Licences required to own and operate an SSB on board

Puggy

Puggy

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Apologies as I am sure this has been asked before, but the rubbish search doesn't throw up any easy answers.

I have bought a used Icom M710 and antenna tuner and intend to install on my boat in due course. I accept that, off shore, sat comms has largely supplanted SSB for ship to shore and email/weather data, and EPIRBS for GMDSS functions, but I want an SSB for inter boat communications when (if?) I manage to escape to far horizons etc.

Even after looking at the Ofcom website etc I am unclear what licence I require to have this set on the boat, what licence I require to operate it, and wonder what training people can recommend?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Puggy
 
Have a read of this thread as its related to the question you ask. You'll need either or both of an LRC, for marine band only, or a full ham licence, for the ham frequencies only - they do not overlap. It depends who you think you'll talk to, after reading the other thread you may decide to sell the M710 and buy a ham set to install - the ham frequencies are more likely to be useful than marine but most radios can both with a bit of jiggery pokery.
 
GMDSS Long Range Certificate a four and a half day course with an optional satellite section. We did the latter because we wanted an Inmarsat C terminal. SSB is the lifeblood of cruising, ocean nets, weather, marina nets and keeping in touch with other boats.

>the ham frequencies are more likely to be useful than marine

No. You can listen to weather on ham but not all the nets which are marine, as above and including safety and security in the Caribbean.
 
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As I understand it, the set gets added to your existing station license (the online one that has your VHF and any EPIRBs etc on it). To operate it, you then need the appropriate certificate of competence - this used to be called the Long Range Certificate although I don't know if it still is. Courses for this are harder to find than the VHF version due to vastly lower demand, although being here in Hampshire you should be ok.

The above applies to marine MF/HF, but much of the cruisers' chatter occurs on the Ham bands, for which there is an entirely separate training and licensing regime. Unfortunately the hammy types consider operating from a boat to be an "advanced" thing, so they make you do the highest-level license including electronics theory etc.

Pete
 
Thanks all for your help - excellent as always.

Bob at Yachtcom was very helpful and I will do the 2 day GMDSS LRC self study plus training and exam with him.

I read all the threads relating to ham vs marine SSB and I can see the arguments for going ham, except that getting the licence seems a real hassle, and I am not sure it is worth it for me. Also, the comment is made that operating a marine SSB like the 710 on ham frequencies is equally as complicated as operating a ham radio on marine SSB frequencies due to the marine SSB's use of channels. Hopefully I have understood this correctly. I will stick with my 710 for the moment.

However, looking at the cruiser forums thread, it was mentioned that Icom themselves can activate a marine SSB for TX on ham frequencies (I assume subject to production of the relevant licence). I asked this of Icom UK and they responded that they can "broadband the TX" for 710 if I give them my requirements. I am too much of a tyro to fully understand at the moment whether this would be worthwhile so I will probably hold off, but useful to know for the future.

Thanks. Puggy
 
I would suggest that you don't need to involve Icom. Bob at YachtCom will tell you what you need to do to convert your 710 to use ham frequencies. Why not take your 710 with you when you sit the exam and convert it there?
 
bjl said:
I would suggest that you don't need to involve Icom. Bob at YachtCom will tell you what you need to do to convert your 710 to use ham frequencies. Why not take your 710 with you when you sit the exam and convert it there?
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Yes good idea. Might do just that.
 
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