Marine VHF procedure - why ?

[Capt Popeye]

Hi just brushing upon my VHF procedures for this Season, so went on U TUBE and viewed a few demos on procedure by Clubs and Associations selling their courses, by giving free demos

Can I ask; is it normal procedure to after calling reciptant station 3 times to state - 'this is' , senders call sign /yacht / boat etc etc

When I first did my course and later on river patrols, recall that the formlua was for example -

Coast Guard Coast Guard Coast Guard
brief very short break
Yacht Solo Yacht Solo Yacht Solo

without the 'this is' bit

Have procedures changed ?

Like to get it right this year as hoping to venture further a'field than the River Exe

Thank you

 

[johnalison]

I have always used 'this is', but I learned long ago. I think it helps to clarify matters, especially if reception is poor, but I don't know the modern thinking on it.

 

[capnsensible]

I have, beside me, the RYA marine radio guide. The words 'this is.....' are standard for all messages.

Go forth with confidence. ?

 

[dom]

Coast Guard Coast Guard Coast Guard
brief very short break
Yacht Solo Yacht Solo Yacht Solo

without the 'this is' bit

Have procedures changed ?

"This is" is correct.

But yotties love to bulk up communications by endlessly repeating the word "Yacht"

It's not necessary but fine!

 

[DJE]

I think the correct procedures are intended to give the best chance of being understood at extreme range in poor conditions. Close to shore on busy channels they tend to get a bit tiresome and take up too much time so people tend to shorten them.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have, beside me, the RYA marine radio guide. The words 'this is.....' are standard for all messages.

Better still, the ITU agrees:

 

[JumbleDuck]

I think the correct procedures are intended to give the best chance of being understood at extreme range in poor conditions. Close to shore on busy channels they tend to get a bit tiresome and take up too much time so people tend to shorten them.

I don't think I have ever heard the "<called> this is <calling>" which is supposed to precede every message, even from the CG.

 

[pvb]

Yes, including "this is" should be the correct method, at least for the initial call.

 

[Sandy]

without the 'this is' bit

Do come down to Plymouth this summer and listen to the delights of

"This is Warship XXX" when they call Longroom or Flag, you get the feeling they ain't messing about.

As an aside, with the GP races happening in Plymouth Sound will racing stop when the Grey Funnel line enters/exits the sound? Thankfully, we will be away when all that shenanigans is happening.

 

[tillergirl]

Once upon a time, before digital, analogue kit could need time to work. So if you spoke the moment you keyed the PTT, the set might not transmit the first few seconds. So 'This is' is a good way of ensuring that the receiver will hear the name, hopefully clearly and distinctly. Also if you hear 'This is' there is clarity about who is transmitting whenthere is a broken transmission. Also with analogue sets if the power was dodgy, messages would break quite easily. I guess digital sets either have enough power or not rather than trying to struggle. So the procedures are all designed to work in a 'worst case situation'.

As to 'Yacht'. I have the distinction of a battered motor boat now (on account of arthritis) which has the same name as a spud barge which is berthed and used about 40nm away. London VTS interrogated me as to why I was in the middle of the Estuary when they expected the boat to be working in the Thames (they saw me on AIS). So sometimes being clear ain't a bad idea.

 

[johnalison]

Once upon a time, before digital, analogue kit could need time to work. So if you spoke the moment you keyed the PTT, the set might not transmit the first few seconds. So 'This is' is a good way of ensuring that the receiver will hear the name, hopefully clearly and distinctly. Also if you hear 'This is' there is clarity about who is transmitting whenthere is a broken transmission. Also with analogue sets if the power was dodgy, messages would break quite easily. I guess digital sets either have enough power or not rather than trying to struggle. So the procedures are all designed to work in a 'worst case situation'.

As to 'Yacht'. I have the distinction of a battered motor boat now (on account of arthritis) which has the same name as a spud barge which is berthed and used about 40nm away. London VTS interrogated me as to why I was in the middle of the Estuary when they expected the boat to be working in the Thames (they saw me on AIS). So sometimes being clear ain't a bad idea.

Your theory is completely undermined by the fact that 'this is' follows the name of the station being called three times.

I have often used 'yacht' when calling harbours or other non-yachts so that they have an idea of my status, or lack of.

 

[capnsensible]

Better still, the ITU agrees:

Far more importantly, so does Mrs Sensible who is a vhf assessor! ??

 

[tillergirl]

Your theory is completely undermined by the fact that 'this is' follows the name of the station being called three times.

I have often used 'yacht' when calling harbours or other non-yachts so that they have an idea of my status, or lack of.

You are assuming the message is always completed! Most peeps here call a marina or a chum within a nm. At the edge of reception it is quite a different matter. That is why there is an alternative address when conditions are good (10(2)) above!

 

[newtothis]

Better still, the ITU agrees:

Definitely going to start using delta echo instead of this is, on account of my other half saying I mumble with a Kiwi accent, which she considers a language difficulty.
Will be particularly useful for calling CG for radio checks in the Solent.

 

[Gary Fox]

I have thought about this. In general, I am greatly in favour of standardisation for such things. But: Initially cold-calling I do once use 'yacht', instead of 'this is'.

1) It is a short sharp word which makes the listener's mind pay attention, and mentally 'download' the next word as my name.
2) It simultaneously saves the listener having to work out what sort of vessel I am.

3) Saying 'this is' is a redundant waste of breath; after all, who else would it be?
Are there any radio calls which begin with something like: 'Humber VTS, this is not...'

But Tillergirl's point is good: saying 'this is' might clarify who is talking, in the case of partly broken transmissions.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I have two RT licenses, One Nautical and the other Aeronautical. "This is" only applies to one of them. Brevity is important in busy RT environments.

 

[Capt Popeye]

I have two RT licenses, One Nautical and the other Aeronautical. "This is" only applies to one of them. Brevity is important in busy RT environments.

Yes busy environments eh; when on the River i recall we were taught to call - MP MP MP Thames >> Thames >> Thames >>, so no 'this is' etc, thats what got me to ask in the post as I find it strange and time wasting or confusing; but if the Matitime Regs state that we should there is no question about it; I do wonder if the RNLI and Coastguard use the 'this is' though ?

note the use of >> >> >> is where the Patrol Boat identification came in

And yes the Met Police communication systems were busy

 

[RobbieW]

Better still, the ITU agrees:

The DE thing seems to be a carry over from hamspeak on SSB

 

[pvb]

What I find fascinating are the people (often ladies, who probably get lumbered with working the radio) who laboriously go through the procedure, even though it's obvious that whoever they're calling knows who they are.

Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, this is Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, over.

Cut-Glass Accent, this is Wonderful Marina, over.

Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, this is Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, we'd like a berth for one night please, over.

Cut-Glass Accent, Wonderful, what is your length and beam, over.

Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, this is Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, one moment please, over.

Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, this is Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, the length is 32ft and the beam is 9ft 6inches, over.

Cut-Glass Accent, Wonderful, that's fine, just take one of the visitor berths on the port side as you enter the marina.

Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, Wonderful Marina, this is Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, Yacht Cut-Glass Accent, understood, we will go on a visitor berth, over and out.

 

[tillergirl]

When voice RT police sets were invented, the Home Office experimented with two radio sets. The call sign of radio set number one was '1LO' and the second was called '2LO'. When the experiment was shown as successful, the Home Office bought the Metroplitan Police a grand big new radio and the call sign was called '3LO' thereby introducing the standard procedure of initiating calls to " 'ello, 'ello, 'ello".