Low-cost DSC VHF Radio course

[greenalien]

I did mention this in another thread, but I think it deserves its own!

Marchwood Yacht Club is holding a DSC VHF radio course on April 15th - there are still a few vacant places, cost is £32 for the course plus £30 - and a passport-sized photo - for the RYA to issue the licence once you have passed the assessment at the end of the course. The course is limited to 12 places, and is being run by a professional instructor.

The course is suitable for those who don't hold a VHF shortrange certificate, or those who have an old-type certificate that was issued before the days of DSC radios.

Given the improved safety benefits of the GMDSS system using DSC radio, it's well worth learning how to use this equipment properly, and of course you need the certificate to operate a DSC set legally.

If you are interested in booking a place, send me a PM and I'll let you know the contact details for the course organiser - I'm not posting email addresses on here for obvious reasons!

 

[awol]

... and while we are on the subject, the RYA website says

This can be done by attending this one-day course or, if no tuition is required, you can enter for direct examination.

I can't seem to find anywhere that just does the exam - any ideas?

 

[greenalien]

I can't seem to find anywhere that just does the exam - any ideas?

You might find it difficult - the £30 exam fee goes to the RYA, not the radio school, so there's not much incentive for anyone to offer an exam-only option. Most schools offer a half-day DSC update course if you already hold a short-range VHF certificate, but you'll still have to fork out £50 - £60 as well as the exam fee.

 

[prv]

You might find it difficult - the £30 exam fee goes to the RYA, not the radio school, so there's not much incentive for anyone to offer an exam-only option.

Sure there is - nothing says they need to charge only the RYA fee. Charge £40 in total to cover the use of a room and for a random instructor who was in the building anyway to hand out and retrieve the paper. You've made a few quid and, perhaps more importantly, got yourself at the front of their mind should they ever decide to take a Day Skipper Shorebased or whatever.

Pete

 

[greenalien]

nothing says they need to charge only the RYA fee

But they don't exactly seem to be queuing up, do they - perhaps it's due to the '100% pass rate' that some schools like to publicise, maybe they don't want to take the risk on someone they haven't taught...

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Sure there is - nothing says they need to charge only the RYA fee. Charge £40 in total to cover the use of a room and for a random instructor who was in the building anyway to hand out and retrieve the paper.

Marchwood are offering the full Monty for £32 and you are much more likely to pass having done the course than when you sturdy at home. In any event, it would take an hour or more of my time to set everything up, supervise you through the exam bit, then do the practical bit as well - probably mess up a morning in terms of doing an ything else and I'm not going to do that for a miserable £40.

 

[greenalien]

course is now fully booked!