mayday mayday mayday - my vhf is not working

C

corkonian1

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 Jun 2002
Messages
113
Location
Ireland
www.mirroroffshore.eu.tt
If you are not receiving me please let me know
I have an Apelco VXE200 vhf radio I am a newbie to vhf communications
It displays channel 16 and hisses when I reduce squelch.The channel selector
worked once but now again displays only channel 16 with letter S
What do buttons mean
16-red- monitor channel 16
1/25 - toggles HI/LOW on display
DW- ?
TST - ?
1/U - international/USA - no effect when pressed
DIM - lights display
SC - ?
RST - ?
Can anyone help, I assime buttons are standard on all radios

Whats this VHF licence all about.Do we have to learn Morse in these
days of text messaging.

OVER and OUT
 
When you turn the VHF on, turn the volume about halfway and turn the squelch down until it hisses then BACK the other way until the hissing just STOPS. That will give you the optimum reception. The VHF should be silent unless something is being transmitted but if you turn squelch too far, you could cut out weaker transmissions. You can adjust the volume while it is hissing to give the volume you want - useful if there are no broadcasts to listen to to check the volume.

I don't know why you are only getting channel 16 but see RST below.

DW is dual watch. If you selected a channel you wanted to listen to eg 8 but still wanted to monitor channel 16 then press DW whilst you are tuned to 8. The VHF will then listen to both channels and default to 16 if anything is broadcast on that channel. You will probably hear the radio flick over to 16 every few seconds which can be a bit irritating. You may find with an American version VHF that you also flick to WX (weather channels - not available here) as well ie tri-watch.

TST is a self test for the optional built in selcal. Ignore it. You probably haven't got one.

I/U This selects International channels or USA channels. You must use International in European waters. It is a real nuisance having to do this (your radio probably defaults to USA when first switched on) but some of the channel frequencies are different.

SC This is scan. When you press this the VHF works its way in sequence through all the channels and stops at each one that is transmitting. Not a lot of use really but does allow you to be nosey and listen to other peoples transmissions (not quite in the spirit of the licence).

RST Resets the TST button. Forget about it. Although on second thoughts perhaps your display showning an 'S' is indicating that selcal is selected thereby preventing use as a VHF. Try pressing it to see if the 'S' disappears.

Licences You need two licences. One for the equipment and one for you as an operator. The operators licence requires training and a short examination. Both are legal requirements and on safety groumds are recommended anyway.

I hope this is of help.
 
1) Some buttons are standard but some are specificto the vhf manufacturer. Each manufacturer has their own method of programming etc. suggest you visit their website and maybe download a handbook? Or maybe someone has one that could be photocopied?
2) You need a VHF operators licence to operate your VHF - nowadays I think it is a combined VHF/DSC course, courses available through local sailing clubs, sailing schools and local colleges. Very easy course, only a few hours tuition and it lasts for life. All persons who use a vhf should have an operators licence, but can use one under supervision of someone who has one. You can still use your vhf, but if you replace it, you can now only buy DSC capable VHF's.
3) Your VHF needs to be licenced by the Radio Communications Agency - costs £22 a year and you get a call sign. This call sign belongs to the boat and is not transferable. You will have to register your name with them as the new owner, and if it already has a call sign they will try and retain it. This can be done on the internet or by phone/letter. Sorry don't know the number.
4) No, you don't have to learn morse!
5) Never say 'Over and Out' - as you will find out on your course!

Hope this helps - happy sailing.
 
I concur with all of the above with these amendments/clarifications:

The Ship Radio Licence costs £20 it went down from £22 two years ago. You can either call the Radio Licensing Centre on 0870 243 4433 or down load a form from the Agency's website at www.radio.gov.uk/publication/ra_info/ra145.htm.

"Over" means "message ends reply requested" and "Out" means " message ends no reply requested" which is why you only hear it said on Telly or CB. This is only one of the many reasons that all users of the Maritime radio service are required to have proven competence to use it. You can get details of where (local to you) to take the Short Range Certificate (VHF only) from the RYA Websita at www.rya.org.uk

At the Agency Website, Maritime radio page you can also download information sheets and previous copies of the Maritime Newsletter Airwaves which will help you to familiarise (before taking the course) yourself with marine radio usage and why the rules exist.

I hope that this is helpful.
Mike.


Manager,
Aeronautical & Maritime Section,
Radiocommunications Agency
 
Further to my earlier reply, I forgot to clarify the 1/25 button. This is the transmission power in watts. If 25 watts is selected, then you will blast every station within line of sight of your aerial. This is fine for sending a Mayday but if you want to communicate with a station close to you, you should try the 1 watt setting first. This helps to reduce the radio clutter that we all hear in busy areas such as the Solent.

You will learn all this on a course and meet fellow sailors at the same time. It's fun.
 
Its a shame that the manufacturers don't default to Lo on power up. With DSC, they could automatically switch to Hi if the red tit is pressed. A couple of weeks ago at Chichester marina I could hear Cowes berth requests on ch 80.


Jeremy Flynn
 
Sheer snobbery. Everybody knows what the mistake 'over and out' is intended to mean, and the recurrence of it on telly reinforces the matter.

On squelch setting, the better criterion is to reduce the squelch until the CH16 noise is just not making it - ie distant stations, heard by CG, will come over as noise, so just adjust sensitivity to cut that out. This is better than adjusting it as suggested, as you will otherwise keep hearing noisy bursts of nothing.
 
Thanks to all who replied.Alot of helpful information.
I knew about over and out , just my attempt at a joke.
I sail in Ireland so I must find out what is required.Two licences to operate a
VHF seems a little over the top, when I can operate a 300hp speedboat without
any licence( not that I would).
What is Selcal.The RST button should switch it off, right and then the VHF
should operate.If it doesnt I guess the radio is bunched.
 
Think of the two licences as

a Driving licence

road tax

Would suggest you look on the rya site for a suitable school to train & take the exam, you will find it good value for money, as all your above questions will be answered and many more as well.

Have fun

David
www.euroboating.net
 
The cost of a ships licence in Rep of Ireland is only a few Euro and not the outrageous 20GBP in the UK. I'd guess it does't even cover the cost of the letter, envelope and stamp! It did however take 15 months to get my first licence because the people who administer the system (Office of the Director of Radiocommunication Regulation http://www.odtr.ie/index.asp) are not the same people who give technical approval for the proposed installation (son/daughter dept of the old Dept of the Marine).

David
 
I don't know much about Selective Calling (SelCal) other than it seems to be a precursor of DSC. MMSI numbers are intended to replace the SelCal numbers. I think it was more common on ships and aircraft than leisure boats.

I was only guessing that the S could be SelCal! Don't throw it away yet. If you know any other sailors, you could ask them to twiddle with your radio to see if they can get it to work. However, since it is such an important safety item, you may be better buying off one of the new DSC compatible units.
 
I had the chance to use exactly the same model VHF at the weekend. This also displayed either an S or a D depending on what channel was selected. This must mean Simplex channel (transmits and receives on the same frequency) and Duplex channel (transmits and receives on different frequencies). You don't really need to worry about the meaning but it has nothing to do with Selcal.

Also, the I/U, TST, RST and SC buttons didn't do anything on the radio I used so are probably deselected on the UK/Ireland model.

If you can't change channels, then the channel selection function must be faulty.
 
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