VHF ch.70

[Roberto]

Just wondering: as transmissions on vhf channel 70 are to be exclusively digital/dsc, why does it appear on the radio set display list of available voice channels?
Just as AIS1 and AIS2 do not appear, any reason ch70 is shown?

 

[Bilgediver]

For some years now Radios have been sold with Ch 70 not usable by the operator. However there are many old radios around that will transmit on 70 so it is reasonable for people to be made aware that this channel should not be used.

AIS uses one of the duplex pair on 87 and 88 Again no problem here. Modern radios have these channels reconfigured to simplex and now used for shio to ship by some. If you have an old radio you will not interfere with AIS as AIS uses the shore base transmit frequency and Ofcom will have stopped issuing licences for this purpose.

 

[Roberto]

Indeed I just checked my radios (one recent fixed DSC, one recent portable DSC and one fairly old portable non-DSC): they all show channel 70 but transmit is inhibited in all of them. Manufacturers may have left it visible in order not to show their sets receive fewer channels than others manufacturers

 

[Bilgediver]

Indeed I just checked my radios (one recent fixed DSC, one recent portable DSC and one fairly old portable non-DSC): they all show channel 70 but transmit is inhibited in all of them. Manufacturers may have left it visible in order not to show their sets receive fewer channels than others manufacturers

Don't forget they are listening on 70 regardless of what the display says.