Marine Radio: use on land?

[nigelmercier]

I've just bought a handheld VHF from Standard Horizon. The manual warns that the use of marine radios on land is prohibited by law, but surely one can use them for communication with a boat?

Are there any special licences required, or specific channels to use or avoid?

 

[Reverend Ludd]

I've just bought a handheld VHF from Standard Horizon. The manual warns that the use of marine radios on land is prohibited by law, but surely one can use them for communication with a boat?

Are there any special licences required, or specific channels to use or avoid?

No you cannot use it whilst on land.
You would have to register as a base station (can't remember how they term it)

 

[l'escargot]

Ofcom: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio...or-licensees/maritime-radio-licence-products/

 

[timbartlett]

No you cannot use it whilst on land.
You would have to register as a base station (can't remember how they term it)

It's called a CSR licence. Ofcom don't hand them out like confetti, and they are particularly reluctant to issue them to non-fixed radios, and it would cost you a fortune... £100 per channel.

Didn't anyone mention this when you did your SRC course?

 

[Reverend Ludd]

It's called a CSR licence. Ofcom don't hand them out like confetti, and they are particularly reluctant to issue them to non-fixed radios, and it would cost you a fortune... £100 per channel.

Didn't anyone mention this when you did your SRC course?

They did and on the LRC but I couldn't remember what is was called, being a bit senile these days.

 

[maby]

Get a PMR446 - cheap, free to use and a range of several miles over open water.

 

[nigelmercier]

Didn't anyone mention this when you did your SRC course?

I did my VHF course years ago, they may have mentioned it, but at the time it wasn't relevant. All I really need is to talk to my boat when performing a local manoeuvre, such as filling the water tanks from a distant tap. So I guess low power and an M channel are the best way

 

[Reverend Ludd]

I did my VHF course years ago, they may have mentioned it, but at the time it wasn't relevant. All I really need is to talk to my boat when performing a local manoeuvre, such as filling the water tanks from a distant tap. So I guess low power and an obscure channel are the best way

 

[maby]

I did my VHF course years ago, they may have mentioned it, but at the time it wasn't relevant. All I really need is to talk to my boat when performing a local manoeuvre, such as filling the water tanks from a distant tap. So I guess low power and an obscure channel are the best way

PMR446 really is your best option - there are some very cheap radios around and you will not run the risk of annoying anyone. Buy a pair and take them with you away from the boat - we use ours to find each other in a shopping centre.

 

[FishyInverness]

You do risk a £5k fine if caught - but the only case of that which I heard of was a trawlerman using his VHF to communicate with SWMBO at home about being home for dinner, as she was broadcasting back to him from land, and as it was something that happened regularly over a period of time, they were caught and fined.

You'd probably be ok in the situation you describe, unless some officious type decided to report you if you were doing it regularly, but it is, technically, unlawful to use it on land.

 

[skip50]

+1 for PMR radio, for the OP's situation. I got two radios, 12v chargers and mains chargers in a handy case from Maplin on special offer a couple of years ago, about £40 IIRC. No licence required.

 

[fireball]

but it is, technically, unlawful to use it on land.

Does a floating pontoon count as "on land" ... ?

TBH - if it's just filling up from a distant tap - that ain't going to happen often? Then use a relatively quiet channel - (like 67 ) on low power and use a short keyword to convey the mesg (15 or 17 are often quiet and default to low power)

 

[FishyInverness]

Good question - I dunno!
But when I took the course, the instructor told us that using your VHF at a pontoon would technically be classed as on land, I am dubious as to how that would play out in reality.

 

[little_roundtop]

How do marineros in marinas get away with it then? They're chatting away all the time on whatever channel the marina uses, and a lot of the time they're ashore.

Well.....they are around here anyway

 

[fireball]

If you're only meant to use your VHF from your boat - what if you inflated your tender and sat in it - on the pontoon next to the tap?!

 

[fireball]

How do marineros in marinas get away with it then? They're chatting away all the time on whatever channel the marina uses, and a lot of the time they're ashore.

Well.....they are around here anyway

they have base station licences. Like a lot of sailing clubs do too.

 

[maby]

they have base station licences. Like a lot of sailing clubs do too.

Exactly - it's all a question of licence type. The BBC get away with playing music - you try it and see how long it is before you get a knock on the door!

 

[fireball]

The BBC get away with playing music

Do they? Oh ... I've not heard any!

 

[Searush]

I did my VHF course years ago, they may have mentioned it, but at the time it wasn't relevant. All I really need is to talk to my boat when performing a local manoeuvre, such as filling the water tanks from a distant tap. So I guess low power and an M channel are the best way

Crikey, how long is your hosepipe? Can't you call across the 50m that is a typical max tap to boat distance? It's what I do when filling the Motor Home tanks from the house (2x25m hoses). On the boat I can usually get within 25m of a tap when I need to.

 

[FishyInverness]

Exactly - it's all a question of licence type. The BBC get away with playing music - you try it and see how long it is before you get a knock on the door!

I dunno, there's a guy down my road who continually insists on practicing bagpipes by the canal and no-one's knocked his door yet - I'm fairly sure he isn't employed by the BBC - perhaps he's got a Base Station Pipe Licence?