Marine Radio Operator's Licence

[bbg]

Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

What do I have to do to get one?

Do I need to take a course? Or just an exam?

And if just an exam, how do I prepare for it, where can I take it, how much does it cost etc.

 

[EdWingfield]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

I recently sat a 1 day course with exam at the end. (was unlicensed for years)

Check your local clubs/marinas noticeboards

 

[bbg]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

Thanks - local for me is Zurich, so I'm hoping to get the licence as efficiently as possible - ideally by co-ordinating a test only with a visit back to the UK.

I don't suppose it is possible to take the test online / by distance?

 

[ThereAndBack]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

Took mine a couple of years ago at the local yacht club. Cost £45 including training and exam (and coffee/biscuits).
Fairly easy if you have a half-decent trainer. Venues are listed on the RYA site.
Alan

 

[matelot]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

In the UK you can take just the exam or you can do an update course if you have the non DSC licence or you can do the full day course. I teach the full day course and usually charge £50 - in my experience most people's radio procedure benefits from the practise on the simulators anyway.

Quite what you do in Switzerland I dont know. The Germans take several days over the course doing what I dont understand. But as a result there has been some argument back and forth about whether they accept the British cert. So whether the Swiss cert is like the German or the British one, and whether you can do the Brit one in CH or the Swiss one or the German one .................

 

[BrianH]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

There is a RYA accredited Swiss trainer here. The course is a two day one and a third day to take an examination in Germany (Loerrach). As most things Swiss, it all ends up quite expensive.

The same course in many UK establishments lasts one day and includes an ongoing assessment, which gives you your certificate on the same day.

EasyJet flies from CH to the UK for peanuts, overnight B&B and everything costs less than the Swiss solution. Why support the rip-off two-day solution (plus a third exam day) when everyone else only uses one for everything?

HTH.

 

[timbartlett]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

The Short Range Certificate sylabus is set out by an outfit called the CEPT, and is supposed to be international. Unfortunately, though, a few governments are inclined to "gold plate" the CEPT requirements.

Surprisingly, in this particular case, the UK is not one of them, so our course lasts one day, with a simple exam at the end of it.

Other countries are insusting that this isn't sufficient, and are pressing to have the whole thing doubled in length, complexity, staffing and equipment requirements, and probably quadrupled in price.

Meanwhile, I understand that the Americans don't insist on a licence unless you are commercial, in which case the requirements are that you have a rudimentary grasp of english and can write your own name!

The upshot of all this is that although it is supposed to be an international certificate, the British version can only be guaranteed to be accepted if you are on a British vessel.

And because it is a UK government qualification not an RYA one (the RYA is just the contractor that provides training and issues certificates on behalf of the British Government) you can only do it in the UK.

Yes, you can do "just the exam". But if you are doing a viva voce exam, you might as well do the whole course, with continuous assessment and a simple paper exam. The price difference is trivial, and if you do the course, you are almost 100% certain to pass the exam.

And wherever you do the course, it would be nice to think that you will find my book (The RYA VHF Handbook) useful! It's a lot more reader-friendly than its rather formal title suggests. Have a look on the "Books" section of my website to find a supplier.

Fair winds
Tim

 

[bbg]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

Thank you. It looks like a trip to the UK. In which case the difference in price between the course and just the exam is, as you say, not much.

 

[westernman]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

[ QUOTE ]
And because it is a UK government qualification not an RYA one (the RYA is just the contractor that provides training and issues certificates on behalf of the British Government) you can only do it in the UK.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did mine in Greece. But you do need to be UK resident
(i.e. have a UK address).

 

[timbartlett]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I'm sorry, Wn51 is quite right: UK citizens can take the UK SRC at any RYA centre, whether the course and exam are actually held in the UK or not.
The situation for non UK citizens is far murkier, because we have been warned some foreign governments may not recognize UK SRCs that have been issued to non-UK citizens.
The best bet would be to phone or email the RYA, who will be able to give you up to date chapter-and-verse.
They don't bite -- honest!
Best regards
Tim

 

[bbg]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

The trouble is, the RYA website doesn't seem to show training centers outside the UK - at least I haven't found an easy way to locate any!

 

[BrianH]

Re: Marine Radio Operator\'s Licence

Try this - On the RYA Site>Training>
Specialist Sort Courses>Marine Radio (SRC)>
Related Links: Where to take a marine radio course>
Search for: <Training Centre>
Located in: <Switzerland>

Which all brings you here.

HTH