Non-sailor buying a radio

[Ges]

Hi, I want to buy a radio to listen in to the ships going into and out of port, which I can see from my house. But I don't know what kind I need (I only want to receive, not transmit) and I don't know if I need a licence. Can anyone help?

 

[st599]

Hi, I want to buy a radio to listen in to the ships going into and out of port, which I can see from my house. But I don't know what kind I need (I only want to receive, not transmit) and I don't know if I need a licence. Can anyone help?

Not sure you can get a licence in this situation.

 

[flipper]

You dont need a licence for one of these:

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/on-b...paign=GME_AM/FM/VHF_Marine_Broadcast_Receiver

 

[PatrickH]

Hi, you haven't said where you are, in the UK technically you need a licence to listen in - although you can buy scanners over the counter from the likes of Maplins without proving anything. As I've been a shipping enthusiast for over 25 years I may have used such items without any issues

 

[rob2]

There are (non marine) radios which can receive the appropriate frequencies, although you may find it confusing. Some channels are simplex, that is you transmit and receive on one frequency, others are duplex, transmit on one and receive on another. Marinas use a duplex channel so you often hear a yacht calling a marina, but never hear the reply.

You can check on the Offcom website about licensing http://www.ofcom.org.uk/, although I don't believe you need one to receive only. A typical marine installation with transmitting ability requires a ships license and also the operator requires a short range (VHF) certificate. Transmitting on marine channels is illegal when ashore. The marinas and yacht clubs are allowed a special license as their channel is not strictly within the marine wavebands. Obviously, occasionally the law is broken such as a call from the beach to a moored or anchored vessel or a test transmission from a boat ashore with a new installation (fix it before you launch).

For starters, you might like to look at the Icom website http://www.icomuk.co.uk/ for a scanner type of radio with marine waveband capability.

Rob.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Hi, you haven't said where you are, in the UK technically you need a licence to listen in ...

Technically you may not listen in at all, surely.

 

[colingr]

IIRC you can listen, let's face it you can't not hear transmissions on CH16 etc, but you are not allow to report, repeat or discuss anything that you have heard.

 

[pvb]

Marinas use a duplex channel so you often hear a yacht calling a marina, but never hear the reply.

[pedant]Actually, that's the wrong way round. A yacht monitoring International channel 80 will hear the marina transmissions, but won't hear the yacht transmissions. If you retune your radio to USA channel 80A, you can hear the yacht transmissions.[/pedant]

 

[Ubergeekian]

IIRC you can listen, let's face it you can't not hear transmissions on CH16 etc, but you are not allow to report, repeat or discuss anything that you have heard.

I just checked. Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949:

5. Any person who ...
(b) otherwise than under the authority of the Postmaster General or in the
course of his duty as a servant of the Crown, either--
(i) uses any wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information
as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message (whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not) which neither the person using the apparatus nor any person on whose behalf he is acting is authorised by the Postmaster General to receive; or
(ii) except in the course of legal proceedings or for the purpose of any report
thereof, discloses any information as to the contents, sender or addressee of
any such message, being information which would not have come to his
knowledge but for the use of wireless telegraphy apparatus by him or by
another person, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act.​

 

[st599]

You can check on the Offcom website about licensing http://www.ofcom.org.uk/, although I don't believe you need one to receive only.

You can't listen to the marine band legally without a licence (Wireless Telegraphy Act forbids it). And you can't get a licence in these circumstances.

 

[whipper_snapper]

You can't listen to the marine band legally without a licence (Wireless Telegraphy Act forbids it). And you can't get a licence in these circumstances.

But 1,000s do on cheap sets and I struggle to see what harm it can do. Especially since 1,000s listen legally on ship's VHF stations. If I was in the o.p.'s position, I am pretty sure I would be listening-in for fun (and plotting the AIS positions).

 

[pvb]

And you can't get a licence in these circumstances.

Couldn't he get a Ship Portable Radio Licence?

 

[jimmcgee]

uck, fur fluc sake , here you go

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=97977


aw this peesh about it being legal or not , there are thousands of scanner listeners , not seen them all been lined up in the carpark at the bottom of glasgow airport yet !!

 

[oldharry]

Couldn't he get a Ship Portable Radio Licence?

Yes. A 'fixed' vhf set must be on a boat, but the licence for a portable is not linked to any specific vessel. It should only be used for transmission when afloat, but OP wants to listen in, and the only restriction there is that he is not supposed to pass on or use any information he receives. I suggest a dedicated portable is better than a scanner, simply because it would be easier to use. Find out what channel the local VTS (Vessel traffic Services) operates on and listen in. Can be quite amusing occasionally when things havent gone as expected. Otherwise occasionally you will see older 'Sailor' VHF receivers on Ebay - those lovely big green things (got one); you will not be able to licence it for shore use, but they make lovely 'interactive ornaments' if you are near a major port!

 

[Bilgediver]

Hi, I want to buy a radio to listen in to the ships going into and out of port, which I can see from my house. But I don't know what kind I need (I only want to receive, not transmit) and I don't know if I need a licence. Can anyone help?

This is not difficult though not strictly legal however so long as you don't go writing threads here about what you hear no one is likely to bother and you ll be in the company of all those aircraft spotters listening to jumbos flying the airways and RAF planes in flight refuelling.

You just need a radio that can tune the frequencies and there are many scanners that can do the job or even maybe an old marine vhf which no longer works on transmit.

THe position of your antenna is important and unless on high ground overlooking a coastal area you might not receive vessels more than 15/20 miles away/ In a good position with good antenna you could receive up to
50 miles away.

You should not divulge anything you do hear.

 

[Peter Smith]

Hi

If you live anywhere around the solent this is interesting. Open the site and then select the live radio (either Media or Flash player)

http://www.ais-live.co.uk/aismap/AIS Maps/solent.html

Pete

 

[caiman]

What do we do if we hear a mayday on our scanner,but we do not hear a response?Do we break the law and phone the Coastys to inform them?
Cheers

 

[steverow]

Easy Way.

Just go to any online chandlers and order something like a Cobra Fixed unit or a handheld.
Theyr'e cheap enough.
As long as you dont use it to transmit or disable the mic switch or something it will be fine.
It is not illegal to possess W/T Transmission equipment, just to use it (Except in an emergency).
Anyway I doubt whether Ofcom has the resources or time to be bothered, since the Marine Band has been de-regulated and the licence free for life.

Steve.

 

[mikemanor]

The Ofcom position

The Ofcom position is clear and can be found here:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra169.htm

It is not illegal to own a scanner, but it is illegal to listen to transmissions which are not intended for "General Recepetion" - and marine band transmissions are not intended for general reception.

Whether you would get prosecuted though is another matter altogether.

 

[fastjedi]

I popped into one of a National Coastwatch Station over the summer to make a donation and understand how they work. They were listening on the VHF and monitoring AIS live. When I asked how they reported an incident I was surprised by the answer .... "We dial 999" ..... They are not allowed / qualified? to use the VHF.

If I wanted to listen in as per the OP I would go buy myself a decent second hand Marine VHF off ebay for £30. I wouldn't be worrying about the legals ...