VHF - back to basics

[oceanfroggie]

It is legal for "any" operator licensed or not to use a VHF to issue a distress call.

The RNLI advice is pragmatic. Better to have folks with unlicensed VHFs onboard than no VHF. The training courses can be fun, but not essential imho.

In this day and age anyway I just tell visiting or untrained crew members how to push and hold the red distress button for 5 secs if anything bad happens and I'm not available to issue it (eg mob, incapacitated, etc). It's not rocket science.

 

[Seagul]

Thanks for the info. Seems that it is wise for several reason to get the radio sorted out. I know my questions will be answered simply by doing the course, but I am only a light, powered craft, draft of inches, "launchable anywhere" - I genuinely see no reason to have VHF on board other than for emergency use. For this I understand I still need a licence for a VHF radio than can transmit on marine wavelengths.
Having looked at the Ofcom site, and it says, "If you wish to use a handheld radio only, then you will be required to apply for a Ship Portable Radio licence". Hefty fines and even prison for not having one!
Am I correct that with the certificate of competence this licence can be obtained free of charge on-line, but without the competence certification it will cost £20 and be done by post?

Also, "Instead of a call sign (applicable to vessels) you will be provided what is known as a T-number which will enable you to use your portable radio on board any vessel" - is this T-number assigned upon completion of the competence training or upon licence application?

Sorry to labour the subject but I guess I won't be the first to weigh up the hesitation over an unlicenced VHF against a possible emergency scenario, and I am just trying to get this licensing straight in my own mind. I am going to go VHF, if only to listen in to channel 16 - I guess if ever I need to transmit an emergency on 16 it would just be nice to know there is maybe someone like me - a numpty or not - out there listening in, prepared to break radio silence.

 

[Solitaire]

Thanks for the info. Seems that it is wise for several reason to get the radio sorted out. I know my questions will be answered simply by doing the course, but I am only a light, powered craft, draft of inches, "launchable anywhere" - I genuinely see no reason to have VHF on board other than for emergency use. For this I understand I still need a licence for a VHF radio than can transmit on marine wavelengths.
Having looked at the Ofcom site, and it says, "If you wish to use a handheld radio only, then you will be required to apply for a Ship Portable Radio licence". Hefty fines and even prison for not having one!
Am I correct that with the certificate of competence this licence can be obtained free of charge on-line, but without the competence certification it will cost £20 and be done by post?

Also, "Instead of a call sign (applicable to vessels) you will be provided what is known as a T-number which will enable you to use your portable radio on board any vessel" - is this T-number assigned upon completion of the competence training or upon licence application?

Sorry to labour the subject but I guess I won't be the first to weigh up the hesitation over an unlicenced VHF against a possible emergency scenario, and I am just trying to get this licensing straight in my own mind. I am going to go VHF, if only to listen in to channel 16 - I guess if ever I need to transmit an emergency on 16 it would just be nice to know there is maybe someone like me - a numpty or not - out there listening in, prepared to break radio silence.

You will not have to prove that you have done the course to apply for the licence. That is for both the fixed and portable. The difference is that a fixed licence stays with the boat, the portable is registered to you.

 

[timbartlett]

Thanks for the info. Seems that it is wise for several reason to get the radio sorted out. I know my questions will be answered simply by doing the course, but I am only a light, powered craft, draft of inches, "launchable anywhere" - I genuinely see no reason to have VHF on board other than for emergency use. For this I understand I still need a licence for a VHF radio than can transmit on marine wavelengths.
Having looked at the Ofcom site, and it says, "If you wish to use a handheld radio only, then you will be required to apply for a Ship Portable Radio licence". Hefty fines and even prison for not having one!
Am I correct that with the certificate of competence this licence can be obtained free of charge on-line, but without the competence certification it will cost £20 and be done by post?

Also, "Instead of a call sign (applicable to vessels) you will be provided what is known as a T-number which will enable you to use your portable radio on board any vessel" - is this T-number assigned upon completion of the competence training or upon licence application?

Sorry to labour the subject but I guess I won't be the first to weigh up the hesitation over an unlicenced VHF against a possible emergency scenario, and I am just trying to get this licensing straight in my own mind. I am going to go VHF, if only to listen in to channel 16 - I guess if ever I need to transmit an emergency on 16 it would just be nice to know there is maybe someone like me - a numpty or not - out there listening in, prepared to break radio silence.

There are two completely different kinds of "licence" involved -- think of them as being like a car "tax disc" and a "driving licence".

The "Driving licence" is the authority to operate: it's personal, and stays with you for life once you've passed the course.
The "tax disc" is the ship radio licence: it relates to the boat and is time-limited.
A Portable licence is (stretching the analogy a bit far) like "trade plates" it goes with the radio, rather than the boat, and can be moved (with the radio) from one boat to another.

Operating a radio without authority and operating without a ship radio licence are two separate offences -- if you have neither you could (but probably wouldn't) get nicked for both.

As Solitaire says, the two are completely independent -- just like you can buy a tax disc for a car without having a driving licence. The difference in fee for the Ship/Ship pirtable licence depends on whether you get it on-line or not. The £20 fee is (supposedly) to pay for the expense. of issuing one by hand. Issuing one on line costs nothing.

PS Re callsigns and T-Numbers: the callsign is a group of letters and numbers that identify the boat, and is issued with the boat's first ship radio licence. From then on, it keeps the same callsign.
The T-Number is a similar group of letters and numbers, except that it relates to a portable licence and goes with the radio.
In practice, you seldom need to use either, as most people use their boat name to identify themselves.

 

[prv]

Am I correct that with the certificate of competence this licence can be obtained free of charge on-line, but without the competence certification it will cost £20 and be done by post?

Nope

The postal option is for techno-numpties that are scared of the Internet, and the £20 cost pays for someone to open the letter and type in the details, and perhaps a little to encourage people to use the Web site instead - they'd much rather everybody chose that option.

The ship license (free, online) is completely separate from the operator's certificate (course, costs). You don't need one to do the other, in either direction.

I'd suggest you get a radio - quality to depend on budget, but even a £50 Cobra is a lot better than nothing - and apply for your free ship's license online. Then you're all set for any emergency use, and you'll also hear other chatter going on which will make the whole thing less of a scary mystery . Ideally you should do the operator's course, but you can decide on that as and when.

Pete

 

[beejay190]

- I genuinely see no reason to have VHF on board other than for emergency use. .

Then get one.!!

And if you dont already have one - a lifejacket is also a good idea.

 

[Who]

Your in the Bristol channel with tidal flows and changing depths more dangerous than many other places in the UK.

Sorry, but you need to do the course and have the right training.

I thought the same as yiu before I did my 1 day course, but it was an excellent day. I learnt so much about safety and what to do.

It's a no brainer, just do the course £95 at Portishead. (compass sea school). Nice people and a relaxed course.

I have a hand held cobra, fine as a back up but not waterproof.

 

[Alpha22]

fine as a back up but not waterproof.

How did we survive all those years ago, without waterproof hand held radios......?????

 

[timbartlett]

How did we survive all those years ago, without waterproof hand held radios......?????

Same way as we survived without:
ais
radar
lifejackets
flares
guardrails
helicopters
engine-driven lifeboats
antibiotics
weather forecasts
ambulances
fire engines
anaesthetics
sanitation

Our village churchyard has a mass grave containing the bodies of 67 cholera victims, who died 180 years ago. Times and expectations move on.

 

[markcw]

Hi
Thanks for the ofgom link just applied for my portable ship license for my VHF, pretty easy to do, If I have any issue I will post back for any one else thinking about doing it. To be truthfull I did not know you could do that, I thought license came with the course when completed.

Thankos

Markios

 

[Mike k]

Same way as we survived without:
ais
radar
lifejackets
flares
guardrails
helicopters
engine-driven lifeboats
antibiotics
weather forecasts
ambulances
fire engines
anaesthetics
sanitation

Our village churchyard has a mass grave containing the bodies of 67 cholera victims, who died 180 years ago. Times and expectations move on.

Well said Tim- in fact many people wouldn't survive many of the perils without modern advancements.

 

[Searush]

Hi
Thanks for the ofgom link just applied for my portable ship license for my VHF, pretty easy to do, If I have any issue I will post back for any one else thinking about doing it. To be truthfull I did not know you could do that, I thought license came with the course when completed.

Thankos

Markios

The operator's license does "come with the course" in that the exam & fees are usually included & the bit of paper arrives at your home in due course after the relevant forms have been filled in & submitted.

What you have just acquired is only the H/H equivalent of a Ship's licence.