Marina vhf channels

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EdWingfield

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When cruising Holland this year I found neither my yot radio or my handheld was capable of speaking to marinas on ch31.

I will buy a handheld with 31, but before I do, what vhf channel do Belgian, French and Irish marinas use?
 
If you buy a copy of the latest Almanac of your choice this will give you all the info you require.

I'm afraid my almanac is a little out of date otherwise I would check for you (1997 !!!). Sadly I shall not be needing such info for a year or three!!

Mal
 
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When cruising Holland this year I found neither my yot radio or my handheld was capable of speaking to marinas on ch31.

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Careful. I understand that hand-helds are not allowed in the Netherlands, even when properly licensed in the UK.
 
As I understand the situation, NL marinas use the channel reserved in UK for rescue services to shore comms. A handheld licensed in the UK is licensed for use only in UK territorial waters as it should only use the permitted channels for the UK. Therefore, your handheld is not legal for use in the NL. I recall someone else posting some time ago on this subject and no legal solution was found! Only buying a handheld in NL would give you the Ch31 access you need - but you can't license it. A ship's radio bought in the NL would not be strictly legal in the UK as it would have the wrong set of Channels to meet the UK licensing conditions.

Rob.
 
With a good old fashioned radio, you could probably buy the relevant crystal in Holland & fit it for use there. But, of course, you wouldn't use in the UK would you!!

Modern radios have frequencies that are digitally set. I wonder if a Dutch specialist could reprogramme a UK set for you?
 
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"Irish marinas seem to use the same as UK ones, i.e. 37a/M1 etc."

Permit me to mention that most UK marinae work Ch 80.

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Not round here they don't.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Thank you all.

So the info so far is:
Holland = ch31
Belgium = ?
France = ?
Ireland = ch37a (M1)
Uk = ch80

My radios are good kit. A DSC Simrad and an Icoms M71. It is mildly irritating that neither will do ch31
 
A friend complained to Offcom about the channel 31 problem( he had been in Holland & needed to contact re entering marina in bad weather) He was given permission to have Ch 31 added to his H/H which he duly did.
 
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Ch 31 = Ch 0 in the UK thats why you cant have it

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Ch 0 is 156.000 MHz, Ch 31 is 157.550 MHz.

Ch 31 is, however, used in the UK by the RNLI for non search/rescue and training.

John
 
Only marina I found using 31 was Breskens - called them on the moby instead! Many others on 18 or 14 or 68- no probs.
 
I tend to spend most summers in Holland, not having Ch31 is a pain. I recently approached OFCOM, put my case for having dispensation to use CH31, allotted to RNLI in UK for beach rescue, and eventually was allowed a variation of license to permit CH31 to be programmed onto my radios. One condition applied was not to be used within 31 nautical miles of UK low water line.

Contact at OFCOM was Charles.Amah@ofcom.org.uk
 
Thank you all, latest update is.

North Holland = ch31 (I know)
Belgium = ?
France = ch9
Ireland = ch37a (M1)
Uk = ch80

Ch 31 for Holland is unavailable in UK without permission.

I seek a Nl chandler who can post me a cheap handheld vhf
 
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