LRC certificate

[systravaigin]

Have read with interest - and increasing horror at the cost [described more than once as NOT value for money, with opinions that the information gleaned in four days does not justify the course fee ] - of going on a course to get the LRC radio certificate. We are installing SSB and have the Short Range certificate already - we're heading down to Spain and into the Med next year, and, health willing, over to the Carribean and beyond.

Views, please!

Thanks

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Have read with interest - and increasing horror at the cost [described more than once as NOT value for money, with opinions that the information gleaned in four days does not justify the course fee ] - of going on a course to get the LRC radio certificate. We are installing SSB and have the Short Range certificate already - we're heading down to Spain and into the Med next year, and, health willing, over to the Carribean and beyond.

Views, please!

Thanks

Doing mine at the moment in Lowestoft cost £350 including the £95 exam fee if that helps.
Lots to learn in 4 days I can tell you

 

[systravaigin]

LRC

Many thanks - where are you cruising at the moment?

 

[systravaigin]

LRC course costs

Just noticed that your cost included the exam fee - that's considerably less than some centres charge! Do you then have to pay for the certificate? {Assuming you will pass!

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Just noticed that your cost included the exam fee - that's considerably less than some centres charge! Do you then have to pay for the certificate? {Assuming you will pass!

No I hope not.
If you pm me your address I send you a copy of the info I have on what you'll need to know. It might help you decide. In that price I am also doing a satellite module, now that is good.

 

[systravaigin]

Thats very kind, but Lowestoft is defintely off the beaten track for us - we'll be coming down the West of UK and heading towards Biscay, so it would be a big diversion. However, it does prove that if one shops around one might find a similar deal on our route - travelling to Lowestoft from Scotland would kind of eliminate the saving!

With kind regards

 

[RobbieW]

Have read with interest - and increasing horror at the cost [described more than once as NOT value for money, with opinions that the information gleaned in four days does not justify the course fee ] - of going on a course to get the LRC radio certificate. We are installing SSB and have the Short Range certificate already - we're heading down to Spain and into the Med next year, and, health willing, over to the Carribean and beyond.

Views, please!

Thanks

So far as I could tell a couple of years ago when I did the course, no-one in the UK offered an exam only option. Nor could I easily find any reference material to use as a self teach. In fact I dont think I could find a syllabus.

If you have a grounding in radio frequencies, propagation etc etc then you'd probably find the material straightforward. If you dont, it depends how good a learner you are.

So, one answer is that if you want the ticket you have no choice but cough the dosh. Another way to look at it is that the 4 day option, with YachtCom anyway, cost little more than the 2 day and you did get to play with the toys he has installed for half the time so its useful familiarisation. If you stay in Swanwick Marina, as one participant did, and you have an ICOM radio installed you can ask Bob to install a useful set of preset frequencies for you (at a price).

I also looked at the full commercial ticket at Warsash Maritime College, but thats more like £800.

 

[systravaigin]

LRC

Thank you, Robbie

As we are heading down the West Coast of Scotland to end up in the Med next autumn, we thought we might stay with the SRC until we are there and find a course next winter, somewhere we could live aboard & go ashore to do it.

Greetings from gale torn Argyll!

 

[Petronella]

Distance Learning LRC Optoin

Here's another potential option. It's how we did it a couple of years back and may or may not still be viable now. We each got well over 90% in the exam so the course coverage was fine then. You just miss out on the interaction with others on the course I guess but the S Tyneside guys were great and we had our own tutor for the three of us for the whole day. All in all a very positive experience. But then Tyneside may be too far away for you too?

Basically:

- Buy a copy of the Seafish learning manual (email s_burke[at]seafish[dot]co[dot]uk)

- Learn all the theory from the manual and read around the topics on the internet

- Spend an intensive day at South Tyneside College (email keith[dot]kirby[at]stc[dot]ac[dot]uk) playing with all the gear and then taking the exam.

For full details follow http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195470 and the associated links.

Good luck.

 

[starfire]

I have a friend who is doing the lrc somewhere near Blackpool, perhaps Fleetwood ?, might be worth an investigate.

This is something I looked a few years ago, I have a techie background, I have been a Radio Amateur for a long time, the cost of the course & exam from Yachtcom etc put me off.

Might be time for me to have another look ...

 

[systravaigin]

Distance learning

Thank you very much, Petronella - Tyneside's a lot nearer than Lowestoft! We will definitely investigate this possibility.

Are you over-wintering in Turkey?

Best wishes

 

[KellysEye]

We did the LRC in 2003, it was well worth doing. Usually they offer (free) an optional satellite course (Inmarsat) and it's worth doing too. Because of it we bought a second hand SatC for ocean weather, it saves setting up the SSB and computer.

 

[systravaigin]

LRC

What a friendly, helpful lot you Liveaboards are!

Thank you!

 

[Ariadne]

I already had the the older RT Restricted bit so only needed the DSC upgradeside. I went for yachtcom as I had just installed a new ICOM 801E and they were using them for teaching. So I spent 3 days learning how to use my new set, got the SatCom bit and only did the DSC upgrade (Which was the same as the DSC bit for Shortrange/VHF licence!) exam.

To me well worth the money for just learning the ins and outs of my set without having to read and try to understand the user manual!

 

[johnabbott893]

I tried to do my LRC at Lowestoft but they didn’t hold a course for over 2 years. I got a copy of the Seafish learning manual. I thought it pretty poor and not much good for the recreational user. I did keep it for 2 years for reference but never looked at it. I chucked it away yesterday to make space. I think the best option for the recreational sailor is the yachtcom course. However, I didn’t do it so my view is from researching the options not from practical experience.

I am now wandering the Caribbean heading slowly for Panama and onwards. I have used my SSB radio extensively on voice, email and wx downloads. I don’t know what I am missing by not having done the LRC so I don’t know if the course would have been of any use other than giving me the ticket. I do know I have not missed doing the rather expensive course.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

True that Lowestoft don't like to run the LRC, truth be told it's economics.
What they do do is let an LRC candidate fill a space on a General Operators course. As I live nearby and could attend at short notice it suited me. Also did the satellite module.

Anyway I passed

 

[systravaigin]

LRC

Thank you, John - I've just investigated South Tyneside college too, but they aren't offerering it at the moment.

I suppose one of the thoughts we have is that if some officious marine bureaucrat comes on board - say in France or further afield in New Zealand - they might demand to see the licence - resulting in fines or confiscation of SSB Radio- does anyone think this is likely?

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Thank you, John - I've just investigated South Tyneside college too, but they aren't offerering it at the moment.

I suppose one of the thoughts we have is that if some officious marine bureaucrat comes on board - say in France or further afield in New Zealand - they might demand to see the licence - resulting in fines or confiscation of SSB Radio- does anyone think this is likely?

It's not illegal to have one or listen to it without a licence.
Just to transmit.
Applies worldwide as far as I understand.

 

[John_Parkes]

LRC Certificate

Just an idea. Why not contact/join your local ham radio club, get your amateur licence, have the radio opened. There is much more contact on amateur frequencies and at least you will have a certificate to operate that radio.

John

 

[systravaigin]

SSB - LRC

Good idea - we'll look into it.

We have an old friend who is a great radio ham who I'm sure could point us in the right direction.