitted in the UK on PMR frequencies.
View attachment 169043

Again, those are on the Ham Radio 2m and 70cms bands

 

[finestgreen]

Again, those are on the Ham Radio 2m and 70cms bands

No, the Baofengs can definitely use PMR or Marine channels. Neither is legal, though.

 

[Alicatt]

No, the Baofengs can definitely use PMR or Marine channels. Neither is legal, though.

Oh I know what a UV-5R can do there is one sitting in my cinema

 

[Mark-1]

Oh I know what a UV-5R can do there is one sitting in my cinema

So that's PMR *and* Marine VHF including CH0 for £25?

 

[noelex]

Again, those are on the Ham Radio 2m and 70cms bands

The 446 Mhz + frequency is in the PMR band. This does not require a licence in many countries. However, the Baofeng transmitters may not be type approved (depending on the country) and have more transmit power (depending on the country) than is legally permitted.

 

[noelex]

So that's PMR *and* Marine VHF including CH0 for £25?

Yep. The transmitters are a bargain.

Keep in mind they are not type approved for marine VHF frequencies, but in an emergency any means of raising an alarm is permitted. They work normally on marine VHF frequencies.

Monitoring, (never transmitting) CH0 can be useful In the UK. This applies to other countries, although the frequencies are different.

 

[ylop]

Monitoring, (never transmitting) CH0 can be useful In the UK.

Useful? Or interesting? Can you tell us how it was useful?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Basically, all the BaoFeng suggestions would be a) illegal (or rather, unlicenseable without a HAM license) in the UK and b) would be discovered rapidly when operating from a fixed location, as it uses frequencies that are in use by other users. As this is for business use, I presume the OP needs a legal solution. The only one that comes near is the shore-based marina solution; but that does not (and cannot) offer ship-to-ship comms. The PMR solution MIGHT work, but they (quite deliberately) have a fairly limited range.

 

[Neeves]

Hi I have a mix of Raymarine and ICOM VHF radios that we use for a small family run boat hire and storage business. Can anyone tell me if I can apply for a private channel / frequency for use between our staff only and if so, the process for getting this activated (and how I get the units reprogrammed for this)?

Many thanks

I wonder why you need a private channel?

If its because the 'public' channels are so busy - I understand

Yacht clubs get by using their allocated 'public' channels.

If you want privacy and or security the go to option is usually a mobile phone.

Jonathan

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Basically, the problem is very simple - there is a limited amount of space in the RF spectrum, and it is all allocated for specific uses. PMR is probably the closest to the OPs requirements, but that operates with quite strict range restrictions; the OP didn't indicate over what range the system needed to operate. For ranges approaching VHF range, licenses are also expensive, and of course, it violates the OP's requirement to use the existing VHF equipment. Equally of course, VHF can only be relied on for line-of-sight operation, or a bit beyond - 30nm range would be a good figure to play with unless the shore antenna is on top of a hill.

Taking into consideration the requirement to use existing equipment, a marina-type shore station is the only solution that comes close to the OP's requirements, but even that doesn't entirely satisfy them, presuming that inter-ship AND communication with the base station are required. Ships could, of course, communicate with each other using the normal ship-to-ship channels and protocols, but that wouldn't be private in any sense. The other drawback is that any vessel listening on the marina frequencies would be able to hear the shore-side part of any conversation.

If additional equipment is a possibility, it seems that PMR would satisfy the OP, but the license might be expensive and of course, would require the purchase of new equipment.

 

[Mark-1]

b) would be discovered rapidly when operating from a fixed location, as it uses frequencies that are in use by other users.

That's a really good point. I think many people (myself included) don't worry excessively about the legal issues, but a business in a single location with the radios in constant use might be taking the mick.

Having said that, PMRs with a little more grunt might not be too obvious or problematic to people nearby.

 

[Refueler]

The question comes down to how private does the comms need to be ? If 100% - then its Mobile Phone TBH ...

 

[finestgreen]

Yep. The transmitters are a bargain.

Keep in mind they are not type approved for marine VHF frequencies, but in an emergency any means of raising an alarm is permitted. They work normally on marine VHF frequencies.

Monitoring, (never transmitting) CH0 can be useful In the UK. This applies to other countries, although the frequencies are different.

Legalities aside, I really wouldn't want to use a Baofengs on the marine band - would be pretty unfortunate if your transmission stepped on an emergency on a different channel

(And monitoring CH0 is also illegal)

 

[Mark-1]

Legalities aside, I really wouldn't want to use a Baofengs on the marine band - would be pretty unfortunate if your transmission stepped on an emergency on a different channel

(And monitoring CH0 is also illegal)

Yeah, unlike a scanner there's the chilling prospect of being the dick head who accidently Txd on Ch0 or the shore station Ch80 frequency. Mortifying.

Programing in only the usual channels I don't really see much risk and it's a quarter of the price of a normal handheld VHF and has PMR. (I currently often have a camera, VHF and PMR hanging round my neck and it's too much, I'll be considering this when my existing kit breaks!)

 

[st599]

Yeah, unlike a scanner there's the chilling prospect of being the dick head who accidently Txd on Ch0 or the shore station Ch80 frequency. Mortifying.

Programing in only the usual channels I don't really see much risk and it's a quarter of the price of a normal handheld VHF and has PMR. (I currently often have a camera, VHF and PMR hanging round my neck and it's too much!)

The risk is not just to the frequency you're transmitting on.

Practical transmitters create an amplification of your signal at the desired frequency and at integer multiples of that frequency. You then spend money filtering these Harmonics out. I reckon at £25, the Harmonic filtering on these radios is not good. What are Spurious and Harmonics? - everything RF